The Great Plate Challenge…

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell y’all that our sweet Eliza Jane is sick 🙁

She’s battled a snotty/runny nose since last Friday.  She had a fever off and on through the weekend and of course just when we think she’s on the mend, I got a call from daycare at 4:40 today that she had a temp of 100…  Insert really, really sad face.   I got to daycare and her sweet little cheeks were just as pink as they could be.   Temp at bedtime was 101.  I’m sad.  I want her to be well.  I’m tired of giving her Ibuprofen and Tylenol.  She takes it like a champ, but I want her to be well.

Meanwhile, it’s a busy week as always.  I’m slated to go to Greenville tomorrow afternoon for work; Andrew has two classes tomorrow – one first thing and another at lunchtime.  Who has time to be at home with a sick baby?  Not us….  Somehow we’ll make this work.  But we could certainly use your prayers for our little girl.

 

Tonight’s blog topic came to me again this afternoon after I got a paper in R’s bookbag.  “The ExCEL Great Plate Challenge”.

My competitive spirit wants to blow this thing out of the water.

But we will fail.  Every day in every way.  I’ll go ahead and take my sad face stickers on every lunch plate photo over the next several weeks.

I’m not trying to make excuses here…but I am at a total loss with this food thing for kids.

THEY.DON’T.EAT.

And I don’t know about your kids…mine not only won’t eat, but HE {specifically} is REALLY picky.

#Alldone before he even begins.

Eliza Jane is a champ when it comes to eating.  I’m for reals.  This girl is a champ at shoving food in her sweet little mouth.  But she, too, is picky!  She wants chicken nuggets.  She wants an avocado or a banana.  She wants green beans and applesauce.  That’s pretty much it.

He wants pasta and carbs all the time.  And his favorite applesauce, not just any applesauce.

So this form I got today shows the USDA guidelines for lunch for these small people.

I can’t even.

I am a failure, first of all.  If this is what my kids are supposed to be eating, each and every day for just lunch, I am a big fat, silly-looking failure.

Did you know this.

A kid age 1-2 is supposed to eat the following.  FOR LUNCH.  According to the government {may you all sense my sarcasm}.

1 serving of milk {1/2 cup}

2 servings fruit and/or veggie {1/4 cup each or 1/2 cup total if just one?}

1 serving whole grain bread or cereal or pasta {1/2 slice or 1/4 cup cereal/pasta}

1 serving meat {1 oz} or cheese {1 oz}  or egg {1/2 egg}  or beans {1/4 cup} or peanut or nut butter {2 tablespoons; we are a nut free facility!!! so this one is out} or nuts or seeds {1/2 oz} or yogurt {4 oz}.

Here’s my question on all these measurements, who’s measuring this mess anyway?  Are there other moms out there measuring out ounces  and cups for every little thing their precious ones are eating?  Am I really the only terrible mom out there not doing this for my kids?  I feel like this is just too much.  Am I so wrong in my thinking?  I barely have enough time to get all of this packed up and remembered to put IN their bags every day.  I’m supposed to have out my scale too, to measure everything before I pack it?!  Lawd.

Maybe so.  Maybe I’m just so lost in this whole being a mom thing and providing food for my young.  Why can’t it be so simple as to just go out and hunt worms?  I provide beans and broccoli and carrots and brussels sprouts and they turn their noses up.  Just like a 19 year old, they want fried chicken nuggets and french fries all day long.

And where’s the nutella category? 😉

How do I beat this?  How do I make my kids fall in love and want the good stuff.  The good-for-you stuff.

I’ll admit, not until last year did I absolutely love brussels sprouts but my husband makes some killer ones in the skillet.  These picky kids have no idea of what they’re missing.

What do you feed your kids?  Are you measuring?  Are you giving them all of these items for lunch and I guess for dinner too?  I’m usually getting three of these categories somewhat right…milk, veggie and meat.  I just can’t fathom them eating this much food in one sitting….doesn’t snack time count for something?  I don’t know….I guess I need more education.  And I feel like I need suggestions for what other people are feeding their kids because mine just don’t like a whole lot; they are true creatures of habit.

I would love to know what you feed or fed your kids at almost 3 and 17 months…please help.

Gratefully yours,

A mom who wants her kids to be healthy…and to win a dang competition!  Kidding, it’s not about me, it’s about them.  And I want them to win the competition!

P.s.  In searching for more information on this great plate challenge, I found something really cool for adults who are trying to eat healthier:  New American Plate Challenge

P.p.s 10 Tips to a Great Plate