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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Alternatives to rice (with curry etc) for spoon refuser

26 replies

ilovetosleep · 29/04/2015 09:52

Any ideas? To make things complicated he is gluten, dairy and egg intolerant. He finds it so tricky eating rice off a spoon, I think it might have something to do with his tongue tie, but he's generally pretty anti spoon anyway and fiercly independent. What would make a good carb accompaniment to curry, chilli etc that he can eat with his hands? Now I'm writing this I am thinking maybe boiled potatoes, but any other suggestions that I might be missing would be great, thanks

OP posts:
Seshata · 29/04/2015 10:03

Mash? You can mix vegies like cauliflower, brocolli or carrot with potato/ sweet potato. Easy to eat with his hands, can be made without dairy, and it'll soak up the sauce from chilli or curry.

InfiniteJest · 29/04/2015 10:08

My first thought was naan bread. As you said he's gluten intolerant, I had a quick google and found this recipe:

myheartbeets.com/paleo-naan-indian-bread/

It's just almond and tapioca flour mixed with coconut milk and cooked in a pan. He could maybe scoop the curry and chilli with the bread? Wouldn't need a spoon that way, and it would be delicious!

Elysianfields · 29/04/2015 10:12

can you make chapatis with gluten free flour? Its dead easy, just flour with a little oil, then made into a dough with water, rolled out and cooked on a hot pan. Tear into strips then to dip and scoop (and throw and drop)

CMOTDibbler · 29/04/2015 10:14

How about cooking sticky rice, then he can just grab handfuls of it?

slithytove · 29/04/2015 10:15

Can't he use his hands for the rice? Dd does (7mo)
Messy but with a mat underneath it's not difficult to clean up

Original poster
ilovetosleep · 29/04/2015 10:20

He can't/won't eat rice with his hands. He loves curry and picks out all the chunks of veg and meat, and will eat a few grains of rice with his hands, but no where near enough to fill him up properly. I have a feeling he'd be the same with mash unfortunately. He never really got the scoop with his hands technique, he has always preferred to eat small pieces with his pincer grip. He gets bored after a while. I'll try making gluten free naan that's a good idea, don't know why I didn't think of that!

OP posts:
HelenF350 · 29/04/2015 11:32

Sweet potato wedges?

dementedpixie · 29/04/2015 11:54

We have potato wedges with chilli

jessplussomeonenew · 30/04/2015 09:07

Rice cakes? Or some gram flour (chickpea) pancakes like these www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/31/cauliflower-turmeric-gram-flour-pancakes

TwoLittleTerrors · 30/04/2015 11:55

Or sushi type rice and shape them into little meat loaves. If you have been to a sushi place I'm referring to the nigiris. My DH charmingly calls them sleeping fish sushi.

It's very simple to make. Just squeeze and shape like you'd do a meatball.

TwoLittleTerrors · 30/04/2015 11:57

Rice as finger food is very common in Japan btw. It's called onigiri.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri
So it's not unheard of.

ouryve · 30/04/2015 12:04

Potatoes, in their various guises, are delicious with curry.

DS2 only ever has potatoes, mostly in their fried or roasted brown form, or bread as his carb with a meal, due to sensory issues. He will not touch anything like rice and gags on pasta and will only use a spoon for puds, as he finds it quite tricky, due to poor coordination and poor muscle tone. We had pasta bolognaise, last night. I kept the mince quite chunky, so it was like little meatballs, and served the best lumps on top of some oven chips for DS2.

squizita · 01/05/2015 10:43

gram pancakes (made with pulses), potato or rice cakes?

Latium123 · 01/05/2015 11:56

How about grated strips of courgette and / or carrot?

squizita · 01/05/2015 13:42

Or gluten free noodles? Rice noodles for example or "free from" pasta.

mousmous · 01/05/2015 13:48

very sticky rice that can be formed so he can pick them up?
think pudding rice or risotto rice?

Highlove · 01/05/2015 19:28

various types of roasted 'carby' veg - sweet pots/parsnip/squash/etc?

Original poster
ilovetosleep · 01/05/2015 19:59

Thanks for the replies. I think naan and potatoes are winners. I love sticky rice but never manage to make it very well at home. Grated/roasted veg is great but he eats so much veg with every other meal, and it's in the curry in chunks, but I really just needed a carb for curry. Sweet / potato wedges with chilli is a good idea. I have been known to give him gf gnocchi with curry but just doesn't seem very appropriate to me! And he eats so much pasta I think he might turn into a fusilli!

OP posts:
strawberrydaquari · 01/05/2015 21:33

Any good?

Alternatives to rice (with curry etc) for spoon refuser
Original poster
ilovetosleep · 02/05/2015 13:42

What a great idea strawberry, thanks!

OP posts:
DearGirl · 08/05/2015 19:49

What about cous cous - its a bit more sticky so clumps together on the spoon

Original poster
ilovetosleep · 09/05/2015 14:49

Cous Cous is wheat so not possible. I have had some success with getting the rice stickier and clumpier, not sure exactly how to do it though, some times it sticks sometimes it doesn't!

OP posts:
ouryve · 09/05/2015 16:48

You need to use a rice like thai or jasmine rice for the stickiness.

nousernamesleft · 09/05/2015 18:22

Asda do gluten free cous cous. With a tiny bit golden syrup in it (1/4 teaspoon for a large portion) it's sticky enough to be finger food, and can be formed into balls. My multiple allergy ds loves it, and 17 month dts often get it too.

Original poster
ilovetosleep · 09/05/2015 18:32

Never heard if gluten free Cous Cous - what's it made of? Unfortunately we are not uk so no asda but will look online, thanks for the tip!

OP posts:
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