This is my child.

This is my child eating Smart Balance with her bare hands.

And she's clearly enjoying it. Not throwing her arm up to cover her mouth, and not shrinking away from the offending edible item in front of her while pursing her tiny lips, saying, "nooooo."

 So, yes, I let her clutch onto the container and dip her little fingers into it. According to the nutritionist which we were sent to, Smart Balance has as many calories as butter, so if she wants to lick the Smart Balance, it's okay.  More power to her. 

Licking the Smart Balance with her fingers was a last ditch effort on that particular day to get some high-calorie foods into her. I had tried smearing it on tiny pieces of home-made bread.  That was a big old no thank you. Then I had tried giving her tasty crackers from Trader Joe's to dip herself.  Yep, rejected again.  So when the child discovered that she could dip her own fingers, and then proceeded to grab onto the container and clutch it close to make the process that much easier, I let her. I told her to go for it. Eat your heart out. Not many of us have the green light to eat in this way, but she does.

After our appointment last Thursday with the nutritionist, I went directly to the nearby Trader Joe's and bought items such as ricotta cheese, peanut butter cream cheese, almond butter, ranch dressing and full-fat mayonnaise. I've made peanut butter balls, double-strength milk, home-made whipped cream, and egg salad.

She has eaten blueberries. And tomatoes. 

 So if this sweet, fiercely picky girl wants to lick the Smart Balance with her dainty little fingers, she has my every blessing.