What's the problem with purees!? I don't get it.

CheezeFace · April 2013

I'm not wanting to incite a war here but there are so many posts about how awful Moms feel because their kids are still on purees. My LO is 17 months and I still give him purees. He likes them! They are nutritionally sound. He's also eating "real" food at meal times. I got so much side-eyeing about this from friends that I asked the pediatrician at his last appointment and was told it was fine as long as he was experimenting with table food. He does more than experiment - he's a little piggy!

So what am I missing? Why is this a 'thing' to get our LO's off of purees? Is it because they are a pain? Messy? Developmental issues?? What is it??

I'm so confused why this is a big deal.

kalette · April 2013

I don't know, I think it's kind of silly though to think they have to be off of purees all together. Do some people never give their kids applesauce?

LO really only likes apples and pears pureed anymore, the rest is all table food, but I usually fill one of the sections of her plate with one or the other and she uses her spoon on it herself. She loses a fair bit of it, but she does it!

ASmallWonder · April 2013

The issue is when they're NOT eating regular food and ONLY purees because that's not developmentally appropriate. Purees aren't the devil (hell, even adults eat applesauce!) and they can be a great way to get veggies into a kid who maybe won't eat them in their whole form. But there's much to be said about a kid coming along in their development in being able to pick up a veggie, see it, smell it, feel the consistency, chew it, etc. Short answer: In addition to other food, NBD.

SusieBW · April 2013

I think the problem is only if your 17 month old is ONLY eating purees, and not having any table food, because kids need to learn to eat real food, you know?

But generally, I'm with you - I don't get why people get so up in arms about it either.

smiling76 · April 2013

SusieBW:

I think the problem is only if your 17 month old is ONLY eating purees, and not having any table food, because kids need to learn to eat real food, you know?

But generally, I'm with you - I don't get why people get so up in arms about it either.

ditto this. They need to learn to chew, use utensils, develop their pallets, etc. But totally cool with purees as treats and extras.

mben1119 · April 2013

I just don't like that they have regressed into DS's main source of food. He did so well at finger foods early on, and I wish I hadn't given in when he was teething. I don't mind things like yogurt and applesauce, but I don't think he should be eating a dinner of purees every night.

boogerbearoriginal · April 2013

Ditto PPs, it's not so simple as purees = evil. If your kid is only eating pureed food that's a problem for all the reasons previously mentioned.

Also, after 12-18ms kids get a lot more picky, and less willing to try things. A 9-12m old is much more willing to eat a green bean because it's new and interesting. I think waiting too long can backfire when the kid gets accustomed to eating purees and refuses to try table foods.

Netty_3 · April 2013

If purees are wrong...I don't want to be right! Without those squeeze purees I really doubt LO would ever get a full serving of veggies. He eats table food too...and on occasion will eat a vegetable or fruit...but I want to make sure he gets some in.

blu-eyedwife · April 2013

elmoali:
The issue is when they're NOT eating regular food and ONLY purees because that's not developmentally appropriate. Purees aren't the devil (hell, even adults eat applesauce!) and they can be a great way to get veggies into a kid who maybe won't eat them in their whole form. But there's much to be said about a kid coming along in their development in being able to pick up a veggie, see it, smell it, feel the consistency, chew it, etc. Short answer: In addition to other food, NBD.

I think this is the key issue. I joke that at 12/14/16 months it's not a huge deal if a kid eats purees, but it's going to be really embarrassing when s/he goes on her/his first date and asks the waiter to please put the meal in blender before bringing it out.

Netty_3 · April 2013

LalaMama81:
Someone has to always mention that adults eat applesauce. You're right, some do. That doesn't mean I eat green beans and chicken purees, though. It really has nothing to do with it. I will be honest, my gut reaction when I see a 1 year old eating pures is that the parents are controlling or not letting their kid growc by eating appropriate foods. That said, I know there is always so much more to the story, not to mention there could be special needs of some kind. My view is colored by the fact that we did BLW with dd2, so she has never had pures. Dd1 did have purees for a few months but was off of them by 9 or 10. Because of this, I see no need to keep feeding purees to a toddler. I do wonder if some parents have a tough time getting their kid to switch completely to table food because they wait too long to do it. No idea, though, if there's any evidence to support that.

We did BLW too, and funny enough he never had purees until recently when he stopped eating veggies...so he gets those pouches so that he gets a vegetable, we give it as a snack.

Netty_3 · April 2013

LalaMama81:
Netty_3:
If purees are wrong...I don't want to be right!nbsp; Without those squeeze purees I really doubt LO would ever get a full serving of veggies.nbsp; He eats table food too...and on occasion will eat a vegetable or fruit...but I want to make sure he gets some in.
See, I just think this perpetuates things and makes it worse. I don't worry about what dd eats at a given meal or day. If I'm only offering acceptable options at meals, what's the worst that can happen? If she went a month without eating a single vegetable, but otherwise had a great diet, she wouldn't keel over of malnourishment. Serving sizes for toddlers are so small, that even eating 2 baby carrots or 3 green beans is enough for them.

