What can kids eat here?!

Chennifer

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Oct 18, 2008
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Our almost 1 year old son eats "normal" food and that is what we have been preparing for him here (cooking without salt etc) - but back in Sweden, for breakfast, we used to give him "vālling", it's a powder made from corn that we prepare with warm water. Here the only thing I've found that somewhat resembles that is "cereal"/avena/maizena etc in the children's aisle and they are all filled with sugar! So what I'm asking for is if anyone with experience can tell me what they have used? Also we are taught in Sweden small children shouldn't drink milk until they are a year, and then only a small glass per day. Here they seem to drink a lot of it. So please, anyone who can guide me towards a healthier breakfast that doesn't resemble dinner, I'd really appreciate it.

Gracias,
Jen
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Our almost 1 year old son eats "normal" food and that is what we have been preparing for him here (cooking without salt etc) - but back in Sweden, for breakfast, we used to give him "vālling", it's a powder made from corn that we prepare with warm water. Here the only thing I've found that somewhat resembles that is "cereal"/avena/maizena etc in the children's aisle and they are all filled with sugar! So what I'm asking for is if anyone with experience can tell me what they have used? Also we are taught in Sweden small children shouldn't drink milk until they are a year, and then only a small glass per day. Here they seem to drink a lot of it. So please, anyone who can guide me towards a healthier breakfast that doesn't resemble dinner, I'd really appreciate it.

Gracias,
Jen

i gave up child rearing decades ago, but if powder is on your list, you can get powdered oats, dog cheap.
 

Givadogahome

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Sep 27, 2011
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You can get exactly what your looking for but maybe you need an actual market to find it. I know bravo supermarket sell it here in santo domingo.
 

Chennifer

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Thanks guys,but every supermarket and colmado (I'm in santo domingo) load their children's food (even the fine ground corn meal) with sugar...

They don't recommend Imodium for kids, but we have every other medicine he could need, we brought a small pharmacy with us from Sweden :)
 

the gorgon

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The milk down here is horrible compared to the milk in your country. So it could be milk consuption will most likely be less than what you expect.

Every colmado here has everything needed for making childfood without chems and sugar.
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Remember to bring "imodium", lots of it. And paracetamol for small children.

Information om diarr? ochom l?kemedel - IMODIUM? | Imodium

Rattus, one of the results of extreme protectionism in the DR is the extremely low quality of products such as dairy. a company like Rica would not last a week in the developed nations. there is nothing more vile than Rica orange juice. forget the milk, and butter.
 

the gorgon

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Thanks guys,but every supermarket and colmado (I'm in santo domingo) load their children's food (even the fine ground corn meal) with sugar...

They don't recommend Imodium for kids, but we have every other medicine he could need, we brought a small pharmacy with us from Sweden :)

you can buy pure, unsweetened corn meal, coarse and fine.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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If you're not giving him milk I take it you're breastfeeding?
You could make plain oatmeal with your own milk or water, adding cinnamon and banana for taste and sweetness.
Unsweetened muesli or granola, put through the blender.
Fruit or vegetable pur?es - like mang? - also make good baby/toddler breakfasts.

I admit I used to bring several months supply of healthier baby cereals from Europe when my son was a baby.

If you go to the capital visit Org?nica in Agora Mall - it's expensive though. The larger supermarkets in the cities will have more options in the baby food and health food sections.
 

sayanora

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Feb 22, 2012
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Our almost 1 year old son eats "normal" food and that is what we have been preparing for him here (cooking without salt etc) - but back in Sweden, for breakfast, we used to give him "vālling", it's a powder made from corn that we prepare with warm water. Here the only thing I've found that somewhat resembles that is "cereal"/avena/maizena etc in the children's aisle and they are all filled with sugar! So what I'm asking for is if anyone with experience can tell me what they have used? Also we are taught in Sweden small children shouldn't drink milk until they are a year, and then only a small glass per day. Here they seem to drink a lot of it. So please, anyone who can guide me towards a healthier breakfast that doesn't resemble dinner, I'd really appreciate it.

Gracias,
Jen

Umm.. look for harina negrito, none of them come with sugar inside if I can remember... It's the same thing as cream of wheat for 1/4 of the cost. Your child will be much healthier here since products are so much higher quality, I'm referring to produce and meat products in general. My 7 month old is breastfed but we also add purees of different types of fruits that are available locally, her favorites so far are mango, papaya (lechosa), apple (not local), and pineapple.

