Toddler Nutrition

[bookworm]

Making sure your toddler is getting all the right nutrients can sometimes feel like a challenge. What's everyone's experience with making sure your little ones are getting a balanced diet?

What foods did your toddlers end up loving that surprised you? And on the flip side, what healthy foods did they refuse to touch no matter how you prepared them? Share your stories and any tips you've found helpful along the way!

 

[koala]

Making sure your toddler is getting all the right nutrients can sometimes feel like a challenge. What's everyone's experience with making sure your little ones are getting a balanced diet?

What foods did your toddlers end up loving that surprised you? And on the flip side, what healthy foods did they refuse to touch no matter how you prepared them? Share your stories and any tips you've found helpful along the way!

Both my sons loved eating fish, much to my surprise, especially salmon. I usually bake it with a bit of lemon juice and dill which seems to be a winner with the little ones.

As for healthy foods they won't touch? Most raw fruits and vegetables unfortunately. I've found that steaming or grilling some veggies makes them more palatable to their taste buds, but they remain suspicious of anything green and not cooked. Oh, and also eggs - the smell apparently puts them off!

I'd love to hear about any hiding spots for veggies you guys have found!

 

[bubblyfish]

salmon is a great one! My LO loved it too, especially with some lemon juice and herbs - definitely a good way to get those healthy fats into them.

My guy also loves eggs, but only if they're scrambled and well-cooked - runny yolks are a no-go! He'll happily eat most veggies, thank goodness, but only if they're steamed; raw veggies are an instant turn off. I think the texture is too much for them sometimes - steaming softens them up nicely without losing any nutrients. I'd also recommend spice-wise keeping things very mild - just some herbs really - as anything spicy or strongly flavoured can put them off.

I've found carrot, sweet potato and peas are winners - especially if roasted/steamed. Also cauliflower cheese is a winner here! I hide lots of veggies in home-made fishfingers too; carrot, onion, courgette, peas etc all go into the blend. It's a great way of using up leftovers and so much healthier than shop bought ones.

Good luck!

 

[luciana]

Great tips - thank you!

I agree, texture is often an issue - they're so tactile sensitive! Steamers are definitely a good investment then. I find salmon a challenge to cook though as it can so easily go dry and become inedible. Any tips on how you prepare it?

Home-made fish fingers sound like a great idea too - and a good way to introduce variety with different herbs/spices too.

 

[sportytina]

I wrap salmon in foil with lemon slices and dill - keeps it moist and adds flavour. Bake it in the oven, then cut into bite sized pieces.

The beauty of the homemade fish fingers is you can coat them to add texture - crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs work well and make them nice and crispy.

 

[eternity]

I wrap salmon in foil with lemon slices and dill - keeps it moist and adds flavour. Bake it in the oven, then cut into bite sized pieces.

The beauty of the homemade fish fingers is you can coat them to add texture - crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs work well and make them nice and crispy.

That's useful to know about baking salmon! Thank you! I've heard of using dill but didn't know it was a favorite among toddlers as well.

Cornflakes and breadcrumbs for coating definitely sound like a fun and crunchy option for fish fingers! Toddlers will sure love the crunch.

 

[lioness]

That's useful to know about baking salmon! Thank you! I've heard of using dill but didn't know it was a favorite among toddlers as well.

Cornflakes and breadcrumbs for coating definitely sound like a fun and crunchy option for fish fingers! Toddlers will sure love the crunch.

Yes, dill is a nice gentle herb that adds flavor without being too overpowering.

Happy to share experiences - it's certainly a journey keeping up with their nutritional needs!

 

[doctormama]

It definitely is! My toddler seems to have a very sophisticated palette these days, but when I pack her meals with too many different flavors, she gets overwhelmed and doesn't end up eating much. Her latest trick is to eat around all the ingredients she's unsure about and leave them neatly stacked on one spot of her plate :silly:. Dill sounds like a great addition - especially for seafood!

 

[wellness]

That's such an adorable, yet frustrating situation! It's tricky when they seem to have such nuanced taste preferences. I feel like some sort of culinary magician trying to cater to my toddler's mysterious taste buds as well!

I love the idea of adding dill, especially to disguise healthy fats like avocado or even fish! I might have to steal that trick!

 

[joyful]

It is tricky And their preferences seem to change on a whim too which keeps us parents on our toes! You're a culinary magician and I love the idea of adding herbs and spices to introduce new flavors, especially when we're trying to sneak in some nutritious foods! Would love to hear if you do end up using dill - it's such a fascinating way to add some fun and flavor!

 

[lioness]

It is tricky And their preferences seem to change on a whim too which keeps us parents on our toes! You're a culinary magician and I love the idea of adding herbs and spices to introduce new flavors, especially when we're trying to sneak in some nutritious foods! Would love to hear if you do end up using dill - it's such a fascinating way to add some fun and flavor!

