What's your go-to meal for your toddler? Shopping list inspiration!

[CurlyWurlyC]

My toddler likes a wide variety of food but lately he's a very picky eater! He LOVES peas, carrot, most fruits and cucumber but apart from that it's getting hard to fill him up on the good stuff?

Anyone got any tricks of the trade or go-to meals for fussy eaters we could give a try for tomorrow's weekly shop?

Note: he likes to take his food apart e.g. Sandwiches or wraps get dissected before he eats it he doesn't do food "stacked" up like that, he seems to like everything separate lol

I don't have a problem with fussiness, but we get the dissecting of food before it's consumed. I've found making sandwiches with sandwich thins has helped, along with making sure there is always some kind of 'glue' in there (mayo, hummus, etc). I also make a lot of toasted sandwiches or quesadillas which always have a bit of cheese in. Let them cool a little before serving and they stick together making the dissecting more difficult. It's a really common thing to do at this age though so when it happens now, I just reiterate I still expect it all to be eaten if a pudding (fruit and/or yoghurt) is wanted, not just the nice interesting bit in middle.

My two usually get whatever we've had the night before for their dinner, but when that isn't an option my easiest go-to meal that brings happiness all around is pasta and sauce. Sauce might be pesto, cheese, or one made from a tin of tomatoes plus whatever ends of veg I have blended in, and always has some freezer veg (peas, sweetcorn, spinach etc) thrown in to cook with the pasta. Our other favourites are pitta pizzas or poached egg and beans on toast (in fact anything eggy is popular).

My toddler is 2.8yo and her comprehension is good enough now that I can give a very basic description of what eat fruit/veg is good for and she happily buys into that. She holds up veg from her plate, asks what it 'does', then eats once she's had her explanation sometimes this involves Google Effectively the old 'carrots help you see in the dark' expanded to whatever's for dinner. We struggled with constipation for a while (due to poo withholding rather than diet, but she didn't know that!) so explained the importance of veg for soft poo which she now quotes back at us as she's eating it.

All of that said though, it doesn't sound like he's eating an awful variety, especially compared to some! There is colour in there!

Skankingpiglet thanks for the tips - I'll definitely try the thins and maybe hummus too - he hasn't tried it yet as neither me or his dad really like it so it's not something we have in, might make a nice bit of variety!
My DS is 20 months and not verbal enough yet for me to be able to talk him into certain foods - I'm sure it'll be a lot easier as he gets more understanding of what exactly I'm saying and can say a bit back too. Although I think that about everything these days 😂 brushing teeth, eating food, getting dressed, going to bed... it'll all get easier when he's talking in my mind 😂

Ah, yes. He is quite a bit younger. I found DD1 went through a veggie refusal stage around 2 too, which we are pretty much out of, although she's come out of it a bit more discerning about what she eats rather than the human dustbin she used to be (a good thing mostly!). I think it was a control thing, and I just kept serving the food as normal then clearing away without too much comment.

It does get a lot easier once they're talking better IME, and I found from 2 her language just exploded out. She now gives reasons why she won't do something rather than just 'no' [bangs head against wall]

As an extra thought, is he one of those children that insist on eating all the food on your plate? I've had DD1 try all sorts of things (both intentionally and unintentionally!) by making myself a plate then planting myself down on the sofa with it. It's guaranteed to have her in front of me with her mouth open like a baby bird and scolding me for not sharing in seconds. Even if it's a food on her supposed 'banned' list