If you are a parent to a young child, odds are you have already begun to prioritize health and nutrition into your child’s daily routine. With a heightened awareness of the lifelong impact of early dietary habits, it is important for toddlers to receive balanced and nutritious meals. Why is nutrition so important? Good nutrition is important for all of us, however it is especially important for children in their early years. Young children have very specific energy and nutrient requirements supporting their growth and development. Making sure your child has balanced meals daily can sometimes be easier said then done, either because toddlers can naturally be picky eaters, or you and your family are on the go.

Here are some fun and easy ways to integrate healthy eating for toddlers:

1.) Picky Toddler? Picky eating is normal at this age. There are creative ways to integrate the nutritious foods they currently avoid right into their meals. For example, if your child has a distaste for broccoli, you can make broccoli chicken nuggets, or broccoli tater tots. It is also important to remember to not be discouraged if they are rejecting nutritious foods. It can take multiple exposures before your child will eat them. In addition, this is a fun and exciting way to not only introduce new meals to your child, but also create something new to add to your recipe list.

Here are some helpful recipes:

• https://cookwithwenty.com.au/recipe/chicken-and-broccoli-nuggets/
• https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/broccoli-tots/

2.) Plan Ahead
If you are eating out or on the go. Some restaurants may not have the most nutritious choices on the children’s menu. If this is the case, you can plan ahead by preparing nutritious items, such as fruits or vegetables ahead of time and bringing them to the restaurant. There are also a lot of premade healthy snacks, such as granola or fruit bars you can bring to accompany the meal. If neither of these solutions are possible, it is perfectly fine to feed your child what is offered on the menu. Steering away from a nutritious meal every once in awhile will not be detrimental to your child’s health.

3.) Involve Your Child in the Kitchen.
Research confirms involving your child in the preparation of foods greatly affects the variety of foods your child eats. A child is more likely to try a meal that he has helped prepare. If your child is small, have them choose between two healthy meals and if your child is bigger, ask them what they would add to make the meal bigger. Cooking is also a valuable life skill can be enjoyable for your toddler to learn. It is also a bonding experience for your family.

4.) Find Meal Ideas Online.
As a parent, life can be busy, and it can be a challenge to think of meal ideas for your child. Take advantage of free meal planning apps and if you are on social media, follow accounts dedicated to providing toddler meal ideas. @feedingtinybellies and @yummytoddlerfood on Instagram are wonderful and very helpful accounts sharing daily recipes and meal ideas.

5.) Start a Garden Together.
Gardening is a great and fun way to introduce your child to healthy foods. When they start seeing where their food comes from, they will start to appreciate the nutritional value of their meals. Gardening with your child is also a great way to help them build social/emotional skills and engage with the world around them. For more on the benefits of gardening with your children visit our blog at: https://www.steppingstoneschool.com/gardening-benefits-children/