Toddler & Preschooler Nutrition: Wholesome Meals For Your Little Ones' Growth.

[wisdom]

That's an interesting trick with the smoothie! I'll have to try it on my fussy eater.

Do you have any other sneaky strategies up your sleeve?

 

[stargazer]

That's an interesting trick with the smoothie! I'll have to try it on my fussy eater.

Yes, I'm finding this thread's recommendations very useful too! Love the creative names some mums come up with - that certainly adds some fun and entertainment for our little ones! My girl loves her "dino rawrs" aka bell peppers, so I'll be trying out your Veggiedgedon idea, wellness! Any other funny names your little one comes up with?

 

[queenie]

That's an interesting trick with the smoothie! I'll have to try it on my fussy eater.

The things you do to get them to eat healthy, am I right? Sometimes, I feel like a professional clown, except I juggle food groups instead of balls!

 

[wisdom]

My kiddo loves his veggies too, praise the lord! But getting him to eat fish is another matter - he either wants it deep-fried or not at all. So I compromised by frying up some small whole fish (dory and red snapper work well), flakes the meat off, and mix it into pasta dishes or wrap fillings. He gets the nutrients without knowing, hah!

That's a clever idea to disguise fish by mixing it with other foods! Kid's palates can be so finicky.

 

[queenie]

My children love Japanese food, which is fortunate because there are many nutritious options! They enjoy diving into homemade sushi made with brown rice, loads of vegetable rolls, and fish. It's a fun meal that they look forward to helping me prepare, too.

While my kids have always loved their vegetables, I've found that adding different dips like hummus or bean-based sauces encourages them to eat even more of them.

My children are big fans of wraps - perhaps the fun factor of eating a meal that's essentially a sandwich makes it appealing. Who knows! But it works. We usually go for whole wheat wraps filled with all manner of goodies - sauteed mushrooms, spinach, avocado slices, grilled chicken or fish, grated carrots, you name it. And of course, a spritz of fresh lime juice adds a fun citrusy twist that the kids enjoy.

 

[wellness]

That's an interesting trick with the smoothie! I'll have to try it on my fussy eater.

Yes, do give it a shot! Smoothies are a lovely way to add in extra nutrients without the fuss. Who knows, your fussy eater might take a fancy to it and start requesting for more!

With kids, it often seems like a miracle when they willingly eat their greens, aren't they? Got any other smart strategies up your sleeve that encourages your little one to eat healthy?

 

[sunflower]

My daughter loves her veggies too, praised be the day she doesn't suspect that broccoli is considered a healthy food! I usually steam them with some chicken or pork - another one of her favorites is pumpkin, which she calls her "orange veggies". A win for team health!

I've also puréed fruits and veggies like carrots and apples together and served them in aFeeding kids really is a tricky business but so enjoyable to watch them enjoy their food.

My son's current favorite is a smoothie bowl. I blend bananas, strawberries, and almond milk with some spinach snuck in, and serve it with plenty of his favorite toppings like nuts, coconut flakes, and berries. It's a fun do-it-yourself meal that he enjoys putting together, and it's nutritious too!

I agree that making mealtime interactive is a great way to encourage fussy eaters. My son used to go through a really picky phase, so I'd often create little vegetable and fruit kebabs on skewers, which he enjoyed putting together and eating off your own little "kabutok."

What other clever ideas do you all have up your sleeves for making nutrition fun?

 

[travelmum]

My daughter loves her veggies too, praised be the day she doesn't suspect that broccoli is considered a healthy food! I usually steam them with some chicken or pork - another one of her favorites is pumpkin, which she calls her "orange veggies". A win for team health!

I've also puréed fruits and veggies like carrots and apples together and served them in aFeeding kids really is a tricky business but so enjoyable to watch them enjoy their food.

My children love pastas, so I usually sneak in some blended cauliflower into the sauce for an extra nutritional kick. They haven't seem to noticed it yet! On the side, I serve up some garlic bread with hidden puréed veggies too - a fun way to get them to eat their greens without protest.

 

[bananarama]

My son loves his veggies too, especially cauliflower and carrots! I usually steam them with a little bit of chicken stock and seasoning. "Veggieggedon" is what we call it in our household because he thinks it's so funny to dip the warm veggies into hummus and call them "dinosaur food." Kid-friendly names seem to work well with our little ones, don't they?

I also whip up a mean smoothie when I want to sneak in extra nourishment. Banana, milk, honey, and spinach go into the blender, and he can't taste the spinach at all! It's amazing how much food you can hide in a tasty, creamy smoothie.

That's an excellent idea with the smoothies! A great way to get some extra nutrients into fussy eaters. I often add some nut butter like almond butter or peanut butter for some healthy fats and protein too. Also, good on you for being so creative with the names - Veggiedgedon is hilarious!

My son doesn't really tantrum about food luckily, but if he doesn't want something, he just picks it out. So glad that this thread is helping me learn all these tips!

 

[chickadee]

My kiddo loves his veggies too, praise the lord! But getting him to eat fish is another matter - he either wants it deep-fried or not at all. So I compromised by frying up some small whole fish (dory and red snapper work well), flakes the meat off, and mix it into pasta dishes or wrap fillings. He gets the nutrients without knowing, hah!

I'm glad you're all sharing such wonderful tips on encouraging our little ones to eat healthy foods! It's indeed tricky but also rewarding when they enjoy their nutritious meals.

