Stir In Some Guilt

Last night my kids tried some mango at a neighbour's house. "Do they like mango?" she asked. I shamefully admitted that I didn't know. The last time I gave them mango was when they were eating pureed baby food. And, I might add, it was homemade pureed baby food. So, apparently, for the first 6 months of my babies' lives I pay special attention to what they eat. I make sure they are getting a variety of flavours, textures, nutrients, etc. I am so diligent that I make my own food. Then, as soon as they start solids, they are stuck eating what I eat which is not even an approximation of what Canada's Food Guide would suggest for a healthy diet.

I freaked out on my sister when she offered my firstborn a cheesie at 6 months. Now, I count cheesies as a serving of dairy. Chips? Aren't those the same as potatoes? As for mangoes, well, that would require serving real fruit. And exotic fruit, to boot. We eat apples and bananas here.

But if I used to offer such an eclectic variety of fruits and vegetables, there's no reason I can't go back. Especially given my Martha Stewart ambitions (http://marthastewartme.blogspot.com/).

So instead of serving snacks that come complete with a dose of guilt, I am going to offer my picky toddlers such an array of fresh, healthy food as to erase the very memory of chips and chocolate. And the next time somebody asks if my kids like mango, I will answer with confidence. "Mango? Oh yes, they love it!"