Toddlers have very small esophagi so it is crucial to remember to give them soft foods that they can easily chew and eat in small bites. You don’t want to give your toddler tough meats or foods that they will have a hard time eating on their own. You also have to remember to always cut your toddlers food into very small pieces so that they do not choke on it.

Many times the food you feed your family you can also feed your toddler. Mashed potatoes, soups, mashed up peas, french fries that even toothless babies can gum, and cooked carrots are good for a toddler to eat. They are soft and can be squished in your toddler’s mouth before they swallow.

Toddlers can also eat small bites of spaghetti that you make for your family, or small bites of burritos or enchiladas. You want to make sure it is all cut up into baby size bites and isn’t too spicy for kids. Grilled cheese sandwiches cut into tiny pieces that your toddler can gum are a great idea for a quick and easy lunch. You will probably want to cut off the crust however.

Once your toddler turns two you can begin introducing peanut butter and hotdogs into his diet. You want to avoid peanut butter before two because it could cause your child to develop allergies to nuts that could be deadly. Always make extra sure that you cut hotdogs into very small pieces.

Breakfast for your toddler can include eggs, small pieces of cut of sausage, cold cereal with or without milk, or oatmeal. Snacks can include soft fruits such as kiwi and melons that your toddler can gum or chew.

Smoothies are always good for toddler. Blend up fruits and veggies and let your toddler drink these as a way to sneak in that extra serving of healthy fruits and vegetables everyday. Here is a recipe for one of our favorites!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
2-4 strawberries
1/2 banana*

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together, adding water if desired to make thinner. Pour in your toddler’s sippy cup and serve.

*For variety bananas may be substituted for Kiwi’s or you can use all three!

Question:
My child wants to eat only her two favorite foods: cereal and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She eats tiny amounts of any other food and complains about what’s put in front of her. What can I do about this?

Think about it:
As long as your child is healthy, and is of normal height and weight, relax your attitude about food. The more you worry and scold, the bigger battleground food will become. In addition, if you also have specific rules about food, and enforce them with a calm demeanor, you’ll have fewer battles.

Offer healthy choices:
Limit the high-fat and high-sugar foods that are available to your child. Offer healthy choices and don’t worry so much about the occasional food jags. Evaluate your child’s diet on a weekly, not daily, basis. Most kids, when given nutritious options, will eat a balanced diet when viewed over a weekly time period.

Schedule:
Have a specific schedule for meal time and snack time, and don’t allow snacking on unhealthy food at other times. (A piece of fruit or a veggie at any time is fine!) If your child is hungry when a meal is served she’ll more likely eat what’s put in front of her. Modify meal times, if possible, to take advantage of your child’s hungry parts of the day. As an example, most kids are truly hungry when they walk in the door after school. Take advantage of this by serving dinner at that time and a light snack later. This way, the kids will eat a healthy meal instead of filling up on snacks while they wait for dinner.

Serve smaller portions:
Your child’s stomach is about the size of her clenched fist, smaller than you thought! If you serve meals on smaller plates and include just a small amount of each food, the meal won’t appear so intimidating to your child.

Give in – a little:
Serve your child’s favorite food as a small side dish to meals. A half peanut butter and jelly sandwich makes a fine side dish to roasted chicken!

Create rules:
Do you remember eating the dinner your mother set in front of you without a fuss? Most of us do. The reason is that our mothers did not feel the ambivalence about serving meals that we do. Try to modify your way of thinking to one simple thought, “This is dinner. If you’re hungry eat, if not, you’re excused from the table.” Save a plate of dinner for your child, and if she’s hungry an hour later offer the dinner, and nothing else. Be consistent with this rule, and your child will begin to eat what’s served, just like you did when you were a kid.

One night off:
Allow your child the option to have toast or cereal for dinner one night a week, passing on a meal he doesn’t like. When he knows he can skip one meal he’ll make a decision to eat things that aren’t favorites, and save his “cereal day” for the day you’re having the food he likes least.

Copyright Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)

About the Author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.

Time of Day
What time of day are you having your party? If you are having a mid-morning party then food wise you won’t need much. Even for the guests coming, you could probably get buy with some danishes or croissants since it is between breakfast and lunch. If it is at lunch time you can have a deli tray, mini quiches or little finger sandwiches for everyone to eat. A vegetable tray is a nice addition to a lunchtime party as well. For a mid-afternoon party, try serving finger food snacks such as chicken wings and little taquitos. For a dinner party consider having a pot of chili or stew, or if the weather permits a barbeque outside with hamburgers and hotdogs. If there will be other toddlers at your party, consider having an assortment of your baby’s favorite foods handy for them too munch on if their parents are willing.

Who is Coming?
What is the main age range of the people coming to the party? You want to make sure you have food and beverages that are age appropriate for all your guests. If it is all toddlers you will want a menu of kid friendly food. If it is mostly adults it is ok to get a little more unique and experimental. Make sure you have plenty of food for everyone because it is much better to have leftovers and everyone happy than not have enough food and people looking for a snack.

Tying in the Theme
What kind of party are you throwing? When possible, if you can tie the theme of your party in to the food you serve people will think you are genius! For example, if you are throwing Sponge Bob or The Little Mermaid birthday parties have a menu of seafood. Fish sticks, small shrimp, or clam chowder on a cold day along with coleslaw and hushpuppies would make a great under the sea variety of food. If you are doing a Dora the Explorer or Diego party, have a menu of Mexican food whether it is taquitos, tacos or enchiladas.

Seating
Don’t expect everyone to sit down and eat unless you specifically tell them in advance that you are preparing a sit down meal. Prepare food that can be easily carried around and eaten standing up as parents will want to be able to mingle with others easily. This also keeps down the chance that parents will forget to keep an eye on their child while you are taking care of the birthday child.