St. Patrick's Day Fun + Green Food Facts + What W Eats- Meal Ideas & Feeding Tips!
- Jessica
- Mar 21, 2024
- 7 min read
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, let's take a fun look at green foods! Green foods are often packed with lots of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients! Here are some fun facts about the vitamins and minerals commonly found in green foods:
Vitamin A: Found in green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Vitamin A is essential for vision, immune function, and skin health.
Vitamin C: Abundant in green fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, kiwi, and green bell peppers. Vitamin C is crucial for immune function, collagen synthesis, and wound healing.
Vitamin K: Present in high amounts in green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and bone health.
Folate (Vitamin B9): Found in green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Folate is important for DNA synthesis and cell growth, making it especially crucial during pregnancy.
Iron: Green vegetables like spinach and broccoli are good sources of iron. Iron is essential for transporting oxygen in the blood and maintaining energy levels.
Calcium: Green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, kale, and bok choy are rich in calcium. Calcium is vital for bone health and muscle function.
Magnesium: Found in green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Magnesium is important for energy production, muscle function, and nerve transmission.
Potassium: Abundant in green fruits like avocados and kiwis, as well as vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, fluid balance, and muscle contractions.
Dietary Fiber: Green foods, particularly vegetables and fruits, are rich in dietary fiber. Fiber aids digestion, promotes satiety, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Eating different kinds of green foods is like giving your body a special treat. They're full of important stuff like vitamins & minerals that keep you healthy & feeling good. Adding them to your meals is like adding a secret ingredient for a strong and happy you and kiddo!
What W Eats!!
Check out a few things we’ve had this week & steal some ideas for your family!
• Grilled Turkey & Cheese Sandwich + Strawberries + mixed Bell Peppers and Onion 🥪🍓🧅
• Sliced Turkey (low sodium) + Blackberries + Vanilla and Blueberry Yogurt Popsicle
• Salmon Bites + Green Beans + Blackberries 🍣
• Overnight Oats (Apple/Pear/Cinnamon) + Blueberry/Blackberry/Peach mix + Vanilla Greek Yogurt 🍎🍐🍑
• Overnight Oats (Apple/Pear/Cinnamon) +Vanilla Greek Yogurt with Coconut Cashew Butter mixed in🍎🍐🥥🍦🥜
**not pictured = the insane amount of @goldfishsmiles he ate at sister’s dance competition or his new favorite talent: spitting out his milk. 😬 Gotta take the good with the bad I suppose 😜
Click the button below to check out 'What W Eats Wednesday' Instagram Reel!
*W: age 19 months
Craving Something More Creative?
🍀 Try These Fun & Fresh Ideas!
Lucky Green Pancakes – Blend spinach into pancake batter for a natural green hue. Serve with mashed banana or yogurt for dipping.
👶 6+ months: Blend ½ cup oats, 1 egg (or flax egg), ¼ banana, a handful of spinach, and milk or formula. Cook small, soft pancakes. Serve mashed or cut into strips for baby-led weaning (BLW).
👦 9+ months: Offer small bite-sized pieces or whole mini pancakes for self-feeding.
Rainbow Oatmeal – Cook oats and top with colorful fruit like strawberries, mango, kiwi, blueberries, and purple grapes.
👶 6+ months: Cook oats in water, breast milk, or formula. Puree or mash soft fruits (like banana or steamed pear) and swirl them in for a “rainbow” effect.
👦 9+ months: Offer small diced fruits or let baby self-feed with a pre-loaded spoon.
Shamrock Toast – Use a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter on whole-grain toast and top with mashed avocado.
👶 6+ months: Toast whole grain bread lightly and cut into a shamrock shape. Spread with mashed avocado. Serve in thin strips or mash it completely for spoon-feeding.
👦 9+ months: Let baby hold and self-feed the toast.
Pot of Gold Mac & Cheese – Make a creamy, baby-friendly mac & cheese with butternut squash puree for a golden color.
👶 6+ months: Cook small pasta (like elbows or shells) and coat with a smooth butternut squash and mild cheese sauce. Blend or mash for younger babies.
👦 9+ months: Serve soft whole pasta pieces with sauce for finger feeding.
Green Pea & Potato Mash – Blend peas and potatoes for a smooth, festive side dish.
👶 6+ months: Steam peas and potatoes until very soft. Mash or puree with a little breast milk/formula for creaminess.
👦 9+ months: Serve as a thicker mash or spread on toast for self-feeding.
Leprechaun Smoothie – Blend banana, spinach, avocado, and yogurt for a creamy green smoothie.
👶 6+ months: Blend banana, spinach, avocado, and yogurt with breast milk or formula. Spoon-feed or offer in a baby-friendly cup.
👦 9+ months: Serve in an open cup or straw cup for independent drinking.
