[soImarriedAnerd]

In my never ending (and probably over kill LOL) search for info on introducing solids.....
I having been reading a few books. My latest (not a research based book) is Amazon.com: Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater (9780151013241): Matthew Amster-Burton: Books

Its really got me thinking WHY we give our kids such bland food as infants (mainly the western cultures). Especially BF babies, since they are eating what mom is eating anyway. I get why we don't do things with capsaicin in them (like some peppers). But whats wrong with some Thai or Indian. I eat it every chance I get (along with other more ethnic foods). So if london is tolerating that fine why would I give him more of the bland flavored foods to start with....heck *I* don't even like them that much! LOL
So as you all know I'm planning to do some baby led feeding, in the way of....what ever I'm eating I put some in front of him and let him go to town. Well I wasn't looking forward to eating "boring" food for awhile so he could try them out. I think (as of now, this could always change LOL) that I will just eat as normal and hand him food. So I'm now thinking Middle Eastern for his first meal.

Anyway now that I'm done rambling...... I was just wondering your thoughts on the topic. Some key points in my book I'm reading...
1. The reason we are a sodium loving country is because salt is the number one "spice" added to our foods. (health risks of high sodium)
2. That we kind of raise our children to be more of a bland eaters (hence causing the picky eating factor)
3. That there is no reason to avoid more "ethnic" and "exotic" foods with children (besides the capsaicin).
4. That cooking with alcohol is ok for children (occasionally).

The next book on my reading list is actually got a little science with it- Amazon.com: My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus: Raising Children Who Love to Eat Everything (9781933503172): Nancy Tringali Piho: Books

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post.

[HopeWishWait]

I can see your point for sure. For us, we started with really bland food like the baby cereal and applesauce because it was easier on him...if it was something too new and different he went "WHOA What is this flavor in my mouth???!?! Definitely not formula!" and didn't want much to do with it. But food that was just plain he seemed to take to easier. Now that he's used to eating baby food and also regular table food cut up, I give him whatever I'm having because he knows its food and he'll try it and usually eat most of it.

I really don't know much about it but I'd say if you're already sure it's not going to hurt baby's tummy, why not go for it and expand his horizons early?

[~*sierra*~]

funny i was JUST talking to SIL this morning about introducing solids with my nephew. i sent her an article about BLW just so she could see her options. all she knows about it is what her mom tells her which is the old school 1970's wisdom so i wanted her to have options. i will def send her the links to those books because she loves all different foods too and i bet she'd love it if payne did too.

i say go for it! give london a little hummus and pita!

I read an article basically saying the same thing, and we only watch the sodium and sugar content of Jack's food. He has had spicy malaysian food and indian food. He has bland food too. I give him variety. His first food was broccoli, which I thought was fine but I got some scandalous looks for that! Jack likes all sorts of things, especially spiced things. He for sure won't be a picky eater!

So yeah, I agree that it is odd to limit baby's food. I see no reason for it in most cases. To be honest, it never occurred to me to even look up what I am "supposed to do". I just did! But I know adults that eat a bland diet, so I think people just do what they know. I ate tons of ethnic food when I was pregnant, so naturally I think he would enjoy these flavors now (and he does). I am just waiting to introduce nuts and shellfish.

[Mars]

I think there may be some truth to it depending on where you live but I must say that we use a lot of spices and herbs in the Caribbean and I've not been afraid to add them to Amara's food with the exception of hot spices but she's still picky. I think you can reduce salt and sugar content and still make tasty foods. I've found her apple sauces and other mixes to be mildly sweet but from the fruits' natural sugars. I've also used dates used dates to sweeten other dishes and she's still picky.

[Frozendesire]

We've always just given whatever we are eating to the boys. Ethnic food as well. Actually James always bugs his mom cause she always would take spices out, sauces off, onions, and other things before giving something to Curtis. James always said "why not let him decide".

But I don't think it will create a less picky eater. A child might like a variety but I think the child will still be picky in eating what they like best... even if it's spicy or not. So I don't agree with that statement at all.

