Meal time with toddlers can be a crazy journey! If your family has a wide variety of diets that are followed, you know first hand how hectic it can be. Add a picky toddler to the mix and you have a wild rumpus! Meal time at our home was much easier when I menu planned consistently, but during the summer it’s tough to do that. I’m looking forward to the fall when meal time with toddlers will be easier!
Learn how the moms from The Mommy Mindset and I cope with meal time and share your tips below!
Gena: It depends on the meal. My 1 year old is lactose sensitive, so I’m always preparing a variation of what we’re eating without milk or cheese. And we like to eat spicy food sometimes, so I feel like a short order cook on those nights because the boys can’t eat hot stuff. But if it’s spaghetti night, I only have to cook one dish! haha!
LaVonne: Long Since I started Weight Watchers I usually make two meals. I make one meal for my husband and daughter and one for me. There are occassional days when my daughter, who is 4, does not want what daddy is eating so I make her something else. 3 meals total, I am preparing! But what can I do? I probably let my 4 year old get away with picking her own food too often. “I am not a buffet” should be my mantra. Oh, and I am breastfeeding, so I am actually providing a meal for my baby too. Wow!
Emily: The Boy is very particular about what he will eat. He gets most of his daily calories before the dinner meal time, so I don’t worry too much about what he eats at night. We typically all have the same thing (or some of the same things), unless The Texan wants steak. Those nights I’m making steak and chicken/seafood. I find it much easier in the winter because I use my crockpot more often. I need to find some “lighter” crockpot meals. I will say that there are times when I prepare three different meals, but those are typically nights that we’re having YOYO (You’re On You’re Own).
Valerie: I was feeling like a short order cook and most of what my girls were eating was cereal. We have just started making them eat what we eat and I am finding that my once picky eaters aren’t so picky anymore.
Emily: How old are your children Valerie Peace? My son favors breakfast foods, sandwiches, crab cakes & lobster. I’m looking for ways to add some variety on his plate.
Valerie: My girls are 5 and 7. My 7 yr old has always been a generally good eater but my 5 yr old has always been picky. Now that she has no other choice, the 5 yr old is actually asking for foods that she turned her nose up at before.
Lena: Here is my take – I cook you eat. You are not happy with what I cook – cook yourself.
Thanks Lena of Way2Goodlife,Valerie of Valerie’s Reviews, Gena of Life With Captain, and LaVonne of Long Wait For Isabella for sharing your family’s meal time routine.
How do you manage meal time with toddlers in your family?
We have been lucky so far. My son (21 months) is pretty good about eating with us, and so far he isn’t really picky about anything. We do always try to have at least one food that he likes a lot, though, so there’s something positive for him to start the meal with.
I breast fed my baby and made all her baby food, I hoped that taking those steps would prevent a picky eater… however at 17 months she now only eats about 3 things. :/ so at this point in time I will make her whatever she will eat to give her some nourishment!
We have been very lucky with our two boys who eat everything. I think it was probably due to them eating a huge variety of food and even if they didn’t like it they still had it on their plate. My oldest would refuse to eat peas for a few months and now loves them. I think some kids just are better eaters maybe because they are growing etc