The best idea is to provide choices of fun (colorful) foods that are easy to pick up (either by finger or with a spoon).
Normally they need about 5 "meals". This can be breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Give small portions (so they do not feel overwhelmed). Provide nutritious snacks of fruit or vegetables, crackers and cheese, rather than cookies or other less-nutritionally dense foods. Never force them to "clean" their plate. Parents should provide the nutritious foods but the child should determine how much to eat.
Here is a list of "finger foods" that are appropriate for toddlers:
1. cooked vegetables like peas, beans, corn, carrots (in dices or sticks, not circles), brocolli florettes, green beans, water chestnuts.
2. deli meats, thinly sliced in small pieces, turkey is great.
3. cheeses--in strips, not chunks.
4. fruit like apples in thin slices, pear, banana (not in circles). Do not try citrus until the child is a year and then try only in small amounts at first as many children have problems with citrus. Grapes can be given if cut in half and/or skinless.
5. macaroni (especially with cheese), but watch for spaghetti or other thin, long pastas. Other pastas like ziti are good finger foods.
6. breads and crackers.
7. potatoes and sweet potatoes. Diced.
8. cooked rice.
9. cold cereals, like Cherios, puffed rice or puffed wheat, Kix, Fruitloops.
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Toddlers are very picky eaters!
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