(cityweekend.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-05-05 08:59

Recently, I celebrated one of the most unforgettable moments in parenthood--watching my son take his triumphant first bites of solid food. As he opened his mouth like a little baby bird and gulped down the mushy goodness, I realized a whole new set of challenges was facing me. Getting your kids to eat right seems to be a universal topic for parents of children of all ages ranging from 6 months to 30 years and even beyond (my mom still asks me every time she calls from the U.S. if I'm eating right). Luckily, Shanghai provides an abundance of healthy food options that can meet the needs of your picky little eaters.

It seems to be a consensus among my friends that the grocery store in City Plaza (or Jiu Guang) on Nanjing Xi Lu has the best selection for families. Tina Kuan, mother of a 15-month-old likes Jiu Guang because it “has a wide variety of healthy baby snacks and organic fruits and veggies that I use to make my own baby food.” The Japanese baby rice crackers are a big hit. “They are great as teething biscuits and healthy snacks.” Her main challenge is to keep the bag hidden so her daughter doesn't eat them all!

Eating challenges are just beginning for some of us, but for others it's been an ongoing struggle. Rosario Weber's, 15-year-old is still a picky eater. “I always have vegetables on the table,” Weber says. “At least two kinds, so [her daughter] can have a choice.” Weber recalls when her daughter was 5, she wouldn't eat spaghetti. “So I started adding food coloring to the spaghetti,” she says. “She had blue, pink and purple spaghetti.” When creativity didn't work, Weber would substitute foods. If her daughter wouldn't drink milk she replaced it with yogurt or cheese. Weber has been in Shanghai for many years, so has navigated her way around the grocery stores to find good quality, healthy food. “City Shop and Carrefour [are good] for meat as the quality is consistent,” she suggests. And never underestimate your local fruit stand. Weber likes hers on Hongmei Lu as it's “half the price of City Shop and I can select my own fresh fruit. The strawberries in Shanghai are the best!”

Whether it's making purple spaghetti or funny faces with fruits and veggies, the key for parents is to get kids to enjoy food and make mealtimes fun. I know there are many challenges in front of me, but for now, we'll be happy with Tanner just enjoying his strained peas.