1. About your family/you
My name is Sarah, I have four children ranging in age from 2 years to 17 years old. My husband and I are raising them just outside Montréal. We also currently have a dog and rabbit but will be adding chickens to our menagerie in the spring.
2. What do you like about Din Din bus plate?
Feeding my kids food that is healthy is important to me and when I can present it in a fun way it definitely makes my job easier and gives them more incentive to eat. Divided platters like the bus tray can make meals feel less intimidating because there are sections to put familiar foods while introducing new ones.
3. Has our bus made your mealtime more enjoyable? Why?
I notice when I serve their meals on the bus tray they will eat a little more than when I use a conventional plate. I think this is because the individual divided portions are more inviting than a plate where everything is touching. When it just looks like one big portion it may feel overwhelming to them.
4. We love your food selections for plating the bus! Color choices are amazing and other mamas would definitely appreciate your tips for photography.
Preparing their meals on the bus tray also gives me a fun way to share my ideas with other parents, and is a great subject for taking pictures to capture all the different snacks and meals I’ve served to my kids on the tray.
I find along with serving their food on a divided platter like the bus tray it’s also a good idea to add fun props to food to make it even more appealing to my little ones. This can be done by cutting the food into shapes that are exciting for them to see, or using popsicle sticks to skewer fruit or pasta or other foods that might otherwise require a utensil.
Even adding a little treat alongside their meal can be a great way to remind them that mealtime is fun and there should not be pressure associated with the order of which foods they eat or how much they consume.
5. Any other tips for preparing meals for kids?
Just have fun with it. If you know what your kid loves to eat, serve it. If they don’t try anything new that’s okay too, but my best tip for introducing new foods is to do it slowly. Putting a piece of a new food on their plate alongside the things they already love is a great way to slowly familiarize them with it and in time they will likely be curious to try it.
In the end all that matters is that we are feeding our children and caring enough to make sure they have the nutrients they need. Whether they eat two bites or finish their plate, and whether you spent an hour preparing their meal or ten minutes, what matters is that they have food available to eat. And we shouldn’t put too much pressure on ourselves, or them, during their mealtimes.
