7 Easy Mealtime tips for Picky-Eating Toddlers

Getting toddlers to eat at meal time can be no mean feat! They tend to be stubborn and often refuse to try new foods, which can be rather frustrating for their parents. We’ve all been there, so here are 7 simple tips to try for easy mealtimes for your picky-eating toddler.Hopefully, making dining more fun and encourage them to eat more (or a wider variety) in the process.

Involve them in preparation/cooking

From as young as toddlers, there are age-appropriate tasks you can get kids to do to help prepare meals. Younger kids especially like helping and like to be given jobs. This can often lead them to being more likely to eat the food if they ‘made’ it. Simply helping with washing vegetables or placing salad into a bowl gives them that sense of achievement.

Make a food rainbow 

Toddlers are very visual creatures. The more appealing the food presented to them looks, the more likely they will be to eat it! Mix fruit and veggies on a platter in the colour order/shape of a rainbow. This is also a fun activity to practice learning colours. Encourage them to try at least one thing from each colour.

Use a fun plate or utensils

Toddlers are wired to play. Have you ever noticed how throwing food on the floor suddenly becomes a game for them? Try making food more fun by using a novelty plate or offer their own cutlery that encourages independent eating, such as  grabease. This also gives them the autonomony they crave, while hopefully getting them to eat well!

Cut it into fun shapes

Using food cutters can entice even the fussiest eaters to try something new. Who can resist a dinosaur sandwich? Look for cutters that are in shapes of things they like and use that to cut up sandwiches with healthy fillings. Even simply cutting fruit. They’re also great to use for party food!

Make a smoothie instead

A lot of goodness can be packed (hidden) in a smoothie, so why not substitute a main meal for a smoothie from time to time? You can add veggies, protein powder or other powders (such as super greens powder) and include a couple of serves of fruit in a tasty drink. You could even get them to help you make it. Another tip for summer is to freeze smoothies in icy pole moulds and use the grabease utensils as handles for little hands. A great healthy, tasty treat!

Pack it into a bento box

Another novel way of serving a meal is in a bento lunch box. Kids love them! They can pick and choose what to eat. You can actually fit a lot into them (more than you might think). They are super handy for meals on the go, but you could incorporate it into a backyard picnic or even serve dinner in it for something different. We love the Yumbox lunchboxes as they’re leak-proof and can be cleaned in the dishwasher! Don’t forget to include your grabease in the yumbox as they fit perfectly in its compartments.

Serve toddler-friendly snacks and food​

Sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to make toddler mealtimes as fuss-free as possible! Serve fresh fruits, crackers, veggies with hummus, yoghurt or nut butters to dip in, or a whole snack such as muesli bars or savoury muffins.

About the Author

Tracey is a mum and owner of Adventure Snacks – a business she started when her son was a toddler. Adventure snacks is known as the go-to store for all your lunchbox needs.