Between the ‘yuck, that’s gross’ and the downright refusal to eat certain foods, toddlers can be a challenge at meal time.
Read on to find some tried and tested tips for dealing with picky eaters and learn about some great food ideas!
As my children have grown older, I have come to realize that there isn’t much difference between the eating habits of toddlers and the eating habits of teens. Both age groups can be picky eaters!
These days, if my teens don’t like what I have made for supper, they are on their own. Phew!!!
Toddlers, unfortunately, can’t fend for themselves. So, what can Mommas do to get little ones to eat healthier foods??
Here are some tried and tested ideas to help picky-eater toddlers eat a bit healthier!
Set a guideline as to how much of each type of food you expect children to eat at each meal. Provide children stickers for each meal during which they meet your requirements. Once the reward chart has been filled, let children help you make the meal of their choice.
To encourage children to drink their milk during meal times, play the ‘cheers’ game. Each time that someone raises his/her glass and says, “Cheers”, everyone at the table clinks glasses and takes a sip.
Offer three healthy foods each meal and allow children to choose which two they would like.
To encourage children to eat vegetables, offer a variety of sauces (ketchup, creamy dressings, etc.) in egg cups. Allow children to experiment with the various flavors.
To teach children about good eating habits, place a chart on the fridge with pictures of fruits and vegetables. Before going grocery shopping, ask children which five items from the chart that they prefer.
Empty one of the vegetable drawers in the refrigerator and fill it with children’s favorite healthy foods. Then, when children are hungry, they can help themselves to a cheese stick, yogurt, or applesauce all by themselves.
Try changing the names of some of the foods served during meal times. Magic Sandwiches, Fireman Meatloaf, Princess Potatoes, and Spiderman Spaghetti are a much bigger hit than mere sandwiches, meatloaf, potatoes, and spaghetti.
Cocktail breads make perfect sized sandwiches for toddlers. They come in a wide variety of flavors and are just the right size for pint-sized appetites.
When baby tends to fuss a great deal (and you have convinced yourself that the baby is colic), try giving the baby a few drops of Ovul approximately 15 minutes before feeding.
Use cookie cutters to turn food into fun shapes that have more appeal to children than regular old sandwiches.
Purchase inexpensive nonskid shelf-liner material to set children’s meals on. The nonskid surface prevents children from constantly knocking over dishes and cups. These mats are perfect to roll up and take to restaurants as well (it ensures that children are eating off of a clean mat too).
To encourage picky eaters, purchase fun, colorful toothpicks designed like tiny swords or umbrellas. Cut food up into bite sized pieces and let children have a great time poking their meats, vegetables, and fruits with a toothpick.
To encourage children to eat healthy throughout the week, set up a ‘pop and chip night’. On that evening, children are permitted to snack on those unhealthy things that we want them to avoid. Ensure that children know that this is the only time that those snacks are allowed.
Arrange chocolate chips and marshmallows on one half of a tortilla (stay away from the edges to prevent leaking), fold the tortilla in half, and press firmly. Place the tortilla on a preheated grill or frying plan (no oil needed). Cook until browned (pressing down with a spatula) and then repeat with side 2. An easy and healthy lunch idea is to make the above using peanut butter and bananas instead of the marshmallows and chocolate chips.
Stock the fridge with healthy dips. Try dipping fresh fruit into vanilla yogurt. Mix cottage cheese with grated cheddar for whole-grain toast or crackers.
Fill individual zip-lock with bags cheerios, fruit loops, Fruitos fruit snacks, and a piece of shoestring licorice. Children can create their own edible necklaces or bracelets. This is great sanity saver for road trips.
Slice chicken breast into strips and roll in plain yogurt. Roll in crushed Shredded Wheat or Triscuits. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400oF.
Who doesn’t like French fries? Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, toss with extra-virgin olive oil and bake at 425oF for approximately 30-40 minutes.
Freeze the bread for lunchtime sandwiches and make the sandwiches in the morning. The bread thaws just in time for lunch and keeps everything at the perfect temperature.
Wash a red apple, core it, and slice it into eight wedges. Spread one side of a wedge with peanut butter, top with a row of miniature marshmallows, and squish a second peanut-buttered apple wedge on top.
Soak the old-style grilled cheese sandwich in an egg-milk mixture before grilling. Cut the cooked sandwich into small pieces and serve with a mild salsa.
Roll out refrigerator biscuits, fill them with kid-favorite fillings (like a sloppy joe mix). Fold the biscuits over and press the edges to make pockets. Bake until the biscuits are puffy and golden brown.
Tuck a cold, uncooked hotdog into a bun and wrap the entire thing tightly in tinfoil. Place the tinfoil into an empty 1-litre cardboard milk or juice carton. Stand the carton up in the middle of a firepit. Light the top of the carton on fire (the top may need to be lit in a few places to get it going evenly). Once the carton burns away, the foil-wrapped hotdog will be left behind. Using oven mitts, unwrap the hot dog, garnish, and enjoy!
In a reusable container, mix children’s favorite cereal with a healthy one of your choice.
If children are begging to try a sip of your can of pop, fill the can with seltzer or club soda (a taste that very few children like). Offer a taste. It will probably be the last.
Spoon vanilla yogurt into the bottom of cone-shaped paper cups. Add a small dollop of strawberry or blueberry preserves. With a toothpick, swirl the preserves into the yogurt. Repeat this process to fill the cones. Insert a popsicle stick into each, place the cones in cups (to keep them upright) and freeze.
Mommas – do you have any ideas to combat picky-eating issues with toddlers?
Please drop your ideas in the ‘leave a reply’ section below.
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