Toddler lunches- what will these little humans eat?

I have been blessed to always have babies that are really good eaters. However, within the last several months, I have begun watching a couple kids in my home while their mommies live busy lives and these kids are not quite as willing to try different foods. So, I have found myself getting creative to keep these babies eating well and I wanted to share some ideas with you.

My first tip for getting your little one to try new things is to get them involved. My little one loves to pick fresh veggies from the garden and snack on them right there in the yard. He loves watching the plants grow and is delighted to pick the fruits of our labor. Secondly, let them cook with you. In this picture, my toddler is simply sprinkling cheese on top of baked whole wheat spaghetti, but he couldn't wait to tell his dad that he helped with dinner and was also happy to eat two servings!

 

 

The next suggestion I have for you is to play with their food! If it looks fun, they are more likely to eat it! Even simple things like using fun plates makes my little one want to eat to get to the picture at the bottom.

 

 

I would also encourage you to change up your venue. My little ones love to eat snacks on the porch or on a picnic blanket at the park. Packing a lunch and taking it somewhere fun gives me kids willing to eat.

 

 

 

Lastly, I would encourage you to take foods and make them kid-friendly. My toddler will not eat a whole sweet potato or a slice of ham, but when I cut them into bite-size pieces, he can use his toddler-size fork and will devour an entire plate. I love foods like this, too, because I can use my food mill to make them into puree or "baby-led weaning size" pieces for my littlest one.

 



 

What are your suggestions for getting toddlers to eat healthy foods?