Do you add fats or condiments to LO's food?

jenifairies · January 2010

I'm curious. Do you add mayo, butter, etc to LO's food? Or add cheese/butter to veggies and things like that?

I do not because I don't see the need. I was told by her home nurse today that I should be doing that. So I thought I'd consult my nexperts.

EcoBaby · January 2010

I butter his toast, put cheese or butter or olive oil on his pasta, but that's about it.

I think its good for them to develop a taste for plain food, but I also don't see anything wrong with adding fats to their diet. What was her reason for doing it?

CelticWife · January 2010

I have put butter on his baked potato, but not anything else.

I have put cheese on his broccoli and if we eat out they generally put butter on his broccoli.

I don't think he has had mayo yet.

DS is in the 25th percentile for weight, and is still going down. I am afraid he will be like me and be classified as "underweight" as a child. Everyone was always trying to fatten me up and no matter what they fed me it didn't work. (All kids with heart conditions are ridiculously skinny, so why they were so determined with me I don't know.)

Does the nurse want her to gain more weight?

pawleygirl77 · January 2010

I rarely add butter...sometimes to toast with his jelly. He likes cheese so I'll add that to broccoli or scrambled eggs sometimes. I don't think he's ever had mayo but he loves ketchup so I let him dip his chicken/whatever in that.

lizzie53084 · January 2010

I do certain things, but wasn't aware that you *should* do it.

I add ketchup to her scrambled egss (she wont eat them otherwise and i have tried a million times other ways) and i put a dab of butter on our veggies before i heat them up and she gets served out of that... I don't usually salt anything, our family doesn't use much salt anyway so its not just cuz she is a toddler. There may be more things but off the top of my head, thats it.

KamiSuzanne · January 2010

Every once in a while we'll put some ketchup on a chicken nugget, or french fry. He likes cheesy potatoes, and we put cheese on veggies sometimes.

TakYelgif · January 2010

I put butter on DS toast but that is about it when it comes to condiments. DS has had mayo but it was egg salad so not so much a condiment as it was part of the actual dish.

Disneygeek77 · January 2010

The only veggies she eats are mixed veggies with butter. The only way I can get her to eat chicken nuggets is if I dip them in a little bit of ketchup.

allieoop80 · January 2010

The only thing I add is cheese and that is only sometimes. When we eat broccoli as a family for dinner I put a little butter on it, but everything else he eats plain.

Ciconrad · January 2010

We put cheese on a lot of stuff mostly because he's more likely to actually eat it if it's got cheese (won't touch a scrambled egg but will eat a scrambled egg with cheese). I also butter toast. I don't add mayo to a wrap or sandwich though. Our doctor said it was fine with DS because he's a picky eater and is only in like the 10th percentile for weight. Unless a kid has weight issues (either needing to gain or is overweight), I don't think it matters either way.

tarebear9891 · January 2010

I do just to get him to eat certain things. With most of his veggies I have to add butter or cheese to get him to eat it. He is in the low percentile for weight anyways so the pedi said that was ok.

Osco13 · January 2010

I do.

I think food with flavor makes for a much more diversified eater! Who wants to eat pasta without olive oil or sauce!?

I don't do salt...

but I've used cinn, nutmeg, pepper, olive oil, butter, mayo, Parmesan cheese...

IMO...eating should be fun and tasty!

Broccoli is still broccoli with melted cheese!

jenifairies · January 2010

She asked me what DD's favorite foods were, and I guess she's used to hearing french fries and chicken nuggets, because when I said broccoli she looked at me funny! She asked if I am putting cheese or something, but nope, Alaina eats it plain and loves it. I said I didn't see a reason to add it if she'll eat it plain, you know?

She told me not to put DD on a "diet" and to add these things to her diet because they need fats. She gets plently, IMO. She eats a lot of cheese, milk, yogurt, crackers, all kinds of stuff.

And she's not underweight. I can't remember the % but she's 25 lb 4 oz.

lmdbww · January 2010

If I can, I do. But DD is super duper teeny and she needs all of the extra she can get.

the_mulva · January 2010

I add anything that I think will make it tasty and develop her tastebuds. I put a little tony's on her broccoli, or feta on some veggies. Put hummus on toast, add cinnamon to carrots, etc. I don't do ketchup b/c it's evil.

VTbride05 · January 2010

I dont add anything to veggies or sandwiches. If he isnt having jam I will put butter on his toast, but I dont add it onto waffles or pancakes. He hasnt had ketchup or mustard or anything like that. I dont think that he needs it.

Mrs. Rohde · January 2010

DD loves ketchup so she has some whenever she has chicken fingers-but only a small amount

do what you think is best!