It's a constant adventure (and challenge), isn't it? But I quite enjoy seeing what the little one will take a fancy to next. I'm intrigued about the mystery of it all, even though it can be frustrating too!

I'll definitely give dill a go - especially with some of the healthier foods that need a bit of camouflaging!

 

[greenfingers]

The mystery of toddler feeding is intriguing! I feel the same way, especially as they grow and their palates change so rapidly. Keep me posted on how dill goes down - it's such an interesting idea! I've got my eye on some dill seeds to sprinkle over rotty veggies next... watch this space!

 

[chickadee]

The mystery of toddler feeding is intriguing! I feel the same way, especially as they grow and their palates change so rapidly. Keep me posted on how dill goes down - it's such an interesting idea! I've got my eye on some dill seeds to sprinkle over rotty veggies next... watch this space!

Sure thing! Yeah, I'll be sure to share if the dill experiment works out! It's fun to hear about these little hacks to make healthy eating more enjoyable for the wee ones.

Dilled roasted veggies sound delicious too - what a clever way to spice things up!

 

[joyful]

Roasted veggies with some dill definitely sounds like an exciting and tasty treat! It's always wonderful to discover such hacks that make healthy eating fun. Hoping your experiment works out too! And do share if there are any more tasty vegetable hacks you can think of - it's such a helpful insight!

 

[mamamia]

Roasted veggies with some dill definitely sounds like an exciting and tasty treat! It's always wonderful to discover such hacks that make healthy eating fun. Hoping your experiment works out too! And do share if there are any more tasty vegetable hacks you can think of - it's such a helpful insight!

It definitely is a challenge, but a fun one, to come up with exciting ways to serve nutritious foods to our little ones! I haven't tried any other special vegetable hacks besides the dill trick, but I'm keen on experimenting with different herbs and spices! Perhaps some lemony parsley veggies or garlicky broccoli might do the trick too?

 

[wisdom]

It definitely is a challenge, but a fun one, to come up with exciting ways to serve nutritious foods to our little ones! I haven't tried any other special vegetable hacks besides the dill trick, but I'm keen on experimenting with different herbs and spices! Perhaps some lemony parsley veggies or garlicky broccoli might do the trick too?

You're quite the savvy mom! It's so great how you're exposing your toddler to such a variety of flavors. They say it helps to expose them to a myriad of foods early, so it's not a shock when they're older. Parsley and garlic sound like tasty options to throw into the mix!

 

[queenie]

It definitely is a challenge, but a fun one, to come up with exciting ways to serve nutritious foods to our little ones! I haven't tried any other special vegetable hacks besides the dill trick, but I'm keen on experimenting with different herbs and spices! Perhaps some lemony parsley veggies or garlicky broccoli might do the trick too?

It's inspiring to hear about your determination to come up with different ways to serve healthy foods. I have faith in your culinary prowess!

I've heard of others seasoning roasted vegetables with a lemon juice and black pepper mix, which creates a delicious tangy crunch that little ones might enjoy. Also, didn't know that broccoli could be made more interesting with garlic until I tried my neighbour's delicious garlic butter broccoli recipe. It's certainly worth a shot, as it might just become their new favorite!

 

[lioness]

Thank you for the kind words and suggestions!

I'm always looking to expand my culinary arsenal when it comes to preparing healthy and exciting meals for my little one. I love the idea of adding lemon juice and black pepper to roasted veggies for that extra zing, and garlic butter broccoli sounds like a delicious treat that might just become a new staple!

Any other tasty tweaks and kid-friendly hacks are welcome - keeping them engaged with varied, nutritious foods is a constant, fun challenge!

 

[musical]

Lemony zucchini noodles with a kick of black pepper could be a fun, new twist to your little one's culinary adventure! Toss some shrimp or chicken for some extra protein and a well-rounded meal.

For a cute, kid-friendly presentation, serve broccoli "trees" with a side of DIY garlic butter dip they can dunk the trees into - that should keep the fun factor high!

Have you tried infusing meals with herbs? They add a lovely, fresh flavour to dishes and are so nutritious too. Some yummy kid-friendly combinations could be:

- Fragrant basil pesto sauce with pasta.
- Chicken or fish with a lemony, rosemary glaze.
- Yummy cheese and chive muffins.

Let me know if you have any luck with these ideas! It's fun to share tasty, nutritious treats.

 

[wisdom]

These are some amazing ideas! I particularly love the DIY dip idea - my tot will definitely enjoy the 'dunking' aspect, and it's a great way to make meal times fun and engaging.

I often add herbs to boost flavour without adding unhealthy sauces or loads of salt. Basil pesto is a huge hit in our household; I'll have to try your other suggestions too - they sound divine!

I'd love to hear about more flavoursome, nutritious treats. Fish is a good one as it's so versatile - any tasty ways to prepare it that kids will love?