For those who feed their little ones tofu....

[jojo2324]

How do you prepare it? Do you just give it to them straight out of the package? For some reason I am having a really hard time giving Gannon meats, I just can't do it, so I thought tofu might supply some extra protein.

I am not a big fan of tofu, especially plain, so I can't expect him to be. :D Do you brown it a little bit, maybe with some veggies? Bread it? I am SO not a kitchen person.

[mam615]

Cute new pic!

I'm looking forward to seeing responses to this because I'm thinking of starting tofu soon too. Another good protein food is (are?) chickpeas -- you could put a can of them in the food processor to make a very bland hummus. Hey, maybe even mix it with tofu!

edited to add:
I just notice the added line below your name -- Congratulations on the upcoming #2!!

[egoldber]

I used the firm tofu and just cut it up in cubes. He may surprise you and really dig it! :)

[lukkykatt]

I cube it and saute it in olive oil, and then throw in some peas. I also give DS tofu hot dogs - just microwave, then slice and cut the slices into quarters.

[sugarsnappea]

I started my DD out with soft tofu, I think it was silken style. I cut it into cubes (out of the package) and JG loved it. I eventually moved her up to extra firm style.
If you are using the tofu right away (within a day), cut open the package, drain the water and refrigerate. If you are planning to use it later, drain, put into a bowl and cover with fresh water, making sure you change the water every day. It can be kept up to 10 days in this manner.
I would saute it in a manner similar to above poster. My DD enjoyed this firmer consistency as she got older and still eats it occasionally. You can also grill it. I have never breaded tofu, even for myself. It just seems like an extra hassle to me. :)

[nola]

I just feed her the silken tofu. She loves it. She would likely love the firm stuff as well, especially as a finger food. I usely just cut it into little pieces with the spoon. It is so soft this takes seconds. This is what I love about it. No prep.

The beauty of it is, that she is a new eater and doesn't know the difference. She has never had blueberry muffins, so to her tofu is fabulous. Sometimes I mix it with something else she is eating, like carrots or zuc. She loves it that way too. We haven't introduced her to any of the good stuff like bananas or applesauce, but I am sure it would mix well with that too.

My mom eats tofu based sausage everyday. She has warned me that we may need to go easy on tofu because of unconfirmed studies indicating tofu interrupting calcium absorption. So I try not to overdo the tofu, but it just so easy and she eats it right up.
By the way, my baby usually gives me a pathetic look whenever I feed her anything new. This never phases me. I just introduce some more the next day. Even though I feed her digustingly nutritious food that older people would reject, she has warmed up to everything so far. I just started plain yogurt and I am curious if she comes around to that.

Also, I always seem to sneak a couple of bits of her food. I have started liking it too. It is hilarious. Maybe it is the mom-baby connection, but I have convinced myself that I love pureed carrots with rice cereal, and I always polish off any leftovers. Okay, so I have gone into wierd territory here, so I will have to sign off.

Best of luck, my fellow mommas.

[spu]

Charlotte + Else get a slab of tofu every morning. I get the extra firm so it's easier to grasp. I cut it up into pretty good size cubes and they stuff it in their mouths. (or smear it on their heads - whatever mood they're in...)

just remember to change the water every day.

-- on a side note - I fried up some big chunks in a pan with garlic and a touch of olive oil one morning and my DH came down and said "oh, did you make hash browns?" "Yes" I said. (HA!! and he ate it!!! he still doesn't know that it was tofu!)

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else

[chrissyhowie]

>-- on a side note - I fried up some big chunks in a pan with
>garlic and a touch of olive oil one morning and my DH came
>down and said "oh, did you make hash browns?" "Yes" I said.
>(HA!! and he ate it!!! he still doesn't know that it was
>tofu!)
>


That is SO FUNNY! :7hehehe
Love hearing the "sneaking it by the Hubby" stories!

[KathyO]

Catherine generally won't eat meat either. She will sometimes eat tofu, which we usually prepare for ourselves with the Fantastic Foods brand Tofu Scrambler mix, which is kind of like those dried soup mixes. (Geez, that sounds appetizing. No, it's actually pretty good.) Break up the tofu, or mash it just a bit, fry with a touch of oil, scatter some of the mix on and a bit of vinegar and water to help it mix in. Stir and cook until moisture is gone. Catherine likes the big pieces she can pick up with her fingers. If I'm feeling ambitious, I chop up some zucchini/onion/red sweet peppers/mushrooms and mix them in during the cooking.

Keep trying with various meats. Two of the meat-hating kids in our group are nuts for these cheddar-impregnated smokie sausages my friend introduced me to. They're already cooked, so just boil them for a sec and peel off the casing and off you go. I don't give them to Catherine regularly (mmmm... nitrites, sodium and smoke flavouring!) but they ARE concentrated protein that goes down!

HTH,

KathyO

[jojo2324]

Nope, didn't dig it at all!!! :D It's amazing how quickly one can stick his tongue out and smear (partially chewed) food all over himself. I tried it plain, tried sauteeing it with olive oil and tomatoes, tried a puree of it with tomatoes, nothing doing. Shall keep trying though! Thanks everyone!

[KathyO]

I forgot! Lots of places also sell the dessert tofus, which are soft and flavoured with almond, although sometimes you can also get mango-peach or other flavourings. That might sneak past his taste buds...

If he's the kind of kid who likes to dip stuff into other stuff, chunks of plain firm tofu can be jazzed up with some dip. Plum sauce, salad dressing, fruit preserves, baby food...

Another protein dodge is custard - if you're interested, I can dig you up a couple of dead easy recipes.

Good luck!

KathyO

[Karenn]

I'm amazed! I tried giving Colin tofu today and he LOVED it! He ate it like candy! Now with my luck, he'll be allergic to soy. Still, it's great to have another high protein food in the repertoire. Thanks all!

[aggie202]

I sometimes saute it in olive oil and put some teriyaki sauce at the very end. . .if pinched for time, I'll just cut it up (I use the extra firm) and drizzle the teriyaki over it.

A friend sautes it and uses italian dressing. I guess you could use whatever you think your kid will tolerate.