Hey mama,
It's officially the third last month of the year. Can you believe it?!
I have worked on this little something for the past month, wanting to curate a one page post all about Christmas gifts for the low toxic mama...
I carefully handpicked some wonderful eco-friendly gifts for mothers, like yourself (or one you know) featuring skin care, makeup, kitchenware, self-care and products for kiddos and more! I know how hard it can be to find gifts for people, especially the picky type (*uuhhmm me).
So hopefully I've made your job a little easier by heading to the link below to find an ideal gift for a mama in your world (or to treat yourself!) rather than shopping all over the internet for an ideal gift.
And just so you know, if you decide to purchase an item through one of the links on the post, I gain a small commission for it (at no extra cost to you). I truly appreciate you supporting my business this Christmas.
Click on the link below to check it out:
Australian Christmas Gift Guide for Low Toxic Mamas (& kids)
Now onto picky eaters...
I know the challenges of dinner time with a little one. I've had three toddlers thus far and they all have shown similar signs of disinterest to the food I cook at times.
This can be disheartening at first, especially if the food was made with love or in a decent amount of time!
This is one of the main issues previous clients would come to me with and at times, I was undergoing my own toddler's consistent dinner time refusals.
Even now that I have a 6 and 4 year old, they both share in on the dinner refusals at times.
So here are a few things I've learnt to make the season of dinner time refusals not last as painful:
- Let them refuse the food: this is really controversial. But I've actually found that forcing my child to eat something they don't want to (when they are a toddler) makes matters worse. It's okay if they only want the pasta instead of the meat and vegetables. This won't last long if you do the following step.
- Keep offering the same food they keep refusing: I find that the more exposure to a certain food they have, the more they will tolerate it and dare I say, enjoy it. I've found this to be the case with all of my kids so far.
- Let them prepare the food with you: When kids have more autonomy in the kitchen, they are more likely to have a good relationship with food! They will eventually feel proud of themselves for preparing the food with you, which will likely lead to them eating it.
- When you make a big deal out of it, so will they. Easier said than done, I know. But if they don't want the food given, then don't make a fuss. Show them that it's okay that they have their own taste and preferences right now, as do you.
- If they don't eat their dinner, but they are still hungry, offer them a healthy alternative like a cheese or nut butter. But try to stay clear from giving them a treat. You want them to know that even though it's okay they didn't eat their dinner, there are natural consequences when dinner is not eaten (like eating a treat afterwards).
So in short, cultivate an environment where there is autonomy with food, but also boundaries. Having both will lead to great success and less pickiness in the long run! That's what I have found!
Nutrition Naked Truth
Did you know that we are made up of more bacteria cells than human cells?
This is why good bacteria in your gut is crucial to your overall health. Start eating more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement for a healthy microbiome today (and less sickness along the way!).
What's new on the blog
First foods to offer your baby
Mediterranean Chicken Tray Bake (our family fave)
Have the best week, mama friend.
Jess x