Healthy sides my 2 year old will like

kiffypooh · February 2010

Hello All,
Most nights we have a meat (generally chicken), one or two veggies and that's it. In an idea world I would love if my 2 year old would eat her plate with 1/4 meat and the rest veggies. In this world, she eats the meat and a few bites of veggies and asks for more meat. What other sides are good healthy sides but not necessarily packed with carbs (not dinner rolls, or breads, etc). My daughter LOVES carbs and will eat those over anything and everything else. I was thinking of adding different grains, but I am still learning about preparing them and haven't had very good luck making my Okie hubby or my 2 year old happy with those; although I'm open to suggestions.
Along with this question, could you add some good recipes or any other tips you may have to raise a healthy eater?
Thank you all so much and have a great weekend!

spritie · February 2010

could you try 'hiding' vegetable in a grain/carb?

like making veggie rice or something. As a sorta of example something like a ratio of 50% chopped veggies 50% grain, or better yet 75% veggie 25% grain.

such as corn kibblets, chopped carrot, chopped capsicum, mushroom and rice??

or pumpkin, spinach, mushroom and couscous??

PJilly · February 2010

I don't have a lot of advice for you, but I wish you much luck! I wish I'd tried harder to get my kids to be healthy eaters when they were little. I grew up a very picky eater, and it was miserable for me to be nagged about my food all the time, so I didn't want to do that to them. They don't have very good eating habits now as teens, but I have hopes they will when they get older. Fortunately, they don't have weight issues. If anything, they need to gain. One suggestion I do have, since your kids like carbs so much, is to be sure give them whole-grain varieties: whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, etc. Good luck!

mszSHOGAN · February 2010

I think the "hiding" veggies idea would most likely work best. Especially if you hide them in something you know she'll eat. That way when she eats them she'll associate them with something she already likes and then will hopefully eat them on their own.

I think the best way to raise a healthy eater is to do from the first introduction of solid food. I did that with all of my kids and to date they will eat any and everything! I exposed them to different tastes and textures before they were introduced to things that most kids will ONLY eat (like french fries, chips, cookies, candy, hotdogs, etc. - the "not so good for you foods"). Of course my kids enjoy eating those foods but since their paletes are used to other things its not a constant fight or struggle. Without that struggle I can't say I have any specific recipes, sorry! Even though your daughter is 2 its never too late to start instilling good eating habits, it will just take a little more time. And of course, setting a good example by you and hubby eating well will help motivate her to chow down also! :bigsmile:

Jes21sica · February 2010

theres a book called The Sneaky Chef that shows you how to purree fruit and veggies and put them into all kinds of things that kids like, such as mac and cheese and muffins and stuff.

mommy2js · February 2010

how about veggie burgers, sausages, etc??? kinda like hiding the veggies in the carbs, but if she really likes meat, maybe try this. I like morningstar brand, it doesn't use just soy - yuck - it is much more creative and tastes much better.

pmjsmom · February 2010

Hello All,
Most nights we have a meat (generally chicken), one or two veggies and that's it. In an idea world I would love if my 2 year old would eat her plate with 1/4 meat and the rest veggies. In this world, she eats the meat and a few bites of veggies and asks for more meat. What other sides are good healthy sides but not necessarily packed with carbs (not dinner rolls, or breads, etc). My daughter LOVES carbs and will eat those over anything and everything else. I was thinking of adding different grains, but I am still learning about preparing them and haven't had very good luck making my Okie hubby or my 2 year old happy with those; although I'm open to suggestions.
Along with this question, could you add some good recipes or any other tips you may have to raise a healthy eater?
Thank you all so much and have a great weekend!

Here are some general guidelines and a sample menu for your 2 year old. I hope this helps! (By the way, my kids LOVED quinoa--pronounced keen-wa--when they were young, and still do. It is a wonderful grain to try--tasty, good for you, and easy to prepare.)

