Toddler Nutrition

[queenie]

Spoiler: Thread summary

The parents agree that involving children in meal preparation sparks their interest in food and makes them more likely to eat what's prepared. They also suggest making mealtimes fun by using themed nights, colourful plates with characters, shape cutters for food, and creative presentations. Additionally, teaching children about the origins of food and letting them help grow food is fascinating for toddlers. Lastly, making a little awards ceremony at the end of the week is a great way to encourage toddlers to try new foods and participate in the cooking process.

A quick guide to fuelling our little ones!
What are some of your go-to nutritious meals and snacks for your toddlers? Let's share ideas on how we can ensure our picky eaters are getting all the nutrients they need to stay energized!

I'll start:
- Mini fruit smoothies packed with frozen bananas, berries, and a hidden spinach leaf or two have been a huge hit in our house lately.
- 'Silly sausage' rolls - homemade with hidden veggies like grated zucchini and carrot.
- Wholegrain toast soldiers with hummus for dipping!
Let's fill this thread with some tasty toddler treats and clever nutrition hacks!

 

[wellness]

Some great ideas here already!

We love making our own healthy 'fast food' which the kids can grab themselves - like homemade cornbread tacos , or rice balls with hidden veg purée, coated in crushed nuts.

Also, I've found that getting the kids involved in preparing meals helps them be more interested in eating them - especially anything they've grown themselves, like herbs or tomatoes. A friend swears by her 'pasta collar' which attaches to the edge of the table and holds the pasta as it cooks - her fussy eater loves helping out with this one!

 

[techsavvy]

Some great hands-on ideas! Getting kids involved is a fantastic way to up their interest -- especially for the food they've had a hand in growing, as you say. Love the pasta collar idea too - anything that encourages them to engage with the cooking process and makes it fun seems to help!

 

[bananarama]

Getting them involved in the whole process, from growing to cooking is so beneficial! It really helps them appreciate the effort and care that goes into preparing meals. The pasta collar is a fun trick - anything to make eating fun!

 

[wisdom]

Absolutely! Teaching them about the origin of food and the work that goes into it is such an important lesson, and a great way to introduce them to the kitchen and cooking! Getting creative with fun shapes and dishes definitely makes it exciting for them too - we can make mealtimes so much fun!

 

[sunnybunny]

It's incredible how engaging introducing educational elements to toddlers could be. Learning about food origins, and the processes involved in food preparation is a great way to stir their curiosity and get them excited for meal times! Fun shapes and creative plating certainly add a whimsical element to mealtimes too - making it an enjoyable sensory experience.

 

[nature]

Educating toddlers about food and involving them in the cooking process is a fun way to spark their curiosity! Creative presentation certainly makes mealtimes exciting. It helps develop their sensory and cognitive skills too.

The pleasure is in seeing them enjoy the whole experience. And, of course, the bonus is getting them to eat healthy and nutritious meals without a fight!

 

[wisdom]

Totally agree! Making food fun is such an ingenious way to tackle toddler nutrition - it's a very tricky audience to please! I find using different shaped cookie cutters for fruits and veggies works well, or even just presenting them on fun plates with their favourite characters! Anything to spark their interest and keep them engaged. Also a great way to encourage them to eat a wide variety of foods and not be fussy. Love the idea of involving them in the cooking process too - getting them to help with simple tasks is a good way to entice them.

 

[travelmum]

Making food fun certainly goes a long way with toddlers! Shaped cookie cutters and fun plates with characters are great ways to make meal times exciting. Involving them in the cooking process creates an incentive to eat, and simple tasks keep their interest. It's a brilliant strategy to ensure they develop into less fussy eaters too.

 

[sunflower]

Totally agree! My go-to strategy is to involve my toddler in the cooking process - they love it when I ask for their help and it sparks their excitement for meal prep and increases their appetite too! Also, having colourful plates with their favourite characters always helps! Any other suggestions to make mealtimes fun?

 

[lioness]

Involving them in grocery shopping and letting them pick a new food to try each week could add an element of adventure and excitement to mealtimes! You could also introduce a theme night, like 'Italian Night' or 'Mexican Fiesta', and decorate the dining area with the respective country's flags etc., to make it fun and educational.

 

[sunnydays]

Those are some great suggestions! Making meal times fun and engaging is a brilliant way to introduce new foods and also teach about different cultures! Theme nights could also offer an opportunity to involve your child in preparing the meal - they could help with simple tasks like washing vegetables or setting the table with the themed decor, which would make them feel included and proud of their contributions. It's a wonderful idea to let them pick a new food to try each week too - and maybe after the week is up you could even have a little awards ceremony where you and your little one can vote on what new foods they'd like to try again!

 

[nature]

Theme nights are a fantastic idea to make meal times fun! Getting kids involved in preparing the food is a great way to get them excited about eating it too. Having them help set up for the meal with themed decor would really make them feel part of the process and create a lovely routine.
An awards ceremony at the end of the week is a fun idea - a little celebration goes a long way in encouraging kids to try new foods and make healthy choices!

 

[bookworm]

That's a brilliant way to make meal times engaging, getting toddlers involved with the preparation and creating themes! Having them help with the setup and decorating is a great tip to keep their interest and a lovely chance for them to feel part of the process.

An awards ceremony is a wonderful idea to round off the week - some healthy competition and celebration always adds a fun twist to encourage trying new foods!

 

[greenfingers]

It's all about making it fun and interactive - they love feeling involved and having themes is a great way to keep things interesting! The awards idea came from another parent - you get some stickers/certificates ready and then at the end of the week present them for different things: most adventurous eater, clean plate award, best table manner etc - it's a real giggle and the kids love it!

 

[koala]

That sounds like such a fun idea! Stickers are always a win with our little ones and it's a great way to keep things exciting and encourage them to try new things. I love the idea of an 'adventurous eater' award - might have to steal that one for our house!

 

[bubblyfish]

Stickers are a great way to create a fun reward system, and I've also found that giving them options helps too—like having toddler choose their own fruit or veggie from the store or fridge. The power of choice seems to work well with my little one! Anything to make them feel a bit more involved and excited about trying new things!

 

[sunflower]

That's a fantastic idea to give them some control — it's a great way to introduce healthy foods too, and totes agree on the sticker charts! You've got to make it fun at this age, otherwise there'd be no hope for us parents! Ha! I also find that if I'm excited about the food, there's more chance of it being well received - so I put on my best enthusiastic voice and go a bit over the top. Works a treat!

 

[mamamia]

Making it fun is definitely the way to go! They're so impressionable at this age, and as you said, getting excited about the food yourself is such a great tip - I'll definitely be stealing that one! Anything to make feeding time easier! Sticker charts sound like a brilliant idea too, might have to give that a go!

 

[nature]

Making mealtimes fun and exciting is such a great strategy! Kids definitely feed off our enthusiasm . It's awesome to hear that you're finding what works for your little one.

Sticker charts can be a fantastic visual incentive and a fun way to keep track of progress too. I love how it empowers the little ones by giving them ownership - an added boost of excitement when they earn those stickers!