Recipe for a Green Pea Monster
A poem about baby-led weaning
See the video poem here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLTE0RrGp6k
[ingredients]
We’ll need a tot turned six moons young,
eight square milk teeth, a spry pink tongue,
one bag of frozen garden peas,
two whiffs of spice, three plops of cream.
[method]
We kiss our chick and tie his bib
then blend and blitz a snot ball dip.
From ewwww-eey greens to clumpy paste
of vivid veg that’s sweet to taste.
[serving]
Long spoon go coax from blade to bowl
and warm for two secs, here we go!
A clean set table, jim jam waits
with star clap hands. That’s how you make…
A green pea monster
Clean kitchen buster
Clotted jade moustache
Armed with a minty paintbrush
A green pea monster
Clean kitchen buster
Clotted jade moustache
Armed with a minty paintbrush
About Baby-Led Weaning
Baby-led weaning is a method for introducing solid foods to an infant. With this approach, finger foods can be served in addition to purées and mashes. This helps baby learn how to bite, chew, and swallow. Babies are also encouraged to feed themselves with their hands and not be spoon-fed, which promotes independence and the development of fine motor skills.
Mealtimes can become a wonderful sensory experience — food is a kaleidoscope of tastes, colours, textures, and temperatures. But be warned, baby-led weaning can result in a very messy experience for parents!
I started my son, Oscar, on baby-led weaning when he was 6-months old. He is a great eater. Oscar loves his veggies, especially green peas!
Green peas are a choking hazard for infants. Small and round foods easily get stuck in the throat. I usually blitz the peas in a blender first with a bit of pepper and cream.
Within minutes of filling Oscar’s plate with some deliciously warm and vibrant green pea paste, he transforms into a Green Pea Monster. He scoops handfuls of the mush into his mouth and smears mushy peas everywhere. While I hate cleaning it up, I enjoy watching Oscar eat his food with so much enthusiasm.
If you are practicing baby-led weaning just remember, food before one is just for fun. Don’t be disheartened if your tot gets more food on the floor than in their mouth. Milk or formula should be the main source of nutrition for babies until one-year of age. They will get the hang of eating eventually. Just mind the mess!