This is from ivillage:

To help you get a better sense of your child's nutritional needs, check out these daily requirements. On average, a one-year-old needs the following:

• 6 servings of grains (one serving = 1/4 slice bread, 1/4 muffin, 2 crackers, 1/4 cup dry cereal, 1/4 cup hot cereal)
• 1 serving of a vitamin-C-rich fruit or veggie (one serving = 1/3 cup juice, 1/4 cup chopped fruit or veggie)
• 1 serving green or orange fruit or veggie for vitamin A (one serving = 1/4 to 1/3 cup juice, 1/4 cup chopped fruit/veggie)
• 3 or more servings of other fruits or vegetables, including potatoes (1 serving = 1/4 of a whole fruit/veggie, 1/4 cup chopped, raw or cooked)
• 3 servings of milk, yogurt or cheese (one serving = 1/2 cup milk/yogurt, 1/2 ounce cheese)
• 2 servings of protein (one serving = 1+ tablespoon chopped meat, fish or poultry, 1 egg)

If your child prefers finger foods, try serving him some of these foods in manageable finger-food portions.

Breakfast:
1/4 chopped banana
1/4 cup baby cereal or 1/4 cup iron-fortified Cheerios
1/2 cup milk

Snack:
2 crackers
1/3 cup juice

Lunch:
1 tablespoon chopped cooked ground beef, maybe in "meat loaf sticks" for easy handling
1 to 2 tablespoons cooked chopped carrots
1/4 homemade whole-grain pumpkin muffin
1/2 cup yogurt mixed with applesauce or soft grated cheese (for finger food)

Snack:
Cheese (1/2 ounce) and soft, ripe fruit such as papaya

Dinner:
Small pasta shapes, cooked al dente
Chopped hard-cooked egg
Soft cooked vegetable such as green beans or broccoli florets
Whole milk
Fresh ripe fruit or canned, chopped fruit

Snack:
Small piece of bagel, whole milk

In addition to finger foods, you might want to consider offering him some child-sized utensils and dishes that he can get his hands around so that when the mood strikes, he can practice eating like a big boy. Eat your meals with him so he has a model.

Read More http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpnutrition/0,,p8vn,00.html#ixzz0fRK85MZX

newnormal2010 · February 2010

When my oldest (now 10) was that age, he loved broccoli -- as long as he could have it with rapsberry vinaigrette! (He would even ask for that at restaurants!) My little guy is more typical -- he likes carrot sticks with ranch dressing. Both boys also liked frozen peas, but only straight out of the freezer! For years I would say, "We're having peas. Do you want yours cold or hot?" Peas from the freezer were also a great alternative for the boys when we were having a more "grown up" vegetable, like asparagus.

So I guess my suggestion is to be a bit creative about what you offer and how. Sometimes a healthy, fat-free or low-fat topping can make a big difference. Also, kids like things they are allowed to pick up with their fingers, so try carrot sticks, cut-up squash, etc.

Good luck!

carinrogo · February 2010

theres a book called The Sneaky Chef that shows you how to purree fruit and veggies and put them into all kinds of things that kids like, such as mac and cheese and muffins and stuff.

carinrogo · February 2010

My favourite sneak is pureed squash into mac & cheese... They can't tell at all! You can puree anything... I put the puree into ziploc bags & hide them in the freezer. Then you can sneak them into whatever you're making. It's really easy to hide in pizza or spaghetti sauce, too.

Hopey1994 · February 2010

I have a 2 yr old who is just now coming out of being a picky eater, and I can definitely understand your frustration. The best advice I can give would be to keep introducing the same things. It took my daughter 3-4 dinners with broccoli on her plate for her to actually eat it, and now that's the first thing she'll eat! Sweet potato is also a big hit here; it doesn't taste like a veggie, and you can mash it with a bit of seasonings and a smidge of butter or milk and it's fun orange mashed potatoes! Our favorite way to eat veggies is steamed; it makes carrots sweet, broccoli soft, and squash overall yummy.

