Taming the toddler at mealtime

If your toddler is anything like mine, their eating habits change constantly. One day she eats 3 meals and 2 snacks a day without protest, and the next she wants nothing but crackers at lunch time and a cup of milk for dinner. I've conceded to the fact that at 2 years old, she is pretty much in charge of her own eating habits, BUT it's my job to offer her healthy options in reasonable portions throughout the day. I get bonus points if I manage to make it fun! Hahaha!

Finding foods that are fun and healthy can often be a challenge for busy moms. It's not the end of the world if your kid eats a hot dog once a week (gasp!), or chicken nuggets, or spaghettios even. When that becomes the habit everyday is when it becomes not only a health issue, but a development  issue. Your young child needs a variety of foods for good health, but they also need exposure to variety to continue healthy habits as they get older.
So what should you do to get a decent meal into that picky toddler?

1. Offer different foods in different ways.

I buy most of my fruits and vegetables from the fresh produce department. This gives me the freedom to prepare them in any way I choose. If I offer my 2 year old fresh blueberries, she pops one in her mouth, and immediately gags and drools a blue mess down her new shirt, I don't assume she hates blueberries. Maybe she doesn't like the texture or the skin was a bit bitter. Next time I can put them in a pan with some honey or sugar and make a compote to top her pancake or waffle at breakfast or add them to a batch of applesauce muffins. My daughter happens to LOVE eating fresh blueberries that have been frozen (the store bought frozen berries tend to have a tough skin). She calls them "popsicle berries." Fun to eat with a fun name!
I've heard many moms talk about grating carrots and adding them to all kinds of foods for an extra veggie boost. Put them in spaghetti sauce (or spaghettios if you must, lol), macaroni, soups, ramen, even ketchup!

Get creative, search for recipes, try out your own ideas, but don't ever stop TRYING to offer healthy foods because the child has rejected it once. Kids' tastes can change from day to day.

2. Make it a fun activity!

As adults we want to sit down at a table with a plate of food, untensils, a napkin, and a cold drink to enjoy a meal. Kids, especially toddlers, find this to be the most incredibly boring way to get nourishment. Mix up the routine at mealtimes, and you'll find your little one consuming a lot more on average than when they are forced to sit and mind their manners. Here are a few ways we keep it lively:

-Offer fun plates and utensils.

-Give them a few choices. 1-3 options is optimal for youngsters.

-Serve lots of finger foods.

-Have them plate their own food so they can choose the portion size. 

-Let them help prepare the meal to get them interested in the food.

-Make a pallet and have a picnic in front of the T.V.

-Take your pallet outside, and have a real picnic in the yard!

-pack up lunch on the go on busy days, and let them eat in the car or where ever.

My 2 year old is enjoying a sliced up turkey dog, raw carrots with ranch dip, red grapes, cheese cubes, cheetos, and cold water in her Hello Kitty travel cup. 

3. Always give them at least one dish you know they will eat.

When a toddler sees a familiar item it makes them feel comfortable. When you hand them a plate of food that is totally foreign to then they are likely to turn up their nose and run. 

4. Keep it separated.

When we think of meals like tacos, nachos, salad, or pasta we envision a plate of food put together to create one cohesive entree. A child sees a pile of food all mixed together and TOUCHING the other food! It may seem silly to cater to such a whim, but in my world, this is one of those times when I live by the old parenting adage "pick your battles." Would you rather fight your child to eat something they perceive as "gross", have them refuse to eat, or simply plate all the ingredients in separate piles instead of assembled in a traditional way? They may eat each ingredient separately or they may choose to build it themselves to their own liking. Either way, your kid is eating instead of battling you at mealtime. 

What are some ways you keep mealtime fun and battle-free?