We have had some struggles with getting little J to eat lunch. Toddlers are notorious for making meal times difficult. I wanted to share a few tips that I have learned along the way.
1. Cookie Cutters: Use a cookie cutter to make a 'boring' peanut butter and jelly sandwich a little more exciting. And as a bonus, it takes the crust off for you. We love the dinosaurs or hearts at our house!
2. Make It Interesting: My son loves tri-colored fusilli pasta. He likes to eat one color at a time. For me, this works great because I can keep some plain and feed Baby Mayhem too!
3. Let them help: Eating a sandwich is much more exciting if you get to make it, right? For the tots struggling with independence, making the meal is an accomplishment. Add it to the list. We love Trader Joe's pizza crust- topped off by J himself!
4. Divided Plates: Side dishes sometimes distract from the main dish, but if they are healthy options- who cares?! Apples slices, banana slices, or carrots all work well on the side. I often find these plates in the 'dollar bins' at Target. A nice aspect to these plates is that if you have a toddler that doesn't like things to be 'dirty' (I won't mention any names)- any sauces that you are using won't touch the food, until they are ready!
If your toddler isn't interested in lunch, then they may truly not be hungry. There is no need for concern, if play seems more interesting to them before nap time. Toss them a string cheese, and let them chase the dog (or you!).
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