( My zip code is wrong ...I am from Pakistan )
Need ideas to make my 1 yr old eat veggies . I have tried adding them in rice/pasta .it did not work . He never likes to eat with a spoon .He prefers to eat from my hand . Still playing with his finger food . I am giving him fork/spoon to try himself but they are his toys :) . He likes chicken/fish /pizza /plain bread ..... anything on the bread he wont eat .he doesnt like mushy food ( finallly i can tell his favourites :P)
My son has loved frozen peas forever! He likes the crunchiness. He also likes broccoli. He can pick these up by himself so maybe he'll like them?
I was a purist and never put butter or salt on my kids veggies. Then when I was admiring my sister's kid eating bowls full of veggies, she asked "do you add butter and salt?" When I tried butter and salt, they ate the veggie! Also, watch the snacks. Get them good and hungry before a meal then serve the veggie first. I also use my vitamix to make fruit smoothies and I sneak all kinds of healthy things into it (kale, nuts, flax seeds, flax oil.....)
Make it a game since he likes to play with fork and spoon. Give him one utensil for each hand and feed him with a third. Let him try and feed himself or just draw with the food on his plate while you feed him. You might also try those veggie pouches. My DD loves them and that is how I sneak in veggies into a day where she is wanting all carbs/dairy. Good luck!
It's okay that he's not using utensils yet. Keep giving them to him, but if he doesn't use them, don't worry. I think about 18 months-2 is a better time. Both my kids were using utensils and regular cups at age 2.
Plates may also be an issue and that's okay too, but slowly start to get him using those too. In the meantime you can just put it on the tray of the high chair or on a clean placemat or something that is on the table. I would try and stop letting him just take things from your hand, he needs to start becoming more independent.
He still needs mushy veggies as harder ones can pose a choking hazard but have you tried peas? They are not quite as mushy but as long as you cook them it's okay, same for corn kernels. He could also start eating corn right off the cob. My kids did and loved it at that age. Mostly they just sort of gnaw on the cob but they get some corn too. You can buy it frozen like that. Also, maybe buy a bag of frozen mixed veggies and cook them but not too long. That way they are a little firmer, easy to pick up and maybe he'd like that texture better.
Also, try and get him using a straw if he's not already and experiment with smoothies and such. You can make your own or even buy them and they are filled with good stuff that most one year olds like! Just make sure they don't have too much added sugar.
The other stuff you mentioned is fine for him to eat! If he's willing to let you feed him from a spoon try yogurt and cottage cheese too.
Softer foods. He may not be able to bite and chew the crunchier foods, and they also pose a choking hazard at this age.
You want him to enjoy foods and try new foods. Making sure he is hungry will also assist in his willingness to try new things, as his tummy will do half of the work for you! Also, don't put anything on his plate that you are not willing to eat! Have everything the same, so he will try new things with you.
My son didn't(and still doesn't) like sauces on anything. Plain and simple foods. He eats a hamburger with a knife and fork, and eats the hard roll separate. Don't worry if he doesn't want them mixed today, in a year, he may! My son wouldn't eat anything mixed until he was nearly four, but still not up for sauces and dips. I have managed to get rice and vegetables mixed with some plain chicken, and he eats that, so small victories.
Don't try forcing utensils on him. If he plays with them, ignore it, and use yours the right way. He will see you using it, be curious and try it your way. He is still learning about senses at this age. That's how I got my son to use chopsticks(a common utensil at my table). I didn't even correct him until he asked for it. This is a fun time, enjoy it!
Hope this helps.
My daughter and her husband have a 20 month old daughter. They started out feeding her off their plates and she's always eaten veggies because she sees them eating veggies. She is just recently starting to get the hang of using a spoon but still most of the food falls off.
She likes chewing on raw carrots. That must feel good on her gums. She likes cooked carrot coins and green beans. They're easy to pick up. And corn on the cob is also a favorite. Corn kernels are a little hard to pick up but she will eat a few. She's been chewing for several months now and prefers food that is large enough to pick up easily and which she's able to chew.
Offer him veggies at every meal and eventually he'll eat them as long as you're also eating them.
I remember my mother getting me to eat green beans by feeding them to me using her hand. I thought that was so cool.
Keep offering all veggies to him. Season with butter, salt and pepper. He has to taste them at each meal. He will refuse them at first, all of my kids too but now they are all grown up and they eat their veggies and enjoy them.
Have you tried feeding him zucchini bread? You can also add a little spinach to your spaghetti sauce or pizza. Just chop it up real fine and sprinkle in.
Model that you eat veggies. Baby carrots is a good snack great while watching tv. He wont realize its a veggie.
I gave the kids at that age foods that had hidden foods in them.
Like spaghetti, it has a ton of veggies in it but they like it and eat it. Soup has a lot of stuff in it too. If I did do a plain veggie I would use broccoli or cauliflower and have ranch dressing. They dip it and eat it.
I have no issues with them eating or not eating because I chose to not battle over food. They eat a variety of foods and most of it is something like spaghetti or hamburger helper.
We’re all looking for new ways to get our children to eat healthier - preferably ideas that are quick, easy and inexpensive to prepare. Break away from the chicken nuggets routine with these ideas:
Cut your children’s sandwiches in creative shapes using large cookie cutters. Try a fish-shaped tuna sandwich with goldfish crackers on the side for an under-the-sea themed meal.
Experiment with fun dips like hummus, fat-free ranch dressing and even sweet potato spread. Give your kids pita triangles, carrots, celery and snow peas to dip.
Get creative with fruits and veggies. Build a broccoli forest for your outdoor adventurer. Create a friendly spider using a round slice of cucumber and eight pepper strips for legs. Stick a bunch of grapes or cherry tomatoes together with dabs of cream cheese for a silly caterpillar.
Rely on your kids’ favorite characters. Some marketing genius packaged edamame (soy beans) in Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants packaging, which makes the snack seem much more appealing to a picky child.
Create a rainbow plate. Arrange red peppers, orange carrots, yellow peppers, green cucumbers, blueberries and purple grapes to resemble a rainbow and watch how quickly your kids gobble it all up!
Make a healthy banana split - put a sliced banana in a bowl, cover with yogurt and top with healthy cereal, berries and raisins.
Have a “mixed up meal” day, where you serve “breakfast” for dinner - kids think it’s hilarious to have scrambled eggs and toast at night. Try serving healthy veggie pizza for breakfast and your kids will be shocked - and thrilled!
