FOOD & EATING TIPS

Let your child explore food by touching and expect some mess.
Let children feed themselves and give help if needed.

Toddlers should sit at the table and eat with the family whenever possible so they can watch and copy others, try the family foods and enjoy company while eating.

If a baby suddenly starts to refuse a once favourite food it probably means that he is bored with it and would appreciate a little variation in his diet.

Babies are often nervous - even fearful - of new foods. To enable your baby to overcome his fears allow him to play with the food a little before eating it. You may be able to encourage a baby to try a new food by putting a small amount of food on his index finger and then gently guiding his index finger into his mouth.

If you feed your child dried apricots, ensure you soak them first in boiling water. A recent study has found that one apricot contains 16mg of sulphites! Visit this website for more information on food additives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Recipes

PREPARING & EATING FOOD DURING PREGNANCY

FOOD HANDLING:
1. Thoroughly wash all raw fruit and vegetables.

2. Use separate chopping boards for preparing raw foods and ready-to-eat foods.

3. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly. Keep cold foods well chilled.

4. Keep cooked and raw foods separate and ensure that foods stored in the fridge are covered or wrapped to prevent cross contamination.

5. Cook foods until steaming hot (above 70ºC), especially if using the microwave.

6. Eat foods freshly cooked or promptly refrigerate and use with in 12 hours.

7. Before eating cooked foods that have been refrigerated, heat them thoroughly until piping hot.


DURING PREGNANY AVOID THESE HIGH RISK FOODS..

- Raw fish or seafood

- Store-bought sushi (all types, even without raw seafood)

- Chilled, pre-cooked fish (eg. smoked fish), and seafood products, unless reheated thoroughly until steaming hot

- Store-bought, pre-cooked meat and poultry products such as ready-made, packaged paté, cold, pre-cooked chicken, ham, salami or pastrami, unless heated until steaming hot

- Store-bought or ready-made salads and coleslaws

- Raw parsley

- Unpasteurised milk

- Store-bought (packaged), chilled custard, unless heated until steaming hot.

- Raw eggs

For more information visit the NZ Food Safety website which has a wealth of information and is a must-read for expectant Mum's.


FOOD TO AVOID WHILE BREASTFEEDING..

There is much speculation as to whether food affects babies through breastmilk but if the baby suffers digestive problems or skin conditions it may be worth trying to avoid some foods:

1. Avoid spicy foods: Spices such as chili, cinnamon, curry and red pepper could lead to gas problem in the baby. Spicy foods can be very difficult for the digestive system of baby. They may drink your milk just fine but they be upset later on. Spicy foods can result in a baby having an upset stomach, diarrhea, and even vomiting. Some of them suffer from severe pain in the abdomen as well.

2. Common foods that have been found to cause a gassy in breastfed babies: Vegetables such as beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, hot peppers, onions, turnips and cucumber.

3. Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, pineapple and lemon can lead to nappy rash in the baby.

4. Soy, nuts, peanuts, dairy products, prunes, mango, wheat, egg and corn are some of the other food products that might cause an allergy in your baby and should be taken after consulting the doctor.

5. Avoid caffeine: Drinking or eating things with caffeine is fine upto 700 ml per day. Too much caffeine intake for your baby may result in an inability to sleep.

6. Avoid alcohol and tobacco as much as you can. Infact, if possible, stop taking alcohol in any form during the breastfeeding phase. www.quit.org.nz

6. Avoid alcohol and tobacco as much as you can. Infact, if possible, stop taking alcohol in any form during the breastfeeding phase.

7. Avoid fried foods, coconut, artificial sweeteners, aspirin and cold medications. Always ask your health care provider first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


PARENTS OWN RECIPES
plus tips & advice on food safety!

FRUIT SMOOTHIE
100 grms strawberries (or bananas. kiwifruit, mangoes or any fruit you know your children like), 300 mls milk & a small pottel of yoghurt.

Hull your strawberries, wash and slice them, then place in blender along with with yoghurt & milk. Blend for 15 seconds.
Place in serving glasses, makes enough for 2 children.
They will love it!
(Thanks to Naomi for sharing this recipe & congrats on winning the 'Kiwi Toastie' book!)