We always offer vegetables and encourage them at mealtime...he chooses not to eat them...so I'm sneaking them in during snack time. It's not like I'm giving him cotton candy and hot dogs...he is offered good food, he went from loving his vegetables and those being the first thing he ate to none. If he would eat 2 baby carrots or 3 green beans I'd be over the moon, he has that option, but it's not happening. I also mash up sweet potatoes or squash and put it in his beans and hummus, because he loves beans...I'm in charge of his diet, and I would like him to have fruits and vegetables.

CheezeFace · April 2013

mbenit4:

In my house, when you get teeth and can chew you get food. I was looking forward to the day I didn't have to buy separate things for "baby." Now, we all eat the same. Easy.

Maybe this is why I'm not so concerned. We didn't get teeth until 12 months and only have 2 uppers and 2 lowers now. The dreaded molars started coming in the last couple of weeks though. That's been fun.

shannm · April 2013

LalaMama81:
CheezeFace:
mbenit4:

In my house, when you get teeth and can chew you get food. I was looking forward to the day I didn't have to buy separate things for "baby." Now, we all eat the same. Easy.
Maybe this is why I'm not so concerned. We didn't get teeth until 12 months and only have 2 uppers and 2 lowers now. The dreaded molars started coming in the last couple of weeks though. That's been fun.
You don't need teeth to chew, so I'd try not to worry too much about that. Molars are used for chewing, dd didnt get those until age was 16 months. So, she'd been eating all table good for 10 months without molars just fine. She didnt have any teeth at all the first 3 months she was eating. Molars are rough, though, good luck!

yeah, I don't get the whole you need teeth to eat solid food thing. We are not talking about steak. My MIL just shared with me that she didn't give any of her seven kids anything but pur?es before they had more than four teeth. What?!?

mommasqueak · April 2013

i make our DD's purees, and put them in her lil green pouches, a reusable pouch. and she eats off our plates. so she eats both, and loves both.

hopefulmom81 · April 2013

I think it is a big deal because everyone has an opinion about everything and makes every decision on either side of the fence a tragedy for the child. It is fun to make moms feel they can't do anything right, or something. I'm not sure.

Sounds like you are doing a great job of mixing up his diet to me

CheezeFace · April 2013

shannm:
LalaMama81:
CheezeFace:
mbenit4:

In my house, when you get teeth and can chew you get food. I was looking forward to the day I didn't have to buy separate things for "baby." Now, we all eat the same. Easy.
Maybe this is why I'm not so concerned. We didn't get teeth until 12 months and only have 2 uppers and 2 lowers now. The dreaded molars started coming in the last couple of weeks though. That's been fun.
You don't need teeth to chew, so I'd try not to worry too much about that. Molars are used for chewing, dd didnt get those until age was 16 months. So, she'd been eating all table good for 10 months without molars just fine. She didnt have any teeth at all the first 3 months she was eating. Molars are rough, though, good luck!
yeah, I don't get the whole you need teeth to eat solid food thing. We are not talking about steak. My MIL just shared with me that she didn't give any of her seven kids anything but pur?es before they had more than four teeth. What?!?

I didn't wait to give him anything. I pretty much just gave him whatever we were eating (within reason). He's generally not picky at all but will have opinions that come with age.

Last night he ate tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and pasta. Wanted nothing to do with the chicken. Today he ate all the chicken out of my salad but refused pasta, et al. Then I gave him a pouch b/c I didn't want to share anymore (LOL) and I didn't have anything else prepared for him.

I don't think it's a big deal. I was just wondering if I was missing something because it seems to cause a lot of angst.

lageorgiapaperie · April 2013

DS became uninterested with purees around 9 months so we've been on table food since then. But, he does get a Earth's Best smoothie every day, which is in puree pouch.

As long as your baby is snowing interest in regular food I'm sure it's fine!

beautiflaw · April 2013

I think people get nuts about other people doing it because they want to find something to point out that some other family does that they think is wrong, to make themselves feel better about their own self-perceived weak areas. I feel that its not my business to worry about what somebody else is feeding their child. I don't know their situation so for all I know, that mom or dad has a perfectly good reason for doing whatever they are doing.

The issue is that some parents keep their kids on a strictly puree diet for longer than what some people think is necessary for various reasons, but for developmental reasons its usually considered best to go chunkier and chunkier until the child can eat a diet of 100% whole, table food just like an adult's diet. It helps the mouth develop, helps with speech, better for teeth, lots of things. Of course, some children DO need to stay on purees longer for perfectly legit health reasons.

DD is almost 20 months old and we let her have purees sometimes as a "treat". Being allowed to eat purees has helped her learn to use her spoon so she is getting really good at eating soups now.

ktpaladino · April 2013

Love this post! Whether you do BLW or purees, I don't think there's any right or wrong. It's also important to remember that a lot of babies prefer one or the other, so it's not always the parents' choice...a lot of times we have to follow the lead of our LOs. To echo pp's, I think some parents worry when their kids aren't eating table food early, because of the research that shows it could lead to or be a sign of developmental issues and cause picky eating. But all babies are different and some just need to stay on purees for longer, it's not always a case of the parents enabling them or perpetuating a problem.

