If I Had A Do-Over, Here's How I'd Feed My Kids Differently

Inside: If parenting had a rewind button, here’s what I would do differently when it comes to feeding my kids–from first bites of baby food to the bottomless-pit teen years.

If I could jump in a parenting time machine, I’d do some things differently.

I’d invest in a video baby monitor. I’d stress less about potty training and Nerf footballs in the house. And I’d accept every single offer of help I got along the way instead of insisting that I could do it all.

I’d also make some changes around how I fed my kids. Don’t get me wrong, they turned out just fine. But I had that magic rewind button, here’s what I’d do differently–from baby to teen.

BABY & TODDLER STAGE

I’d skip rice cereal

When my boys were born, feeding advice was still pretty conservative. We were told to start with rice cereal, progress to green veggies, introduce fruit, then offer pureed meats last. A lot has changed since then. Now, I would opt for whole grain baby cereal (like oatmeal) and not fret about following a specific order of foods.

I’d try baby-led weaning

In all fairness, baby-led weaning wasn’t really a “thing” back when I had my babies–or at least it wasn’t talked about in popular parenting books. Baby-led weaning, which involves passing over purees and letting babies have wedges of soft food to gnaw on instead, gives babies more control over how much they eat and may help raise more adventurous eaters in the long run.

I’d spice up their food

Both of our kids were pretty sensitive to spicy foods for years. So some recipes got rejected after a bite, and I eventually started seasoning our food separately. If I could go back, I’d season my kids’ foods from an earlier age so they’d be used to a bit more spice.

GRADE-SCHOOL STAGE

I’d feed them foods I don’t like

As a kids, I was an extremely picky eater. (I regularly skipped the meals my mom cooked in favor of a bowl of buttered noodles and canned tuna.) I’ve come a long way as an adult, but there are still foods I’m wary of—like fresh tomatoes. When my kids were babies and toddlers, I tried to incorporate foods I disliked into their meals and snacks, determined not to repeat the cycle. But I admit, I got lazy–and honestly, I didn’t want to eat those foods myself! And now neither of my kids likes fresh tomatoes, and they don’t eat other foods I don’t care for such as eggplant and baked beans.

I’d get them in the kitchen more

My younger kid (sometimes begrudgingly) helps me make our HelloFresh meals. And I’m thrilled that my college kid got motivated to cook when he moved off campus and regularly makes new recipes he sees on TikTok . But I wish I had made kitchen jobs standard operating procedure with both of my boys from an early age. Not only would it have built those skills sooner, but it would’ve also given me a break.

I’d have them pack their own lunches sooner

As much as I like giving lunch box ideas on this site, packing lunches eventually became a chore that fell somewhere between “scrub shower walls” and “put new sheets on the top bunk” on my list of dreaded household tasks–mostly because it seemed to endlessly stretch into eternity forever and ever and on and on. After a few failed attempts, I finally got my two kids packing independently at ages 9 and 13, but they could’ve started even younger.

I’d make more vegetarian meals

I leaned on meat-and-potatoes meals a lot when the boys were younger because that’s what my husband and kids liked best. In hindsight, I wish I had pushed harder with more meatless meals. Everyone would’ve gotten more comfortable with them over time, and it would’ve been lighter on our budget too. Here are two they did like: Kid-Friendly Tofu Bowls and Veggie Stir-Fry with Noodles.

Healthy foods for teenagers on a counter top.

TEENAGER STAGE

I’d be ready for the appetite surge

As a dietitian, I knew my kids would experience growth spurts and appetite spikes. And as a mom, I knew they might feed that hunger with fast food and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos if left to their own devices. But I still managed to be caught flat-footed and scrambled to catch up. I dubbed those efforts “Operation: Feed The Hungry Teen” and took some key steps to make nourishing foods easier and more convenient for my teenager to choose at home.

I’d teach more real-life skills

I’m impressed with how my college kid is figuring out food budgets and grocery shopping. If I had a do-over, I’d get my kids more involved with things like meal planning, food shopping, and making dinner on their own, so they’d come out of the gate feeling confident to tackle those tasks.

Want more? Read: The 13 Best Things I’ve Learned About Feeding Kids

If I Had A Do-Over, Here’s How I’d Feed My Kids Differently