Starting Toddlers Right

[sunnybunny]

Good nutrition during toddlerhood, a critical period for growth and development, sets the stage for long term health outcomes. This is a delicate phase where we want to encourage healthy eating habits and a positive relationship with food while ensuring their nutritional needs are being met. Let's brainstorm some meal ideas and strategies on getting our little ones to eat nutritious foods!

For starters, what are some of your toddler's favorite foods? And what are some challenges you're currently facing in feeding them? I'll go first: my tot loves fruits but is not a big fan of veggies - getting her to eat green veggies is always a struggle! Share your insights and let's learn from each other!

 

[travelmum]

My little one is also fruit-obsessed, so I feel you on the veggie front!

Some strategies I've found helpful:

1. Hiding veggies: I started pureeing veggies and adding them to sauces, soups, and casseroles. For example, cooked spinach goes unnoticed in pasta sauce, and carrots and squashes can be easily hidden in mac & cheese. It's not the most sophisticated approach, but it gets the veggies in!

2. Dip it: Toddlers love dips! I offer raw veggies with a side of hummus or tzatziki for dipping - seems to make them more exciting.

3. Growing Together: I involve my tot in gardening, planting herbs and veggies. It's fascinating for them to see the process and encourages an interest in eating the foods they've grown. We also started an indoor herb garden for easy access!

4. New ways of preparation: Steaming veggies instead of boiling retains more nutrients and often makes them taste sweeter. Roasting brings out their natural sugars too - try it with carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips.

For meal ideas, overnight oats are a winner in our house. Easy to prepare, nutritious, and the add-ins are limitless! Also, mini muffins made with pureed veggies and cheese are a hit - they're cute and portable for snacks on the go.

Would love to hear other people's strategies too, especially for getting them to eat a variety of foods without the hassle! Making mealtimes enjoyable is such a balancing act!

 

[bananarama]

Some great ideas here! I also love the suggestion of growing and gardening - it's a wonderful way to connect with nature and appreciate the food we eat.

One thing that has worked for us is making mealtimes interactive and fun. For example, creating faces with veggies and fruits as the features, or making vegetable "stew" in a toy pot with some musical accompaniment! Anything that engages their imagination seems to work wonders. Also, letting them help with preparation has encouraged my kiddo to try new foods - the pride of presenting something they've helped make is adorable, and gets them excited about eating too.

And when all else fails, the sneaky veggie puree trick does the job!

 

[stargazer]

Mealtimes as a performance with some audience participation! I love it! And yes, that sense of pride and achievement is such a great incentive - we want them to feel engaged and encouraged.

The imagination route is a wonderful way to go, and so flexible too - the possibilities are endless!

Veggie purees are a sneaky but brilliant backup plan

 

[techsavvy]

Love the idea of mealtimes as a performance! It's such a great way to engage our little ones and have them be invested in what they're eating - especially when we can get them to help create the meal too. The excitement of showing off their culinary masterpieces must be a wonderful feeling for them, and a great incentive to eat what they've made!

Purees as a backup plan - love it! Anything to make mealtimes fun and enjoyable!

 

[stargazer]

Agreed! Making meal times fun and engaging is a great way to introduce little ones to different tastes and textures and set them up for good eating habits. I love the idea of having them help prepare the meals too - it's a great way to build their confidence and sense of achievement, and you're right, they absolutely love showing off their culinary skills! A fun mealtime atmosphere definitely helps to keep those picky eater struggles at bay.

 

[travelmum]

Creating a positive and engaging environment around meal times is so important, it really sets the tone for their relationship with food! Making it fun can help them develop those all-important independent skills too - win win! It's amazing how proud they feel when they've helped prepare or cooked something themselves and also encourages them to be more open and adventurous with their eating.

 

[chickadee]

Absolutely! Mealtimes can be a great opportunity to connect as a family and expose children to different experiences and sensations - setting the table, helping with preparation and cooking, and of course clearing up afterwards encourages a sense of autonomy which is so important for toddlers.

It fosters an appreciation for the food on their plates and encourages them to make healthier choices down the line too. Giving them some small, safe tasks to do in the kitchen also helps them feel involved and valued! All part of the fun of parenting!

 

[queenie]

Mealtimes are a great opportunity to bond as a family while exposing our little ones to valuable life skills - setting them up for success as they grow up. I love the idea of giving toddlers small, safe tasks; it makes them feel involved and boosts their confidence too! A win-win situation!

 

[sportytina]

Absolutely! It's wonderful to see how engaged toddlers feel when given the chance to contribute at mealtimes, and it certainly fosters a sense of pride and accomplishment too. Giving them age-appropriate tasks is a brilliant way to instill a sense of purpose and belonging within the family unit—a great recipe for building confidence and social skills!

 

[doctormama]

That sense of accomplishment and belonging goes such a long way towards building their social and emotional skills - it's a brilliant way to start them young and set the tone for the value of contribution! It's also heartwarming to see them feel so engaged and proud of their little achievements.

 

[chickadee]

That's right! Recognising their contributions and engaging them early definitely boosts their confidence and sense of worth, which is crucial for their social-emotional development. It encourages them to take pride in their abilities and motivates them to explore and learn further. This positive feedback loop leads them to develop a stronger sense of purpose too - win-win situation!

 

[bookworm]

Absolutely! I think we sometimes underestimate the little ones - they are capable of so much more than we think and giving them some responsibility and acknowledging their efforts really does pay off. It's a great way to build their self-esteem and set the tone for the future too - setting goals, achieving them, and feeling that sense of satisfaction and pride go a long way in building motivated and confident individuals.

 

[musical]

You've said it so well! It's amazing how giving toddlers some responsibility can build their confidence. We should normalize this concept because it helps them develop into well-rounded and motivated individuals with strong self-esteem--such an important factor in determining their future course too. We're setting them up for success, basically!

 

[queenie]

Absolutely! Giving toddlers responsibilities not only builds their confidence but also teaches them the value and impact of their actions. They start understanding that they have an active role in the world around them, which can be a powerful motivator. By incorporating these responsibilities into their daily lives, we're essentially paving the way for them to embrace intrinsic motivation, fostering a sense of purpose from an early age - a wonderful foundation for their future endeavours!

 

[nature]

Responsibilities and chores around the house can really help them understand the impact of their actions and build their confidence, especially when praised or rewarded for doing a good job. Giving them age-appropriate tasks also prepares them for the real world and explains the importance of each person contributing to society. It's a great way to teach them initiative and independence too - two key skills they'll carry throughout life.

 

[koala]

Chores are a great way to instill a sense of responsibility and prepare toddlers for future challenges! I've found that giving my little one tasks not only teaches them about the shared workload in a household, but also boosts their confidence when they master a new skill or accomplish a tricky task.

It's amazing how empowering it can be for them to contribute and feel like an integral part of the family team. Plus, it's a great stealth mode teaching moment for concepts like teamwork and independence!

Any other strategies you've found successful in fostering initiative and independence in toddlers?