If you are really hell-bent on the ground corn type breakfast (arguably quite unhealthy), there is polenta/grits is most major supermarkets , both the white and yellow varieties, which are both ground corn preparations.

Regarding Rica orange juice, don't drink that JUNK, it's just orange juice made from concentrate. Buy your own wonderful oranges from the supermarket for 50 pesos for a huge bag and make your own.. Rica is the same thing as tropicana, both overprocessed junk.

Bravo sells fresh squeezed orange juice but unless you really have no way to squeeze your own I HIGHLY suggest it.


Milk : This is a weird subject because honest to God Listamilk is my favorite milk on the planet.. i absolutely love it but I think that's because I grew up on the powdered UHT milk.. Fresh milk is much easier to find here than in the US but it's too creamy for my taste.. Good luck and have fun raising that baby!

This is the polenta I was referring to .. http://rolandfood.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=93631&cid=22491


Not to mention sometimes I wish I lived in the capital for the availability of products you have there.. Have a sandwich at barra payan for me!
 

Chennifer

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I'll look for that corn meal but I don't think we are talking about the same thing, the one we have is very healthy and has hardly no sugar at all (but yes, it's a very Swedish thing and so I'll have to forget about that or anything similar - I have some with me but I only brought two packs so I could slowly get him used to what I could find here).

No I'm not breastfeeding anymore - I know every country is different and in Sweden they say that milk before 1 year of age isn't healthy, and if you're not breastfeeding you give them vālling instead. Chirimoya the oatmeal idea is great! Then I don't have to worry about the milk! We give him compotes de fruta as well that we make ourselves and sometimes bought, but I wanted to skip it for breakfast. But blending some with the oatmeal would be great! Thanks for your help guys!

Sayanora, I still haven't been to barra payan -I can't wait to go though! But we still don't have a car so it will have to wait! We're only in the capital because the family is here, we're using the apartment as a base to go look around the country for where we real. Want to live.

Again, thanks guys! Oatmeal it is!
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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in poland they used to feed us kasza manna (mannagryn in swedish, i think). here it is called farina. maybe try to give it a go?
maizena (fecula de maiz) has no sugar, comes in yellow boxes. oats are also sugar free and available anywhere. you can sweeten it with a spoon of fruit puree.

make your own juices: fruits, veggies, mixed. get a good food processor and make fruit or vegetable puree.

just about everything else has copious quantities of sugar. and that's both adult and kids food.

btw, in english this v?lling thing is called gruel. i am sure it tastes just like it sounds ;)
 

CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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You folks all worry WAY too much about pure this and sugar that. Make the kid a nice big hamburger and let him have at it, add plenty of ketchup and mayonnaise too. If you're concerned about him getting his veggies... put a slice of tomato and lettuce on the burger and a big chunk of kosher pickle on the side. LOL Kids are resilient.
 

Chennifer

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Dv8 I love mannagryn! We have the yellow maizena, my husband read through the contents and it does contain sugar :( yup I don't even know why I didn't think of oatmeal! I think my brain is still jetlagged!
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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You folks all worry WAY too much about pure this and sugar that. Make the kid a nice big hamburger and let him have at it, add plenty of ketchup and mayonnaise too. If you're concerned about him getting his veggies... put a slice of tomato and lettuce on the burger and a big chunk of kosher pickle on the side. LOL Kids are resilient.

and make sure to put a big slab of Delifruit strawberry jelly on it, too. yum.
 

the gorgon

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Dv8 I love mannagryn! We have the yellow maizena, my husband read through the contents and it does contain sugar :( yup I don't even know why I didn't think of oatmeal! I think my brain is still jetlagged!

you did not think of oatmeal because you are ignoring me, and my feelings are hurt. i posted that you can get oatmeal flour dog cheap. every colmado has it. i use it to make smoothies.
 

Chennifer

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Oh he loves his hamburgers (no ketchup or mayo though lol) - but it feels way too heavy for breakfast! And he needs a vacay from sugar after having been dehydrated and drinking Gatorade (or what sounds like gayrorayro to me whenever someone says it) :/
 

the gorgon

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The gorgon you are right, and my brain still isnt working! Thanks gorgon! I'll get loads of oatmeal for him today - dog cheap!

there you go! while you are at it, toss a couple tablespoons in your blender with some fruit juice. maybe a handful of strawberries and, behold, a nutritious smoothie