Making your toddler finger food recipes is a great way to get them to try new flavors and textures, learn new skills and even keep them entertained when you are out and about! This article offers a variety of fun finger-food recipes for your toddler introducing healthy eating and making meal times enjoyable for all the family.
Make Finger Food Yourself
Young children need to eat more often than adults. They tend to graze rather than eating large portions so there is a lot of wasted food. Processed foods are expensive which impacts on your food budget. They are also high in salt and sugars and can promote bad eating habits and tooth decay from an early age.
If you choose to make food for your baby and toddler yourself you can be sure of the exact ingredients and fresh food always tastes better. Mixing up the flavors, although they might get spat out at first, will give your child a varied palate and make them less fussy as they get older.
Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit and veg should be the staple of your toddlers diet. Pureed fruit and vegetables can be given from weaning onwards. As they grow make the chunks bigger. Cut up cucumber or celery into strips or cooked veg like carrots, asparagus, green beans, sweet potato are fun. Cooked and diced yellow, orange and red peppers add some color.
Banana pieces are great as are pieces of (soft) pear, apple, pineapple or peach. Add natural yoghurt.
Meats and Protein
Well cooked pieces of chicken, fish or meat accompany vegetables well. Hard boiled egg can be sliced or chopped.
Seeds and Dried Fruit
Dried fruit such as raisins, apricots or prunes are good as a treat as they contain a lot of natural sugar, they usually come in small boxes which are handy for trips out. Sunflower seeds are good for the older toddler.
Toddler Sandwiches
Use easily spreadable fillings such as soft cheese, peanut butter (the natural variety), mashed banana or almond spread. Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into 'fingers' to make them easier to hold.
Toasted 'soldiers' are also great with dips such as soft cheese, avocado, vegemite, hummus or guacamole...watch out, this is where it gets messy!
Cheese
Grated cheese keeps toddlers entertained as they love grabbing the small bits. Full of calcium, cheese is vital for bone growth. Cut cheese into strips if you are out and about.
Cereals
Dried cereals such as cheerios or cornflakes are great, avoid the sugary cereals though.
Pasta
Well cooked pasta shells or macaroni are an interesting texture for toddlers as well as a good source of complex carbohydrates. Create home made bolognese sauce for more flavor.
Drinks
To add to the staple drinks of tap water. Why not create fruit smoothies or squeezed fruit juice drinks. Water them down for younger children as they are strong to taste.
Choking Hazards
Always supervise your child when they are eating. They will have to learn how to chew food so make sure everything is soft and chopped up into small chunks.
Making Food Preparation Fun
As the child gets older (or if they have an older sibling), why not get them involved in the preparation of your toddler finger food recipes? It will teach them about nutrition and let them get creative too.
Another great idea is to make up batches of healthy foods, spoon them into small toddler-sized-meal pots and freeze them.
I hope you find my suggestions useful, be creative and try everything. They may not like something at first but persevere, especially with fruit and vegetables.
Sarah Howells is a mother of three and runs a successful child-minding business whilst still finding time to teach about nutrition and parenting. Check out her recommendations for baby and toddler recipe books and fun online toddler games to play with your children.
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