Toddler Nutrition

[wisdom]

Spoiler: Thread summary

Mothers find that their toddlers are usually very picky with food, making it a challenge to feed them healthily. Some common strategies include:

- Blending or pureeing vegetables and mixing them with fruits to make smoothies, which can disguise the vegetable taste well and is easy for kids to drink up
- Finely chopping up or blending vegetables and adding them into their favorite foods such as spaghetti sauces and soups
- Making the eating experience fun. For example, serving raw veggies with a fun dip or cutting food into cute or fancy shapes encourages toddlers to eat healthily.
- Involving toddlers in grocery shopping or food preparation excites them about eating, as they feel involved and develop new skills too
- Roasting or grilling vegetables with olive oil and herbs to make them tasty and interesting

Starting solids and navigating toddlerhood can be daunting! I'd love to hear about your experiences and go-to healthy meals/snacks for your little ones I'm always looking for inspiration, especially with my kiddo being such a picky eater lately. Anyone else feel like they're constantly negotiating with their toddler over food? What foods do they actually keep down too - a daily mystery!

My current struggle is getting my tot to eat anything green - any creative ways to introduce veggies discretely? I feel like I'm running out of ideas!

 

[lioness]

Arh, starting solids is always tricky! I remember having to blend veggies and fruits into the food just to ensure my toddler gets the nutrition. It's a struggle to get them to eat anything green, man. But some healthy snacks they actually look forward to are homemade fruit purees or smoothies - the bright colors always catch their attention. You can try sneaking in some spinach or kale into the blend too!

Also, finger foods seem to work well for getting them to eat on their own. I cut up veggies like carrots and cucumbers into tiny pieces that they can pick up and eat on their own. Or you can do what my mom did - fry up some tempura vegetables with a really crispy coating haha. They go crazy over the crunchy texture, and it's a fun way to get them eating broccoli and potatoes!

It's quite a mission lor, feeding toddlers. But good luck, and hope your little one starts eating healthier soon!

 

[sunnybunny]

I usually sneak in veggies like carrots, spinach, and broccoli into smoothies. It's easier to hide the taste that way and my kid drinks it without knowing! Sometimes I also shred carrots really finely and mix them into meat dishes like meat balls or burgers. For some reason, this textures seems to go down well too hahaha.

 

[koala]

I usually sneak in veggies like carrots, spinach, and broccoli into smoothies. It's easier to hide the taste that way and my kid drinks it without knowing! Sometimes I also shred carrots really finely and mix them into meat dishes like meat balls or burgers. For some reason, this textures seems to go down well too hahaha.

I usually blend the vegetables into a paste and mix it with minced meat. That way, the picky eaters won't suspect a thing when they eat their favourite meatballs or burgers!

 

[sunnybunny]

I usually blend the vegetables into a paste and mix it with minced meat. That way, the picky eaters won't suspect a thing when they eat their favourite meatballs or burgers!

That's a great idea! A sneaky but delicious way to ensure they get all the nutrients they need. Haha!

 

[koala]

That's a great idea! A sneaky but delicious way to ensure they get all the nutrients they need. Haha!

It certainly is a fun parenting hack! We mums have to come up with all sorts of strategies!

 

[luciana]

Sometimes I think it's a phase where they're just so particular about their food especially when they're exposed to so many different types of food and flavours. It's like their taste buds are on overdrive!

For veggies, I find that roasted/grilled ones work best as a side dish because it has more flavour compared to steamed veggies which can be quite bland for young kids .

If all else fails, I pureed some vegetables like carrots or spinach and added them to sauce-based dishes - the colour and texture gets hidden so it's a good way to get them to eat them discreetly! You could also do the same with fruit smoothes which can be a great way to nourish them especially when they're not getting enough solid food. Give them options but don't force feed, because that might create negative associations with food.

It gets better after this tricky phase, and you're doing a great job!

 

[nature]

Oh gosh, starting solids is a challenging phase! I feel ya on the struggle to get them to eat anything green. Toddlers and their picky eating habits can be quite something else haha!

My trick to introduce veggies is to disguise them in stuff my kid loves, like blending spinach or kale into their favourite fruit smoothies, or steam-cooking broccoli/cauliflower until soft and mashing it up with their mac n cheese. Sometimes I hide grated carrots and peas in fried rice too, and serve it with some chicken nuggets for a yummy, balanced meal.

