This is a collaborative post with Rattan Direct*
Whilst I’m definitely not that fussy when it comes to food, there are certain things I’d rather not eat if given the choice. There are certainly particular foods I avoid buying at the supermarket, but I’m trying to make a bit of a concerted effort to make sure Pickle still gets to try and eat these ingredients. Just because I don’t like them, doesn’t mean he won’t either, and it’s unfair to not introduce him to certain tastes and textures. So today, I’m sharing the foods I really need to make more of an effort with.
Tomatoes
The first one is definitely tomatoes. This isn’t a taste thing for me, because I’ll happily eat cooked tomatoes and tomato flavoured sauces but there’s something about the way a raw tomato squishes and bursts that makes me avoid eating them if I can! Someone else tell me they feel the same? It really doesn’t seem to bother Pickle though – the squishier the better in his opinion, and if he gets the chance to squirt the pips all over the carpet, well, that’s just a bonus.
Blueberries
I don’t think I really ate blueberries as a child but I bought some for Pickle quite early on and he absolutely loves them. I’m not sure what made me buy them for him to begin with, as it’s not a food I really know what to do with, but now they are a weekly shopping must-have! I can’t say I enjoy the taste of blueberries… I’m not really sure they taste of much? If you know of any good blueberry recipes, definitely point me in the right direction. I fancy maybe trying to make some lemon and blueberry muffins or something? But, maybe a healthier version that would be good for baby breakfasts?
Peanut Butter
The smell of peanut butter alone makes me feel weird. I’m not really sure why anyone could fancy a slice of peanut butter on toast, but LPD is rather partial to it. It was a food I wanted to try Pickle with quite early on, mainly to test for allergies and he’s had a little bit and seemed fine so we’re out of the woods I think on the peanut allergy front but I’m not sure he’ll be eating it all that often anyway.
Spinach
It’s a bit of a gross reason why I don’t like spinach. It doesn’t really taste of anything, does it? So you can’t really not like it because it hardly has a taste… except if your Mum once made you up a spinach and tuna sandwich for your packed lunch for school, on a day when your tummy was having a bit of a bad turn, which resulted in you chucking up your whole sandwich mere minutes after eating it. That’ll REALLY put you off spinach. Trust me.
Honey
I’m sure I’d quite like the taste of honey if I knew what to do with it… apart from drizzling a little bit over yoghurt, I really don’t know what else you do with honey, which makes it a bit of a redundant purchase in my opinion. Honey is one of the rare foods babies can’t have until they’re over 12 months old so I’ve not really worried about it until now, but what can I do for Pickle with honey except spread a bit of it on toast? I really want to teach Pickle about the importance of bees, and what makes honey so special, and I’m putting a lot of faith in the reports that local honey helps ward off hayfever for when he’s older! How much do you know about honey bees? Rattan Direct are sharing the love for these buzzy little creatures and challenging you to take a go at their honey bee quiz. I scored 7/10 which I didn’t think was too bad! How about you?
What about your babies?
What foods do you have to make a conscious effort to feed your little ones? Is there anything you hate but they love? Any big surprises about the taste preferences in your household? I’d love to know!
Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post with Rattan Direct in relation to their honey bee quiz. All content ideas are my own, however, and as always, this post is 100% honest.
Helen
It can be hard to feed little one food you don’t like because it doesn’t come very naturally. I’m a vegetarian, but we’re not bringing up our daughters as one so I do have to consciously remember to give them meat/fish!
Dean of Little Steps
This is so interesting. Not a big fan of spinach either. I don’t like brussels sprouts. We usually only have it on Christmas day, don’t remember T having it, or maybe I just didn’t notice 😉
Tori
I also only drizzle honey on my porridge on in yoghurt…I adore the flavour though!
Charlotte
I’m right there with you with peanut butter! I hate it, it makes me feel sick but it’s one of the husband’s favourites and now with my little guy haha so I just hold my breath in the morning if I have to make it!
Jenny
Ohhh love peanut butter not on toast too much, you either love it or hate it (like marmite!) has little pickle tried that ?
Emma
We eat so much spinach in this house and blueberries go down by the gallon! We use honey in stir frys mixed with ginger, nutmeg and soy sauce… it’s delicious. As for the tomatoes… try buying a tomato knife (Lakeland do them) it’ll be a game changer!
Musings of a tired mummy...zzz...
I’m a vegetarian with a wheat allergy so my children eat lots of things I don’t. I tell them to try everything but they can leave bits they don’t like, for example I hate peas but my mum always made me eat them 🙁 my kids eat a couple then can stop
Claire
I love adding spinach to smoothies, yummy 🙂 I will have to take a look at this honey quiz and see how much I score 🙂
Jayne @ Sticky Mud and Belly Laughs
We are very lucky in the fact that their is no food that repulses us. There are foods i’m not overly keen on, but here are no foods that I hate.
(hubby helping out)
Stephanie
There is lots of things my kids love but I am not keen on. Honey is nice drizzled over roast potatoes!
Helen
I am so with you on the Tomatos! I never ate them when I was small, but I love cooked tinned ones in my Spag Bol! My mum tried to get me and my brother to eat one each in exchange for a whole box of Jaffa cakes so it was kind of worth it!
Really lovely blog, and I’m sorry to hear about the Spinach!