[soImarriedAnerd]

^^^ YES thats what I'm thinking! (Mars comments) I don't want the "flavor" to be just sugar and salt. Which is TOTALLY how I was raised and it took Living in other countries for me to FINALLY start to like other stuff. I 100% believe that the reason I didn't like the stuff in the states when I tried it was because 1. its the American version-which is not really like the "real" stuff 2. because I needed to almost "detox" my body/tongue of salt!
Like a smoker can't smell things because they are used to the smoke, I don't think I could taste anything but the salt...and I just kept adding more and more! My mom will add salt to things before she even tries them...at that point I know you have to be having salt issues! LOL

There is a physical reason that children tend to not like sour tastes though.....nature speaking most poisons are sour in flavor and so children have more taste buds that prefer sweets, because they are the "safer" tastes.

[Resi]

Oliver has had Middle Eastern, Thai, and Indian food. We love all three and want him to be able to eat them with us from a young age. I wouldn't give him something super spicy but a little spice is okay to me.

[Trannyfromtheuk]

Mia has always eaten what ever we have eaten.
She loves a good ol' curry.
She is also into her chinese meals aswell.

She would just let her pick and what she wanted when she was younger and we've never had a problem with her.

Of course when she started weaning she would have puree'd version of what we was eating and it gradually got lumpier. That worked for us and Mia is by far no way a picky eater. I could have gotten lucky with her though!

[SandKmommy]

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[ANGWife]

Well, all I know is what I'm doing with my kid, KWIM?

Henry loves cinnamon, garlic and ginger. We're still gradually introducing "spicier" things. But I'm glad we've given bland foods at first. I also think it's important to appreciate the natural flavor of foods.

[LisanAndy]

My girls just eat what we eat. Taylor and Rylie LOVE cinnamon, garlic, ect. I actually never put salt on my food (unless it's a McDonald's hash brown LoL) and I don't put it on their food either.

[Mars]

Morgan, I was recently eating some ginger cookies and Amara wanted to get at one. I find them to be mild burning sensation once you'd eaten it but I gave her and she ate it like it was nothing. Now, I wouldn't give her it often because they also had a high sugar content but sometimes we need to let them decide what they like and don't like.

[ANGWife]

Originally Posted by Mars

Morgan, I was recently eating some ginger cookies and Amara wanted to get at one. I find them to be mild burning sensation once you'd eaten it but I gave her and she ate it like it was nothing. Now, I wouldn't give her it often because they also had a high sugar content but sometimes we need to let them decide what they like and don't like.

Yeah, Henry like ginger powder in his oatmeal

[Frozendesire]

Originally Posted by ANGWife

But I'm glad we've given bland foods at first. I also think it's important to appreciate the natural flavor of foods.

I totally agree

[*Anna*]

Great thread Angela. We are not doing any bland foods. Alexa will be having her first meal at 11-12 mons. And it'll be what I eat. Maybe Greek food or mediteranian. For sure. Love it. I want her to love food like I do. Except I eatmostly veggies and limited meats but dh canlet her try his meats and she can try my varies foods like hummus and falafels and cheeses like feta and beans Il excited to have her experience foods.

[sara~b]

I have no idea what we'll do but I bought a blender with your general idea in mind. Baby will eat what we eat once they are ready for solids!

[bittersweet]

I never thought you *had* to start babies on bland foods. I assumed people just did it b/c it was easy and most agreeable to the stomach/easier to digest. I never thought it was for the taste. I don't think it matters either way. As long as your baby tolerates whatever they are eating, give them what you/they want. I don't think one way or the other is better.

[Frozendesire]

I have some questions though.

Wouldn't you want to start with something bland just to get baby used to digesting a solid? I know baby will have been exposed to a trace of this and that in BM but wouldn't it be different to eat it straight?

Also what about when introducing foods, would you still do one food at a time to watch for signs of allergic reaction as well as what baby's tummy can handle? I think some choices might seem "bland" because I wouldn't want to put to many spices and stuff when first starting solids so that I know what baby is digesting and eating. Unless you guys make all those foods your self?

Sorry for the questions I'm just confused as too when you would start this. I mean I can understand jumping into after doing the usual fruits and veggies and stuff first (lumpy, puree or whatever) but I couldn't imagine doing a spicy tai food dish as baby's first few meals? Or is that what you guys plan on doing?

[Chelnae6]

Just like my parents did with me, I plan on feeding my child whatever foods I eat. Like pieces of skinless/boneless chicken, pizza (the top with the bread and sauce).