Tags: BentoByKat Kat Maderazo Lifestyle Blog Lifestyle Blogger Lifestyle Blogger in Manila Philippines Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Mommy blogger Mommy blogger in Manila Philippines motherhood Oribel Oribel Philippines
A baby’s transition to solid food is truly an exciting milestone. It is during this time that you not only start introducing new flavors and textures to your little one, but also good and healthy eating habits.
Getting the baby into a new digestive rhythm also requires some of your creative juices, especially in planning out the menu. Doctors and childcare specialists always recommend to start with fruits that are easy on the tummy, along with carrots, squash and some of those that adults consider the mean greens (the bitter and bland). The sooner their palate gets used to these tastes, the less chances they’ll have of developing an aversion or dislike to certain food in the future.
As parents, we want to make every dining experience meaningful, fun and satisfying, while fulfilling the nutritional needs of our children. I asked one mom to dish about her own experience with her three kids.
Kat Maderazo is the face of BentoByKat, known for her quirky and colorful bento boxes. She started preparing bento boxes when her eldest moved to the big school in 2014. She found that it not only made her kids excited for meal time, it also nurtured her creativity. And, because she encourages her children to maintain a balanced diet, the colorful and cute designs allow her to choose healthier options for her kids to eat. Since then, she has created a following online through her Instagram account, @bentobykat, and has been facilitating workshops on bento making.
BentoByKat. Photo by Sid Maderazo.
“When my babies turned 6 months old, I slowly introduced them to pureed food,” Kat shared. “It was always a joy watching them experience real food for the first time.”
“The most common thing about my kids is that they all loved bananas and pumpkins as babies. My second child, Sky, loved sour food, and my eldest, Zen, enjoyed bland and vegetables when she was a baby. My youngest, Ocean, enjoys trying out different foods and feeding herself on her own.”
In preparing meals, some parents put a lot of thought in their kid’s menu, sprucing up the assortment with what’s big on flavor and visually enticing for babies. Since you’re into bento meals, did you also get creative in preparing food for each of your babies?
“I prioritize the immediate needs of my babies. I guess preparing food from scratch and mixing different ingredients to create something new for them is where a little dash of creativity comes in. Having a one-step baby food processor makes it easy for me to steam and puree one to two ingredients like sayote, pumpkin, carrots, etc.”
Kat with her family. Photo courtesy of Sid Maderazo.
What tips can you share with moms who are preparing for their baby’s first taste of solid food?
“Give bite-sized chunks of soft food so baby can start feeding on his/her own. Eat with the child during meal times. Avoid distractions like toys on the table so that the baby will learn to focus on the food and practice mindful eating. If possible, prepare fresh food for your baby. Introduce new foods every two to three days to see if your baby has any allergic reactions to it. Lastly, provide a sturdy high chair for your child, or a child-sized chair and table.”
Kat’s youngest, Ocean, is currently using the Cocoon High Chair from Oribel—a reputable brand of baby products ideated and designed from its Singapore studio and distributed across 20 countries. The Cocoon High Chair is Oribel’s key product that supports a baby’s smooth transition in three different feeding stages. Babies as little as newborns can be use it first as a comfortable recliner, since it is ergonomically designed to allow the baby to join the table during family activities, or for brief naps.
Photo courtesy of Oribel Philippines.
So, how does Oribel “sit” in Kat’s feeding style?
“Oribel’s Cocoon High Chair is perfect for us because it has a large tray where in Ocean can eat and explore textures of food at meal times. It’s also easy to clean because the top tray is easy to remove. The height of the Cocoon High Chair is easily adjustable, and we raise her up to the dining table level (sans the tray), so she can eat on the dining table with family. It has already become a habit that every time we sit her on the Oribel Cocoon High Chair, she already knows that it’s eating time. To top it off, I just love the design of the chair, it complements the interior of our home, and simple features like the magnetic tray stow away holder and the simplicity of cleaning the seat make this the perfect high chair for my baby.”
The Oribel Cocoon High Chair is available in the Philippines in select Baby Company boutiques and SM Store Branches. For direct orders through its official distributor, you can email oribelph@gmail.com. Check out @oribelph on Instagram to see other products and designs.
