Tricky, Picky Eaters & How to Prepare
It can be tricky to feed a picky eater, especially when that picky eater is your toddler! Parents, real talk: How many times have you been in a situation where you’ve made a meal for your toddler. You’ve done everything your toddler liked just the day before - cut the crusts off, cut the grapes the LONG way, provided their favorite cup full of their favorite drink, and suddenly, your toddler is screaming. Nothing has changed, except how your toddler is feeling about their food that day, and you don’t understand why!
When those moments notice meltdowns happen, here are a few easy and quick options you can keep up your sleeve to try and get them fed. You never know when the Hangry Toddler monster will rear its ugly head, but you can be as prepared as possible to try again!
Fruit Slices: Prep and store a variety of sliced fruits such as apples, bananas, pears, and berries. Bonus - Throw them on some yogurt or drizzle with a little bit of maple syrup to give your toddler a little sweetness that might satisfy the hanger monster they’ve suddenly become!
Baby Carrots and Hummus: Baby carrots are easy for little hands to hold and dipping them in hummus adds protein and healthy fats! Not to mention a bag of baby carrots is an easy grab when you need to try something new!
Cheese: Let's be honest - who doesn’t love cheese? Few people I know are cranky after ingesting a chunk of cheddar… unless, of course, they’re lactose intolerant. Skip this one if your little one’s tummy can’t handle dairy, or opt for a dairy-free alternative they may love! Bonus - pair those cheese chunks up with a whole-wheat cracker and something green and you’ve got a balanced meal!
Hard-Boiled Eggs: This one is another super easy, prep ahead and have on hand option for when nothing else is working! Peel and store in your fridge, cut into toddler-sized pieces, and let them have at it!
Cucumber Slices: Refreshing, crisp, easy to chew. These are a great addition to the lunchtime routine, and easy to prep ahead and throw down at a moment’s notice!
Smoothies: Make ahead, freeze into cubes, and throw into a blender with some milk/water. Perfect if you’re trying to head out the door with a screaming, hungry kiddo!
Pre-packaged and Ready-to-Serve Snacks: Okay, I know your plan when your toddler got to the solids stage was to make all their food by hand and only give them wholesome and natural ingredients. Then… life happens. If you need to give them an applesauce packet or granola bar once in a while to make sure they eat, that’s fine. Trust us… That’s more than fine. Just like when they’re infants, fed is best when it comes to feeding the temperamental toddler. Do what you have to do to get something in their bellies!
As always, you want to consult with your pediatrician before introducing any new foods or making any changes to your toddler’s diet. However, we hope this quick list is helpful in planning out some plan B, C, and beyond snacks to help keep your toddler fed and happy!