BeanLooWeen · January 2010

I butter toast/bread and add cheese to broccoli, but I don't add butter or salt to his vegetables. His pedi. actually told us to start adding more fat too (DS is below the 5th % for weight.)

Amrice78 · January 2010

I do if they "belong" there - like butter on toast, ketchup for fries, condiments on a sandwich, butter on veggies - I don't like to eat stuff without these things so I don't expect him to either. That being said, I wish DH had never introduced him to ketchup, ugh, the boy is a ketchup fiend.

ETA: I just read your whole post (instead of just the question, lol) and I don't see any reason to add butter to the broccoli just because, that seems silly.

Mrs Manners · January 2010

I use butter in the pan to keep stuff from sticking but don't add butter after cooking. If something needs sweetening (which we do rarely) I'll add a little honey. He recently tried my ketchup and is now obsessed with it so I let him have a tiny time sized amount on his plate when we eat steak or meat and he dips in it. I let him dip veggies in ranch sometimes because he'll eat them raw that way. I sometimes add cheese to the veggies but most often not. I've never added salt or sugar to anything he ate.

Rubygirl · January 2010

DS loves ranch dressing, so I'll let him dip his veggies in it. He might use 1/2 a teaspoon when we give it to him.

I don't add cheese or butter to veggies. I do sometimes use ICBINB spray butter (0 calories) on our veggies or potatoes.

He used to love eating cheese by itself but has lately refused it.

Some fat is good for them. Like most things, eat in moderation.

SBear12 · January 2010

We put butter on her toast and waffles, let her dip things in ketchup, put sour cream and cheese in her scrambled eggs, things like that. Basically the same things we would put on/in our own food.

I have a friend who adds fat (like avocado oil) to her son's food because her pedi is concerned with weight gain. Was that what the nurse meant?

Wassygirl · January 2010

ds is 70% for height and 10% for weight. his pedi told us to add butter and milk to things. and to give him ice cream. she said some of the "no nos" for us are ok for him right now.

JARbaby · January 2010

I use butters with Omegas and other things with good oils. I also do mustard and organic ketchup which is tomato, vinager and agave sugar so all natural. I think there is a way to use them to build the palate while adding essential nutrients to the diet.

murphyec · January 2010

My son hates bland foods. Give him baked chicken with veggies, he will eat the veggies but not touch the meat. But give him chili or curry and he gobbles it all up.

I have tried to give him ketchup before, but he won't eat it. Haven't tried mayo cause he doesn't eat sandwiches often. I make veggies for him the same as I make them for me; butter and salt.

violetvirgo · January 2010

i don't add them b/c i don't want my child to grow up thinking butter and mayo covered food is healthy. i mean, i sometimes grate some cheese over her broccoli but i don't add it for the purpose of making it more fattening.

if we happen to sautee something in butter (which is EXTREMELY rare in our family) then dd eats it too and if we make something with mayo (i.e. potato salad) then she can have it.

LoriFalce · January 2010

Joseph eats what we eat. So if I'm buttering the veggies, I'm buttering all the veggies. I don't put mayo on anything he eats because he doesn't eat sandwiches. He just pulls them apart and eats the meat, the cheese, etc., and usually throws the bread away, so I just give him the sandwich innards and let him go for it.

But if we are having something that Matthew and I might dip or have with sauce, like fish with tartar sauce, for example, no, I don't give Joseph the dressing. It has nothing to do with calories. He just plays with it and doesn't eat his food if I give him something like that. Except for raw broccoli with ranch. There's an exception to every rule. Oh, and last week he had honey for the first time, on a hot biscuit and loved it.

violetvirgo · January 2010

jenifairies:
She asked me what DD's favorite foods were, and I guess she's used to hearing french fries and chicken nuggets, because when I said broccoli she looked at me funny! She asked if I am putting cheese or something, but nope, Alaina eats it plain and loves it. I said I didn't see a reason to add it if she'll eat it plain, you know?

She told me not to put DD on a "diet" and to add these things to her diet because they need fats. She gets plently, IMO. She eats a lot of cheese, milk, yogurt, crackers, all kinds of stuff.

And she's not underweight. I can't remember the % but she's 25 lb 4 oz.

i think it's sad that anyone considers a vegetable not smothered in fat a "diet food'. no wonder childhood obesity is out of control Confused

and my dd is in the 20% for weight, but 95% for height. her pedi who also has a MPH in nutrition doesn't see the need AT ALL to "fatten" her up.

the_mulva · January 2010

LoriFalce:

Oh, and last week he had honey for the first time, on a hot biscuit and loved it.

