Introducing Healthy Foods to my toddler

Getting toddlers to eat healthy can be quite a challenging feat. What often goes unspoken is the frustration that can set in after a few attempts. Mommas, I completely understand, and I'm here to offer my support. In this blog, I'll delve into my own experiences and share how I manage to encourage my toddler to consume fruits and vegetables. While it may not always go smoothly, remember that patience and repetition are the essential keys to success.

"Sneak but don't hide it"

One way that I get my son to eat his veggies is by incorporating them into a lot of rice and pasta dishes. This includes spinach, broccoli, and other clean greens. I try to be intentional about not hiding it completely because I want him to be able to recognize what he's eating. This will encourage your toddler to learn about different food textures, smells, and tastes.

Feed them the healthy things first!

"Eat, Eat" Those are the words my toddler says when he's feeling hungry. It's tempting just to give him something quick versus peeling a piece of fruit or cooking veggies. This is when I have to remind myself how using this specific strategy will contribute to his nutrition. I learned that when I give my son the really healthy things first, he is more prone to eat them.

Bring them in the kitchen.

Kids love to feel involved. Try bringing your toddlers into the kitchen and explain what you're doing. One of my son's favorite words is "food". When I show him what it looks like to cook, it not only helps with patience, but it makes him curious about trying new things. I even let him try the food, and he loves it!

Let's share.

If you have a child then you know how hard it is to eat alone. Something I learned is that when my son sees me eat certain things, he feels like he should too. I can't tell you how often my child thought a certain food tasted better on my plate. I like to encourage other mommies to lead by example. Here's your chance to do just that!

Never force, introduce later.

In the beginning, I thought that the only way to get my toddler to eat something is to not give other options. To make them sit there until they finish it. I learned early on that, that was a huge no-no. Turns out I was using methods that were used when I was younger. We as parents have to be careful of that. Something I suggest is after a few nos, try reintroducing the food another time.