What better way to tap into a child’s creativity and get them to eat a healthy meal other than some fun recipes for infants and toddlers? Parents often tell their kids not to play with their food, but these recipes were designed for little helping hands to learn about different foods, colors, textures, and to have fun while doing so!
Raw Veggie Train
It can be tough to get some toddlers to eat their veggies, but they’re vital for a healthy diet and good digestion. Building a raw veggie train is a fun thing to do with your toddler that might get them excited about eating their vegetables. Maybe even for the first time! This is also a great toddler party snack idea – it is sure to get some “ooh”s and “ahh”s from other parents!
If your toddler loves veggies with ranch dip, follow the recipe below and fill one of the “train cars” with ranch dressing instead of sliced veggies.
- Prep Time10 min
- Total Time10 min
TO CREATE THIS HEALTHY TODDLER SNACK, YOU WILL NEED:
- 3-4 bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Carrots*
- Celery*
- Broccoli*
- Skewers
- *These are suggested veggies to put inside each “train car.” You can substitute whatever your child likes to eat here.
METHOD
1. Slice one side off of each bell pepper and remove the seeds
2. Stick a skewer through the top and bottom of the bell pepper, opposite the side you sliced off. These will be your “spokes”
3. Slice the cucumbers into rounds and attach one to each “spoke.” These will be your “wheels.”
4. Slice up various veggies and place them inside the bell peppers.
5. Line the bell peppers up, and you’ve got your train!
Parmesan and Spinach Twists
These parmesan and spinach twists are the perfect finger food for toddlers that are learning how to feed themselves. The recipe is so simple and delicious that you might find yourself making a larger version for your own snack! This fun toddler recipe is also a great way to sneak some veggies into a picky eater’s day. Feel free to customize the shape and size of the twists as well as the filling to better suit your toddler’s eating preferences.
- Prep Time10 min
- Total Time10 min
TO CREATE THIS FINGER FOOD FOR TODDLERS, ALL YOU’LL NEED IS:
- 1 sheet of frozen puffed pastry
- Baby spinach (frozen and drained also works!)
- Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
METHOD
10. Bake until golden brown!
*If your puff pastry is not the folded type, roll it out until it is 1/8-inch thick.
HEALTHY, HAPPY KIDS
These fun recipes for infants and toddlers are made to get kids involved in their own diet and think about food in a creative way! They’re sure to enjoy eating them as much as they loved helping you create them. Try a few out at let us know what you think! Don’t forget to check out our Meaningful Beginnings blog for more valuable information about early childcare.
