Jennie Monness : Egg + Veggies 3 Ways

 Q + A

Tell me about yourself!

I have two daughters and am the founder of Mo' Mommies, a place that is meant to be a resource for moms to learn and connect. I use social media to provide timely information about my own parenting and toy recommendations that new parents deeply need and desire.  My mission has always been for moms to connect, support and empower one another, and to learn how to allow their children to play in the most enriching way.

I co-founded a play space, Union Square Play, to bring these ideas to life through developmental, sensory, music and creative classes in addition to a thoughtful open play space. Due to COVID-19, I launched USP Online to focus energy where parents need it most and now lead various virtual mom groups weekly.

What do you love about this recipe, and how has it helped you with feeding your toddler?

I love that this can be made for breakfast, lunch or dinner with just a few tweaks. It started because my daughter Tess became obsessed with corn and so I used corn in everything! Her favorite was scrambled eggs and corn for breakfast and so it inspired me to use this “southern” flair with eggs for any meal. We all crave our children getting good sources of protein and eggs always seems to be a hit or miss. I find that by incorporating it in these ways, it's usually a hit!

What is your biggest tip when it comes to feeding a toddler?

Let them lead, but hold boundaries. Food can easily become the biggest source of a power struggle and then lead to a lot of not ideal associations, the more anxious we become and project that onto our children. I know it's hard when your toddler wants only ice cream for breakfast, let them want that but hold the boundary of 2-3 choices; it may mean they eat nothing for breakfast - and that’s ok - trust that your child will eat when they are hungry.

What is your current mealtime challenge and how are you working to overcome it/how did you overcome it?

Snacks! Since COVID and spending so much time at home, its like snacks are everywhere and none of us can get away from it. I decided the best solve was to create a visual schedule for my toddler with designated times for snacks. It was so easy because seeing the schedule and knowing when the snack time was, was all she needed. It’s like before she knew when the official snack times were, she couldn't handle it and just requested snacks all day.

How do you keep your children entertained when prepping a meal?

 A step stool and kitchen utensils. Also a mini pitcher and bowl do wonders! Let your child pour water back and forth or use dried food like rice or lentils!

Follow Jennie at: @momommies