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Meals for Toddlers

meals for toddlers This photo is licensed under cc by sa 2.0 by tiffanywashko

Preparing and cooking meals for toddlers that are both nutritious and "fun" may cause quite a lot of worry for some parents.

I know it does for me, as it can be quite upsetting when I've spent a significant amount of time cooking the meal and it is rejected by my kids.

Or they only have a couple of spoonfuls and decide that the rest can be used for finger-painting (or some other form of art work, such as a mashed-potato snowman with peas for eyes!)

What - A Toddler That Doesn't Eat? Yeah, Right!

It is very common for toddlers to be uncooperative at meal times. Many parents have trouble getting their toddlers to eat.

If this applies to you, don't worry - you're not doing anything wrong. This is just a passing phase and the situation will improve before you know it.

Tips for a happy, successful family meal with your toddler (yes, there IS such a thing)

  • Allow your toddler to help prepare the meal in the kitchen, only minor jobs such as stirring and pouring things. She might enjoy her meal more if she knows she's had something to do with it.
  • Let your toddler set the table, keeping knives and other sharp items away from her. Allow her to spend more time setting her place at the table, whether it's at her high chair or booster seat.
  • If you are offering something new on the menu, provide for her at least one thing she's familiar with, or better still, likes to eat. Try not to get upset if that's the only thing she eats. This is normal toddler behaviour. Ever wonder how your toddler can eat nothing but sausages for weeks? Ask me how mine does it!
  • Be realistic about the amount of time you expect her to remain seated for the meal. Remember, she's still a toddler who has a short attention span. She will want to get up and play before all the adults have finished their meals.
  • Allow your toddler to feed herself as much as she is able to, while you sit beside her and have your meal. She will enjoy imitating you and trying to use her fork and spoon "just like mummy".
  • Let your toddler's appetite decide how much she should eat. If she doesn't eat much of her meal, this could be due to a number of reasons, for example being distracted by things going on around her, or she's had too many snacks throughout the day, she doesn't like the meal you have prepared. Never force your toddler to eat when she doesn't want to. This will only make the non-eating situation more stressful for you and your toddler, and she may develop poor eating habits in the future.

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