Share ideas for feeding toddlers!

Twin1 Tasha

29/08/2007 at 10:14

Hi Everyone
Just thought that it might be nice to share and swap ideas and recipes for our childrens meals?!
Ethans favourites are quiche which is versatile as can be given with so many different things, vegetable risotto and vegetable rissoles which I often make, freeze then give on the side of his meal on the occasions when I resort to oven food,it makes me feel less guilty!!

29/08/2007 at 14:50

Ok - how do you make vegetable risotto and vegetable rissoles? I'm always trying to find new ways to smuggle vegetables into my daughters diet. She does'nt really like stuff you can see..(Hmmmm....big sigh and wonders where she has gone wrong with the food thing...)

Lucy-H

04/09/2007 at 17:29

You have to get the Annabel Karmel book,Feeding your baby and toddler,its my bible.There is a recipe in there for pasta sauce with hidden vegetables. I feel I have got one over on my son as he loves it and hates vegetables but has no idea they are packed in there.

04/09/2007 at 19:29

I am currently borrowing it from a freind! I grate vegetables into meals when I cook them and that often works.

06/09/2007 at 13:43

Does anyone have any ideas for getting children to try new things? My little boy is just three and I feel he keeps eating the same things that he likes and everytme I introduce new things he point blank refuses to even try them. It turns into a battle of wills but he is a wily little thing and will still refuse and go to bed hungry even when desserts/treats have been offered as incentives (but not given). He has a healthy enough diet (weetabix/porridge then vegetable soup with bananas or raisins for snacks and then dinners can be a bit hit or miss)but I feel there is little variation - any ideas??? Have tried reward charts/bribery/phone calls to Santa etc etc)

Lucy-H

06/09/2007 at 16:04

Hi Rosie
I think if your little boys diet is healthy then thats fine.Children like routine .My son ate a marmite sandwich carrots and cucumber sticks every day for lunch from about 18 months until he started school. you could still put new foods on his plate or seperate but dont mention them and he might try them when there is no fuss. Battleing is pointless as you will never win but just get stressed

06/09/2007 at 18:17

I have the same problem with trying to introduce new foods to my toddler. She just won't try anything new - not even fruit or sweets! I always put a bit on her plate incase she is courageous to try it and if she does she has a chocolate biscuit as reward but most of the time she does'nt attempt to.

She only eats bananas ( as whole fruit ) but she does eat fruit pots for pudding and she won't eat any vegetables she can identify ( so I smuggle them in pasta sauces ect )

Twin1 Tasha

06/09/2007 at 19:57

Hi Dawn
Sorry i haven't got back to you with the recipes yet. My husband is the main cook in our houe so will get him to write out the recipes. I do know that the rissoles are any veg you fancy (i use carrot parsnip and potato)grated mixed with 2 eggs some flour salt pepper (optional) and mixed herbs to flavour fried in olive oil then cheese added on top. A good tip is to mould them in a biscuit cutter before frying then they look like burgers!! Ethan adores them!

07/09/2007 at 19:25

The rissoles sound good but I may have to leave the cheese out as I have'nt yet found a good 'hard' soya cheese that Zoe likes so all the ones she likes are squishy. Zoe likes burgers so I may just try and do a half and half burger with meat and carrot ect first to see how it goes - but it's given me great ideas thank you! Just to say you are very lucky to have a husband who does the cooking!

Twin1 Tasha

07/09/2007 at 19:50

I Know but sometimes i'd like to give it a go myself but he's a fussy so and so!! Also when i cook he hangs over my shoulder watching what i'm doing! Can't complain though he's cooking dinner now!!!

Sorry i forgot that zoe can't have dairy i don't think the cheese on the rissoles in essential at all. I hadn't though of adding meat to them thanks!! x

Kas

07/09/2007 at 20:34

Hiya,
I would just suggest keep trying. Niamh went through a really fussy stage where she hardly ate a thing and would try nothing new. I just kept putting bits on her plates and making sure the snacks she was eating were healthy.
Also, DONT WORRY!! Its the best bit of advice I had. I stopped fretting and decided she'd eat if she was hungry. As she's got a bit older, she tries everything we cook and is quite adventurous now.

Another good tip is to let them help with the shopping and preparing of the food. They love feeling involved!

Hope you are all well and that it helps.
Speak soon
Kas xx

Twin1 Tasha

07/09/2007 at 20:41

Hi Rosie
I agree with Kas The best thing we ever did was letting Ethan prepare his dinner it makes all the difference x

Lucy-H

10/09/2007 at 13:33

Hi
Does anyone know how to make houmus(not sure of spelling)
and what flavours to include?

Zoe

10/09/2007 at 14:52

Hi Lucyanne,

This is the recipe I use,

400g tin chickpeas
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tahini ( sesame seed paste)
lemon juice (Just a little )
and 1 tbsp plain yoghurt

Drain the chickpeas and put them in a blender with all other ingredients. Blend until smooth.

It's fab and really easy. Charlotte likes dipping all sorts into it.

Hope this is ok for you.

Take care, Zoe x

Zoe

10/09/2007 at 14:59

Me again. Charlotte enjoys most things we're quite lucky like that. Some of her favourites are homemade pizza using breakfast muffins and a homemade tomato sauce, Cheesy beans with sausages. This ones really easy and quick, great for the days I'm at work. Spag bog, a bit messy but great fun for them.

I'm full of ideas if you want anymore just ask. Zoe x

Lucy-H

10/09/2007 at 16:03

HI Zoe
Thanks for that.
Bit of a silly question,but do I need to cook the chick peas first?
Unfortunately, Katelin wont touch sausages,so might try the cheesy beans with mince.
You are really lucky that Charlotte will eat anything.
Katelin seems to have approached the fussy stage rather early which has surprised me as I made all her baby food and she would eat whatever I cooked for her .
Thanks for the ideas. Take care.Lucyanne

Zoe

10/09/2007 at 16:29

No you don't need to cook the chickpeas first, they're ready to use. I know we are lucky with Charlotte i just hope it lasts. Jack is terrible with food and like you i cooked all of his baby foods and under one years of age he would eat it all. Now getting him to try new things is impossible so it's nice to have a 'dust bin'! We call her that sometimes as she'll eat near enough anything, even a hot homemade curry that wasn't meant for the kids. If Katelin doesn't like sausages, the cheesy baked beans goes well with potato, mashed or jacket.

Zoe x

Twin1 Tasha

10/09/2007 at 18:21

Thanks for the idea for cheesy beans Ethan just had it on toast for tea!! He had his main meal at lunch and was stuck on what to give him!!

Zoe

11/09/2007 at 21:41

Hi Tasha,

I'm glad Ethan enjoyed it. It's so quick to do and goes with different things to give a bit of variety and you know they're not eating rubbish.

Take care, Zoe x

Zoe

13/09/2007 at 17:52

Hi, just wondered if anyone's had a go at the houmus recipe and whether their toddler enjoyed it or not. Also has anyone got any other recipes of dips that I could try Charlotte with.

Zoe x

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