checkmate.

feeding a toddler is like chess. you need a strategy. you need to outsmart your opponent (aka your kid). you need multiple players (food groups) to make its way across the board only to get knocked out by said opponent. it's a game and a constant battle all rolled up into one.

luckily, cam is a pretty good eater. he's usually not too picky but he does have days where he refuses to eat what i offer him and other days where he devours the same foods he refused just the day before.

but there is a strategy to feeding my son.

you have to offer him a number of different items. you never know what he's gonna like on any given day.

if you put too much in front of him at one time, he's overwhelmed and just starts throwing stuff around.

if he's eating something with vigor, but you mention something else, he will now ONLY want what you just mentioned. like today, cam was happily eating his fish, which i wanted him to eat. then brian comes along and goes, "cam, do you want noodles?" great, daddy. now all cam wants are those unhealthy noodles even if he has half a bowl left of fish that he was blissfully enjoying just 2 seconds ago.

and of course to top it all off, feeding is a completely messy experience and i feel bad for the clean up crew at restaurants. i think more food gets on the ground beneath his highchair at those places than in his mouth.

here's a list of the foods he likes at the moment. not that anyone reading this cares all that much, but it'll be nice for me to look back and remember it later on:

• chicken. he will eat chicken made in pretty much any way imaginable.
• oranges. his favorite at the moment. he can eat a whole orange PLUS other foods for a meal.
• pears. if it's ripe enough, he loves them. if it's not, he turns it away.
• bananas. loves them until i give it to him too much and then he's sick of them.
• tofu. if it's prepared with soy sauce, ginger or miso, he's all over it.
• purple sweet potato. LOVE.
• broccoli cheese nuggets. a recipe i found on wholesome baby food. it's how i hide that dreaded broccoli and it works!
• peanut butter sandwiches. he has mommy's genes! not allergic and can eat an entire sandwich.
• cheese puffs. a bunch of different "toddler" brands are available but basically it's just baked cheetos if you ask me. he gets it as a treat sometimes and loves the stuff.
• any kind of meat. he is daddy's son. this kid is a carnivore for sure.
• eggs. he loves eggs. maybe because i ate a ton of it when he was in the womb?
  
• fish. he really really like fish. it stinks up the house, but at least it's good for him.
• noodles! he will eat any and all kinds of noodles. no matter what.
• cream crackers. i'm sure these are not healthy for him at all, but he asks for them constantly.
  

on his dislike list?

• vegetables. i need to figure out other ways to hide veggies. i try to give him cooked carrots, peas, beans, etc. no such luck. i did get him to eat green peppers that were hidden with his tofu once. maybe i should try that again...
• asian pear. brian and i think they're delicious but cam does not agree.
• mushrooms. he doesn't seem to be a fan.
• cabbage. unless i stuff it in his mouth with some noodles, he won't eat it.
• applesauce. this is a crap shoot. some days he loves it, others he hates it.
• muffins. some days, love. other days, eh.
• grapes. i try and try to give them to him and he just does not like them.
• strawberries. same as grapes! not having it.
  

let the games begin!