11mo meals/mealtimes - a few questions if anyone has a minute?

[YellowEllis]

Just got some questions about my nearly 1yo food related and don't really have anyone I can ask so thought I'd ask on here.

In regards to food, I'm worried he's not eating enough variety. He mainly has the following

Breakfast: Toast, Scrambled eggs/omelette, Crumpets, Fruit and sometimes beans. He used to have porridge but now refuses spoon and won't eat it with his hands so that's currently a no go.

Lunch: Sandwiches (Philadelphia/Cheese/Ham/Tomato/Cucumber/Chicken) Cheesy pasta with sweetcorn and peas, Pitta bread/Wraps with same toppings as sandwiches, occasionally 'pizza' wraps wrap with Tom purée, cheese and sweet corn on and cooked. Always has fruit after and water

Dinner: He used to have what he have and have quite varied, but DH working later and me trying to keep on top of house has resulted in doing that less and him having more pasta/sweetcorn and peas/fish fingers/mash. I'd say he still has what we have a couple of nights a week (curries/stir fries/meat and veg)

Overall it seems ok, but he will only really eat peas and sweetcorn for veg, occasionally green beans and carrots. He eats a lot of fruit, worried possibly too much. And a lot of pasta/bread/cheese, they seem his main staples. Does this honestly sound ok, or what should I change?

Also mealtimes, last question sorry.. I am always in the room but I find he eats better if I leave him to it, so I sit across the table and tidy or just watch, occasionally say yum yum and more and offer him more but I don't chat to him throughout. Is this bad?

Thanks

Oh sorry possibly one more, do I keep feeding him until he refuses? I feel like he'll keep eating fruit so it gets to a point where if he's had a whole sandwich, nice amount of fruit I stop the meal, but he probably would eat more if I kept going?

I'd say it sounds fab, keep offering new things but don't worry if it takes a while for dc to expand their tastes.
I assume he's still having formula as well at under 1, so that's providing loads of nutrition.

That all sounds good to me. I have an 11 month old who has similar. Couple of tips:

• make porridge bites/fingers for self feeding (very easy in the microwave)
• Keep left overs from your evening meal for your baby to have the next day to save on cooking different meals if you don’t eat together
• I bought two recipe books which have transformed our baby’s diet (I was getting worried about it being same-y) Young Gums by Beth Bentley is particularly accessible

I also keep feeding until she refuses. Apparently at this age they are very good at regulating their own intake and you can’t really over feed. She eats most a lunchtime and not so much for tea.

All that sounds absolutely fine. I didn't necessarily eat with mine as I tended to use the time to tidy and organise (or return emails, frankly). Both of mine were BLW, so they mostly just got on with it. I think that sounds like plenty of variety for an 11 month old.

One thing that may be helpful is when eating dinner earlier wasn't possible for dh and I for whatever reason. I would cook one meal each day, but if dh and I were eating later, I'd just put aside a dish of it for the next day's dinner for dc. Then dc would eat like 5-6pm and dh and I could eat after they went to bed (and then I'd save those leftover's for the next day for dc, etc.). That worked fine for the first 2 years or so when our schedules weren't quite in sync. And saved me having to cook twice or feed them chicken dippers 4 times a week.

Sounds fine to me. Mine all ate whatever we were having with no salt etc. You've lots of textures in there and variety.

I'd follow your dc and let them finish when they're ready.

I'd say the only thing that's missing in your list that mine are loads of is Petit Filous type yogurts. They'd eat at least 2 after each meal. Dry cereal I used to give as a snack too, those mini shredded, Cheerios

Other than that (and that's just what I did, not the law 😁) sounds great! You're doing a fab job

Shreddies *

And yes, I always fed the main meal until they didn't want anymore. But things like fruit and yogurt I treated as a 'pudding' after the meal. They only got 1 serving of that. Because mine would stuff themselves full of fruit for hours if I'd let them.

It's not that dissimilar to DS currently 10.5 months.

He's also not great at veg so I batch make and freeze these banana spinach pancakes for breakfast so that he gets something, they actually taste really nice - www.yummytoddlerfood.com/recipes/breakfast/banana-spinach-pancakes/ (I microwave for 2 X 30 s to defrost one at a time). A batch makes about 20 so last 3 weeks or so. I make them with whatever non wheat flour I can get as otherwise it feels like all DS eats is wheat. You could bake muffins with veg in you could do for lunch instead. DS also eats broccoli if you haven't tried that recently.

If he's still sitting there happily and eating I'd leave him to it, they'll let you know if they've had enough of sitting there - DS pulls his bib off and hurls all his food on the floor. He's DC3 so although there's plenty for him to watch at meal times there's definitely nobody sitting there talking to him!

When I was back at work FT with DH working FT too, I found it very easy to rely on oven food so I would cook things like cottage pie, bolognaise, curry etc. with lots of veg in them at the weekend and freeze it in portions so that I could simply heat up on week nights (also useful on nights you want a takeaway!). I also bought those packs of veg you can steam in the microwave in 2 minutes so quick and easy and not beige! I have always had to stop ds1 eating as otherwise he would eat everything. I've noticed now he is 3 he is much better at stopping when he is full. I obviously wouldn't leave him hungry but if I know he's had plenty I think it's fine to take it away.

Thanks for feedback! Will take suggestions onboard. He used to love yogurts whoever mentioned those, but same as porridge he's refusing a spoon (Mr independent..) but can't yet spoon fed himself