Feeding Toddlers with Ease
As a mom of a two year old, I am in the throes of working through the challenges of feeding a toddler. One thing I quickly learned as a new mom is that nothing (good or bad) stays the same for long. Recently I told a friend that my son very rarely plays with his food and he’s good at using utensils. Then viola the next day he was using his string cheese to draw pictures on the table and eating yogurt with his hands. There is no doubt that feeding children can be frustrating but through personal and work experiences I have learned a few tricks of the trade. Keep reading and discover my top 5 favorite toddler feeding tips.
If a child helps in selecting food at the grocery store or in preparing the food at home they are more likely to eat it. When my son is interested I encourage him to help me in the kitchen. He is only two years old so his culinary skills are limited but one of our favorite kitchen tools he can help use is the Cut-N-Seal pocket sandwich maker by Pampered Chef. I add the fillings for the sandwich and he presses down on the Cut-N-Seal to create his own easy to eat sandwich. He gets so excited that “he made it” and eats his sandwich with pride.
“Broccoli isn’t for little kids.” Using reverse psychology in a playful way sometimes does the trick. Occasionally I will place a food on my plate and my son will ask, “What’s that?” I will tell him it is only for mommy. At which point he instantly wants it and usually will eat it.
Be creative by giving foods fun names that appeal to your child’s interests. My son currently has a fascination with bugs so I use a lot of bug designs when trying to get him to try new foods.
Crazy Caterpillar – made with string cheese, pretzel sticks and raisins.
Try serving food on a red plate or place mat. The color red stimulates a child’s brain. According to a child psychologist it may actually heighten a child’s interest in food so that they sit down and eat and perhaps even try a new food that has been placed on it.
Dip it. Children are oftentimes more likely to try new foods if they are able to dip it in ketchup, Ranch dressing, yogurt, salsa, or cheese. To my amazement, one of my son’s favorite dips is guacamole served with tortilla chips. Try this easy guacamole recipe and your little one may actually like it.
Guacamole Dip
8 servings
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- ¾ c. non-fat yogurt, plain
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 T. salsa
- dash of salt and pepper
In a small mixing bowl, mash together all the ingredients with a fork until well blended and serve.
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The Guacamole recipe sounds fast and easy. I think even I can give it a try!
My little guy loved making salad faces using sprouts, chopped egg, nuts, shredded carrot, black olives, red pepper bits, etc. I put the ranch dressing in a squeeze bottle with a smaller spout so he could draw on other items like bow ties or earrings. He would even arrange his vegetables at restaurant salad bars so he could make faces before eating. He also loves anything wrapped in a tortilla – if I put tuna on regular bread he wouldn’t touch it, but wrap it in a tortilla and he’s all over it.
I love the idea to trick the veggies into the kid’s meals! My husband loved the idea to say the broc. is only for adults….making it more appealing. We are going to try some of your suggestions, thanks for such practical advice!