Mini Shepherd’s Pie – Mash ground turkey or lentils with soft-cooked carrots and peas, topped with mashed potatoes.
👶 6+ months: Cook ground turkey or lentils until very soft. Mix with mashed carrots, peas, and mashed potatoes. Blend if needed.
👦 9+ months: Serve as soft finger food or mashed for spoon-feeding.
Clover Quesadilla – Cut a tortilla into a shamrock shape, fill with mashed beans and cheese, and lightly toast.
👶 6+ months: Use a shamrock-shaped cutter on a soft tortilla. Fill with mashed beans and mild cheese. Warm slightly to soften, then cut into small strips or mash for spoon-feeding.
👦 9+ months: Offer bite-sized pieces for baby to pick up.
Gold Coin Sweet Potatoes – Roast or steam sweet potato rounds (“gold coins”) for an easy finger food.
👶 6+ months: Steam or roast sweet potato rounds until very soft. Mash or serve as thick strips for BLW.
👦 9+ months: Offer soft pieces or let baby practice biting off small chunks.
Rainbow Veggie Sticks with Dip – Offer soft-cooked carrot, bell pepper, and cucumber strips with a yogurt-based dip.
👶 6+ months: Steam veggie strips (like carrots and peppers) until very soft. Serve mashed or in long, soft pieces for gripping. Use plain yogurt for dipping.
👦 9+ months: Offer firmer but still soft-cooked veggies for dipping practice.
Embrace the Irish Spirit: A Feast of Tradition on St. Patrick's Day 🍀
St. Patrick's Day isn't just about wearing green and finding lucky charms; it's also about savoring the wonderful culture, food, and traditions of Ireland. From hearty stews to crispy potato dishes, the table becomes a canvas for celebrating Irish heritage. Picture yourself gathered around the table with family and friends, sharing stories and enjoying yummy dishes that have been loved for generations. One favorite is corned beef and cabbage, but have you ever tried warm soda bread with creamy Irish butter? It's a real treat! Of course, there's also the excitement of trying Irish stout or whiskey for those old enough. These drinks add some extra fun to the celebration. Notice- not GREEN beer?!
From classic Irish breakfasts to comforting shepherd's pie, each bite is a taste of Irish heritage and culture.
So this St. Patrick's Day, let's raise our glasses and our forks in celebration of the delicious traditions that bring us together. Sláinte!" 🌈🍽️
Practical Tips for you!
Little change can make a BIG impact!
With the cold of winter, we have been indoors more often than not. And our daily routine has become a bit mundane. When this happens, the kids tend to act up a bit more, mostly from boredom..
Here are some of our favorite ways to bust that boredom during snack time!
Offer snack in a different location (safely!)- a change of routine scenery can help, even if it’s within the house! My kids love picnics & my oldest loves ‘breakfast in bed’. Any type of change like this is special from routine
Offer snack in a different way! Use different utensils or serving dishes during snack time (chop sticks, cookie cutters, muffin tins). Even a designated ‘snack time plate’ can be a fun and special thing!
Quick story time - this year, I was in charge of providing drinks for my daughter's class holiday party. I had planned a big, extravagant, DIY 'hot chocolate bar', but as the time came closer to get everything I needed.. well this idea was not sitting right. I ended up finding 2 FUN Christmas tree drink dispensers and I knew this was the way to go! I grabbed Little Hugs Fruit Barrels Juice and Splash Lemon Water, and TADA! To add to the fun, I went to grab Christmas cups, but saw the empty shelf. After looking for a bit, I found clear, "fancy" water cups. These cups alone were a huge hit! The kids had a blast and felt so fancy and sophisticated! As one final touch, I named these drinks with a fun winter theme and label tag! "Santa's Merry Berry Blast" and "Polar Bear Punch" - Major Success!!! Changing how these juices were served was more than enough to make a memorable experience!
Have them help in making snack! My oldest is 7 and very capable of helping set up certain snacks. In fact, she set them up at this windowsill! Sometimes we even play restaurant!
Offer foods that take a while to eat. I love giving W frozen fruit (safely!), popsicles, and foods eaten with a spoon because these especially take him some time to finish. This gives us each a few extra minutes.
Small changes and special ‘treats’ can seem huge in your child’s eyes. I often see improved behavior and more interest in eating when I pull these tricks out on occasion.
& if nothing else, hopefully it broke up that mundane, boring feeling that we can get complacent in
❤❤
Thank you for your support and love in this space! It means more to me than you will ever know.
I truly enjoy sharing this information and I hope you find the information provided valuable. If you do find this information helpful, I kindly ask that you consider sharing - via social media, word of mouth, email, etc. I would love to help support as many out there as I can! <3
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Jessica Enderle, R.D., L.D.
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