I am currently raising toddler #4 and I know how difficult it can be to get a toddler to eat. They are too busy exploring the world to want to sit still for a snack or healthy meal. Today I’m sharing 10 Tips for Getting Your Toddler to Eat Healthy.
Tips for Getting Your Toddler to Eat Healthy
If your kids are anything like mine, you know what it is like to try and “trick” them into eating their food. Looking back to my first son I remember that every meal/snack was a battle. He just didn’t want to eat and I made it more stressful for him than it needed to be. I asked my doctor for advice and he shared this with me: “Kids eat to live, Adults live to eat.” Once I realized that I didn’t need to worry as much about HOW MUCH he was eating, I was able to focus on making sure I was giving him healthy options and I found that he would eat when he was hungry. My youngest is a great eater and his favorite foods involve eggs with spinach/tomatoes, green smoothies and salad.
Most moms want to provide healthy food options for their kids but they know how hard it is to get them to eat and most snacks out there are devoid of nutrients. Here are some of my tips for getting your toddler to eat healthy.
1-Don’t stress!
Slowly introduce healthy foods and remember that it takes a few introductions before they will eat it. A few summers ago my goal was to get my boys to eat Zucchini. It took several tries but now they all love it. If your kids are picky, check out these recipes for finicky eaters. They will love them!
2-Make snack and meal time fun.
I have always been amazed at how my boys will eat anything if it is presented to them in a fun way. We make funny face pancakes with fruit or mini pizzas with veggie faces. Cut their food with cookie cutters or let them “build” their own sandwich. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be fun. When they get involved with the planning, they will be excited to eat their creations.
3-Let them choose a snack.
Offer a few different healthy options and let your toddler choose their snack. Plum Organic’s ® new Mighty Product line offers a variety of snacks that are packed with nutrients that toddlers need to thrive including vitamins, protein, fiber and omega-3 ALA.
4-Let them drink their vitamins
I’m yet to meet a toddler who doesn’t love to sip on a yummy drink. If I make a green smoothie or other healthy drink, my toddler will drink at least half. I have always limited the amount of juice I give to my kids but there are other healthy options out there that can help toddlers drink the nutrients that they need.
5- Teach by Example
Toddlers mimic everything they see others doing. If you are eating healthy, there is a good chance they will see what you are eating and want it too. Purchase food that is healthy and keep it on hand. Remember that as parents, we control the foods that come into our home. Start by purchasing healthy foods when they are young and you can train their taste buds to love a variety of foods from the get-go and inspire a lifetime of healthy eating.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Plum Organics. The opinions and text are all mine.