There's a book by Jessica Seinfeld that's called Deceptively Delicious and it has tons of recipes with vegetable/fruit purees in them. It works to get the kids to eat their vegetables, but does no good at trying to get them to make healthy choices. It also has some great nutritional info in it too, so it's definitely looking into. It has muffins, brownies, french toast, lots of things kids love to eat. Good luck, and I hope you can find something that works for your family.

kiffypooh · February 2010

Thank you all for your comments and ideas, keep them coming. I guess one thing I left out is what she does eat. She doesn't like junk food or french fries, she LOVES whole wheat bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter, pb&j on whole wheat, raisins, peas and will take a few bites out of an apple and a few bites of carrots. She's not a bad eater, she just doesn't eat. I think I will try brown rice with some peas and carrots mixed in just to get the ball rolling with something.
Thanks again and keep 'em comin'.

lisawest · February 2010

We refer to our 2yo as a "carbavore" because he would eat little EXCEPT carbs if we let him. We have trouble getting him to eat meat even. We're mixing veggies with brown rice, etc. So far my biggest success in getting him to eat more veggies has been reading books about rabbits and how they eat carrots. The other day when I gave him his snack choices I was informed he was a rabbit today and needed carrots!:laugh: He proceeded to eat about 3oz of raw carrots. He also likes celery with pb, but he eats all the pb and a little of the celery and then asks for a refill. At least he's eating celery and getting some protein.

Like your's, he just doesn't seem to eat much. He seems to be able to survive on a LOT less than his sister did when she was this age. I've talked it over with his doctor, and was told that he will let us know what he needs. My son did tell me a couple nights ago that he wanted chicken nuggies (grilled chicken cut into smaller chunks and rolled in crumbs). He was actually requesting a MEAT!:noway: So guess what I fixed him? It was not was on the plan for the night, but was easy enough to fix his chicken portion into nuggies.

We just keep offering good stuff to him, and we're hoping that everyone is right and that eventually he will eat it! (We've NEVER had issues with sister eating. She'll eat almost anything put infront of her.)

Message me if you want! Heaven knows I can always use ideas with this independent boy!

alf1163 · February 2010

The main question here is "Is she healthy?", Is she developing well? How is she compared to other 2yr olds? What has her doctor said about her development, weight, etc? If she is doing well in all those areas don't worry so much about it. The great thing about children is that they will stop eating when they have had enough food. That is something we tend to forget when we get older. The reason we become overweight or obese. You might think she is not eating enough because she eats very little but remember that she is only 2 yrs old. As others said, introduce her to different fruits, veggies, textures, flavors, basically every single day. She will pick and choose what she likes the most. You can also be a great example and eat healthy in front of her. They like to imitate their parents. You can try all fruits, all veggies (raw or steamed), sweet potatoes, lean meats, 100% whole wheat or whole grain breads, anything or everything we adults eat or should be eating. Of course, avoid too much sugar, processed foods, fried foods, etc. Also water is very important, avoid sugary drinks.

My 16 yr old has autism and when he was little he would hardly eat anything. I was so worried about his health. Sometimes we just had to grab him and stuck food in his mouth so he can at least try it. It was that severe. But we never gave up on him. Now he is a healthy teen who eats very healthy at home. He eats all veggies raw!!! No dressing...but of course he likes french fries, pizza, etc. But we can control how much of that he eats. :laugh:

Be consistent and she will do just fine! Good luck!!! :flowerforyou:

pinbotchick · February 2010

How about a baked apple with some cinnamon? Have you tried Kale Chips? I have a friend that can only get her grandson to eat veges by letting him pretend to be a dinosaur and eat with his mouth. He is fascinated with them and had to have veges to be like the dinosaur:bigsmile: Good luck.

KristinaL · February 2010

I have 3 boys and they are 1, 2 , and 3 years old ... I usually never had a problem with them eating their veggies... I mean there are some veggies that they dont.. so I make corn , green beans, peas, mashed potatoes ... I cant think of what other veggies they like.. now that I think of it I really dont ha ve a hard time with my kids eating anything .. they like fruits too and they eat grains .. and meat too ... BUT I must say they too love the carbs .. but I just dont give it to them all the time>> Well Good Luck!!

lisawest · February 2010

I have 3 boys and they are 1, 2 , and 3 years old ...

Bless you! I only have 1 boy under 3, and you have my UTMOST respect!

KristinaL · February 2010

lol .. Well thanks .. I do have a tough time but they are everything to me ... they keep me going everyday ..

ltlhmom · February 2010

Deceptively-Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Healthy sides my 2 year old will like

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