Toddler Tastings

When feeding an infant, it's pretty simple.

They drink milk. A lot of it.

Even when they finally start solids ( for us it wasn't until 6 months) making food is fun because babies will eat anything.

Dylan ate anything i steamed and food processed.

Every veggie and ever fruit. Combining them was an art form and I miss the days of pureeing anything and everything!

But suddenly, and without warning,  you find yourself with a growing toddler with a discerning and particular palette and a tall glass of the white stuff is not going to cut it as complete nutrition.

Dylan loves milk and we pretty much have to limit it to meals only. Otherwise, he literally would not eat anything else.

Toddlers are notoriously picky.

There are days when I think he might starve to death because he only wants to eat grapes and cheese. Even when I hide new items in something he loves ( like sweet potatoes) he will pick it out or eat around it.

If something like cream cheese is touching his toast...he asks us to please wipe it off.

But we've decided that our philosophy with feeding a toddler is this....

We decided WHAT and WHEN and he can decide HOW MUCH.

So for every meal,  he's offered what we are eating (except breakfast because I eat mine at work). And the rest is up to him. The concept is a hard one for a mom because the whole first year of your child's life you are consumed with what they are consuming.

So to step back and let your little guy decide WHAT on his plate he will eat...

..takes alot of will power.

But it also takes some thought and copious amounts of trial and error to make healthy, tasty meals that I know that he'll love..

...if he just TRIES IT.

The other night I made "Homemade Fish-sticks". And they were a HIT. Even adults will love them.

Ingredients

1 peice of Tilapia

1 egg

5 whole wheat ritz crackers

1 handful of cheddar cheese

Grind together crackers and cheddar cheese to make course crumbs. Dip tilapia in egg and then cover in crumbs. Dip in egg a second time and then back in the crumbs. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes (fish is done when it easily flakes up with a fork) and then broil 1 minute to get a crispy coating.

He gobbled them up and I ate the rest! Success! Try 'em out!