Cooking, mealtimes, healthy food and everything that happens in the kitchen is a big part of my program, it’s basically the reason my program was created. My goal is to give the little ones a healthy and happy beginning to their life. I would say that some of the kids that joined my daycare when they were about 4-6 months up until now ( 2 years old ) have never had a single cold, case of pink eye, ear infection etc… just to name a few. Food really plays a huge part in the health and well-being of our children.

A daycare, where a child spends nine hours a day and five days a week, should be, as much as possible, like a home away from home in most respects. If your child attends a daycare for the first three years of their life being fed junk and highly processed foods — then they are Definitely set for a “not so healthy” start.

I don’t know about you but, as a mother and childcare provider, the state of our kids’ health greatly concerns me.

7 TIPS ON FEEDING TODDLERS – FROM A HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST

1. Serve a variety of food and texture: Never assume that they hate something if they don’t get to try it. Some of the kids would not taste something on Monday and then scream they love it on Friday.
2. Offer the same food in multiple ways: For example, my kiddos love grilled cauliflower with coconut oil, seasoned with black pepper, turmeric and sea salt. They probably wouldn’t eat it if not for the yellow color. Kids generally seem to love eating the rainbow.
3. Figure out their favorite foods: Toddlers go through phases where they like certain foods and dislike others. My own toddler, for example, loves sweet potatoes, but I try to throw in some other veggies to roast in the oven along with the sweet potatoes. Over time, she progressed from just looking at them, to touching them, and finally tasting them.
4. Lead by example: One of the first things I like to tell parents when they tour my program is, we sit with your kids and we eat as a family. I tried creating a special menu for the kids and found out that this is not something that aligns with my belief that daycare should, in many ways, be a “home away from home”. I do meal plan, but basically I cook one big meal for everyone. The ingredients that go in my cooking are those I believe to be healthy and needed for everyone, so this is just the way I will be doing it. One more trick, take a taste yourself and tell them how delicious it is  and have them take taste.
5. Make their plates look inviting and delicious: My husband always makes fun of me, saying I am a perfectionist and that the kiddos will make a mess with the food anyway, but I really love for things to look perfect on the table before I set them down. From the color of the plates, to their cups, to the serving board etc…I like things to look perfect because, personally, I enjoy food much more if the presentation is attractive. 
6. Don’t miss an opportunity to sneak something they think they don’t like into something they love: Homemade muffins, for example, are one of our favorite snacks here in my daycare (both savory and sweet). I don’t know of many things that can’t be incorporated (disguised) in muffins. hahaha. I sneak all sorts of micronutrients, booster foods, veggies etc… in our muffins, and it all goes down to their little tummies without any problem. All our baked goods are, of course, sugar-free and most of the time gluten-free.Checkout this recipe. 
7. Invite them to cook with you: I start inviting kids into the kitchen as soon as they start walking. Some of the kids started cooking with me as early as 12 months of age and now, at almost 3 years old, they are like pros. If you are local, and would like to check out our cooking classes, please click here.

These tips have worked for my own children and the ones that attend my program. I can proudly say that they eat almost every vegetable, every meat including organ meats, all dairy including homemade plain kefir, etc…

If you have any tips you would like to share with me, please do not hesitate to put them in a comment.

Be sure to PIN IT

The post 7 Tips On Feeding Toddlers from A Holistic Nutritionist appeared first on Holistic Seedlings.

Baby skin is so gentle, smooth and radiant naturally. It is preferred not to wash it at all as it contains natural oils to protect it. I did wash my babies with only water and also used some gentle soaps here and there. I made this recipe for my monthly DIY swap with a group of my girlfriends.  One of the ladies is pregnant and we chose a baby DIY  theme. This recipe is very gentle and perfect to wash off the smelly cheesy baby throw up.

I like to use mostly edible ingredients in all my DIY. I love the softness the coconut milk gives to this baby wash. I even tried it as a face wash for myself and I think it’s one of the best face wash I have ever created. Who said you will spend more $$ making DIY?. I totally think the opposite as this example of a baby wash is going beyond it’s original purpose, therefore it saves me money.

Here are some benefits of coconut milk for mommy beauty

• Natural Make-Up Removal: Mix two parts of coconut oil to one part of coconut milk. This will help remove the make-up and moisturize the skin.
• Helps Curing Sunburn: Apply coconut milk on the affected area. It will not only moisturize the area, get ride of redness, but soothe the pain as well.
• Hair Conditioning: Mix free tablespoons of coconut milk with an egg yolk and massage it onto the inner roots of the scalp. Wrap your hair in a towel and leave it for a few hours. This acts as a wonderful deep moisturizing tonic for your hair.
• Skin Moisturizer: Have coconut milk or apply it on the skin. It helps both ways to gain smooth skin texture.
• Wrinkle-Prevention: Coconut milk has high levels of Vitamin C and Copper that reduce wrinkles and improve skin elasticity.

Homemade Baby Wash Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 ounces DR Bronner’s baby Castile soap
• 3 ounces full fat coconut milk
• 3 drops lavender essential oil ( buy real essential oils here )

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients and store in this squeeze bottle for an easy use. 

What are your best DIY baby care? Please feel free to share some in a comment.

PIN IT!

The post Homemade Baby Wash Recipe appeared first on Holistic Seedlings.

Homemade baby massage oil

I started making homemade baby products, because I figured they are generally less expensive than store-bought, non toxic, environmental safe, Plus, if you start making several different kinds of baby care products, you’ll find that you’re using a lot of the same ingredients in different ways, so you can buy the ingredients in larger quantities to save even more money.

I love infant massage, I find it as a very special time for bonding with my infants. All of my three boys loved massage time. I try to do it two to three times a week.

Did you know that baby massage can:

• Promotes relaxation and helps babies self-regulate calm, which reduces crying
• Helps to normalize muscle tone
• Improves circulation
• Enhances immune system function
• Improves midline orientation
• Helps to improve sensory and body awareness
• Enhances neurological development
• Helps baby/child to sleep deeper and more soundly
• Provides all of the essential indicators of intimate parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye-to-eye, touch, voice, smell, movement, and thermal regulation.
• Improves general well-being
• Provides an intimate time for children to confide in parents
• Improves overall functioning of the gastrointestinal tract

Give your baby the touch of love by making this 100% natural massage oil. It’s never too late. My seven year old still asks me for a little massage at least ones a week.

Homemade baby massage oil recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup organic olive oil ( You can get it here )
• 1/2 cup organic apricot kernel oil ( get it here )
• 1/4 cup calendula flowers ( get it here )
• 1/4 cup chamomile flowers ( get it here )
• 2 drops of carrot seed essential oil ( get it here )
• 2 drops of lavender essential oil ( get it here )

Instruction

Mix all the oils together. Put the calendula and chamomile in a glass jar and pour the oils over it. Put a tight-fitting lid on. Keep in a cool, dark place and shake daily for 6-8 weeks. The color of the oil will turn to dark yellow or orangish. Get rid of the flower by passing the oil through a cheesecloth. Keep in a glass jar and use as needed. In my experience this oil gets more concentrated and more beneficial the more it lasts. This oil acts as a southing and relaxing due to the effects of the chamomile and calendula. 

Read more about the benefits of using herbs in skin care products here.

I hope you will enjoy making this and giving some special touches to your babies with it.

Please leave your comments and share some of your favorite recipes below.

Note: this oil can be used for the whole family and you can play around with your favorite essential oils.

 Check out this page for more info on how to get started with young living essential oils.

Be sure to PIN IT!

Enjoy!

The post Homemade Baby Massage Oil appeared first on Holistic Seedlings.