BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[hivechild]

I was worried about the same thing in the beginning but I found that he actually took more substantial feeds when he wasn't having them so often rather than little snack feeds, as well as eating his meals more so I think I was actually doing him a disservice so to speak by offering booby every 2-3 hours. He's old enough now that I offer snacks sometimes too.

 

[kirmal12]

bambino, I tend to cook the way my mum and grandmother (both greek) did by eyeballing a lot of things and just mixing and tweaking as I go which makes it hard to give recipes, but one of my favorites for meatballs is for greek meatballs (keftedes).

Here's a recipe I dug up for you online:

Ingredients

* 4 slices white bread, torn into pieces
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 onion, quartered
* 4 teaspoons dried mint
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ground black pepper to taste
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1/2 pound ground lamb
* 4 eggs
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
* vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Moisten the bread pieces with the milk in a large bowl, and set aside. Mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the onion, mint, salt, and pepper. Process until the onion is finely chopped. Add the onion mixture to the bowl with the moist bread, along with the beef, lamb, and eggs. Mix with your hands until thoroughly blended.
2. Roll the mixture into balls measuring 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Place the flour in a shallow pan, and roll the balls in the flour to coat. Shake off any excess flour, and place the meatballs onto a plate or baking sheet, pressing to flatten slightly. This will keep them from rolling away.
3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs, 8 or 10 at a time, and cook until nicely browned on the outside, and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes; drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs.


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I often use pork mince instead of lamb as it's hard to get here, and sometimes even use turkey or chicken mince! I also use fresh mint or parsley rather than dried, and sometimes chop a little finely diced tomato into it. I tend to use olive oil for cooking too instead of vegetable oil but remember that if you use olive oil, it has a lower burn temperature so you may have to reduce the heat and cook them a little slower. You may want to reduce the salt in there as well.

They are really good served at room temperature (perfect for your LO) with tzatziki (yoghurt cucumber sauce) and pita bread!


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As for chicken nuggets. I cut raw boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized chunks, dredge in flour, then beaten egg and then roll in breadcrumbs. You can also mix grated parmesan or any herbs and spices to season the breadcrumbs to your liking and experiment with using regular breadcrumbs or panko.

Spread them out on a tray on parchment paper and put them in the freezer (still raw). Once they're frozen you can put them all together in a bag or container then take out what you want/need as needed to bake or fry.

I keep meaning to have a go at making chicken croquettes one of these days too. I'm still hunting for a baby friendly recipe though without too much sodium!

Thanks for those lovely recipes, i love Greek food!, anymore where they came from

 

[hivechild]

Hmm, let me see what I can dig up...I'll just post links to recipes that seem close enough to how I'd make 'em with notes on changes I'd make.

Just off the top of my head, recipes that would all be good to share with LO are:

- Dolmades, served with avgolemono sauce. You can substitute the grape leaves with cabbage leaves if necessary. My yaya made them both ways if she didn't have fresh grape leaves to use and both were yum. You can also add in chopped pine nuts into the mixture as well.
https://www.grouprecipes.com/28945/dolmades-or-koupepia.html

- Avgolemono Soup
https://www.kolias.com/homegarden/recipes/greeksoup.htm

- Lentil Soup - I use chicken or vegetable broth instead of plain water.
https://allrecipes.com//Recipe/greek-lentil-soup-fakes/Detail.aspx

- Pastitsio
https://greekfood.about.com/od/pastadishes/r/Pastitsio.htm

- Moussaka (You can add in sliced potato to this dish, and if you poke around there's vegetarian options that omit meat altogether).
https://allrecipes.com//Recipe/moussaka/Detail.aspx

- Gemista (Stuffed peppers and tomatoes) - I've always made them with minced meat but they're good either way.
https://www.grouprecipes.com/38026/mamas-gemista--greek--style-stuffed-tomatoes-and-peppers.html

- Spanakopita
https://allrecipes.com//Recipe/spanakopita-greek-spinach-pie/Detail.aspx

- Tzatziki - Cucumber Yoghurt Dip
https://greekfood.about.com/od/dipsspreadspures1/r/Tzatziki.htm

