Six surprisingly easy ways to get your tot to eat healthy
Dip it, cut it into funny shapes, let them sprinkle the toppings. Just a few ways to get your toddler “invested” in the healthy food you want them to eat.
“Feeding a toddler is not an easy job,” acknowledges Erin Wholey, Director of Youth Wellness Programs at the New England Dairy & Food Council. You want them to eat fruits and vegetables, which they may love one day, but “throw the ultimate temper tantrum the next day when you give them the exact same thing!”
Wholey has your back! In addition to many wonderful recipes (which you might enjoy yourself!), she suggests six “why didn’t I think of that” suggestions:
- Serve it with dip. Many toddlers think it’s fun to dip things . Make a cinnamon yogurt dip to go with fruit or a yogurt + hummus dip to go with vegetables.
- Try cool shapes. Use cookie cutters to make fun-shaped pancakes, sandwiches, or cheese slices!
- Blend it up. Try making fruit and yogurt smoothies with your toddler. It tastes even better if they get to dump the ingredients into the blender themselves.
- Let them build their own… miniature pizzas, cheese, crackers, and fruit or cucumber slices; or yogurt parfait with yogurt, fruit, and a crunchy topping.
- Make it a muffin. Kids think everything tastes better when it’s served as a muffin!
- Sprinkle it. Let your toddler sprinkle their own shredded cheese onto eggs, whole grains, vegetables, etc.
Read the complete article at the New England Dairy & Food Council website; roam around while you’re there for great ideas and recipes.
