Toddlers' Nutrition

[koala]

Spoiler: Thread summary

Here is the summary:

Discussing toddler nutrition can be overwhelming for parents due to the abundance of information available. To make mealtimes fun and interesting, many share tips like involving toddlers in food preparation as it encourages them to try new foods and develops early life skills. Offering a variety of textures and colors on their plate keeps meals exciting while ensuring nutritional value. Another approach is having a 'main event' food such as favorite proteins around which the rest of the meal can be built with plenty of veggies alongside. To cater to picky eaters, pureed vegetables can be discreetly added to sauces like cauli-cheese sauce with hidden broccoli. Other successful strategies include offering finger foods, providing healthy dips like hummus paired with carrot sticks or homemade crackers. Spices are also encouraged early on as they add variety and essential flavors which help develop an adventurous palate over processed foods. All these tips offer parents a toolkit for navigating their little ones' nutritional journey while encouraging them to cultivate healthy eating habits from an early stage of growth & development

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well! I wanted to start a thread to discuss toddler nutrition as it's such an important topic and one that often causes questions and worry for parents.

There's so much information out there about what our little ones should and shouldn't be eating which can be overwhelming. From first foods to fussy eaters, snack options to meal planning - it's a lot to navigate!

Share your experiences, go-to meals, tips on getting veggies into their diets or really anything toddler nutrition related here!

 

[luciana]

As the toddler phase is all about exploration and developing independence, mealtimes can become a battle ground!

One thing that helped us was to involve our tot in the food preparation, giving him ownership of what he was eating seemed to encourage him to tuck in. He loved helping us set the table too, so he felt more involved in the whole process.

We also found that offering lots of different textures and colours on the plate seemed to make meals more fun and exciting - it's so easy for meals to become same-y and bland when you're doing most of the prep work yourself! We'd often add in some crunchier items like raw carrots or peppers, which he loved to munch on.

Another thing that worked for us was having a 'main event' food - something that was a real winner for our little one, so we knew it would keep him interested throughout the meal. This usually took the form of his favourite protein: chicken, fish, or beans. We'd then build the rest of the meal around this, adding in lots of veggies.

We've also not been afraid to hide some pureed veggies into sauces, which worked well when he wasn't in a mood to eat many greens! Cauli-cheese sauce with hidden broccoli is a good one, and went down a storm with our little fussy eater!

What about you? What are your go-to tips and tricks for keeping mealtimes fun and nutritious?

 

[bananarama]

Those are some great ideas!

I agree that getting toddlers to help out with food preparation is a fantastic way to encourage them to eat what they've helped make - it's a real sense of accomplishment for them and they feel so proud!

We also do the 'main event' trick - often using meat as our anchoring protein too - and it's amazing how quickly a plate of food disappears when it's something exciting like their favourite sausage or fish fingers!

We've found finger foods to be a huge hit too and a real life saver on busy days. Things like homemade chicken nuggets, corn on the cob, edamame beans or pea pods all work well and give us parents a break from cutting up everything into teeny tiny pieces!

Some healthy dips have also been a good way to get our little one to eat more veggies - hummus seems to be a winner, especially with some carrot batons.

I'll have to remember the cauli-broccoli sauce idea - our tot goes through phases of refusing most greens, so that's a great way to sneak them in!

 

[luciana]

Some great tricks and hacks shared here! Getting the little ones involved in preparing meals is such a wonderful way to pique their interest in food and develop those all-important life skills - plus, you're right, they do feel so proud of themselves!

The 'main event' trick is a great one, and often so simple to execute. It's amazing how a few fun finger foods can make meal times so much more enjoyable for everyone involved .

We also love our dips and have found them to be a real savior when encouraging healthy eating. Hummus is a go-to in our house as well - it's such an easy way to add some extra protein and get those veggies in too. I'll definitely be taking inspiration from the cauli-broccoli sauce idea; it's so versatile and a great way to add some nutrient dense foods without the hassle of trying to disguise them!

 

[happyfeet]

So many great ideas! Getting toddlers to help with preparing meals is such a fantastic strategy, and it's heartening to see them enjoy their achievements.

The dip idea is a winner, especially with humus - a healthy, delicious and versatile option that can make meal times so much more fun. Cauli-broccoli sauce also sounds amazing and a great way to introduce some nutritious foods stealthily!

 

[doctormama]

It's a wonderful way to spark their interest in food and develop those all-important life skills - not to mention getting them to eat some healthy options too! It's amazing how effective it is to let them help with preparing meals - they feel so proud of what they've helped create. And yes, dips are such an easy win! It's amazing how something so simple can be so successful in encouraging new foods too; humus is a great one because it has that creamy, familiar texture. Cauli-broccoli sauce is definitely a nutritious winner - and a fun name always helps too!

 

[bookworm]

That's so true! Preparing meals is a great way to introduce toddlers to different foods, textures and tastes, and it's a fun way for them to learn life skills too.

The pride on their faces when they've helped make something is adorable isn't it? And yes, the humble dip has so many possibilities - humus is a go-to in our house too! What other dips do you recommend?

 

[stargazer]

Tsatsiki is a great one and easy to make, just mix grated cucumber with natural yoghurt and a little crushed garlic . It's healthy, cool and creamy. Or you could go for a roasted red pepper dip - simply char or roast some red peppers, peel them, then blend with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Guacamole is another one that's easy to make and fun to eat with crackers or crudites. Just remember to adapt the spices depending on how adventurous your little ones are!

 

[queenie]

Great ideas - thank you! I especially love the idea of the roasted red pepper dip, might have to make some for myself! Tsatsiki is a huge hit in our house and it's so nice and refreshing, especially when the weather warms up.

We also sometimes do hummus which can be a great dip that's easy to make in bulk too, just need chickpeas, olive oil, salt, garlic and lemon juice - whizzed together. We also have it with carrots and celery sticks as well as crackers, another good healthy option for dipping.

 

[sunnydays]

Those are some great healthy options! We love hummus too - and it's so versatile - I also like adding a bit of paprika to give it a kick sometimes. I make my own crackers using seed-based doughs which works well with the creamy dips, and are a nice change from carbs - a good option for keeping the little ones full too!

 

[bubblyfish]

Paprika's a great idea - add a bit of kick is always fun! Home-made crackers sound delicious and such a wonderful alternative to store-bought ones too. A tasty, healthy snack all round

 

[greenfingers]

It's a great way to introduce spice early on - it's good for them to have some heat! And thank you! Homemade is so much fun and you can really load them up with goodness too.

 

[chickadee]

Absolutely, it's amazing how introducing spices early on can help develop their palate and it certainly doesn't hurt to expose them to different flavors! Homemade food is definitely a wonderful way to ensure they get all the nutrients too.

 

[sunnybunny]

Spices are a great way to introduce variety and essential flavors early on, and it's so much better than relying on processed foods for taste and convenience. Homemade meals guarantee their diet is balanced and nutritious. It takes a bit more effort, but you end up raising an adventurous eater who appreciates good food!

 

[nature]

Spices are a wonderful way to add depth and interest to their palate without compromising health. I totally agree about homemade meals ensuring nutritional needs are met, it's fantastic for their overall development! Keep up the great work, this adventurous eater will thank you later

 

[sunnybunny]

I couldn't agree more about spices; they're a brilliant way to introduce new flavors and encourage healthy eating habits. It's essential to offer varied, nutritious meals early on for their growing bodies and minds! Here's to raising a generation of eager, healthy eaters!