Teaching good eating habits

I have to confess...I am a poor eater. If I could, I'd live on chocolate, Mexican food and Diet Coke. Of course, since I don't have a death wish, I avoid this type of diet. But oh, the thought of it makes me hungry this very second!

With a never-at-rest sweet tooth and wishy-washy willpower, I have not done the best job instilling a good diet in Myles. He, like me, LOVES chocolate and anything else sweet that he can get his little hands on. He hates vegetables, can do without most meats and eats only a select few fruits. The only other food he seems to be addicted to (other than sweets) are carbs.

I've gone many a day to pick him up at day care, only to learn he ate 'only bread' at lunch. He tends to do a little better at breakfast and they always inform me he 'makes up for his lack of lunch' during snack. Of course, that's on days when they aren't serving carrot sticks for snack!

I've always been amazed by moms who make their own baby food, as well as those who engage in the debate of whether to buy organic or not. Organic!?! I am lucky to get my kid to eat ANY fruits or veggies so I couldn't care less if, when he does eat something good for him, it is organic. Our pediatrician told me to simply continue offering him a variety of foods. "Sooner or later, he'll try them," she insists. Meanwhile, I have to be sure that when I do put the dreaded green beans on his plate, it is accompanied by mac & cheese and a hot dog.

I'm not even close to giving up on this fight. But I now realize some mistakes I've made along the way that have led him to be such a picky eater. Mistake #1: my diet.