We are delighted to introduce Deb Blakley – a Brisbane Dietitian, Nutritionist, owner of Kids Dig Food, and mum who is passionate about kids learning to love good food from birth and beyond.
Deb is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian & Accredited Nutritionist, recognised by the Dietitians Association of Australia and is an accredited practitioner of the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding for fussy eaters and problem feeders.
Over to Deb –
I know first-hand how hard it is to get a meal on the table when you’re doing it alone – how it feels for most “sometimes solo” parents. Some days I simply don’t have the energy to cook a meal when my husband is away.
I do all of the cooking whether he’s home or away. Lucky he’s a great washer-upper! He is always more appreciative of a tasty dinner than our daughter is – so when he is not there, my heart isn’t quite in it as my efforts seem to go unnoticed. Then there’s the inevitable frustration of cooking for kids who are fussy eaters or as we say at Kids Dig Food, “kids who are still learning to like new foods.”
I’m a foodie and I love cooking, yet I know it can be hard some days. I know that for many of my clients who don’t particularly like preparing food, it’s 100 times harder.
What I want you to know is this: Meal times don’t have to be tough. They can actually be your sanctuary. They can be a space where you can connect with your kids when your partner is away, and re-connect as a family when everyone is under the same roof.
When I reflect on my own family meal time experiences I notice this:
- Meal times can be a great source of comfort and connection for my child and I.
- Meal times only become a struggle when we focus on the wrong things.
- Serving “easy” dinners doesn’t mean I’m a bad mum.
- When my husband is home, meal times are the glue that brings us all back together.
But how do you turn meal times from disorganised chaos to your happy place?
My top tips for making meal times your sanctuary when you’re solo parenting are:
Have a set of meal time rules that everyone needs to learn to follow. Try these ones out.
Eat with your kids whenever you can, at any meal or snack time. Show your kids that you can enough about you to make meals a priority. Shift the evening meal earlier if your kids “hit the wall” early and then enjoy a calming cup of tea or glass of wine later after the kids have gone to bed.
Use a pre-meal time routine to help prepare kids to come to the table. This is especially helpful for kids who find it difficult to settle down enough to sit & eat. An example routine could be: (1) Turn the TV off/pack away game, (2) Wash and dry hands, (3) Stomp to the table like a dinosaur/flitter like a butterfly, (4) Put the placemats out or cups on the table (5) We sit and eat.Do something to make the space feel calm and inviting, even if you’re feeling the opposite- put some calming music on, light a candle or pick flowers from the garden.
Have some easy go-to dinners for nights when things get a little crazy. Frozen leftovers, scrambled eggs or baked beans on toast or my 15 minute pasta smash are all fabulous nutritious choices that will help fill everyone up in the minimum time possible. Have a cook-up when your partner is home to make it easier on you when you’re solo. Try out these great recipes you can freeze for later:
Salmon & Caper patties – Defrost and pan fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Serve these with a salad or veggies and crusty bread.
Aunty Em’s Yummy Beef Casserole – serve with steamed greens and potato or bread to mop up the gravy.
Cheat’s Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni – simply make up a double batch of the cannelloni, freeze and add your sauce when you’re ready to cook it. This is lovely served with a garden salad too.
Chicken & Veggie Nuggets – pop then in the oven straight from your freezer and serve them with whatever you like. Home made so you know exactly what’s in them. Excellent!
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup – the simplest and tastiest soup ever. Make a double batch and freeze half for later. Don’t forget some gorgeous crusty bread for this one. If your little ones aren’t a fan of the “green” bits, give them the option to add it or not right at the end. Read more about getting your kids to enjoy soup in my blog post.
Never back a fussy eater into a corner with food. Always serve at least one food that your children usually enjoy at every meal or snack time. Try where possible to make this a food that fits with the meal you’re serving. Pick from your child’s usually eaten/safe food list.
Deconstruct meals to suit your children’s sensory preferences. It’s OK to serve veggies raw if Madeline prefers them that way; or to separate the pasta from the meat sauce for Jake. If we’re all eating the same food, we’re still sharing the same meal.
And when your partner comes home: Stick to the same meal time rules. Stick to the same routine. Both be “on the same page” with your meal time strategy. Help each other.
Enjoy the wonderful space you’ve created to get fed, chat about your day, explore food and most importantly enjoy and nourish each other.
Eat happy! Deb