The Battle Over Fat

Healthy eating for toddlers is not the same as healthy eating for adults. I’d prefer to feed our daughter things with high fat content because I believe that the higher the fat content, the longer she’ll stay full and focused. Plus, a growing body needs lots of fuel and not of the empty calorie variety. Yet my husband and I don’t have growing bodies (or so we wish).

Solution: we buy no-fat yogurt for us and full fat yogurt for Sophie. For one or two items that is fine, but to manage a grocery list that basically breaks most purchases up between fat and no fat, well, that gets overwhelming. Then, add to that cooking with either low or no fat ingredients or fat ingredients – you see where I’m going. I’m pressed enough for time and energy: I’m not cooking two different meals each day. So where to draw the line?

What is the give and take? Do we give up our healthy eating habits to instill healthy eating habits in our child? I really don’t know…

What I do know is that when our daughter eats eggs or cottage cheese for breakfast she’s a doll to be around. Fun, funny, full of energy. When she eats store bought frozen French toast, she is still fun, funny and full of energy but she also quickly becomes impatient, irritable and cries at the drop of a hat. It’s not 1 to 1, but there is a strong correlation.

My hope is this: I find a way to feed her all those yummy foods that are full of fat and nutrition while I still have time to get everything done in a day that I need to get done to run a moderately functional household. Here’s holding out hope.

photo credit: tillwe