Feeding Your Picky Toddler

It’s an ongoing struggle for parents to get their finicky toddlers to eat, much less eat healthy foods. If your toddlers are anything like mine they think chicken nuggets & fries every single meal is a good idea! Recently my precious little angel decided that cheese was the one and only food he wanted to eat. Lets not even go into the complications that too much cheese causes. *sigh* Needless to say applesauce was mom’s go to snack choice.

So how do you get your little squirt to eat better? In the ongoing quest to find healthy foods that my boy will actually eat I came across some great tips and snack ideas.

PASTA

Few toddlers can resist a plate full of pasta. Making some noodles to go with the family dinner may do the trick to get your tot to eat. I can mix pasta with any stew and my little guy will eat it right up!

CHEESE

Shredded or grated cheese may be one of the best temptations around. Sprinkle or melt cheese on your toddler’s veggies, rice, potatoes and noodles. My boy will eat just about ANYTHING if I put cheese on it! 

SAUCE or DIP

Offer dips and sauces with your toddler’s dinner. Oh so tempting and very easy to toss on the table! My toddler thinks mayonnaise is a dipping sauce. And ketchup....yeah it's another food group around here. 

In addition to the above tips I found a few yummy (and healthy!) snacks that my toddler will actually eat.

ANTS ON A LOG

Celery sticks filled with either peanut butter or cream cheese

and topped with raisins, apple pieces, seeds, nuts, banana pieces etc..

These are great snacks for toddlers. Your tot may just eat the “filling” and the raisins, which is just fine! Ensure what you add is appropriate for your little one. Surprisingly my little guy actually chews on the celery too. 

CRACKER SMACKERS

Whole grain crackers

Toddler’s favorite spread or dip (I like peanut butter for this one!)

1 banana or 2 raisins or 2 Cheerios or 1 cube of cheese

Spread dip on the crackers and top one with 1 banana slice, another with 2 raisins, another cracker with 2 Cheerios and the last with 1 cube of cheese. Make as many as you feel your toddler will eat. It’s the variety that will catch their eye and tempt them to at least nibble each cracker.

They say variety is the spice of life so I am always looking for more tips and recipe ideas to please my finicky toddler. Do you have a go to recipe for your little one? Share it below!