My son is usually a good eater when it comes to vegetables and fruits, thank goodness! But getting him to try new foods can be a challenge. To add some variety, I like making little "platters" for lunch - a few different finger foods that he can pick and choose from. I vary the proteins, grains, and colors (a colorful plate is an inviting plate!), and it encourages him to try new things, especially when he helps me prepare the food.

Some of his favorites are homemade mini spring rolls filled with vegetables and a bit of shrimp, small quinoa salad bowls, fruit kebabs, and yogurt dips for dipping veggies. He enjoys the variety and choosing what he wants - a little bit of this, and a little bit of that!

 

[bubblyfish]

My son loves his veggies too, especially cauliflower and carrots! I usually steam them with a little bit of chicken stock and seasoning. "Veggieggedon" is what we call it in our household because he thinks it's so funny to dip the warm veggies into hummus and call them "dinosaur food." Kid-friendly names seem to work well with our little ones, don't they?

I also whip up a mean smoothie when I want to sneak in extra nourishment. Banana, milk, honey, and spinach go into the blender, and he can't taste the spinach at all! It's amazing how much food you can hide in a tasty, creamy smoothie.

That's an excellent idea with the smoothies! I bet the color sells it too - especially if you use those bright rainbow vegetables! My kiddo loves anything hands-on and dip-worthy, so I'll give your dinosaur food a try; thanks for sharing!

 

[queenie]

My son loves his veggies too, especially cauliflower and carrots! I usually steam them with a little bit of chicken stock and seasoning. "Veggieggedon" is what we call it in our household because he thinks it's so funny to dip the warm veggies into hummus and call them "dinosaur food." Kid-friendly names seem to work well with our little ones, don't they?

I also whip up a mean smoothie when I want to sneak in extra nourishment. Banana, milk, honey, and spinach go into the blender, and he can't taste the spinach at all! It's amazing how much food you can hide in a tasty, creamy smoothie.

That's an interesting trick with the smoothies! My kiddo doesn't fancy vegetables much either, so I'll definitely give your trick a shot. Can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they down dinosaur food!

I let my children help me mix and prepare their meals, which I think helps encourages them to eat what they've prepared. They're more likely to try new foods when they've had a hand in cooking it themselves. Not sure if it will work for everyone, but thought I'd share!

 

[sunflower]

My son loves his veggies too, especially cauliflower and carrots! I usually steam them with a little bit of chicken stock and seasoning. "Veggieggedon" is what we call it in our household because he thinks it's so funny to dip the warm veggies into hummus and call them "dinosaur food." Kid-friendly names seem to work well with our little ones, don't they?

I also whip up a mean smoothie when I want to sneak in extra nourishment. Banana, milk, honey, and spinach go into the blender, and he can't taste the spinach at all! It's amazing how much food you can hide in a tasty, creamy smoothie.

Hiding healthy foods is the way to go! My daughter loves it when I make "fruit rockets". All you need is some yogurt and your kid's favorite fruits. It's so easy to assemble and the presentation makes it fun and enticing for them too.

 

[musical]

My son loves his veggies too, especially cauliflower and carrots! I usually steam them with a little bit of chicken stock and seasoning. "Veggieggedon" is what we call it in our household because he thinks it's so funny to dip the warm veggies into hummus and call them "dinosaur food." Kid-friendly names seem to work well with our little ones, don't they?

I also whip up a mean smoothie when I want to sneak in extra nourishment. Banana, milk, honey, and spinach go into the blender, and he can't taste the spinach at all! It's amazing how much food you can hide in a tasty, creamy smoothie.

That's an excellent idea with the smoothies! A good way to get some nutrients into them when they're being fussy. My boy doesn't like milk, so I'm glad to have picked up this trick from you guys - got to masking it!

 

[doctormama]

My son's current favorite is a smoothie bowl. I blend bananas, strawberries, and almond milk with some spinach snuck in, and serve it with plenty of his favorite toppings like nuts, coconut flakes, and berries. It's a fun do-it-yourself meal that he enjoys putting together, and it's nutritious too!

I agree that making mealtime interactive is a great way to encourage fussy eaters. My son used to go through a really picky phase, so I'd often create little vegetable and fruit kebabs on skewers, which he enjoyed putting together and eating off your own little "kabutok."

What other clever ideas do you all have up your sleeves for making nutrition fun?

Your creative smoothie bowl sounds like a great way to engage your son and get him to enjoy his nutrients! Making food cute and fun certainly helps to pique their interest, and I love the name kabutoks for the vegetable and fruit kebabs - so creative!

My go-to when I need to hide some extra veggies is a tasty tomato sauce. I cook down various vegetables - from carrots to zucchini - in a big pot of tomatoes, and my little one doesn't seem to suspect a thing when she sees her favorite spaghetti topped with the saucy mix.

 

[doctormama]

My children love pastas, so I usually sneak in some blended cauliflower into the sauce for an extra nutritional kick. They haven't seem to noticed it yet! On the side, I serve up some garlic bread with hidden puréed veggies too - a fun way to get them to eat their greens without protest.

Cauliflower is incredibly versatile and a great additive to blend in pastas! Puréeing vegetables is indeed a clever way to maintain the familiarity of favorite foods while boosting their nutrition. Do you also sprinkle some herbs on the garlic bread to further disguise the taste of the veggies? I find that rosemary and oregano work well to mask any earthy flavors.