- Loukoumathes - So not exactly healthy, but so delicious, and obviously you'll want to wait until after your LO is one because they have honey, but you can always drizzle them with maple syrup or anything else that takes your fancy really! I have such fond memories of my yaya making these for us. For some reason, I used to call them duckies.
- traditional - https://greekfood.about.com/od/dessertspastriessweets/r/loukoumades.htm
- with an orange syrup - https://greekfood.about.com/od/dessertspastriessweets/r/loukoumaportok.htm

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Obviously anything with salt/cheese etc. you'll need to watch or modify, but I'm a firm believer of all good things in moderation!

 

[makesense]

Baby led weaning is a great way to introduce solids.... ive got three children oldest being 12 youngest 2 and i have to say this really was an easier process :} check out makesenseofweaning

 

[littlepne]

Today is the first time I've done breakfast for us, banana and some baby porridge (which I added some of her banana too) which was sooo messy!!

Her favourite foods seem to be carrots and mashed potato at the moment. She eats more than I think she does, it's quite weird that I sort of look forward to her dirty nappies just to see how much she ate!

I've given up explaining it to my mum though and when I tell her LO has had mash she assumes I spoon fed and I couldn't be bothered correcting her

It's definitely a positive experience though, she loves meal times

 

[Shiv]

Glad you are enjoying it - i remember looking forward to seeing Sophia's nappies too, not anymore though

As for us, well Sophia really isn't eating much of anything! She has become SO fussy, even her old trusted favourites are tossed aside. The funny thing is she is always after snacks an hour or so after she has "eaten" lunch! She always has room fro snacks. And it is not as if she has anything particularly treaty for snacks, just raisins, humzingers the occasional breadstick!

Anyone else having/had this issue with a similar aged baby? (guess i should say toddler now!). I try not to worry that she is getting enough, an dI try not to get into the habit of offering something else at each meal if she doesn't eat, but it is hard!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Glad you are enjoying it - i remember looking forward to seeing Sophia's nappies too, not anymore though

As for us, well Sophia really isn't eating much of anything! She has become SO fussy, even her old trusted favourites are tossed aside. The funny thing is she is always after snacks an hour or so after she has "eaten" lunch! She always has room fro snacks. And it is not as if she has anything particularly treaty for snacks, just raisins, humzingers the occasional breadstick!

Anyone else having/had this issue with a similar aged baby? (guess i should say toddler now!). I try not to worry that she is getting enough, an dI try not to get into the habit of offering something else at each meal if she doesn't eat, but it is hard!

Ruby ate practically nothing for 5 days over xmas. She just kept saying 'NO!' when we sat her down at the table. We never offered an alternative main meal but we just let her have her fruit or yoghurt that was planned anyway as they are still nutritious foods.

I had to keep repeating 'she would eat if she was hungry' to myself over and over!

Oh and Ruby would eat snacks too. Just the same stuff as you give.

 

[littlepne]

Obviously I have no experience of this yet, but maybe it's something to do with meal times at the table, iykwim - maybe eating snacks are more fun because they can do this on their own - more grown up perhaps? Just an idea.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Oh and I'm fairly sure a lot of Ruby's problem is frustration with using cutlery when she tired, she so often refuses a meal outright when she tired now.

 

[littlepne]

I thought a baby was difficult, I don't know if I can handle a toddler!!!!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I thought a baby was difficult, I don't know if I can handle a toddler!!!!

Toddlers ARE harder overall IMO, but much more fun too! The funny things Ruby says are brilliant!

 

[Shiv]

Am glad I am not the only with this issue at least!

As an experiment i have tried offering Sophia the same food (a satsuma) a breakfast, lunch and now as a snack when she started shouting snack and banging the snack cupboard!

She refused it at breakfast, refused it at lunch but just ate the whole thing as a snack! Looks like I have a snacker! The main issue with this is that she tends to snack whilst walking round the house ( and I always promised myself when she was little that she would have all snacks in her high chair! ) and makes such a mess!