Also, getting them involved in preparing the food seems to help! My kiddo is more inclined to eat what he's helped prepare, like letting them plant/pick herbs and adding them to the meal, or letting them mix salad ingredients together and pouring the salad dressing. It's quite fun to see them take pride in their little culinary contributions!

Anyway, hope some of these ideas help!

 

[techsavvy]

I feel you, starting solids is daunting man! My kiddo's a super picky eater too and getting him to eat anything green is like a mission impossible ah.

I usually sneak grated carrots and zucchini into spaghetti sauce or make little fritters with spinach/sweet potatoes. Also do hidden vegetable smoothies - blended cauliflower or spinach with banana and milk - he drinks it without suspecting a thing!

Sometimes I get desperate and just buy those hidden-veggie puff snacks, which I feel are pretty overpriced but ah well, mom's desperation haha. They have lots of flavours to trick the toddlers' tastebuds too.

What other tricks do you guys have?

 

[wisdom]

I know the feeling when you're running out of ideas, haha. You can try blending and pureeing the vegetables and mix them with fruits! You can also 'sneak' some vegetables into their favourite meals. For example, finely chopped up carrots or beans in spaghetti sauce or mashed potatoes. Or add some steamed and pureed brocolli or spinach into their favourite soup! Worked like a charm for my little one when she was being fussy about her veggies too.

 

[bubblyfish]

I usually just blend the veggies with some fruit to make smoothies! Can disguise a lot of healthy stuff that way and it's easy for them to drink up too. Or I'll chop everything finely and fry them up in an omelette - doesn't look as healthy but the kiddo doesn't seem to notice or care as long as there's cheese involved haha. Sometimes I run out of ideas too, especially when they suddenly decide they don't like something they used to eat all the time! It's a phase I guess, got to keep trying and be creative.

 

[melissa.koh]

Sometimes it's tough to get toddlers to eat healthily man. My kid also very picky, super challenging to feed him anything green too! I usually have to disguise vegetables by cooking them in soups or blending them into a smooth paste and adding into chicken/beef stock. If not, hiding them in pastas or making veggie fritters helps, got to be creative haha. Or I just go straight up and let him pick his favourites from the fridge, raw carrots, cucumbers etc., so he has some semblance of veggies. Sometimes it's a battle worth fighting, but I think as long as they're getting some nutritious foods in them, it's not too bad right?

 

[sunnybunny]

Ah yeah, the struggles of getting toddlers to eat their veggies - a never-ending story!

I've also tried pureeing vegetables and adding them to soups and sauces. The thickness and texture somehow disguise the veggie taste quite well, and it's a good way to add a nutritional boost without the hassle of convincing my tot it's tasty. Sometimes I even throw in some herbs to spice things up - well, literally! - and add a bit of extra flavour to disguise the veg taste. It's quite an adventure coming up with new ways to be sneaky!

 

[sunflower]

I've been lucky that my toddler quite enjoys her veggies - well, some of them at least! She's always been fairly adventurous with food, which I think is partly down to us exposing her early on to a wide variety of flavours and textures. She loves cucumbers, carrots and sweet peppers, which are great because they're easy to prepare and don't require cooking!

I've also found that adding a fun dip or dressing gets her excited about eating raw veggies. We usually go for a simple yoghurt and herb dip - she enjoys the process of dipping and it encourages her to eat more healthily. Sometimes, I sneak grated carrots or peppers into our spag bol sauce, too, which works well because it's another of her favourites.

It's definitely tricky though; it seems like one day she loves something, and the next she hates it! So exhausting man.

 

[travelmum]

I've been lucky that my toddler quite enjoys her veggies - well, some of them at least! She's always been fairly adventurous with food, which I think is partly down to us exposing her early on to a wide variety of flavours and textures. She loves cucumbers, carrots and sweet peppers, which are great because they're easy to prepare and don't require cooking!

I've also found that adding a fun dip or dressing gets her excited about eating raw veggies. We usually go for a simple yoghurt and herb dip - she enjoys the process of dipping and it encourages her to eat more healthily. Sometimes, I sneak grated carrots or peppers into our spag bol sauce, too, which works well because it's another of her favourites.

