Raising Foodie Baby: Infusion of Cuisines & Methods

Gulnoz Saydamin
Apr 20, 2022
6 min read

Updated: Apr 22, 2022

Foodie, Gourmand, Gourmet

I am a Foodie. We’re a Foodie Family. Not that fancy-pancy gourmet, but definitely modest gourmand. Through our colorful experiences of living in and traveling to different countries, we have learned to pick "the cherry on top’ of various cuisines and created our own special infusion. Surely, you would ask: "What is actually the difference between a foodie, a gourmand and a gourmet?" I was also lost in confusion of definitions. So, here we go:

A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food and who eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby. Foodie - Wikipedia. The noun gourmand refers to someone who is extremely (and often excessively) fond of eating and drinking. A gourmet is someone with refined tastes who enjoys (and knows a lot about) fine food and drink. Commonly Confused Words: Gourmand and Gourmet (thoughtco.com)

Raising Foodie Kids

You know that the French don't serve for-kids-only meals? They simply share the adult food age-appropriately. Kids eat everything at the family table developing their taste and learning to savor the famous French art of food consumption since very young age. Moreover, the child obesity rate in France is the lowest of the developed countries. We are not French. However, 8 years of living in the cosmopolitan Swiss French Geneva at the border with France gave us a good lesson or two. And yes, my teenager loves eating frogs and I am a big fan of snails in garlic sauce! (laughing). Finally, I admire and learn from the works of Gill Rapley, the UK infant feeding and child development expert, and Karen le Billon, Professor at the University of British Columbia, the author of the bestseller "French Kids Eat Everything".

How to pass that modestly fine taste in food and love for cooking to our children? We encourage them to regularly taste new flavours and shape their own preferences and favorites, to expand their knowledge and to develop healthy eating habits accordingly. Comes with practice, and most importantly, with the exposure to various cultures and cuisines. Also, we educate our sons about healthy diet and the advantages of the diversified nutrition. Our family rule of 5 fruits&veggies per day contributes to a stronger health in addition to being a well-informed eater. Keeping in mind that the appetite of kids decline by the age of 2 years due to ‘neophobia’, i.e. fear of new foods, we started weaning Our Little Person at 6 months old combining the British and French methods. I am ready to share the 1-year overview of that process and surely our plausible results.

Introducing Solids: Baby-Led Weaning

Considering to start feeding your baby with the real food... When? How? What? Usually, our first go-to is our inner circle. The experienced parents. Mom advised to mash some banana. The sister said that it was safer to start with an apple purée... A friend spoke of modern way of introducing solid foods. Google friend has bombarded me with information... So, I have made my own research to take an informed decision and science-back the European experience with my firstborn. I was convinced of the child-centered introduction: the baby-led weaning method (BLW). In 2008, Gill Rapley, the mother of three kids introduced the BLW approach in her book Baby Led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food.

Baby-led weaning is a way of introducing solids to a baby by offering age-appropriate finger food to feed him/herself with their own little hands.

⚠️DISCLAIMER: Consult your health provider before introducing BLW.

⚠️ATTENTION: Your baby should be at least 6 months old, able to sit up without help and grab food himself.

The BLW application has pros and cons. Babies explore textures, scents and flavors. In the meantime, they develop their motor skills and have a great playtime! It takes less preparation time. Plus, it’s healthier than a plastic toy to chew up on. Though, I had some doubts, especially in regards to safety and proper food digestion. I have made a comparative analysis of the BLW with the centuries-old traditional weaning.

