OK, so the other day I used a new brand of peanut butter in Drew’s lunch. It was the same crunchy, natural (no added sugar) style I always buy, but just a different brand, that happened to be organic and made with about 1/2 the salt of the regular stuff. He comes home and says “Mom, I don’t like that new peanut butter, it’s whole wheat!” (What? Whole wheat peanut butter? I haven’t heard of that yet – where can I buy it? – I laugh to myself.) But Drew’s been on this real anti whole wheat kick lately – so much that he thought it was in the peanut butter!
Well I am kind of a whole wheat freak and he’s tolerated it well for the first seven years of his life. But apparently the party’s over. These are the kinds of things I’ve been hearing lately: “Mom I really like the WHITE english muffins – can you buy those please?” “What kind of noodles are these? They’re not my favorite” (whole wheat of course) “I don’t like sandwiches” (because they’re made on whole wheat bread). Poor Drew didn’t even know white sandwich bread existed until recently. Jeeeez. Have I become the whole wheat Nazi or what? What’s a mindful momma to do? Give up and go white?
I shouldn’t complain. I’m still getting away with the multigrain pancake mix, wholegrain crackers and healthy cereals. But I can’t help but wonder…what’s next on the chopping block? And will Liam pick up on his big brother’s attitude and turn up his nose at every non-white starch that comes his way? I’ll keep pushing the good stuff but I’ve given in to some of the demands….like the english muffins on occasion.
Here are a couple ‘tricks’ I’ve found to help ease the whole grains into the mix whenever I can:
- Barilla pasta is less ‘whole-wheaty’ tasting than Healthy Harvest. Probably because Barilla is a multigrain and legume blend and not officially whole wheat. But the added ground flaxseed gives it a high dose of Omega-3 fatty acids which is a big plus.
- Mix 1/2 whole wheat with 1/2 regular pasta for a mellower flavor and texture. (so often texture’s the real culprit, don’t you think?)
- Soft wheat bread goes over better than the drier, grainy type (the kind I love!)
- Sub a small amount of whole wheat flour for all-purpose in cookies and muffins – most kids won’t notice.
- Variety, variety, variety. So they have white bread one morning. Make it oatmeal the next.
Anyone else out there have tips, tricks or tales of woe to share?
Stacey says
My son is 3 1/2 and he doesn’t even know what white bread is…yet! Wheat pasta, wheat bread…I put ground flax seeds, wheat germ, etc in practically everything he eats. I just hope my influence is strong enough to counteract the influence of his peers when he’s older. I picture it like a comic strip…”C’mon Jacob, just try it, a little white bread won’t hurt, your mom will never know..” And then one day when I’m putting away the laundry I’ll find simple simple sugars and empty calories of every kind stashed in the back of his dresser and under his bed!
When I’m making something with tofu (or any of those other ‘gross’ health foods) I always tell him what it is instead of trying to convince him it’s something else…he’s still young enough where he doesn’t know it’s supposed to be gross, so I always just try to say it in an exciting way. “Yum, tofu! You’re so lucky you get to have tofu!” hehe
Jenny says
I’m a whole wheat freak too! Cute blog. I like the title of it.