It's definitely tricky though; it seems like one day she loves something, and the next she hates it! So exhausting man.

I'm also always playing that food negotiation game with my kid! It's a daily struggle to get them to eat right and balanced.

My kiddo goes through these phases of loving and hating foods too, keeps me on my toes! But I've found that making the eating experience fun helps. Like your strategy with the dips, some finger food cut up veggies with a fun dip can make meal times more exciting.

I also sometimes hide veggies in her favourite dishes. Grated carrots and sweet potatoes work well in fried rice, or you could even puree some cauliflower into the rice too. She'll never know it's there!

 

[sunflower]

I'm also always playing that food negotiation game with my kid! It's a daily struggle to get them to eat right and balanced.

My kiddo goes through these phases of loving and hating foods too, keeps me on my toes! But I've found that making the eating experience fun helps. Like your strategy with the dips, some finger food cut up veggies with a fun dip can make meal times more exciting.

I also sometimes hide veggies in her favourite dishes. Grated carrots and sweet potatoes work well in fried rice, or you could even puree some cauliflower into the rice too. She'll never know it's there!

I think most mums will agree that it's a constant juggling act to feed our little ones healthy food that they will actually eat! Haha.

Yes, it is so pleasing when they enjoy their veggies. I'm glad my daughter has always been fairly open to them but I do have to be creative in preparing them because she gets bored too. Roasting or grilling veggies with a bit of olive oil and herbs is another way that makes them tasty and interesting - she likes the charred taste.

I agree that making eating fun helps a lot! Cute little animal shapes or using cookie cutters to make fancy shapes encourage her to eat more. Another thing I do is let her "play" with her food, like arranging carrot sticks on her plate to look like a flower and then letting her eat the petals.

In fact, I've found that involving her in the process helps a lot. She's more likely to eat something she's picked out at the grocery store or helped prepare and cook. It makes it more exciting for her, and she develops new skills too! win-win!

 

[bubblyfish]

Yeah, tot can be super particular about food, man. I find that it's a full-time job to come up with interesting meals they will eat!

I sometimes disguise veggies by cooking and mashing them into a paste, then adding it to meat/sausages or their favorite foods. They usually don't suspect anything, and eat everything clean! Also works with mixing in some pureed carbs like sweet potatoes or pumpkin - added bonus of making the meal extra filling. If all else fails, the trusty cheese tactic always seems to work for me too haha.

 

[nature]

Yeah, tot can be super particular about food, man. I find that it's a full-time job to come up with interesting meals they will eat!

I sometimes disguise veggies by cooking and mashing them into a paste, then adding it to meat/sausages or their favorite foods. They usually don't suspect anything, and eat everything clean! Also works with mixing in some pureed carbs like sweet potatoes or pumpkin - added bonus of making the meal extra filling. If all else fails, the trusty cheese tactic always seems to work for me too haha.

True that! Disguising veggies is a genius move, haha! I usually steam/boil broccoli till soft and blend it into a paste, then mix it into mac n cheese or any pastas. Tot doesn't seem to suspect anything and just digs right in. Also works with spinning/kale hidden away in smoothies - win-win for getting them to eat healthy stuff without the fuss!

 

[bubblyfish]

True that! Disguising veggies is a genius move, haha! I usually steam/boil broccoli till soft and blend it into a paste, then mix it into mac n cheese or any pastas. Tot doesn't seem to suspect anything and just digs right in. Also works with spinning/kale hidden away in smoothies - win-win for getting them to eat healthy stuff without the fuss!

Hey, good trick with the broc! I wouldn't have guessed it'd blend so well with pasta!

I also find that making food together is a good way to get my tot interested in what we're eating. We grow herbs at home, and letting him help with snipping the sprouts and rinsing them gets him excited about eating them too. He feels involved and is more open to trying new foods when he's had a hand in preparing the meal!

 

[chickadee]

I've been trying to get creative in disguise! Mashed veggies can be sneaked into fried rice, and no one would know the difference. I also make vegetable fritters that are a hit with my tot - a great way to use up leftover veggies too. For green stuff, maybe try pesto? It's a sneaky yet tasty way to get some goodness in, and you can even get your tot to help blend it, which might entice them to eat it too.