Seeking New Food Ideas for 2 Yr Old

Hi, E.! My two year old is the same way. I've learned that sometimes presentation is everything. For some reason my little guy will sometimes eat meals (he would otherwise refuse) out of an ice cube tray. Another mom recommended it to me and the little compartments are a big hit with my son. The more colorful the better, so try to add blueberries, strawberries and the like for some great colors.
Like you, I'm hoping this is just a phase!

I am a mother of three kids (5,4, and 2) so I can understand how kids have eating phases. I can truly sympathize with your situation. Don't worry, you will get through it. I'm sure.

I have learned that my kids have different preferences than I do and it's okay. Also they have eating phases, so one day they like something the next day they don't. It can be confusing, but hang in there.

Mu kids like a lot of frozen food. Especially at young ages when they are still teething. So I serve frozen waffles or pancakes, frozen tator tots, green beans, corn, peas, broccoli, etc.

I also make muffin mixes into pancakes rather than muffins, because it is less messy and still tastes good. I can also serve them without the syruo then, because the muffins have enough flavor an there own.

I serve veggies at breakfast because my kids are hungry enough to eat almost anything at breakfast and it sets the tone of the day to be healthier.

I serve hard boiled eggs, with or without the yolk. My girls like it with the yolk; my son likes it without.

Also: chicken nuggets, hot dogs (cut up small), Peanut Butter on bread, Peanut butter with carrots or apples, macaroni and cheese, shape noodles with parmesian cheese, etc.

I also try to reserve the fruits for the end of the meal. Once my kids taste fruit, they don't want to eat anything except fruit for the rest of the meal.

I also serve one thing at a time. I find that my kids are more likely to eat what is in front of them if they have no other option. Then I serve the next item. It means I leave the table more often, but they eat better.

I avoid adding things like salt, sugar, or even sauces. I find my kids don't need the added items and it saves on mess. But of course, if they see my plate having something their doesn't then I'm in trouble. My kids tend to think Mom's food is always better than their own. So I try to eat what I want them to eat.

When we do eat out, I tend to prefer buffet places. I like to let my kids try various foods without wasting money or ordering many different foods. And even though it is hard with a 2 year old, I like to let my kids pick their own foods from the salad bar. They tend to eat what they choose for themselves.

Well, this is getting long. And I could say more. But I will stop for now. I wish you the best of luck. You will do great. And if you get worried about balance, you can always get a multivitamin. But I'm sure your son will do great. Keep up the good work.

check out www.tk.mywildtree.com full flavor seasonings that healthy, quick and sure to please even the pickiest. I got my son to eat salad after 5 years of no veggies by using their salad dressing. He now will eat anything that has a Wildtree item in it. Have a blessed day!

E., My son is four and loves pizza tacos...
Take soft taco schells whole wheat is good spread pizza sauce sparingly onto schell take mozzerella cheese and top with pepperoni put in mic for 45 sec. and roll they love them and the children at my daycare rave over them.. They are healthy but yummy snack or meal for children this young..Enjoy

I would love some ideas too...thanks E.

There's a book out there called "Feed Me, I'm Yours"....check it out. I found it to be a GREAT source for food/snack ideas complete with recipes. I made the homemade teething biscuits (for your 6 mos. old) for each of my kids...they were great, never fell apart.

Hello,
I tend to use a variety of foods on the plate. So if they'll only eat pasta, I add a sweet veggie to it. (I acutally boil the veggies in the same pot as the pasta). That way they may eat it as part of the meal and if not, they are getting flavor and might accidentally like it! When it's a new food they've never had, maybe they like it so much, it's the new and only taste they want to experience for a while. My children and their friends all know my rule:
Try something once, if you like it GREAT! if not, don't eat it now, but try it again next year.
Try a stir fry. Put whatever he likes in it and make your own "light" sauce. Most kids will eat it if they know and recognize chicken at least. That's a fun one. Or make "pickp foods" like ravioli, cut up chicken, carrots (blanched) green beans, etc...
Hope this helps.

My two year old LOVES:
Parmesan cheese melted onto natural rye crackers-literally 4 seconds in the microwave.
Almond butter on whole grain toast cut into small cubes.
Soy hot dogs-don't even need heating.
Dipping natural chips in home made guacamole (emphasis on eating mostly the avacados with chips as spoon-not too many chips).
Apples, grapes, strawberries.
Blanched veggies (thrown in boiling water for seconds until water returns to boil) ground up in baby grinder and snuck into pasta sauce and mac and cheese or added to pre-made baby food for variety and freshness.