CHICKEN RISOTTO
2 Chicken Skinned and Boned Thighs chopped in to small bits (apparently they have more iron than chicken breast)
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic chopped or crushed
2 grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped apricots
1 cup risotto rice
3 cups (approx) of stock if baby is older than 1 if not just use water
butter or oil for frying 

Fry the onions until they are soft, add the chicken and fry for about 5 minutes, add garlic and fry for a minute or so add the rice and fry until coated with butter/oil.  Start adding stock/water little by little (1/2 cup at a time) and stirring, then add carrots and apricots, keep adding stock/water until rice is soft and sticky and there is little liquid left in the pan.  This takes about 20-30 mins.

This freezes easily into several portions  and can be stored for a good month.  Remember to reheat thoroughly then let cool down.
(Thanks to Nathaniel for sharing this recipe!)

HOME MADE RUSKS
For home made rusks, cut the crusts off white bread and cut into 3 or 4 strips. Bake in the oven at around 200 degrees celcius until light brown. These also last ages in a sealed container. Or cut off the crusts and roll up tightly, then microwave on high for one minute. Both can be spread with vegemite or peanut butter prior to cooking.
(Thanks to Marcus for sharing this recipe)

SPAGHETTI & CHEESE PIZZA
Half can of watties spaghetti
Grated cheese
Pizza bases

Place spaghetti on pizza base then sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Bake for 10 mins at 220 degrees celcius or until golden  brown

The boys love it!
(Thanks to Kerry for sharing this recipe!)

BABY QUICHE BITES
"Great for kids who love finger food"
1 small spinach leaf
1 Tbs creamed corn
1/2 beaten egg
2 Tbs self raising flour
Tbs frozen peas
1 Tbs grated cheese or parmesan cheese
1 tsp melted butter
(can add chopped cooked chicken or tinned salmon)

Beat altogether in a bowl. Lightly butter and flour mini muffin pan and put tsp lots into pan. Cook until puffed and golden brown.
(Thanks to Laurelle for sharing this recipe!)

RICE & PINEAPPLE
Moulied cooked rice with pineapple moulted in.
(Thanks Glenn for this recipe

KIDS BANANA & CINNAMON TOASTIE
Two slices of bread and the filling for the toastie of banana sprinkled with a little brown sugar or with a little fruit jam and a little cinnamon.
(Thanks Di for sharing this recipe

PUMPKIN & FETA RISOTTO
Pumpkin
Onions
Garlic
Celery
Arborio Rice
Chicken Stock (or water)
Spinach
Feta or Parmesan
Salt & pepper, butter
Roast chunks of pumpkin.
Make a risotto, starting with onions, garlic, celery. Add a cup of arborio rice, white wine (if you like), and then gradually add chicken stock (or water) stirring it into the rice as you go. Keep adding liquid until the rice is soft. Then add some spinach, the roasted pumpkin, chunks of feta (or parmesan) and a little salt and pepper. Stir and turn off the heat. Add a knob of butter and leave it for five minutes with the lid on.
Freeze in pots. If there's pumpkin leftover, freeze the chunks separately to mix in with other food.
(Thanks to Dan for sharing this recipe)

COURGETTE FRITTERS
Grate 750g courgette, sprinkle with half a tspoon of salt and leave for 15 mins.  Squeeze out the juice, and add 2 eggs, 1 clove of crushed garlic, and a little sprinkling of herbs or a little sweet chilly sauce.
Put tablespoons full into a med hot pan and cook til golden brown.
(Thanks Tania for sharing this recipe)

LENTIL & VEGETABLE CURRY
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped or crushed
1 carrot chopped
1 kumara chopped
1 parsnip chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup red lentils
Butter or oil for frying
mild curry powder - just a very wee bit
3 cups (approx) stock if over 1 and if not just use water

Fry onion until soft then add garlic and all other vegetables except the peas cook for a minute or so add lentils and stir until coated in the butter/oil, stir in a wee bit of mild curry powder - like about 1/4 teaspoon (you can build this up over time to about 1 teaspoon as your baby likes the taste) add the stock/water and simmer on a low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Add peas and ensure they are cooked through.  
Freezes easily into several portions
(Thanks to Nathaniel for sharing this recipe)

CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Onions, garlic, leeks, celery
Chicken thighs
Carrots & parsnip
Chicken Stock
Saute onions, garlic, leeks or celery. Remove from the pot and brown some chicken thighs. Add the vegetables, plus some chunks of carrot and parsnip, and half cover with chicken stock or water. Pop in the oven or cook on the stove top until the veges are soft.
Freeze in pots and serve with mashed potato or kumara.
(Thanks to Dan for sharing this recipe)

CREAMY CHICKEN
Ingredients :
- butter
- 1 shallot
- 1 tomato
- double cream
- diced chicken breasts
- a handful of grated cheddar cheese
- flat leaf parsley

Instructions :
1. Melt some butter in a small pan and fry the finely chopped shallot until soft.
2. Add the chicken (cut it into strips) and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add the skinned and chopped tomato and cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the cream , the cheese and the chopped parsley.

You can give the strips of chicken as finger food dipped in the cream, or blend.
(Thanks to Larissa for sharing this recipe!)

KIWI SHEPHERDS PIE
1 onion chopped
100g or so of minced lamb or beef
1 cup frozen peas
2 carrots chopped
about 3 medium kumara and 3 medium potatoes peeled and chopped

Fry onion until soft then add minced meat fry until cooked. In a seperate pan boil kumara and potatoes until soft, drain and mash with some milk and butter. Iin another pan cook carrots and peas drain.  Combine meat, carrots, peas with the kumara and potato mash.

Freezes easily into several portions.
(Thanks to Nathaniel for sharing this recipe!)

TASTY SALMON
 (or any fish really)
100g or so of  fsalmon or any fish
about 3 medium kumara and 3 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
1 tin of creamed corn
1 small broccoli cooked until soft 

Cook salmon either in the microwave, oven or poach it in a pan - microwave is the easiest, once cooked flake fish.  In a pan boil kumara and potatoes until soft, drain and mash with milk and butter, add corn, broccoli and flaked salmon.
Freezes easily into several portions.
(Thanks to Nathaniel for sharing this recipe!)

SWEET KUMARA DISH
2 large kumara
1 cup chopped broccoli (optional)
1 tin crushed pineapple in natural juice
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 onion (chopped) - optional
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Boil kumara until soft. Fry onion until soft. Mash with juice from pineapple (or 1 x tbsp milk). Mix all ingredients incl chopped onion & broccoli into a baking dish. Top with grated cheese and bake in oven for around 20 minutes or until cheese is golden.
This can be cut into 6 portions and frozen until needed. Reheats nicely in microwave.
(Thanks to Sian for sharing this recipe)

SAUSAGE SALAD:
Ingredients:
8 thick beef or pork sausages (gluten-free)
1 teaspoon oil
2 cups leftover roasted vegetables (e.g. sweet potato, pumpkin, potato)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large non-stick frypan and cook sausages over medium heat until cooked through. Remove to a plate; when cool enough to handle, slice thickly. Whisk vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Warm vegetables in microwave on high for 2 minutes. Add vegetables, onion and sausages to bowl. Toss to combine and serve in bowls.
(Thanks Darren for sharing this recipe!)

KIWI VEGE BAKE
3 cups mixed just-cooked veges (broccoli, carrot, corn, etc.,)
1 tin baked beans
1 cup pasta
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 onion (chopped) - optional
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Boil pasta & veges (don't overcook the veges). Fry onion until soft. Mix pasta & veges in baking dish with onion and baked beans. Top with grated cheese. Bake in oven for around 25 mins or until cheese is golden.
This can be cut into 6 portions and frozen until needed. Reheats nicely in microwave.
(Thanks to Sian for sharing this recipe)

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Note: Remember that some ingredients listed in these recipes may cause reactions in babies (gas, nappy rash, etc.,) if breastfeeding.

Little Munchkins does not take any responsibility for borrowed recipes, burnt fingers, allergies incured or any other inflictions as a result of cooking or eating the recipes submitted to this page! This is simply a forum for parents, from parents, as a means of sharing favourite and delicious recipes and advice and all recipes on this page have been submitted by our viewers. Little Munchkins takes no responsibility for publishing readers 'borrowed' recipes, and instead is grateful for parents wishing to share some tasty meal and snack ideas. We hope you and your children enjoy these recipes! And send us your favourites to share!