How To Take The Stress Out Of Holiday Meals With Your Children
As the holiday season approaches, many families are gathering with loved ones to spend quality time together. With the pandemic hopefully drawing to a close, we are beginning to resume traditions slowly and safely.
When it comes to festivities, one thing is always certain—we have to eat! Food is an inevitable part of most celebrations. However, when you have children, mealtime goes to another whole level. it can become complicated, especially if they are selective or have allergies.
I wear many hats (or bibs if you will!) at 101 Before One, not only as an allergist and pediatrician, but as a mom as well. During the holiday season these roles bring up a variety of concerns for me.
As an allergist, I worry about accidental allergen exposure during meals with family members who are not familiar with the child’s diet. As a pediatrician, I worry about choking hazards when caregivers are distracted, the child grabs something off a plate, or they are given something by an older child by mistake. And finally as a mom, I worry about children finding enough to eat at meals which are not usually a part of their routine.
But don’t worry, all of these worries can be easily resolved. At 101 Before One, we strive to make meal times a low-stress zone. The answer is in the preparation.
So without further ado, here are my top tips for preparing for your child’s diet, from the perspective of my three roles.
Allergist Perspective
If your child has food allergies, notify all family members in advance and remind them again at the time of the gathering. Be sure to have a copy of your written emergency action plan on hand either in a hard copy format or on your phone. Do not forget to bring all medications with you when you leave the house. When it comes to allergies, we suggest having an unexpired twin pack of epinephrine (one set of two auto-injectors) and oral antihistamines. If it helps, you can also bring some of your own safe foods to avoid the risk of cross contamination.
For more resources about handling your child’s food allergy, check out FARE and Kids With Food Allergies!
Pediatrician Perspective
Choking hazards do not only consist of food items only. For instance, water beads have recently dominated the news. When ingested, these beads expand and can block the airways or intestines. Also, battery ingestions have been on the rise according to our gastroenterology colleagues.
Many things can go into the mouths of our babes, which is why it is important to know how to conduct CPR. If you have not yet taken a certification class, it is highly recommended you consider doing so. When choking is suspected, call 911 immediately and give 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts. If you need help deciphering between choking and gagging, we have a helpful post on Instagram here.
Hands-on learning is always advised. If you have not already, consider taking this course from Safe Beginnings so you can be prepared in case you ever encounter choking.
Mom Perspective
As a parent or caregiver, we have all been there. We cook for hours, only to stress when our child either refuses to eat the meal or claims they do not like it after trying only one bite. It might be tempting to force them to eat, but try taking a deep breath and repeating one of the following mantras instead:
I am not a bad mom because my kid will not eat my cooking. Remember, you are not a bad mom! Children can be randomly selective and have their own moods, just like us. Our book has a large number of recipes to end the guessing game and through variety encourages the development of your child’s taste palette.
My job is to provide a balanced meal, their job is to decide what foods and how much they will eat. Responsive feeding fosters intuitiveness, respect, and a healthy relationship with food.
I will keep my response neutral, or this kid will try to push my buttons again and again! The most effective approach to getting through mealtime is to stay calm (at least on the outside and show no reaction!), and set firm, consistent boundaries.
I will expose them to these foods again and not give up after the first attempt, because repetition is the key to success. Not every person will like a food the first time they try it. More often than not, it can take a few exposures before a food is accepted. It might be as simple as the way the food is cut, the fact that it touched another food on the plate, or just that your child was not in the mood that day!
Please head over to the comment section and let me know:
Do you have any additional dietary tips to get your child through the holiday meal times safely and calmly?
It takes a village to raise children. Our 101 Before One is a community that reminds us that we can always learn something from each other. And with preparation, we can all get through holiday meals with children! Plus, enjoy time with each other, the greatest blessing of all.
Happy Holidays!
-Dr. Relan