My daughter loves peanut butter and Jelly tacos. I just put the peanut butter and Jelly in a soft tortilla and roll it up. It's a lot less messy than a sandwich and she's getting the same stuff. My son doesn't like it that much, but she sure does.

I, too, experience the same issue with my 21 month old son! He will not eat any meat - not even hot dogs!!! He loves cheese and pastas with cheese- ravioli, tortellini, etc. Oh, he also will not eat any veggies, but he loves all fruit! It is very worrisome and I am very much hoping that it is a stage he will out grow! So, I feel your frustration. Wish I could offer advice, but I have not had much success on my end. Just keep trying! Good Luck!

I do a lot of cooking I have a great 10 year old Great eater , . If you give them what they like they will eat it .Milk will cruve your want for food . Be careful There is a free magazine that Kraft puts out . It is called FOOD & Family . I love it! It is so full of easy step by step family friendily meal and recipes . you can go on-line to sign up Kraftfoods.com/share .

E....I raised nine children...and I learned to call the 'two years' group The Peanut Butter and Jelly Age. It is not that PB & J is so important...just the fact that a two year old has just come to the place that there is so much to see and do in his world that he hasn't time to sit and eat. One needs to see that he/she has plenty of 'finger foods' that are healthy and available...and consider it a 'treat' when they do take time to sit with you while eating.

Now that they can walk around and investigate everything, they don't have the patience to "clean up your plate"!

Be patient...that phase will pass. Trying to force them can cause them to resist you even more.

KayMarie

Just offer milk (or any beverage) at limited times during the day and keep offering solid food.
dont sweat it that he's only interested in certain foods over and over again for a few days...
just offer him say one of his current faves and something else... even if he doesnt eat it... its been put before him and he will eventually try it.
Kids at this age will take a favorite food and then eat it over and over for a few days til they are tired of it...
its normal.
just keep putting a healthy variety in front of him at meal times. Dont try and force him to eat anything but just keep offering....without punishment and he will come around. but definately offer less of the milk...
milk is not a beverage... it is a food. (and honestly its intended use is for baby cows... not that I dont advocate the drinking of milk...we are a milk drinking family... just to keep that in perspective) but try giving him only 2 (4 oz servings of milk a day) if he is thirsty then he should drink water. that will help him get hungry (this is kind of the reverse effect for dieters... the theory of if you feel hungry to drink water cause the stomach doesnt know the difference between hunger and thirst.... for your son its the opposite (in a way)... he is always drinking and especially drinking milk which has a great deal of food value... so hes not getting hungry)
Good Luck
Kimberlie

My daughter loves when I make little mini bow tie noodles with butter and grated parmesan cheese--Gia Russa makes the noodles and sells them in a clear bag instead of a box. She also loves scrambled eggs with ketchup and cottage cheese with diced pears or peaches. Those are all easy to make and serve! I also do a lot of slicing up of apples into thin slivers that she munches on, and if he is allowed peanut butter, you can serve the apples with that. How about chicken noodle soop with lots of noodles? I then give her a colorful straw to make it fun to suck up the broth. You can also make fruit and yogurt parfaits using vanilla yogurt and frozen blueberries and strawberries with a little granola, similar to the ones they serve at McDonalds.
Hope this helps!

E.,
I think most kids are like that-they love to eat the same few things over and over--and that's fine--let him! But add new stuff too. I found that by offering my son a wide variety at meals, he just got used to everything. Cut up fresh fruit, crackers, cheese cubes, hard boiled egg, sunflower seeds, raisins, etc. My son is five and he eats and tries EVERYTHING! The only "food" on his list of "don't likes" is Big Red gum! He eats shrimp, onions, peppers, asparagus, cauliflower--you name it. Don't make a huge deal out of "trying" things--just offer them. My son eats WAY more (variety wise) than my husband or I do. Kids that age LOVE dipping everything IN everything! Use ranch, honey, syrup, whatever for dip and he probably won't resist trying it out! Good luck & don't stress!
Denise
p.s. Be careful with the peanut butter--it can be a choking hazard--use thinly spread