Jude's Mitochondrial Disease Journey

DIET IDEAS:

For Failure to Thrive we combined tube feedings and a high fat/high protein diet by mouth. We have slowly added more carbs to achieve a balanced diet. Ask your doctor about your child's dietary needs and adjust accordingly. If you have a diagnosis, seek a clinical metabolic dietician instead of a nutritionist.

Glad and Ziploc make a small plastic storage container--the smallest round container. I use this as my serving guide for Jude, with snacks being approximately 1/2 cup and meals including 1 cup servings (one veg, one meat, one cheese, etc.).

If your children won't eat much, try feeding them while they watch cartoons or movies. They pay attention to the TV and not so much to the food you are putting in their mouth.

I got Jude to start eating by putting cheese puffs on the floor. He'd spot one and put it in his mouth. He would spit it out (sometimes vomit) and make nasty faces, but after months he finally started eating. Once he started showing interest, he started eating crushed popcorn and beef stew (broth only). Even though we gave him our table food at every meal, for months he only ate cheese puffs, crushed popcorn, and beef stew broth. I had lots of liberty to experiment because of his feeding tube as a back up.

I serve these to Jude in a blended or finely-chopped consistency, but some kids can only eat pureed foods.

Vegetables- 1. Start with less vegetables and more of the other ingredients until your child gets used to the vegetable taste. As time progresses, reduce the other ingredients to a more balanced mix. 2. If they won't eat it finely chopped, blend in a food processor--so small that it can't be picked apart. 3. ALWAYS MAKE A 3-5 day supply at a time or YOU will not follow through. 4. Freeze servings (if necessary) in those little plastic bowls I mentioned. Put contents in a non-plastic bowl to heat.
Steamed Broccoli- Steam 1 bag frozen broccoli for 12 minutes or until tender. Melt three scoops of butter. Add lemon pepper and garlic salt to butter. Put broccoli in large bowl and pour butter mixture over it you can also use melted cheese or just salt if child has swallowing problems, blenderize broccoli and pour into melted cheese and butter	Celery or Broccoli Mix- Mix the following: Shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese Ken's buttermilk ranch (add a little water, it's thick) chopped celery or broccoli (in food processor or by hand) Add salt and pepper if they still won't eat it.
Shell-less taco mix!- Prepare taco meat as usual. Add shredded cheese, finely chopped lettuce, finely chopped grape tomatoes (blend in processor or use canned petite diced). Mix in guacamole and sour cream. Serve with spoon.	Noodle-less spaghetti- 1 can of sliced carrots 1 can of petite diced tomatoes Prepare beef and sauce as usual. Add can of sliced carrots and tomatoes. If your children won't eat the sliced carrots, chop them up smaller and they will. Serve with spoon.
Won't eat salad? Try Ken's buttermilk ranch or Caesar. Instead of croutons, add Sunkist Almond Accents. Add a little salt and pepper too. Cut up into smaller bites and mix ingredients well--so they can't be picked apart.	Green Beans (low fat)- Pour out liquid content. Put beans in a small pot and fill halfway with water (cover beans) Add beef bouillon cube or two. Add McCormick Montreal Steak Grill Mates seasoning. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 min-1 hour.
Turkey Bacon mix (or real bacon for fat)- Mix the following and serve on Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers w/Multi Grain-3% carbs Finely chopped, crunchy turkey bacon (processor) Finely chopped green onions (processor) Finely chopped almonds (buy in bag) Kraft Mayo or Light Mayo	Green Beans (high fat)- Pour out liquid content. Put beans in a small skillet with turkey bacon or bacon grease and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Remove from skillet and put in small pot with water. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 min-1 hour.
Steamed Asparagus wrapped in ham- Steam asparagus for 15 minutes or until tender. In skillet, add a little olive oil, lemon pepper, and salt. Place slices of Swiss cheese on top of sliced ham (from the deli). Place asparagus on top and roll. (or blenderize) Place rolls in skillet. With fire on Medium High, cook for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts.	Jodi's salad dressing for Spinach salad- 1 cup oil 2/3 cup sugar (or Splenda) 1/2 tablespoon mustard tad of minced garlic bacon 1 tsp salt/pepper 1/2 cup red wine vinegar Pour on spinach leaves mixed with sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, and/or pecans. If you are making low-sugar version, don't use oranges.
Meats-easily blenderized or smashed
Vienna Sausages	Chicken salad-mix with Kraft mayo and Tony's seasoning
Lisa's Orange Roughy-(Kroger fish is really good-I love their cod) Orange roughy Finely chopped tomato and onion (processor) Lemon pepper (or just lemon) Butter or Pam Cheddar cheese Cover fish with lemon pepper seasoning and add butter in oven-safe dish. Spoon tomato/onion mixture onto fish. Cook fish according to instructions or until white and flaky. Add cheddar and cook a few minutes more (until melted).	Fajitas with low carb tortillas- Fajita seasoning packet(s) Fajita meat Low-carb tortillas Onion/Bell pepper Cook meat (all day on low makes it tender) and onion/bell mixture together. Put in blender when done. Put meat mixture back in skillet and add packet(s). Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and tortillas.
Fruits-I was told that seeded fruits are better because they have less sugar. (Fresh not canned)
Instead of... Bananas, Oranges, Grapes	Try... Kiwi, Strawberries, Blueberries, Cherries
Fruit Dip- Mix Coolwhip (or whipping cream) and Yogurt (5 per Coolwhip container)-use low carb yogurt if needed (Walmart carries it)	Fruit Dip- Mix whipping cream and cream cheese. (The best is marshmallow cream and cream cheese, but that is not low-sugar.)
Alternate snack ideas
nuts (sesame seeds for little ones, mixed nuts for older kids)	Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers w/Multi Grain-3% carbs, and cheese slices
beef sticks	sugar free jello with Coolwhip or whipping cream