Navigating toddler food battles

Before the birth of my daughter, I had dreams of our little family gathered around the table, enjoying a meal and talking about our day. I even had fantasies of my children "oohing" and "ahhing" over the food I had so lovingly prepared.

I remember hearing stories from friends who were dealing with the challenge of getting their kids to eat healthy foods. At the time, I would think, That won’t happen to me. My kids will love and eat everything I prepare.

A spoonful of reality

But now that I’m the mother of a two year old who has quickly learned how to say, "Ewwwww," when she sees something she doesn’t like, I am eating humble pie. The dreams I once had have come crashing down in the wake of what some would call the "nightmare" of feeding a toddler. One minute she loves it, the next minute she won’t touch it. And vegetables? Ha! What was I thinking?

I’ve now become the mom asking for advice from other moms who’ve "been there." I’ve also been searching through online articles, recipes and books for tips to ensure my fussy eater has a well-balanced diet.

Creative mealtime tricks

If you’re also dealing with a finicky eater, here are some creative yet simple ways I’ve found to boost my toddler’s healthy food intake (without her even realizing it!):

• Purée carrots or beets and add to pancake batter
• Add finely grated zucchini and carrots to rice
• Add sweet potato to macaroni and cheese
• Fill your spaghetti sauce with puréed veggies and finely chopped peppers
• Puréed cauliflower can be used in eggs, cheese sauces, spreads and potatoes
• Have "crazy coloured food nights" when everything, from the chicken to the pasta, is a fun colour (such as green, to hide puréed peas and spinach)
• There are a number of books out there on this topic. I found books like Deceptively Delicious* and The Sneaky Chef* to be helpful.

* Referrals to resources not produced by Focus on the Family Canada or its affiliates are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the authors or the resources’ content.