Fun shaped foods for fussy DC

[Girasoli]

DS2(4) is a pretty fussy eater but will usually try things if they are cut into a fun shape with a biscuit cutter/arranged it in a pretty pattern.

Does anyone have any healthy ideas of things I could take my biscuit cutters to? (I like baking so I have lots) So far I'm thinking roast potatoes/sweet potatoes might work, and maybe frittata.

Or any other fun looking recipies/arrangements of healthy foods would be good too 😊

Arranging the food in I smiley face? X

My DS is autistic and went through a similar phase when he was 3/4.
We purchased probably 200 bags of those dinosaurs chicken nuggets and turkey fillets from Sainsbury's over the years 😂

We used cookie cutters to make sandwiches in the shape of dinosaurs, the moon, different letters to spell out his name...etc, whatever shape he wanted.
Also did fruit/veg slices in different shapes, used pasta bows for every pasta meal, omelette in the shape of a fish...etc.

That sounds like a load of extra work for you. Have you tried:
putting it on your plate and none on his?
cooking e.g. yellow courgettes and green courgettes and agreeing to swap all your yellow ones for his green ones. Can also do coloured carrots, broccoli/cauliflower, potato/sweet potato
Blitz half the veg into a sauce, mine would pick out the visible veg and eat all the "sauce"

Doesnt this just perpetuate the idea that turkey twizzlers and smiley faces are attractive options?

@Girasoli pasta shapes? Or tiny macaroni ? I see both in polish shops regularly

@Shybutrude He's a big pastina fan, orzo and the little stars are his favourites

@Ghost2 I like the sound of letter cookie cutters! They could come in handy for school too.

Icing cutters! I've used them on carrots/cucumbers, peppers etc like made little love hearts or stars. But it takes a lot of time and effort

You can get those peeling/grating things where you run the item over it and it just makes a pattern in it (like crinkled) too, which is actually a very fast way to do it

Have a look at some kids Japanese and bento box ideas OP.
You can get cute moulds for eggs and dumplings etc.

(My kids were easily duped by a pretty plate!)

I still stripy peel and spin stack sliced cucumber for my teens😁

@Girasoli polish ghost crisps.... For you not your child :) they are great

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Donaldson-Collection-Cookbook-Gruffalo-Crumble/dp/9123543841/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=7DMI3ZO6H3ZJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.enIHI2Sh3XGx83cCxKh3gxyqPB8ScwlJLKV7TZS909krtVOuuVUYlsp8MctHs90vQwLxyXZnxsX90eBpC2bTAWYR20FWcJFYz-MxIzGRxCpV4Wnt8k0vkH5ukl1CtN8nz7ZN01bblDrFPsWnCJo-dqtRFsVizvLE2u2Jaff0ZpDFcRgTOf-3JoyXa8RB_V_1XgUzuUfibn0SSlB6vml1jw.i-fH4YYPyUR6U1Qz5JJkbVsuT83M3i8et1mBtf_zBRU&dib_tag=se&keywords=gruffalo+cook+book&qid=1720902079&sprefix=gruffalo+cook%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-2

These cook books are great and do exactly what you're looking for!

Does DC like The Gruffalo? DS loved "mouse toast". Actually, still does but he's 10 so wouldn't admit it in public!



My dd loves it still at 10. Shame my other DC is allergic to eggs

Picture might help...

www.greenlands.lancsngfl.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/gruffalo-recipes.pdf

This is cute & fun

Athens my youngestvwas three, her weetabix box had a picture with the weetabix with a smile face made of fruit. I had to replicate that face many times!

Anyway... use the ingredients to make the picture! Broccoli makes trees for example.

@CoffeeBeansGalore I'm in my forties and want that for my lunch tomorrow !

I've used mini cookie cutters on cucumber and apple slices. My kid also loves it when I cut a square out of the middle of the apple slice, which contains the core, but I leave it in place and she can push it out herself. The last slice will have the stem on the square, like a handle. She's 12 now and still gets excited about this 😅 I also cut out other shapes, and she likes both, the cut-out little shapes on one side of the plate, and the slice of apple with all the holes in it shaped like hearts etc. on the other.

@Shybutrude those a very cute crisps. I suppose I could share with the DC for Halloween...

@Artesia I like the look of the gruffalo crumble too. We have lots of blackberries in the local fields in August.

@CoffeeBeansGalore the vegetable train looks great thanks, you could put dip or little cheese cubes in some of the compartments too.

I've just remembered the classic 'ants on a log' (raisins on peanut butter on a celery stick)

@Girasoli don't share! They are too good to share :)
Ants on a log is great
Why is adult food not more fun?!

Cut large baps in half and provide prepared salad type ingredients so child can make a range of funny faces. eg shred spring onions into curly strips, grated carrot, cress, for hair, cherry tomatoes cut in slices, cucumber circles, thin radish slices, grated cheese, hard boiled egg slices (separate yolk from white which can be cut into teeth. shapes. Mix mayo, brown sauce and/or tomato sauce for skin coloured spread. Cheese spread in tubes can be squirted on for eyes, pepper shapes for ears. If you've more than 1 child make it competitive - either funniest face or completed within time frame. I did this with y5 at school and a great time was had by all.

Having said that, I did make this the other day 🤣