BLW vs. Traditional Weaning:

Age: the traditional weaning is recommended to start at the age of 4 months old baby. BLW - from 6 months old for safety reasons. Your child should be able to sit in a high chair, hold his or her own head up independently and have good neck strength.
Chewing vs. Swallowing: the BLW teaches your baby to chew and the traditional method - to swallow.
Preparation vs. Cleaning: the traditional method requires a lot of effort, time and equipment to prepare the meals for your baby. BLW is much more simple but messier.
Exploration vs. Digestion: BLW makes focus on learning the eating process by exploring different textures and tastes by your baby independently with his hands and mouth. Whilst the traditional approach requires the help of a caregiver and focused on the digesting food.
Control Factor: the parents can relax and enjoy eating together with their baby practicing BLW, as it is not required to fully control the process.
Risk Factor: there is more risk of an allergic reaction, chocking and gagging on foods in BLW. The traditional way of mashing foods surely lessens the risk of choking.

Our Journey: 6 -18 Months

We have started sharp when our baby's turned 6 months old with a few pieces of an apple. He could sit himself and held his head independently. Our Little One was surprised in the beginning. But then he’s liked the unusual sweet flavor and enjoyed itching his gums juicing the hell out of that apple! Happily! I loved seeing my sweetpie discovering different flavors, developing his fingers coordination and learning about textures. Plus, BLW took so much less time and effort. Our baby boy joined the family meals and we enjoyed sharing different foods with each other.

During the first 6 months, we have cooked meals only in a steamer of fresh ingredients. No adding salt or sugar. We didn't feed our baby with the bottled mass-produced food, except the milk-free cereals till the age of 1 year old. I have noticed our baby having constipation each time after trying new types of food. However, it would get normalized in 1-2 days. In terms of digestion, some items came out in pieces but most of the consumed food was digested (sorry for these peculiar details, but it's important). Slowly, he's learned to gag back himself by moving food in his throat when chocked and to chew up the pieces and swallow. He had our full attention at these moments but without active intervention to let our child sort it out by himself. We have supervised our baby eating but same as other children sitting at the table with adults. Not 1-to-1 control.

The preparation wasn't too tiring. We have just put the family meals (before seasoning) on his fancy sectored plate. We loved to observe our baby exploring the different tastes with his flavor buds and figuring out what he likes the most. He tastes, makes a pause to define his reaction and nods in case the food is to his liking or shakes his head if it's a total "No". Expect that it would get messy for sure! Some pieces he would just throw away or turn the plate upside down.

By the age of 8 months, we've created our personal mix of BLW, traditional weaning and breast-feeding in addition to the French approach of exposure to the maximum variety of vegetables and fruits. We have also added puréed meals and fed with a spoon. In addition, I have continued the breastfeeding and sometimes formula since our baby didn't eat enough of solids. So, after a plate of a beautiful meal came a desert: formula or breastmilk.

On this photo: a plate of our 10 month-old baby with the pieces of steamed chicken and potato, a salad of parsley, tomato, cucumber, onion and garlic, some bread and kaki for desert.

In 6 months, we could see the positive results of our mixed approach with our 1-year-old son eating himself and almost everything. We started with the slices of an apple, banana and bread. At the age of 11-12 months, his menu included different types of vegetables, fruits, freshly squeezed juices, pasta, bread, fish, chicken, beef, rabbit meat, turkey and lamb. However, we avoided cow milk, mushrooms, honey and nuts. According to our pediatrician's assessment, our Little One has gained weight even a bit more than an average baby of his age. Next on our agenda: to teach him using spoon&fork and drinking of a cup (without handles).

The sounds and gestures he makes with his head to the right and left when he likes what's he's eating to praise it! Now, he's learned to say: "ahhwahwah, yummy!"

After our son has turned 1 year old, we continued adding new ingredients to his diet a bit more boldly but cautiously. For example, cow milk and dairy products, different seeds and nuts, tea infusions and cakes. Our active 18 months old toddler can use a spoon and fork, and sometimes grabs food with his fingers for convenience. Drinks of a cup.

What's on the plate of your baby? It's never too late to teach your children the art of food consumption. Start today! Learn more of my lifehacks and book your session now and here! Get a personal strategy customized for your family! Bon appetite!

Reminder: Healthy&Happy Children = Healthy&Happy Parents!

Book Your Session Now

Gulnoz

Your Life Coach (aka Oxford Human Rights Lawyer)