Every parent knows that at four years of age, everything is up for negotiation. The challenge is that at today’s food prices, the classic words of “I don’t like this” as the plate comes back across a table can add up fairly quickly in a given week.
Whole Foods is an organic grocer that prides itself on upscale shopping that features a wide selection of ready to eat offerings in the form of barbecue, pizza, an olive bar, salad bar, desert bar, and a food bar. So how does this relate to feeding a toddler or pre-schooler. At 7.99 a pound, where does the term inexpensive come in?
Strawberries come in quantities of 10-15 and cost between $2.50 to $5.00 a package. Cucumbers cost several dollars and require preparation which equals time. If you cut up a quarter of a cucumber and several strawberries and the infamous “I don’t like this” sets in, you are not only out the pieces that you throw away but the shelf life of your strawberries and cucumbers is limited. The same applies to proteins as you really need to cook certain amounts.
Whole Foods food bar has a couple of unique aspects. First, as with anything in Whole Foods, anything can be sampled. Rule number one when feeding a toddler or pre-schooler is “buy in”. If they’ve had a taste and agree, you are off to the right start. The second and most important aspect to the food bar at Whole Foods is that you can select your own portions. If your child is open to eating strawberries, cucumbers, beef, and bread, you can literally select portions that range from a single strawberry to a few pieces of sliced cucumber to several spoon fulls of beef.
Though it isn’t feasible nor desirable to eat every family meal at Whole Foods, it is a great option for families who are looking to encourage their kids to eat healthy and not waste food. It is definately more cost effective and desirable than a stop at McDonald’s. I have found that with my four year old that our average bill is under $4.00 and he generally eats everything.
If you are looking for an “All You Can Eat” buffet, Whole Foods probably isn’t for you. If you want good food for families in quantities that meet your needs, try out the food bar and other food services at Whole Foods–it is cost effective.