How old were your kids when you started giving them uncooked greens like lettuce and spinach (or even herbs like cilantro or basil leaves)? I have a 17 month old and while I try to introduce him to as many of the foods that we eat as possible, these seem like choking hazards. We like having salads with dinner, or shredded lettuce with wraps, tacos or tostadas. I also was wanting to have an herb garden just for him to grow and play with, but I want to make sure he will be able to eat the herbs. Right now, I just omit the greens. What do you think?
Edited: My son has eaten spinach and herbs cooked into food, just not raw. As a matter of fact, when he was eating purees, I was able to mix spinach into anything and he would gobble it up!
My daughter has been grazing on them for as long as I can remember. We grow them out back. I don't see any of them as choking hazards.
The biggest problem I see is she sometimes thinks if it is green see what it tastes like. She is almost 11 now so, ya know, kind of looks strange when this kid is grazing....
I think both of my kids were about 2 years old. Both of my kids were pretty good chewers and off of baby food pretty fast. My biggest worry with lettuce is that the pieces can be so flat and hard to grasp if my child accidentally inhaled and piece and began choking, it would be hard for me to grab onto. I used to cut it into tiny cubes. Some fell apart, but it made it a little easier for my kids to handle.
As far as herbs, I think my kiddos were eating those pretty early one. We have pesto a lot and that's simply pureed basil.
Our DS is 18 months old. We've been serving raw greens for some time now. He doesn't seem to have a problem with them. When I learned that he likes to sit and eat cashews with my father, and does so without any difficulty, I threw all concerns re: choking hazards out the window.
Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
I started before they were two. I just cut the pieces very small, almost minced.
Neither of my kiddos (2 and 5yo) like raw greens, lettuce or otherwise. They'll eat a piece or two of the crunchy spine of a piece of romaine lettuce, but that's about it.
I have started putting spinach into smoothies, though, and they love it. And pesto pasta is the oldest's favorite meal. Other green herbs will have to be introduced slowly. They aren't that into them (though they like to try them, they spit them out).
I keep hoping that growing lots of veggies and herbs will at least introduce them to these foods, and they will eventually start to eat them. It remains to be seen. (Though they do love the strawberries, peas, and beans; they aren't as into the other herbs, tomatoes, and greens.)
my kids wont eat it! even my daughter that loves brussel sprouts and broccoli that is two and a half now wont eat lettuce. Its a texture thing for them??? The spinach leaves would be yummy tucked under the cheese on a pizza. But so far fresh would be a bit much for them. perhaps if you cut the stems off. Trying it at this age might be ok if you think he will mildly choak on it. Meaning getting one leaf caught in his throat and your able to get it out. If he is one that takes a big boy bite then I would avoid it a bit longer. mixing the fresh spinach leaves into meatballs, meat loaf and chopped up finely into casseroles would seem suitable for him.
I never thought of it as a choking hazard. Oops. My girls are not real big on lettuce, but one of them Loves to graze on my and my mothers herbs. This has gone on since they have been walking!
I discovered, yesterday, that if you are at Lowes at the same time as the Bonnie Plant truck, the Bonnie employees are supposed to get rid of plants with broken pots, weak looking plants, leftovers that are the only one in the whole tray etc. They will give them to you!
I got about 6 trays worth of herbs and veggies for free! (some need a little TLC, but are going to be fine) Both of my girls spent the rest of the evening asking which plants they could eat and sampled and grazed on purple and sweet basil, thyme (lemon and german), chives, chocolate mint, parsley and cilantro!
My kids were closer to 3, they had to have those 2 year molars to really chew any raw veggies. I'm pretty sure I probably gave them leafy greens before then, but I didn't see them consistently eating them until they had all their teeth.