Personally I still give LO purees and baby oatmeal simply because he likes it, but he also scarfs down any table food I put in front of him. I'm also surprised no one has pointed out that purees can help with constipation. Sometimes I will give him more purees and try to cut back on the table food a little when he's having trouble pooping, but that's only on occasion.

Giving oatmeal and purees in addition to table food makes me feel more confident that he's getting proper nutrition, although I'm sure he would be fine without since he eats everything under the sun! It just helps ease my mind, I dunno.

Heck, even I suck down a Buddy Fruit pouch once and a while. I don't see the problem with having the pouches as snacks. There are ones designed for older kids as well. As long as there is a healthy, balanced diet as a base, I feel purees can always be used as a quick convenient snack/treat, no matter what age!

kcisthebombdotcom · April 2013

I think using purees as a snack is fine. I think when parents need to keep feeding their child well past their first birthday is it a problem. As its already been mentioned its not developmentally appropriate, kids need to work on the fine motor skills of eating a variety of different textures, they need to develop good eating habits, etc.

I always hear the reasoning "well my kid doesn't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables so I need to use them for nutrition!" I think this is a slightly ignorant approach. First-people should look at a nutrition chart and see what is actually necessary for a child's diet. You'll likely be surprised at what constitutes as one serving of fruits or vegetables. Purees can encourage overeating which can lead to constipation or weight issues down the road. Second-your child doesn't need a variety of vegetables to survive and thrive. Many fruits contain the necessary nutrients that are in vegetables. The better choice is to supplement with fruits while providing constant exposure at every meal with vegetables even if they're refused. Eventually your child will move on to exploring vegetables which leads to eating them. I think people can throw up their hands, say their kid is picky, and just use the purees as substitution which can lead kids down a bad path of eating. Kids generally need to be taught to eat healthy foods-I think most people would rather eat cookies and cake if given the choice. While you certainly can't force a kid to eat something you certainly need to consistently encourage less desirable foods.

cecilyandgautam · April 2013

It's no big deal - I see plenty of toddlers downing squeeze packs. So if you want to skip the side eyes, put your toddler's purees in one of those Green Pouch reusable things you can fill at home and then suddenly people will just think you're being eco-posh.

And what's with your friends giving you a hard time about this? We did baby-led weaning, never did purees, and no, we don't eat apple sauce in our family and I have *never* told a friend they are weird for mashing up their kid's food. That's totally rude and why in the world would I have an opinion about that? If you want to blend your kid's food up, do it and you don't have to answer to anyone about it.

janinekrause · April 2013

whatever works for you is fine. I dont do purees but I do the pouches- same thing. She is 16 months old and eats all regular food too. I am a bit lazy sometimes (getting home at 7pm with 2 kids) so what can I say, I do pouches. Whatever. If I worried about being judged, I would think i was the worst mother. For example-Gasp - i give regular whole milk- every friend i have only buys organic.

junebugrbig · April 2013

I give the pouches to both my kids as a treat or to supplement their meal if I don't feel like they have gotten enough fruits and veggies. They are great for an on-the-go snack as well. And they love them...so whatever to the judgers!!!

boogerbearoriginal · April 2013

KC_13:
I think using purees as a snack is fine. I think when parents need to keep feeding their child well past their first birthday is it a problem. As its already been mentioned its not developmentally appropriate, kids need to work on the fine motor skills of eating a variety of different textures, they need to develop good eating habits, etc.
I always hear the reasoning "well my kid doesn't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables so I need to use them for nutrition!" I think this is a slightly ignorant approach. First-people should look at a nutrition chart and see what is actually necessary for a child's diet. You'll likely be surprised at what constitutes as one serving of fruits or vegetables. Purees can encourage overeating which can lead to constipation or weight issues down the road. Second-your child doesn't need a variety of vegetables to survive and thrive. Many fruits contain the necessary nutrients that are in vegetables. The better choice is to supplement with fruits while providing constant exposure at every meal with vegetables even if they're refused. Eventually your child will move on to exploring vegetables which leads to eating them. I think people can throw up their hands, say their kid is picky, and just use the purees as substitution which can lead kids down a bad path of eating. Kids generally need to be taught to eat healthy foods-I think most people would rather eat cookies and cake if given the choice. While you certainly can't force a kid to eat something you certainly need to consistently encourage less desirable foods.

ITA.

You see a lot of parents, here/IRL, that have really unrealistic expectations of what a child can/should be eating especially in terms of vegetables. Their little stomachs are about the size of their fist, and they need far fewer total calories, and vitamins/minerals than we seem to think. I truly believe a child will eat when hungry and will eat nutritionally sound if offered only healthy foods.

Also, there is lots of evidence that liquid calories, like purees, smoothies, juice, don't trigger the same satiation that a solid food does. So it leads to overeating because the body/brain doesn't recognize the calories consumed in liquid form, this is true for adults too btw.

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