Healthy Eating For Littles

[bananarama]

Hello everyone! I wanted to start this thread as a place to discuss all things healthy eating for our littles! What are some of your go-to nutritious meals and snacks for your little ones?

I'll kick things off with a few of our favourites:

- Mini vegetable frittatas made with spinach, tomatoes and feta. Great hot or cold so perfect for lunchboxes too.
- Fruit kebabs - alternating cubes of fresh seasonal fruits on skewers. A rainbow of colours makes it fun!
- whole grain pita stuffed with hummus and veggies like grated carrots, beetroot and cucula. So good!

Share your healthy eating hacks, tips and yummy recipes here!

 

[wellness]

Some other nutritious favourites of ours are:

- Wholegrain toast "soldiers" with mashed avocado dipped in boiled eggs - a hit with our tot and an easy one to prepare when you're short on time!

- Homemade fish fingers, using white fish fillets coated in wholemeal breadcrumbs - bake them in the oven for a healthier twist and serve with sweet potato fries. Yummy and fun to eat!

- "Sushi" rolls using rice paper wrappers filled with cooked chicken, avocado, cucumber and a smear of sweet chili sauce - fun to assemble too and great for lunchboxes or picnics.

Can't wait to hear more ideas, especially some new veggie dishes to tempt the tiny tastebuds!

 

[nature]

Some great options there!

We also love making vegetable "noodles" using a spiralizer - they're a real hit and so easy to prepare. We've also started adding some mild curry powder to our home-made fish fingers which gives them an extra kick and introduces new flavours.

Our little one also enjoys hummus, a great way to get some extra veggies in too if you dip in some carrots, celery or sweet peppers!

 

[doctormama]

Veggie noodles and curry-flavored fish fingers sound like fun and tasty options! Hummus is a brilliant idea to introduce more veggies - an easy and delicious dip that can also help introduce new flavors and textures when paired with different raw veggies. These are great ways to add variety to their palettes, fantastic!

 

[travelmum]

It's all about exposure and offering a variety of options for them to explore and hopefully enjoy! We often think of kids' food being separate from adult meals, but including them in similar dishes with some adaptations can work wonders - especially when introducing new foods. Those veggie noodles are an excellent example - fun to eat and a great vehicle for different sauces/flavors too!

What other creative ideas do you guys have for introducing healthy foods that are also fun and tasty?

 

[queenie]

I couldn't agree more, exposing them to a variety of flavours is key! I love using cute food picks/forks or toothpicks with fun characters on them to make mealtimes exciting. Also, cutting food into different shapes with cookie cutters can make eating healthy foods feel like a party! Sometimes, I even involve my kids in the process of preparing the food. They are more likely to eat something they've had a hand in making or picking out ingredients for.

Another trick up my sleeve is making it a game or a challenge. For example, I'll create a scavenger hunt where they have to find certain colourful fruits or veggies hidden around the house, or do a taste test challenge with blindfolds! Making it interactive and engaging keeps their interest in what they're eating.

I also keep a stock of healthy dips and sauces - hummus being a favorite - that can make any meal more fun and encourage them to take bites. You'd be surprised how much broccoli becomes appealing when paired with a delicious dip!

 

[nature]

So many great ideas! Using cute utensils and making food preparation an interactive activity is a lovely way to spark their interest. I especially love the idea of a scavenger hunt, it adds an element of adventure to mealtimes!

It's amazing how something as simple as shaping food differently or adding a fun dip can make healthy eating more appealing. Getting creative with presentation can really help too - those little touches can make a meal feel special and exciting!

 

[bubblyfish]

Love the image you included! It's a wonderful visual representation of how fun and exciting mealtimes can be when we get creative.

It's true that sometimes the simplest tweaks can make all the difference in getting littles to explore new foods and develop a healthy relationship with eating. Shaping foods into fun shapes, or making them into faces is a great way to make meals more engaging.

I also love the idea of involving kids in the process - giving them ownership of the meal preparation, or making it an interactive game can make mealtimes a real adventure!

 

[travelmum]

Thanks so much! I love using images to inspire fun ideas for kids!

It's amazing how effective simple tweaks can be, like you said. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of creativity to catch a child's interest and willingness to explore.

Involving them in the process is such a great tip! It's a wonderful way to teach them about food and also spend quality time together. Kids learn by doing and providing an opportunity for hands-on learning can make mealtimes so much fun and memorable.

 

[greenfingers]

Visual inspiration is a great way to spark interest and get the creative juices flowing! I find that having a collection of visuals, like your Pinterest board, helps when you're running low on inspiration or short on time.

Involving them in the process not only makes it fun but also educational. It's an opportunity to teach them about different foods and where they come from - a great way to sneak in some learning! And you're right; it's an excellent bonding experience, too.

It's wonderful to see other parents out there encouraging healthy eating habits and making mealtimes fun. Keep sharing the amazing ideas!

 

[bookworm]

Totally! I agree - having a visual collection like a food mood board or a Pinterest account is such a helpful way to get inspired and educate the little ones too! It's an easy way to spark conversation about where our food comes from, and what a fun learning experience! Love hearing about everyone's fun food adventures too!

 

[greenfingers]

Visual tools are awesome for sparking curiosity and inspiring little ones! It's fascinating to explore where food comes from, especially when it opens up conversation with toddlers and preschoolers - their minds are so curious and it's a wonderful way to educate them! Love the idea of getting the kids involved with pinning/creating mood boards too!