I know what you’re thinking-yeah right! Feeding a toddler easy? You must be out of your mind!
But there really are a few guidelines you can follow to encourage picky eaters to get an adequate amount of nutrients in their little bodies every day, and to be satisfied with your toddler’s eating habits even if they are erratic at times!
Feeding toddlers has always generally been difficult; by their very nature they can be extremely picky eaters who tend to eat one food at a time. For example, it’s common for a toddler to sit at their high chair or table with a plate of white rice and tiny cut-up pieces of chicken. If they feed themselves, most will eat the chicken first, then the rice, one food group at a time.
After the 1st year of a child’s life, toddlers don’t gain weight as quickly anymore so this tends to affect how much food they really need. They basically go into “snack mode” where two or three crackers become much more appealing to them than sitting down to a real meal!
The easy method to feeding a toddler consists of buying regular food for the family as if nothing’s changed, and perhaps throwing in a few healthy snacks into your grocery list for your toddler, cooking food in a nutritional manner. and not becoming stressed or discouraged if your toddler doesn’t eat all the time or if he or she misses any meals. As long as they’re eating something of nutritional value while ingesting at least 1,000 calories a day, they’re going to be fine.
Many doctors recommend liquid vitamin drops for toddlers from 1-3 years of age, so if you want to supplement your toddler’s diet, consult with your physician. A good one that people swear by is Dr. Greene Toddler Multivitamin Drops.
In summary, the easy method to feeding toddlers has more to do with you accepting the fact that toddlers will choose when and how much to eat,and it’s up to you to make sure there are a few healthy snacks in your cupboard and refrigerator to accommodate their needs.