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10 smart ways to include veggies in your toddler’s mealtimes
Encouraging your toddler to eat vegetables can be a challenging task for parents. However, with some creativity and patience, you can make veggies an enjoyable part of your little one’s diet. Here are some clever strategies to try.
- Offer veggie finger foods
Toddlers love finger foods – and they love dipping! Cut vegetables into small, manageable pieces that are easy for little hands to grasp. Steamed carrot sticks, cucumber rounds, or small broccoli florets make perfect finger foods for toddlers learning to feed themselves. Create tasty dips by stirring Squish 100% Veg Puree through smooth cottage cheese, cream cheese, or plain yoghurt. Or try this protein-rich Beany Dip. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees are a convenient choice for parents wanting to ensure that their little one is getting a good balanced diet. Squish Purees are made with quality fruit and veg and contain no colourants, flavourants and preservatives.
- Sneak veggies into breakfast favourites
Who says veggies are only for lunch and supper? With a little creative cooking you can include vegetables in some of your child’s favourite breakfast treats, like this Cheesy Egg Scramble or these delicious Waffles that are packed full of sneaky veggie goodness thanks to Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Puree.
- Use veggies in your sweet bakes
Add Squish 100% Veg Puree, grated courgettes or carrots to your baking recipes. These vegetables add moisture and nutrients without significantly changing the taste, making them an easy addition to your toddler’s favourite treats. Bake a batch of these courgette-loaded Brownies, these Sweet Potato Pancakes, or this Spice Loaf made with grated carrots.
- Make vegetable smoothies
Blend mild-tasting vegetables like spinach or cucumber with fruits to create tasty smoothies. The natural sweetness of the fruit can mask the vegetable flavour, making it more palatable for picky toddlers. For extra convenience, use Squish 100% Summer Berries or Fruit Salad.
- Use cookie cutters for fun shapes
Use small cookie cutters to create star, heart, or animal-shaped pieces from slices of vegetables like courgettes or red or yellow peppers. These fun shapes can make vegetables more enticing for toddlers.
- Involve your toddler in meal prep
Let your little one help with simple tasks like washing vegetables, tearing lettuce leaves or stirring dips. By involving them you can increase their interest in trying the finished product.
- Use vegetables as “boats”
Hollow out vegetables like cucumber, courgettes or peppers to create imaginary “boats”. Fill them with cream cheese, hummus, or other spreads mixed with your child’s favourite Squish 100% Fruit or Veg Puree.
- Check yourself
Toddlers often want to copy their parents or older siblings, so lead by example. Make sure you’re eating and enjoying vegetables yourself and talk positively about them during family mealtimes. Encourage your child to sample veggies off your plate.
- Offer choices
Give your toddler a choice between two vegetables at mealtimes. This sense of control can encourage them to try new options. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Puree pouches come with resealable lids so you can just use what you need then pop the rest back in the fridge for later, saving on food waste.
- Be patient and persistent
Remember that it can take multiple exposures before a toddler accepts a new vegetable. Keep offering a variety of vegetables prepared in different ways without pressuring your child to eat them. That way you’ll increase the likelihood of your toddler developing a taste for these nutritious foods. You’ll find a range of inspiring and delicious toddler-friendly recipes packed with veggie goodness under the Quick + Easy Recipes tab on the Squish website. Give them a try!