Grasshopper New Media Presents...

We eat almost 100% organic. We drink lots of water, eat plenty of fish and green veggies and take a multi vitamin three times a day. The big picture: my husband and I are healthy eaters, with healthy appetites, always interested in trying a new flavor, food or restaurant.

Before MeMo was born we would joke or even worry that she might be a finicky eater. But right from the gates, she proved us wrong. In the hospital, the kid latched right on and swallowed that colostrum like a champ. At home, my milk supply could barely keep up with what she wanted to drink, almost around the clock. At six months, when MeMo took on the title of Solids Eater, we were most pleased to watch her devour nearly anything we were eating. The kid was growing like a champ - under tall and overweight - what more could we hope for?

And then… it all came crashing down.

About four weeks ago, MeMo tacitly and without warning, declared a hunger strike. She would host private rallies in her high chair, hurling spoons and sending anything green smashing to the floor. At first it was somewhat cute. “Oh look, honey, little MeMo is really developing her own personality.” Then it was worrisome “She’s eaten only flaxseed waffles for two days now. She’s wasting away! (Her weight never budged, it just felt that way at the time.)” And finally, it grew into a frustration so strong that I had to toss a full dish of organic peas, cauliflower and brown rice into the sink before excusing myself to the basement for a good, old fashioned scream.

Weeks went by of trying everything I could think of, from having MeMo’s teddy bear feed her to “Mmm, this is delicious! Look Mama’s eating it!” I tried applesauce, peaches, avocado, homemade chicken soup and even (gasp!) vanilla flavored yogurt. I used distractions, silly spoons, a stern facial expression, and embarrassing dance moves - all to no avail. The foods this kid once devoured like she was stockpiling for the winter, seemed to disgust her. I knew it was time to get creative, and “pull out the big guns,” as my husband likes to say.

Up until this point, MeMo was doing quite well with solid, but soft foods. But after a series of experiments that would make Marie Curie proud, I deducted that texture was one of the major issues on the table (no pun intended, as at this point everything was being thrown off the table). So I hauled out the blender (my biggest gun) and got to work. Below is the smoothie that finally coaxed MeMo from her month-long anti-eating campaign (We’re still not sure exactly what cause she was fighting for.).

The Hunger Strike Smoothie

Get out your blender and don’t even bother measuring. Just toss in all things good for babies and kids, and set to whirl. Here are a few suggestions (bearing in mind you’ve already tested these foods with your kid and are sure they are not allergic to anything listed below):

Fresh or frozen organic blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, schnozberries, etc : Antioxidants, fiber and Vitamin C


Fresh, organic spinach leaves (Yes, spinach! The taste is so mild, they’ll never know it’s in there!): Fiber, calcium, folate and iron

An avocado: “Good fat” and Vitamins K and E

A banana (maybe just half): Vitamin C, potassium, and B6

Plain yogurt: Calcium and protein

Brown rice: Selenium, manganese and protein

Fresh or frozen peas: Protein, Vitamin A, niacin

Fresh or frozen peaches, pears and/or mangoes: Vitamin C

You may need to add a bit of water, breast milk, formula or whole milk (kids over one year), if your blender has a tough time cutting through all of this wholesome goodness. Also, when it comes to ingredients, organic is best to avoid harmful pesticides, particularly with spinach and berries, which grow close to the ground. All produce should be thoroughly washed for at least 30 seconds under cool water.

Depending on the consistency (and your patience), you can spoon feed this smoothie to your kid, or let them drink it from a cup. Pour this concoction into ice cube trays and store the cubes in an airtight container for up to 3 months in your freezer. To defrost, place cubes in the fridge for a few hours or make a warm water bath on the stove top. Never use the microwave to heat or defrost your kids’ food as it emits radiation and can compromise the nutritional integrity.

Good luck and happy eating to your little activist!

[tags]kids, parents, baby, babies, children, won’t eat, refuse food, nutrition, nutritious, delicious, recipe, smoothie[/tags]
Photo graciously provided by Ensie, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved