What do you feed your toddler

[B&Bforever]

Hi folks

I have an 18 month old that is a good eater when I can get her to sit long enough to eat .

I am running out of ideas on things to give her. What are some of your ideas for lunches and snacks.

Thanks

 

[laurafergie]

A toddler can eat anything you can eat. Just keep pieces small and watch hard things like carrots (choking) and spicy things. The more variety the child has when younger, the less eating issues you'll have later.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

And you can even do some spicy things, depending on your child. When my son Jeremy was a year old, his favourite food was deviled oysters.


Teresa

 

[ceecee]

A toddler can eat anything you can eat. Just keep pieces small and watch hard things like carrots (choking) and spicy things. The more variety the child has when younger, the less eating issues you'll have later.

The reason there are so many picky eaters are the parents cater to them. DD has two friends that I hate to have over because they don't eat anything. One eats mac and cheese and grilled cheese.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

This is really a great age to start kids eating healthy. If you can avoid processed foods as much as possible, you'll give your child a great start. Focus on vegetables (raw and cooked), fruit, beans and lentils (including things like hummus and tofu), and whole grains (oatmeal, barley, etc.) and your child will develop a taste for these nutritious foods.

So many adults struggle with their weight (and with health problems) because they learned as kids to eat mostly processed foods that have a lot of "empty calories" and it's hard to re-train your tastes when you're older.

Earlier this year I took my 8-year-old grandson to WDW. We had a meal at Sweet Tomatoes (which has a great "make your own salad" bar), and the staff laughed because as he was excitedly filling his plate with salad ingredients, he said "Chickpeas! Chickpeas are my favourite beans!!" The next day, when we were at Sunshine Seasons, he asked for a salad as his meal (we had him on the dining plan as an adult). When the person serving said "you get a dessert, too - what would you like for dessert?" he said "carrot sticks." That got a laugh from the server, too - but it was what he wanted.

Now, he will eat ice cream once in a while or a cookie or some chips. But because the food he's eaten since he was little includes lots of veggies and other healthy ingredients, he likes those foods. They feel "right" to him.

I think this is a great gift to give to a child!

Teresa

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I agree with everything Teresa said (hello Teresa!!!). Feed your children good food and they'll appreciate it and develop a taste for it. At 18 months, we gave the kids what we were eating. Snacks were veggies, yogurt (plain - maybe some fruit mixed in), fruit, cheese, etc. My kids will eat almost everything now.

When on vacation, I gotta' say, my boys will nearly always choose to eat junk for dessert. But, my dd does not. She'll choose the fruit platter or ask for a cheese platter instead.

Oh - one more thing - I have one child with severe food allergies. He was always my pickiest eater. I never understood it! Then, he started having anaphylactic reactions to food. We had him tested and the things he wasn't eating, were all his allergies!!! (This poor kid was allergic to SO much at first, and has outgrown much of it. But he's still allergic to sweet potatoes, rice, peanuts and tree nuts.) So occasionally, there's a reason to listen to your child if he/she really doesn't like something!

 

[IllumFan]

My 19-month old loves to feed himself so I try to focus on healthy finger foods. Tofu (cut into cubes) and black beans are favorites. Oatmeal is great for breakfast since it's thick enough it won't slide off the spoon. Try yogurt and banana for snacks.

Also, I give him almost everything our family has for dinner but I cut it in small pieces. He loves lasagna, baked ziti, and chicken pot pie.

Good luck.

 

[katied]

DS (now age 3) has always eaten whatever we eat. As a baby, we made our own baby food. For snack times - staples for us have been yogurt, cut up fruit and cheese, cut up avocado, peanut butter on crackers, leftovers (if we have cold roasted chicken, we'll cut these and serve with some fruit or veggies), whole wheat pasta with butter, parmasean cheese and parsley. DS also loves sardines.

If I'm getting bored with everything, then just make some of the old stuff look more fun - so use mini cookie cutters to cut the cheese or bread into fun shapes (I'll eat the scraps).

 

[zoemurr]

Earlier this year I took my 8-year-old grandson to WDW. We had a meal at Sweet Tomatoes (which has a great "make your own salad" bar), and the staff laughed because as he was excitedly filling his plate with salad ingredients, he said "Chickpeas! Chickpeas are my favourite beans!!" The next day, when we were at Sunshine Seasons, he asked for a salad as his meal (we had him on the dining plan as an adult). When the person serving said "you get a dessert, too - what would you like for dessert?" he said "carrot sticks." That got a laugh from the server, too - but it was what he wanted.

Now, he will eat ice cream once in a while or a cookie or some chips. But because the food he's eaten since he was little includes lots of veggies and other healthy ingredients, he likes those foods. They feel "right" to him.

Teresa

This sounds just like my son. Once when he was 4 or so we were in a burger joint. He wanted a chef salad that was $8. I was begging him to get the kid's grilled cheese 'cause it came with a drink and was $4. He's yelling, "Why won't you just let me get a salad!?" ('Cause I can't pay that kind of $ for a bowl of lettuce..) He's 9 now and we can't find any pants to fit his scrawny middle. The tag line in our house is, "Why don't you just eat a cupcake?" He says 'cause he is a "fruitatarian". Every year he asks "Santa" for a fruitbasket. Any idea how much grapes cost up north in Dec.? He's allergic to spinach (gets a rash) but still asks for it.

Not sure how much it has to do with upbringing though, 'cause my DD will eat any/all sweets she can get her hands on, and being first, she was fed the healthiest. Do be careful what you introduce early.. her favorites include calamari and crab legs.

I agree though.. give your toddler anything you're eating that is not a choking hazard. Really try to avoid making them anything special or you will regret it later. If we're having something they don't like (tonight it's steak) I make extra sides (brocolli with cheese that they put in a tortilla) so they have enough for a meal.