Daily struggles with a toddler who turns her nose up at everything you give her to eat can be frustrating and worrisome. According to the MayoClinic.com, however, finicky eating is a common problem with toddlers and young children, though rarely does it last for long or harm their overall health. Both MayoClinic.com and AskDr.Sears.com assure that with some planning and creativity you can help increase your child's interest in eating. Providing your toddler a variety of finger foods is an excellent way to accomplish this.
Kabobs
When you hear "kabob," you may only think of grilled meat on shish kebab sticks. However, you can use those long, wooden kabob sticks to make a wide variety of fun, eye-catching finger foods that you can customize for your own child. Try alternating chunks of brightly-colored fruit--pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, oranges, apples--or make a kabob with squares of various cheeses, lunch meats and breads.
The Parents website recommends combining foods your child already enjoys with small amounts of ones that may be new to him. You may even put your child's entire meal on a kabob stick: chicken nuggets alternated with steamed vegetables; pepperoni alternated with cheese and bread with pizza sauce as a dip; and even meatballs alternated with ravioli and vegetables.
Nibble Trays
Fill a colorful compartmentalized tray with small amounts of bite-sized foods: chunks of cheese; slices of fruit, such as banana or apples; berries; whole grain cereals; sunflower seeds; hard-boiled egg rounds; small squares of meat or circles of pepperoni; and sliced, lightly steamed vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, green beans or broccoli. Don't put too much in each compartment--just enough for a few mouthfuls--and try to make the foods appealing to look at. Aim for at least one grain, one protein, one fruit and one vegetable.
Spreads and Toppings
Toddlers love to get involved in the cooking process and get messy. Combine both of these things by making a finger food project to get your child eating. Put a small variety of crackers, breads or miniature bagels and rice cakes on a plate with a container of peanut butter, whipped cream cheese or hummus. Also provide a small sectioned tray, such as a muffin pan, with different types of toppings that can be sprinkled: raisins, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds or miniature chocolate chips. Show your child how to use a lightweight plastic children's knife to smear the spread and encourage her to try different combinations of toppings and spreads.
Dips
Provide your child with a selection of crackers; strips and rounds of fruit such as bananas, apples or pears; vegetables such as green beans, bell peppers and carrots sliced into long, thin spears; and toasted triangles of bread along with one or more delicious dips. Website AskDrSears.com recommends trying a dip made from fruit yogurt, cream cheese or cottage cheese.
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