Meal Planning Tips, What Elio is Eating, and a Look at Diana's Garden

Plus a printable, kid-friendly anti-inflammatory diet food list

Hi everyone - happy Monday! Today’s issue covers some family-friendly themes: We take a look at what foods Elio is eating, tips for meal planning and serving ideas for picky eaters (of all ages, really!), plus a printable kid-friendly food list. We also take a look at Diana’s garden. And don’t miss Wednesday’s post when we give our take on food dyes.

We’s love to hear from you - drop us a note and let us know what you do to accommodate picky eaters or those with allergies. Share your ideas in the comments!

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There are so many things to navigate as a first-time parent, and one of the biggest ones for me has been introducing Elio to solids. As any seasoned parent knows (and something I’ve been learning every day), it's one thing to imagine and plan how you’ll parent - and another thing entirely to put that plan into practice. When it came to eating solids, I was sure I would use the baby-led weaning method: an approach that skips purées and spoon feeding and instead encourages babies to feed themselves, often with much larger pieces of food that are harder to choke on. While I appreciate this method and the independence it fosters, we had a few scary moments where Elio truly choked, not just gagged, which was obviously terrifying. I became so anxious about him choking that I realized I was avoiding feeding him solids altogether. That’s when we shifted into a modified baby-led weaning approach. I still let Elio feed himself (which involves a lot of food being thrown on the floor — very thankful for the dogs), but I started chopping and mashing his food into much smaller pieces instead of offering large chunks.

These days, I try to feed him mostly what we eat, although, if I’m being honest, that doesn’t always happen. If the day has gotten away from me and dinner isn’t ready before his bedtime, I rely on staples like cheese, fruit, avocado, hummus, and beans. Since constipation is quite common as babies adjust to solids, I feed him a high-fiber diet, which is also great for his gut health. Proud to say that Elio eats beans almost every day!

We do our best to focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods and avoid most packaged baby snacks unless we're on the go (there are some great baby food options these days, though!). I love adding herbs and spices to his meals as it’s important to me that he experiences a wide variety of flavors early on. Eggs and chia seed pudding are also staples, and I consciously try to include iron-rich foods in his meals since it’s key for brain development at this age. He eats fish regularly and meat occasionally, though I’m very selective about where it comes from. It’s been a learning curve for both of us, but we’re finding our way together. - Diana

Meal Planning for Picky Eaters

Meal planning for a family, even with picky eaters, while following an anti-inflammatory diet is doable. We promise! With a bit of structure and creativity, it can even be enjoyable. The key lies in flexibility and familiarity.

We began planning meals this way when Diana was little and again when Elio was born. You can make healthy, anti-inflammatory eating a family affair by anticipating ingredient limitations and having patience (plus a few go-to alternatives). Learn how to get started, five “build-your-own meal” suggestions that can satisfy everyone, and access a printable list of Kid-Friendly Anti-Inflammatory Foods, below.

How To Start

Create a simple list of family-friendly, anti-inflammatory ingredients. Keeping some or all of these on hand makes building quick, nourishing meals easy for everyone to enjoy.

• Healthy fats: Avocados, olive oil, nut butter

• Colorful veggies: Carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, broccolini

• Fiber-rich carbs: Brown rice, quinoa, oats, lentils, beans, hummus

• Proteins: Salmon, eggs, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, chicken, turkey

• Flavor boosters: Fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, lemon, curry, pesto

Try“Build-Your-Own” Meals

This approach makes it easy to satisfy different tastes, can help to manage allergies or food exclusions, and can be a fun way to encourage picky eaters to explore new foods!

• Buddha bowls: Start with cooked brown rice and/or quinoa. Add an array of steamed or raw veggies, something creamy such as guacamole or hummus, and a dressing or two to drizzle on top (use our Homemade Salad Dressing post to inspire you!).

• Pasta bar: Any type of cooked pasta; make 2-3 sauces for toppings (such as a classic tomato; olive oil, garlic and chili flakes; or a pesto sauce); have some steamed veggies to add to the mix; and offer some shredded cheese to top.

Try the Penne a la Broccoli recipe - sure to please even picky eaters!

• Taco night: Start with your protein; ground turkey or tofu are good options. Add toppings such as shredded cheese, guacamole, salsa, and