One of the biggest challenges in raising preschoolers is learning how to feed them when they start to become "pihikan sa pagkain" or picky food eaters.
As a mom, you need to be smarter when it comes to packing your kids’ lunchboxes. Canned or preserved food might sound like an easy fix for a quick baon prep, but that won’t benefit your kids in terms of health and nutrition.
Eileen Lim, 36, is a full-time mom of two boys and works as an interior designer. Making sure her kids stay healthy and energetic is a big priority in her home, which is why she personally makes her children’s baon.
According to Eileen, son Seth used to be a picky eater when he was younger. “[He] would only eat almost the same food he likes every day,” she shares. But her second child, Senji, is the healthier one. “He would eat fruits, yogurt, or anything with bread,” the mom of two explains.
Eileen tried different kinds of techniques to encourage her panganay to eat nutritious food, even making bento boxes, but picky Seth still only ate parts of the baon he liked. After some trial and error, she eventually figured out the best healthy baon combos her kids enjoy. Here are her top three:
Baon Combo 1: Beef Nilaga with Potato and Cabbage + Rice + Apple Slices
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Eileen cooks the nilagang baka with potato and cabbage to make it more filling for her kids. “My eldest son Seth loves eating meat, that’s why this is one of his particular favorites,” she says.
As for their snack, both of her sons enjoy munching on fresh apple slices. Packing these into their lunchboxes is a sure shot at getting her kids the antioxidants and dietary fiber they need.
Baon Prep Tip: Use a crockpot to slow-cook the beef overnight or about eight hours, so it’s freshly cooked and ready for packing for the next school day.
Baon Combo 2: Salmon Sinigang with Kangkong or Pechay + Rice + Fresh Mango
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Little Senji loves to eat fish, according to Eileen, and he particularly enjoys eating salmon sinigang with kangkong or pechay. “Senji likes to copy [me] and try the food that I eat. That’s what makes him easy to feed!” she says with a laugh.
For dessert, this mom’s go-to is fresh mango. For Senji, mango is like candy, except healthier and more nutritious, so he’ll eat a slice on any given day.
Baon Prep Tip: Make sure the salmon is cut into bite-sized portions, so it’s easier for kids to eat, and adjust the sour flavor to a mild level so it won’t upset their stomachs.
Baon Combo 3: Korean Beef with Carrots + Rice + Melon Yogurt
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Seth’s current fave Korean beef baon won’t be complete without carrots, especially since he takes after his dad and is constantly reminded to “eat your veggies.” Eileen explains, “Seth’s a meat eater, but I make sure I balance his protein with a serving of vegetables. In this case, it’s carrots.”
During snack time, Seth enjoys his cup of melon yogurt because it has nata de coco bits that remind him of chewy sago pearls when he drinks milk tea.
Baon Prep Tip: When it comes to cooking baon in advance, consider it as meal prepping for your kids. “You can prep kids’ baon the weekend before the new school week. Even just prepping for half the week is enough to get you started, especially when you’re a busy mom at work, too,” she says.
For this mom, making home-cooked meals her sons enjoy as baon is a way for her to give them the comfort and familiarity of home. “That’s probably why my sons particularly love those kinds of food,” Eileen muses.
The mom-slash-interior designer encourages parents to consider feeding kids with healthy food when at home and to avoid unfamiliar meals packed in their lunchboxes. “Kids will tend to follow what their parents eat, so it’s important to be a good model in this area, too,” she shares.
Now that your kids have healthy and yummy meals to look forward to when in preschool, it’s also essential to make sure they start and end their day right.
Before heading to school, drinking a glass of milk can help prepare kids for an activity-filled day while helping protect them, too. Have your kids drink another glass of milk before bedtime to help provide them with the nutrients they need for growth as they sleep.
Part of this exciting growing up stage is teaching your preschoolers independence and responsibility, so don't hesitate to give them small tasks, like letting them prepare their own milk. Celeb mom Marian Rivera knows that it's not too early to teach kids independence. Watch how this hands-on mom encourages her daughter Zia to be more proactive and independent:
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ASC REFERENCE CODE: N112P111419N
