Mealtime With Little Kids: Before & After Plates

One of my favorite blogs is Self magazine’s Eat Like Me. Cristin Dillon-Jones, a registered dietitian and working mom, posts a photo of everything she eats: meals, snacks, lattes in the car, everything. I love it because she eats real portions of real food—and makes the super-nutritious diet she eats seem both delicious and doable. And I appreciate that she doesn’t apologize for having a hunk of cake at a birthday party or pile of greasy fries at a baseball game (her everyday habits are so squeaky-clean, she doesn’t need to).

In the spirit of Cristin’s blog, I decided to try my own photo feature. But with my kids’ plates instead. And with a twist: I’ll show you what I serve them—and then what they actually ate.

Tuesday Night’s Dinner: Homemade mac-n-cheese, steamed broccoli, mandarin oranges, and milk to drink.

Plates for Sam (18 mos) and Henry (5)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

RESULT: Oranges were devoured (Sam got a second helping after crying pitifully for more), good effort made on the broccoli, and Sam continues to spit out any noodle that is not covered in pasta sauce. Sigh.