Toddler Food Ideas??

Question

My son just turned 2 about a month ago, and I am kinda stumped on what to feed him..he stays at home with me. He usually eats hot dogs, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets..but it seems he won't eat anything else, so I feel bad cause he eats the same things week after week. What are some ideas for lunch that aren't too expensive, I am on a tight budget. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

Oh yea.. when I try to give him new stuff.. he wont eat it..and a lot of people say then he will eat it when he gets hungry enough..but I always feel bad doing that?

Answer 1

Try introducing the new foods with a food he already likes. My mom used to make us "muffin tin" suppers. She would take a 6 cup muffin tin, put hot dog in one, sliced apple in another, carrots & dip, grapes, cheese & crackers, whatever she could. Eventually she was able to start introducing new foods to us in these muffin cups. We were allowed to eat the items in any order we wanted, but had to eat everything. I started eating my oreos first because I liked them so much, but would still eat the raw veggies because they were in there.

You may also want to try having your son helping you in the kitchen. Kids are more likely to eat something that they helped to prepare.

You could also try cutting the new foods into fun shapes or presenting them in a fun way. Use cookie cutters to cut veggies & sandwiches. Make kabobs out of fruit. Look at Family Fun Magaziine's web site for more ideas.

Answer 2

I have had a picky eater and currently have one now. What I do is give them their usual foods at breakfast and lunch. Nothing new at those time. But dinner time is when I give new foods. Let's see....
Breakfast around here are either waffles or pancakes and eggs, sometimes toast or yogurt for the little one
Lunch she'll eat chicken nuggets, pb & j, ham & cheese sandwich, or spaghetti o's.
Dinner is what I make for the whole family. I do try to have at least one item on the menu that she will eat every few days. For example she does not like veggies. So she'll reject most veggies. But on the night we have steamed broccoli she'll eat her "twees". I give her a plate or bowl and utensils and let her feed herself. If she doesn't want to try it or she takes a bite and spits it out that's fine. At least I know she ate well earlier in the day. But the key is to keep trying.

Answer 3

A 2 year old will say "NO!" whatever you offer! LOL

By that age, he should be eating a version of the families food.

Try cutting sandwiches, raw veggies (like carrots) and fruit into shapes to tempt the appetite.

Try using a piece of round lunch meat as the base for a "face" with sprouts or shredded lettuce for hair, carrot circles for eyes, a capsicum smile, cheese ears and raisons for a nose.

Make a 50/50 mix of peanut butter and water slightly warmed in the microwave so it will blend and serve it as a dip with chopped raw veggies like brocolli, carrot, green beans and some pita bread.

If food is about fun and games he will eat it!

Answer 4

There are well-meaning books with all kinds of ideas but they won't work with all children. I feed my two year old what we eat and always have since he's been able to chew properly. I try hard not to overdo the nuggets, mac and cheese and dogs because they're not fantastic options. Here are some things I feed my kiddo:
* Tortilla filled with pureed black beans and cheddar cheese
* Turkey or tuna in a pita
*SOUPS--a good way to sneak in veggies
* Scrambled egg, cheese, and soy bacon on wheat bread
*Leftover baked chicken with a few rounds of sweet potato
* Broccoli/Carrot frozen single side dishes. They are seasoned with Italian dressing. He gobbles this up.
*Smart Dogs instead of hotdogs. Less fat and meatless.
* Salmon Croquettes
* Hummus on pita with tomato and cucumber (sliced well and small)

Answer 5

My Kids always loved Graham crackers with cream cheese and jelly. add some fruit and you have a pretty good lunch. If feeding him grapes make sure you cut them in half or even quarters. I also used to use cookie cutters to make sandwiches (grilled cheese, PB&J) shaped like animals,airplanes whatever you may have around.

Eggs (hard boiled, scrambled, omeletts, egg salad)

He will eat if he gets hungry enough, but if he enjoys what he is eating why worry. I know if I didn't have a husband and kids I would eat cereal every night for dinner.

good luck

Answer 6

I know how you feel--I always feel guilty about what mine is eating, because she's always drawn to the grossest stuff. Here's what she eats that I think is decent:

Frozen corn
Shredded cheese
cereal of all sorts
all fruit
veggie burgers
granola bars
pasta, cold or hot

Try giving him a new food in a way that makes him think he's the one who chose it or had to twist your arm to get it. "Oh, I guess you can have some . . . " kind of thing . . . with my daughter, it makes her feel powerful, which is irresistable at that age. And don't worry if it seems like he doesn't eat much, that's normal at this age. Just try to get him eating something from each major food group several times a week.

Answer 7

At this age of two what you train his taste buds to prefer is how he will eat when he is older! It is much easier to change how he eats now instead of later!!
It sounds like the foods he eats are mainly processed which as the sole diet for your son is very unhealthy. Try feeding cheerios, banana, apples, (other fruits) does not mean that he can't have his favorites ever...just don't give him his favorites till he eats other things like fruit or veggies or something of that sort.

As much as you don't like to wait till he is hungry enough to try something new that will be your biggest ally to getting him to eat. At two years old he still counts on you to feed him, so change some habits for him, get him trying new foods now and when he is old enough to start getting his own food he will probably have aquired taste for good things also.

Answer 8

I know how u feel my 2 year old daughter is that way, so what i did was, i took lets say her sandwiches, she won't eat egg salad sandwiches, so i took a cookie cutter and cut different shapes out,, she loved the fact that they were different shapes and ate them all up.. with pork chops, i add 1/4 cup of sugar 1/4 tsp of cinnimon and sliced apples and put shake and bake on my pork chops and baked at 400 F for 30 mins, she loved the fact that they tasted like candy apples.. experiment with your food, you and your son can have a lot of fun, and its a good teaching tool. too. hope this helped.

Answer 9

I give my son sandwhich, he wouldn't eat the sandwhich meat at first, but when /i mention I'll give him "goody goody" if he eats all his meat then he'll start eating it. Usually "goody goody" is the gold fish cheddar crackers, cheese crackers things like that. I also feed him saimen, tuna sandwhich. I sometimes feed him chicken noodle soup, vegetable soup. Yeah, well I hope I could be of some help. Every child is different and have their favorites. Good Luck....

Answer 10

I know what you mean on being stuck on the same foods... I will tell you some things that I have done with my 3 that worked...

Cold Green beans.. (yes. straight out of the can)
fruit (canned, really cheap and you can put into a container for leftovers)
My kids love to dip...... I buy carrots and celery and cucumbers.. some generic Ranch dressing place into a bowl.. They LOVE THAT ..... They are dipping and getting good foods...
Cheese is great also.... show them how to make a cheese and cracker sandwich... Cheap and good for them
Cheerios.... Great for them, easy for you and cheap....
Fishsticks.... My kids always loved fishsticks...
OMG.... The addiction at my house and the cheapest ever....

RAMEN NOODLES...... They are quick fast and easy and good for them.....

I hope I helped...
Stacie