We’re not talking about forgoing food in favor of plain juice or milk. Make a delicious smoothie for your child! A smoothie is a very easy – and tasty – way to cram several servings of fruits and calcium in one drink. You can supplement the smoothie with tofu, wheat germ, protein powder, or any other ingredient that can be easily blended in (don’t use raw eggs, though, or you run the risk of salmonella). Serve it in a favorite cup with a crazy straw, and bam! It’ll be an instant favorite that you can feel good about. Or complement your child’s diet with one of the pre-made nutritional drinks on the market, such as Ensure, that is specifically targeted toward kids.
Rename the ordinary.
Your toddler may not be thrilled about eating broccoli with cheese sauce, but how about eating “trees and cheese?” Sounds much more fun, doesn’t it? As a child, I remember my mother making a spectacular bright-green dip that I would eat with carrot sticks – she called it “Kermit dip” in honor of my favorite Sesame Street character. Come to find out, it was just mashed avocado and a few seasonings – but it was cleverly disguised as something fun, and I gobbled it up. If it had been called what it was, I might never have touched it: “Avocado? Eww …”
Keep a snack stash.
Kids aren’t going to get all their required nutrition at mealtimes alone, so smart snacking is important. Designate a low shelf in the refrigerator that your toddler can reach with ease, and keep it stocked with kid-friendly finger foods: cheese cubes, red bell pepper strips, steamed broccoli florets, sliced hardboiled egg, apple slices … there is an infinite variety. Several times a day, put out a plate of those kinds of snacks so that your toddler can eat from it whenever she happens to cruise by. Offer her a few different choices so she doesn’t grow tired of the same old snack, and take note of what she particularly likes. Many people are opposed to their kids munching between meals, but studies show that being allowed to nibble throughout the day keeps kids’ blood sugar levels steady, and can actually reduce mood swings and behavior problems that result from low blood sugar. If you want your child to eat meals at the same time as the rest of the family, withdraw the snacks two hours before meals.