I don’t think I have ever met a parent who hasn’t worried if their little bean has been eating enough and eating the right kind of food for their development! It can be a worry, and a really difficult one! Lots of children are very “picky” and it can take them years even for a well-rounded diet to stick.

However, there are 3 little tricks I can share with you!

Exposure!

Many babies and children turn up their noses at new foods. I don’t believe they are being picky, it’s sometimes just that they have been used to one food for so long that anything that doesn’t taste like milk takes a little getting used to.  Sometimes it can take even 60 odd times before new food is tried. The fact that it is there and open to being tried or not is a lovely step to our end goal. Many children can be funny with texture too, you’ll see them squish and squash just about everything and watch what happens when they throw peas in their cup of water. It’s all experience but in the end, they’ll let you know whether they really don’t like something or whether little one needs some time.

Super-power dishes!

I can’t really take the credit for this one. Years ago I got a taxi home with some heavy shopping and we were doing the usual small talk and chit chat. The man told me he had a son and the only way he got him to eat a variety of healthy dishes is to give them superpower names. I wish I could remember all the names! But they were great! Things like Super strong spinach, Brainpower fish, Super energy pasta. I thought this was a lovely idea and a really clever explanation of what food can do for your body in toddler language. I think it’s much easier to have children eat weird green food when we can show them why we eat it in the first place.

All else fails, opt for a hidden veggie sauce.

Sometimes, especially during flu season, you’ll want to get the job done! Blend up a bunch of veggies in a pasta sauce and tick veggies off your list!

With all the madness going on in our world right now I thought this little list might be useful, especially if you are self-isolating with your little ones. I have also done my best to keep the list fairly simple, yet also I have thrown in a few which should keep things exciting!

Before we get started!

So I thought it would be nice to start off by saying that it’s okay to keep it simple! Go through my wild and wonderful list and see what works for you. I know the thought of cooking some vegan- gluten-free, sugarless madness dish that was blessed by fairies is pretty riveting. But it’s cool sometimes just to fling some chicken at your child and see what happens.

On a serious note though, please always take choking hazards into account. Always cut up your child’s small enough for little bits and don’t leave them unattended, especially with new food!

Check out easy to learn child CPR here so you know what to do if the situation ever presents itself!

If you are currently weaning your little sponge, then head on over to this article which will be a massive help in understanding it all!!

This list is aimed at around 1 year of age and up!

There’s no reason why you can’t use them a little earlier than 1-year all depending on your baby’s development!

To avoid getting spaghetti on the ceiling, I would totally invest in this gem of a bowl!

Aprons are a must too! I use them every day with my nanny kiddos and it helps us have fun while keeping the washing pile down! Find them here!

Let’s roll up our sleeves!… 

• Pinwheels. If you have ever searched for kiddie food in Pinterest, it’s highly likely you will have come across these little gems. If not, pinwheels are made with puff pastry, throwing some yummy ingredients into, rolling, cutting and popping in the oven! In my opinion, the easiest kind of food for kiddos is the kind we can squish everything together! Check out more Pinwheel recipes here!

• Butter and cheese pasta. Sometimes the simpler the better. If you don’t particularly feel like cooking the moment then this is a great go-to dish for the whole family!

• Avocado and boiled egg.  This one works great as a snack or a meal and is delicious and healthy!

• Salmon with noddles and finely chopped spinach. The fab thing about this is that you can just throw everything in a pan and fry together. It sticks together with a little so it is great for finger feeding!

• Cauliflower cheese fritters. Most babies and toddlers adore cauliflower but it can end up on the walls! By making cauliflower cheese and frying in the pan in little balls not only makes it fun but less hassle for you! Find my homemade recipe here!

• Wholewheat pasta with hidden sauce. Blend all the veg together little one might normally end up flicking away and you have a simple delicious meal! Check out this fab sauce by my fussy eater!

• Simple, dairy-free homemade fish fingers. I like how this recipe asks you to use salmon as of all the fish selections out their salmon is usually a good shout for kids to try. It’s also surprisingly simple and doesn’t use many ingredients which is great! Find it here!

• Beetroot, strawberry and raspberry ice lollies. With our Scottish weather, we definitely don’t need these guys to cool down BUT they are brilliant for teething! Click here for the how-to!

• Flatbread pizza. This recipe works great!

• Roast chicken and roasted sweet potato chunks. A lot of toddlers can be a little fussy with meat yet roast chicken is pretty plain and is easy to tuck into!

• Cottage cheese dip with pitta bread/ normal toast, carrot sticks and celery sticks.

• Mac and cheese muffins. A super simple way to keep everything together! Click here for the recipe! Just make mac and cheese as normal put little scoops in muffin trays and bake until golden!

• Humous, crackers avocado. This is fab for when little human is not feeling super hungry but needs and little small meal or snack! Find a recipe to homemade humous here!

• Baked beans and toast. Your baby will be toddling around puffing sweet smells of satisfaction after this!

• Sweet potato, avocado and feta savoury muffins. Find the recipe here!

• Homemade pancakes or french toast fingers with fruit. Yum!

• Salmon, orzo, spinach tomatoes and chickpea balls. Find my own recipe here! These little guys are a winner with the little ones! Check out my post and see if my nanny kiddo liked them!

• Sweetcorn and spinach fritters. Much like my cauliflower fritters, these guys are packed with yummy ingredients that help shake off little bugs! Find the recipe here!

• Dairy-free gnocchi with creamy basil tomato sauce. Check out the recipe!

• Eggs cups. The great thing about these guys is that they hold lots of ingredients inside the cup! So you can pop lots of healthy vegs and what not inside! Check out my homemade recipe here!

• Omelette fingers. Pop some spinach, peppers, cheese and ham inside to keep things interesting!

• Mild split pea and spinach dahl. If you aren’t sure what Nanny M here is going on about…Dahl is a term used in the Indian subcontinent for dried, split pulses —that is, lentils, peas, and beans. The term is also used for various soups prepared from these pulses! It’s really lovely to introduce kiddos to foods from around the world. It’s probably best to keep the dish relatively mild (unless your kiddo is a wild bean!)

And there you have it lovely people! I hope these dishes help you out if you are in need of a little inspiration!

Please as always give me a little bit of love in the comments section, that is always greatly appreciated!

And if you happen to like what I write so far then, by all means, don’t stop yet!

5 minute reads…

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