The only thing she will consistently eat at mealtimes is pasta, and then she picks everything else out! She used to eat EVERYTHING! oh well fingers crossed one day she will learn to explore food a bit more again!

oh and toddlers ar emuch harder work, but as Claire says, they more than make up for it by being funny and by walking up to you and voluntarily giving you a kiss

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yup, Ruby ate a satsuma at my mums - she just took it out of the fruit bowl and demanded that I 'open it' but would she eat one at a mealtime at the table? Nooooo!

 

[sun]

Bun is the same shiv!!

He used to eat everything and anything I put in his bowl, but now picks through it all and tosses most of it over the tray He didn't ever throw stuff on the ground at all until about a month ago - now he does it all the time! He is super picky too - he will eat more if he is allowed to walk around with it, but it's just too big a mess. He's also started dropping things over his shoulder LOL - so it smears along the side of his head. Lovely when he's eating peanut butter toast!!

 

[Shiv]

hmmm it seems it may be a common phase then?!?!?
What we need is a mum with a 2 year old to come in and tell us that is does get better! Any takers?

 

[polaris]

Thomas is going through this phase at the moment too. I think it is pretty common but it is a bit frustrating when they used to be so adventurous with their taste buds! Thomas will still usually always eat porridge, fruit, yoghurt, crackers, pasta, rice cakes, and cheese. So I guess it's not too bad really. But I am never sure whether I should modify our meals so that he is more likely to eat them. It seems to go against BLW but for example I know if I puree veggies and serve them as a sauce with pasta then he will eat them, whereas if I do steamed veggies or a stir fry they will not be touched. Also I never know whether I should give him a sandwich or crackers and cheese if he doesn't eat his dinner? What do other people do?

 

[sun]

Polaris I always wonder this too, but I feed Bun what I know he'll eat first - then once he's eating, I spring the new food item on him. He's much more likely to eat something new if he's in the middle of his meal. I also will offer him something else if he doesn't want what we have, even though other people have said they don't. If he stops eating his main dinner and is eating toast or a rice cake I will even spoon a few more mouthfuls in while he's occupied with his other food. I know it's totally against BLW, but it really works for us in getting more veg in LOL. Bun is the same with the pureed veg on pasta, so I do that too! xxx

 

[jenny82]

I actually did this tonight polaris for the first time. I half sortof whizzed sauce in the pan so it was lumpy but still mushy. I made a carrot, mushroom & tomato pasta-type sauce but had it with cous cous and meatballs. It was still really lumpy but there was just the hint of veggies on all the meatballs and couscous.

Would like to say that it worked but most of it ended up on the floor (including millions and millions of grains of cous cous!) However I too think we're going through a picky phase!

 

[TigerLady]

Otter has become a super snacker and much prefers his breakfast and lunch on the go. I don't even put him in his chair for breakfast anymore. I just give him a whole apple to carry around... or put pieces of fruit and cheese in a little container and put it on a spot he has picked for his own personal tray. He will even demand I put it there. I still put him in his chair for lunch but it is touch and go whether he will eat it. He is too concerned with all the "stuff" he has to do.

I try to give him things I know he is more likely to eat at lunch. Dinner I still pretty much stick to whatever we eat. Unless he tries it and truly doesn't like it and it doesn't surprise me (he wasn't fond of Indian curry, LOL). Then I will give him a little bit of something I know he likes. But if he doesn't eat, I don't worry about it too much. However, I have that luxury because he is so big for his age to begin with. Last time I had him weighed he was 34 lbs and still chubby. He's thinning out now, but still has plenty of chub. So, I don't worry about him being underweight from not eating.

 

[sun]

I actually did this tonight polaris for the first time. I half sortof whizzed sauce in the pan so it was lumpy but still mushy. I made a carrot, mushroom & tomato pasta-type sauce but had it with cous cous and meatballs. It was still really lumpy but there was just the hint of veggies on all the meatballs and couscous.

Would like to say that it worked but most of it ended up on the floor (including millions and millions of grains of cous cous!) However I too think we're going through a picky phase!

We had couscous last week for the first (and last) time - I am still finding couscous in the next room!! Also getting it out of his hair...