Around age 2, little ones might become finicky eaters.
They begin to smell everything before they will eat it.
Little ones transition from an infant that you can cuddle and give them all their nutrients in a bottle to little independent people who want to choose what they eat.
Now is the time to come up with some innovative ways to get kids to eat foods that are healthy for them.
The positive side of this age group is that they will mimic what they see.
When you are slicing up vegetables, offer them a bite.
Give the child a plastic knife and paper plate so they can pretend to cut up vegetables along side you.
When you take a bite of the carrot or other Vegetable, the toddler will mimic your actions.
Depending on their age, they can combine ingredients and mix them using a blender or wooden spatula or anything else you can think of that would be age appropriate.
Come up with ways that they can help you prepare a meal.
They can pull lettuce apart for salads, and add olives and cherry tomatoes.
You will see the delight in their faces when the family enjoys one of their masterpieces.
The important thing is kids will generally eat what they help prepare.
Get the children involved in the kitchen when it is time to prepare a meal for the family.
You can make the children responsible for making the salad.
Children can help you wash vegetables.
They can also count out the number and types of vegetables that you will use in the salad.
Have the little ones prepare a salad bar for the family.
Put out some lettuce, some sliced or chopped tomato, slices of cucumber, shredded carrot, slices of red and yellow peppers, small broccoli flowerets and other nutritious ingredients.
Have the little ones choose their favorite salad dressings.
Make it a fun event as you prepare nutritious selections for your family.
Don't forget the croutons and shredded cheese.
Keep these easy but healthy treats handy.
They can help you shop for groceries and help you prepare snacks that are healthy for them.
Some easy nutritious treats to prepare in your kitchen with little ones include: *Vegetable sticks with a small container of salad dressing for dipping Offer them some raw vegetables with some ranch dressing to dip them in? Many kids who don't care much for cooked vegetables will eat them up if they can dip them.
*Fresh fruit cut into bite sized pieces may be more appealing to a small child *Pretzels are fun snacks and easy for kids to use *Celery sticks filled with cream cheese or peanut butter and raisins provide healthy nutrition *Fruit yogurt provides calcium *Pudding cups are a quick snack that children can easily navigate *Crackers--plain or with peanut butter or cheese *Cheese sticks are full or protein *Graham crackers a quick snack that can be combined with pudding cups *Dried fruit - a quick way to get 2 servings of fruits *Fruit leather - nutritious snack *Nuts * Tortilla chips with a small jar of salsa
They begin to smell everything before they will eat it.
Little ones transition from an infant that you can cuddle and give them all their nutrients in a bottle to little independent people who want to choose what they eat.
Now is the time to come up with some innovative ways to get kids to eat foods that are healthy for them.
The positive side of this age group is that they will mimic what they see.
When you are slicing up vegetables, offer them a bite.
Give the child a plastic knife and paper plate so they can pretend to cut up vegetables along side you.
When you take a bite of the carrot or other Vegetable, the toddler will mimic your actions.
Depending on their age, they can combine ingredients and mix them using a blender or wooden spatula or anything else you can think of that would be age appropriate.
Come up with ways that they can help you prepare a meal.
They can pull lettuce apart for salads, and add olives and cherry tomatoes.
You will see the delight in their faces when the family enjoys one of their masterpieces.
The important thing is kids will generally eat what they help prepare.
Get the children involved in the kitchen when it is time to prepare a meal for the family.
You can make the children responsible for making the salad.
Children can help you wash vegetables.
They can also count out the number and types of vegetables that you will use in the salad.
Have the little ones prepare a salad bar for the family.
Put out some lettuce, some sliced or chopped tomato, slices of cucumber, shredded carrot, slices of red and yellow peppers, small broccoli flowerets and other nutritious ingredients.
Have the little ones choose their favorite salad dressings.
Make it a fun event as you prepare nutritious selections for your family.
Don't forget the croutons and shredded cheese.
Keep these easy but healthy treats handy.
They can help you shop for groceries and help you prepare snacks that are healthy for them.
Some easy nutritious treats to prepare in your kitchen with little ones include: *Vegetable sticks with a small container of salad dressing for dipping Offer them some raw vegetables with some ranch dressing to dip them in? Many kids who don't care much for cooked vegetables will eat them up if they can dip them.
*Fresh fruit cut into bite sized pieces may be more appealing to a small child *Pretzels are fun snacks and easy for kids to use *Celery sticks filled with cream cheese or peanut butter and raisins provide healthy nutrition *Fruit yogurt provides calcium *Pudding cups are a quick snack that children can easily navigate *Crackers--plain or with peanut butter or cheese *Cheese sticks are full or protein *Graham crackers a quick snack that can be combined with pudding cups *Dried fruit - a quick way to get 2 servings of fruits *Fruit leather - nutritious snack *Nuts * Tortilla chips with a small jar of salsa
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