Step 1: Breastfeeding with supplemented syringes of oil
Step 2: Bottles of KetoCal mixed with a teeny tiny bit of breastmilk
Step 3: Experiment with purees + KetoCal bottle
Step 4: Semi-solid & solid foods….
Once we got to the purees and solids, I would prepare a batch of each item in the meal. For example, if the meal was green beans and chicken, I would cook chicken thighs in water and green beans in a separate pan. Then I would chop/puree as needed and store in containers in refrigerator. At mealtime, I would take out and weigh each item on the scale and add a little salt/pepper.
If meal was 200 calories at a 3:1 ratio:
Chicken, dark meat — 14 g
Green Beans, from frozen — 43 g
Butter — 22 g
(See pic on right. Look, I'm not trying to win any food photography awards, ok? He ate it all!)
When the time came to give birth to my second son, I needed a longer term plan.
Download this PDF to see a document similar to what I created for our friend who would be caring for AJ (21 months old) while my husband and I were in the hospital.
In fact, this bulk preparation system helped greatly during a difficult first few months of postpartum and even continues to this day. The number of meals ended up being determined by the number of glass containers I have. I do add in special, a-la-minute meals here and there, but this flow makes mealtimes much more doable. I keep telling myself that someday I'll get good enough to where I won't need to bulk prep so much, but until then..... Here is the current breakdown that has allowed for good family management for us right now:
MEAL PREP & NANO:
9 glass containers + 1 ready to eat (10 meals total)
3 glass containers for breakfast meals (if serving cottage cheese/applesauce/oil combo)
“Goldfish” cheddar crackers, homemade — enough for about 10 days
Default meal(s) to prepare at mealtime, as needed (almond butter, pancake, eggs)
Another factor that affects the type of meals planned is the Nano supplement. Because so many calories on the Ketogenic diet are consumed by fats, needed nutrients are often lacking. A quality vitamin supplement is, therefore, very important. AJ can’t swallow a pill yet, so this powder has to be mixed in to something and in a way that is palatable.
A Heavy Whipping Cream “milkshake” is a great meal element when your child is ready, as it not only adds essential liquids but it also can allow for more balanced meals by taking a good portion of fat into the cup and out of the plate/bowl. I also sometimes will pour some of the HWC into the meal itself to help dissolve the Nano better.
One other trick that I use more and more is "Avocado Cream." When the meal itself isn't conducive to the Nano powder mix-in, I will just mash up the avocado into the heavy whipping cream in a bowl, throw in the nano and a drop of Stevia and mix it all together. My boy gobbles it up!
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