The best food for toddlers are fun to eat & full of nutrients such as complex carbohydrates & protein for brain growth & development, healthy fats for energy and satiety, fiber, fruits and vegetables and most important of all, is something they will actually eat! Many little people tend to have erratic eating habits (we know firsthand!). One day they will gobble up all of their veggies, the next they won’t even let you place them on their plate (pass the wine…). So how do you find something your adorable little human will actually enjoy that is also nourishing? We have a few tips below.
- Don’t give up. If one day your tot loves something and the next they don’t, give it a few days and try, try again.
- Sneak in the greens! A green smoothie in the morning with a hint of sweetness is a great way to jump start the day with all of the nutrients! Here is a recipe we love.
- Have fun with food! We love to play make believe while eating… imagine a big Backhoe is scooping the food into your child’s mouth! Or a Unicorn is flying in with a magic spoon to feed your little dreamer. Fun placemats and eating utensils go a long way as well.
- Breakfast for dinner? Why not? Scrambled eggs, oatmeal with fruit or an egg in a nest are some fun ideas
. - Get over yourself. Let your tot eat fruits or veggies in puree or smoothie form if that is the way they prefer to chow down on their nutrients. Don’t worry, they aren’t going to only eat purees for the rest of their life!
- Add nutritious purees into what you cooked for the family or sneak them into tasty baked goods. Jessica Seinfeld knows a thing or two about this…
- Serve your toddler foods in fun shapes while enjoying time at the table together. Craft stores have cookie cutters in different shapes and sizes that you can use as a mold.
- Find a low sugar, high protein snack and serve it for dinner. Once in a while it’s more than okay to do this! We love organic animal crackers or graham crackers with natural peanut butter, or sun butter, if you are nut free.
- Some of the best food for toddlers comes in the form of healthy snacks. Our new allergen-friendly Little Harvest Bars are basically a bowl of hearty oatmeal, chia seed, fruits, veggies and aromatic spices all wrapped up into one portable little energy bar. Parents, grandparents, kids and tots alike love these things! 4 grams of protein per pack, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 35% DRV calcium, 20% daily iron, 200% dose of Vitamin A and natural sugars from the fruit…boom! Oh, and they can last for months in the freezer so order up! (ordering coming soon)
