Being a single parent means being on top of your game. Between working and caring for your family, finding time can be challenging. If you have a toddler in the home, one that is particular about food, and you find your time limited, then consider some of these great finger foods. Most often, being a little creative with food will go a long way as far as kids are concerned.
As your child begins to grow older, you will find that he or she has distinct likes and dislikes in toys, clothing, and of course, food. It seems that the healthier the choice the more the nose is turned up. Of course, as the single parent, you want to make sure the food your child does eat is healthy so he or she is getting the proper nutrition needed. I hope you will see that you are not alone in battle the toddler when it comes to food.
One thing that many parents are not aware of is that your child’s taste buds are actually more sensitive than that of an adult. In addition, your child will change likes and dislikes, probably every few months so while the carrots and peas are hated one time, they might become the favorite food the next meal. Your job is to make food colorful and creative, and be flexible about the things you make, as well as the expectations of your child.
If you find that dinnertime is a nightmare with your child pushing food from one side of the plate to the other without actually making its way into the mouth, try incorporating some healthy finger foods into the menu. For instance, most kids, even fussy eaters, love fresh fruit. Therefore, make a fruit plate of fresh strawberries, banana, pineapple, apple, and grapes. Even if this is all your child eats, he or she is eating something healthy.
You can also encourage your child to eat fresh vegetables but to make them more interesting, add dip. For instance, you could cook baby carrots but then serve a low calorie butter and light brown sugar dip. If you serve broccoli, make a cheesy dip. Then, have some fun with food creations. My own son was extremely fussy, making dinnertime frustrating.
I too was a single parent and I could feel my patience being challenged. One night, I made some baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and carrots. However, I made a smiley face out of the potatoes, using the chicken for the eyes and nose, and the carrots for the mouth and ears. I really had no idea how he would respond but he ate almost all it. Simply by changing the appearance of the food made it more appealing to him.
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