How do YOU cook squash (for a toddler)?

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Marcillene
Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
in Recipes
Never made squash before.. Lol. Forgive me, I am only 22. But now I have a son and need to broaden his veggies some. He loved squash when he was eating baby food. But now he is 14 1/2 months old. I would love to learn how to cook it, or even zuchinni or any vegetable that is good for him. He loves peas, carrots, HATES green beans, and is not sure about broccoli anymore. But I don't want to burn him out on the same veggies.

Any ideas?

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  • chikkenlikken
    chikkenlikken Posts: 24 Member
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    Hi Marcillene,

    I have a one year old, and she LOVES vegetable soup. It has tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, corn, green peas, zucchini, and chicken broth. Just throw whatever he likes in a pot and simmer until done. Vegetable soup is nutritious, delicious, and very forgiving to make! You can even add some macaroni! Hope that helps some!
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    My daughter is 15 monthsnol and loves squash and zucchini. I think steaming it would probably be the best to start. You may want salt and pepper on there for you, but I would leave it out of you sons portion.
  • OnionMomma
    OnionMomma Posts: 938 Member
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    He may be a tad young for our trick but....

    Our son loved to eat broccoli and we wanted him to eat cauliflower. After all, the taste is very similar. It was a no go until we told him that cauliflower will make him fart.

    He now eats as much cauliflower as he can when it's on his plate and asks for seconds pretty quickly...LOL

    My point is this, sometimes you have to think outside the box. I love squash (yellow) but not soo sure a toddler will like it yet.

    FWIW, I had a medically complex kid who ended up feeding tube dependent for all his nutrition for about 2 years.

    We had the green light to feed him pretty much all the junk food he wanted in order to wean him off his tube and onto oral feeds. I got to be the "cool Mom" who fed her son a Reese's PB cup and call it lunch. Or 2 cups of Chester's Puffed Corn and call it lunch.

    At that point, he would not touch a veggie to save MY life!!!

    He know will readily eat:

    corn, carrots(cooked and raw), broccoli (cooked and raw), peas, salad....I could go on.

    So, the moral is this, even young children who really hate veggies can eventually come around to like them very much.
  • brigara
    brigara Posts: 10 Member
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    If you mean the mushy squash that is similar consistency to mashed potatoes then you can cook any of the bigger squash like butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash etc... I prefer the butternut squash and so do my kids (ages 1, 3 and 5). I cut the squash in half, roast in the oven face up, first you can spray with a touch of olive oil. If it is just for kids I add butter, I roast it on a cookie sheet until it is soft to a fork (usually at around 375). I then let it cool a few minutes and use a spoon to scoop it out and mash it a bit with a fork. Season as they like it.

    Zucchini is a favorite in the summer sliced long ways and marinate a bit in a bag with some olive oil and soy sauce. It is great right off of the grill and if you have left overs add to a burrito.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
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    If you mean the mushy squash that is similar consistency to mashed potatoes then you can cook any of the bigger squash like butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash etc... I prefer the butternut squash and so do my kids (ages 1, 3 and 5). I cut the squash in half, roast in the oven face up, first you can spray with a touch of olive oil. If it is just for kids I add butter, I roast it on a cookie sheet until it is soft to a fork (usually at around 375). I then let it cool a few minutes and use a spoon to scoop it out and mash it a bit with a fork. Season as they like it.

    Zucchini is a favorite in the summer sliced long ways and marinate a bit in a bag with some olive oil and soy sauce. It is great right off of the grill and if you have left overs add to a burrito.

    Thank you! I weill definitally try this! I was actually looking for a 'recipe' where he could pick up pieces with his fingers, because my child HATES getting squishy stuff on his fingers, and if its not solid he wont feed it to himself! Could you imagine!!

    But he is also learning to eat off his spoon so it would be a great teaching idea as well as nutritional!

    Thanks for the ideas!
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
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    My daughter is 15 monthsnol and loves squash and zucchini. I think steaming it would probably be the best to start. You may want salt and pepper on there for you, but I would leave it out of you sons portion.

    That would be easy and wonderful! What 'kind' of squash do you use, and what is the texture when its done? is it easily a finger food for him?
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
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    Hi Marcillene,

    I have a one year old, and she LOVES vegetable soup. It has tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, corn, green peas, zucchini, and chicken broth. Just throw whatever he likes in a pot and simmer until done. Vegetable soup is nutritious, delicious, and very forgiving to make! You can even add some macaroni! Hope that helps some!

    OOOOHHH, thank you for the idea! I would enjoy some vegetable soup too! in have never made it before either. BEFORE, my family never really did the 'soups' thing, but I would love to be able to.

    We didnt have any healthy ating habits before we had a son, because I was never taught any and HE was never taught any. So its definitally been hard, a challenge, and alot of changes. Its even harder when I am trying to eat 'clean' but my son needs the calories and sat. fats when i dont want all of them! Lol.
  • milton1546
    milton1546 Posts: 6
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    I just bake/roast it and then cut it in to cubes for my 15 month old. Super simple and I don't add anything to it.

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