Yum. Who wouldn't love that?

MegGary · January 2010

To her vegggies? No. I just serve them as is. DH does put butter on them for her though. We use can't believe it's not butter so it's not horrible for her.

We also put a little butter & sugar free syrup on her waffles. DH says not to use the SF because of the aspertame. I have sugar free because I'm diabetic. So I'm conflicted. On one hand I don't want to give her too much sugar on the other I don't want to give her aspirtame either. Oh the dilema.

The problem with DD is she doesn't like bland food. Hasn't since day one so the more spice it has the better for her. So I do give her things like ketchup and mustard with some stuff. maybe a tiny bit of ranch dressing to dip her chicken nuggets in. She likes to dip too.

I grew up in a household where we ate very healthy food. No soda but diet. No juice but the occasional orange. Sweets & fast food where a treat for special occasion. Guess what? I still grew up overweight & am now Type 2 diabetic. I hope to teach my daughter the same values of eating I learned & hope that she will do better with it than I did. I looked at it as deprivation. I hope she looks at it for what it is. Eating for healthy.

LoriFalce · January 2010

the_mulva:
LoriFalce:

Oh, and last week he had honey for the first time, on a hot biscuit and loved it.

Yum. Who wouldn't love that?

It was getting a little out of hand. He would eat the honey off and then hand it back for "Mo peez!"

jenifairies · January 2010

violet - i know! i have food issues myself so i'm trying to do my best to change my habits (and dh's) and not start her off on a bad foot, kwim? She will eat junk if you give it to her, but I'd rather her have a taste for foods in their more natural form, I guess.

I'm not militant about it (if I cook something in butter/oil she gets it too), but if she'll eat plain veggies, why add cheese. Same for water/juice. If she happily drinks water, why give her juice all the time?

Amrice78 · January 2010

do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

little_mrs · January 2010

Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

I was wondering the same thing.

To answer the question: DS eats what we eat. I use seasoning & condiments within reason. We don't go crazy though.

KittyCatBio · January 2010

sounds like the nurse was projecting some issue onto you. we don't put butter or oil on our vegetables usually. i'll put a pat of butter on the peas, and pinch of sea salt occasionally where it's needed. kat's always loved plain steamed broccoli, so i don't mess with it. she's only come around to ketchup in the last month or so.

now, butter bread we do. if we are having hot rolls with dinner i just get the knife ready, b/c she is going to lick the butter off the roll, hand it to me and ask for more. i should do that with honey. and she likes nutella on her toast.

and by butter, i mean country crock with calcium. god i love country crock.

JARbaby · January 2010

Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

I do! It is C and my favorite! Steamed broccoli plain.

jenifairies · January 2010

Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

She eats them how I eat them (with the exception of me adding salt to some of mine). Most are plain or seasoned with spices/herbs, not butter and oil. If I do use butter or oil, she eats it, too, but I'm not going to specifically prepare her food with more "stuff." DH usually adds red pepper and cheese to everything, but I'm not going to encourage that habit!

Amrice78 · January 2010

JARbaby:
Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?
I do! It is C and my favorite! Steamed broccoli plain.

broccoli is about the only one I can see - I do like broccoli pretty much anyway - but most veggies are so bland, they need something. We usually roast veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. If you've never had roast broccoli you need to, it's divine.

KittyCatBio · January 2010

Amrice78:
JARbaby:

Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

I do! It is C and my favorite! Steamed broccoli plain.

broccoli is about the only one I can see - I do like broccoli pretty much anyway - but most veggies are so bland, they need something. We usually roast veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. If you've never had roast broccoli you need to, it's divine.

does it get as soft? kat likes her broccoli fairly squishy.

LoriFalce · January 2010

As this was a nurse, maybe she was coming from a real nutritional place. The fact that you are talking broccoli makes me think...Broccoli, spinach, anything in the cabbage family, edamame, etc., are all really high in calcium. However, calcium is a fat-soluble nutrient. There is a whole area of nutritional goodness that you don't benefit from when you eat them without some kind of fat.

Amrice78 · January 2010

KittyCatBio:
Amrice78:
JARbaby:

Amrice78:
do you all actually eat veggies without butter or olive oil?

I do! It is C and my favorite! Steamed broccoli plain.

broccoli is about the only one I can see - I do like broccoli pretty much anyway - but most veggies are so bland, they need something. We usually roast veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. If you've never had roast broccoli you need to, it's divine.

does it get as soft? kat likes her broccoli fairly squishy.

oh yes, and you can steam it first if you want (if there are larger pieces of stem) but nice and soft and a little nutty

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