As a mom of a toddler, nothing is more frustrating than your little one throwing a fit every time mealtime comes around. While it may seem easier just to make two meals or give in to their not-so-healthy food requests, there are a few tips you can try to make mealtime easier. With these easy tips, your little one may learn to love their veggies and eating what you make for the whole family.
1. Use Fun Plates and Silverware: There are so many different options available when it comes to serving ware for toddlers and kids. Let your little one pick out fun plate designs to eat on. There are even plates and bowls designed specifically to encourage your picky eater. Another fun way to encourage picky eaters is to let them use kid-friendly chopsticks when they eat their meals. They will get a kick out of it and most likely forget to fight about what they are eating.
2. Serve the Food Differently: Sometimes little ones just get into a stubborn mindset when it comes to mealtime. Switch things up by serving their food in a special way. For example, pasta can be served in cupcake liners and called pasta cupcakes. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can be rolled up to look like little sushi rolls. Also, many meals can be arranged to look like a face or animal. Arrange spaghetti on the top of the plate as hair, add a meatball nose, and peas can be the eyes and smile for a healthy meal that looks like a friendly clown.
3. Sneak in Hidden Veggies and Nutrition: Most kids will not eat spinach. However, many kids will happily drink a fruit smoothie. Blend together healthy fruit smoothies and add raw, baby spinach to them. You or your little one will not be able to taste the hidden spinach.
There are also many recipes available that show moms how to sneak beans and vegetable purees into kid-friendly foods, such as macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and even cookies and brownies. You will be amazed at how much nutritional value you can add to your little one’s favorite meals without them even knowing.
Don’t let mealtime with your little one be a time of fighting and frustration. Instead, embrace different ideas and ways to feed your little one and your family healthy food that they will love to eat.
Brought to you by mybabyclothes.com. Your little ones will be the cutest kids on the block in their new Spring baby clothes, fun tutus, sweet baby headbands and dapper baby hats.
Picture courtesy of pendarren
