Experimenting with new and tasty foods is part of the fun of being a toddler - and a toddler’s parent. Watching your child as she explores the texture and taste of grown-up foods is a “feel-good” process, particularly when you know that the food your little one is enjoying so much is also good for her health.
Teaching your child to enjoy healthy foods is an important part of her upbringing. Learning to enjoy the flavours of healthful fruits, vegetables and grains at a young age will help foster good eating habits that should last a lifetime.
A study sponsored by the Gerber Products Company in the United States, followed the feeding/eating habits of 3,000 infants and toddlers over a five-month period. During the study, nutritionists determined that many toddlers were not eating the recommended five (or more) fruits and vegetables every day and that nearly one quarter of toddlers between 19 and 24 months were not eating even one fruit or vegetable a day. The study also determined that snacks were an integral part of most toddlers’ diets and that many toddlers consume three or more snacks a day.
Toddler Snacks One of the problems with ensuring that your toddler enjoys healthful snacks is convenience: it’s not always convenient for time-pressed parents or caregivers to chop fruit and veggies for snacking. Nor it is always practical, since toddlers are often given snacks outside of the home.
Gerber® Graduates™ Finger Foods™ Fruit Puffs and Veggie Puffs, and Gerber® Graduates™ Mini Fruits™ and Graduates™ Mini Veggies™ provide your toddler with convenient and tasty snacks that are good for his growing body. They are made from real fruits and vegetables and their smaller size is ideal for little fingers. The Fruit Puffs and Veggie Puffs are available in banana, strawberry-apple and sweet potato flavours, and the Mini Fruits and Mini Veggies in apple, banana-strawberry and sweet corn flavours. (A bonus: Many parents enjoy these flavourful snacks as well!)
Of course, if you are at home and you do have the time to prepare healthful snacks for your toddler, here are some suggestions:
- Small cubes of cheese and seedless grapes cut into halves to prevent choking.
- Small sections of fruit smeared with smooth peanut butter.
- Low-sugar dry cereal with dried raisins, cranberries or cherries.
- Cooked peas and corn.
- Small pieces of a healthful muffin (no nuts). Carrot muffins are ideal.
Toddler Meals If you are looking for a quick meal solution for your toddler, one that’s full of nutritional value and free of preservatives and artificial flavours, you may want to try Gerber® Graduates™ Lil’ entrées™ toddler meals. These wholesome meals are packed with good nutrition, vacuum sealed, and just the right size for your growing son or daughter.
Lil’ entrées™ provide your toddler with the protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables he needs (one full serving of vegetables) and are available in the following varieties at London Drugs: Cheese ravioli in tomato sauce (with carrots, peas and corn); Chicken and pasta wheel pickups (with peas); Macaroni and cheese (with peas and carrots), and Creamy vegetables, chicken and noodles (with green beans). You can ensure your toddler gets the variety of foods he needs in his diet by offering him different meals throughout the week. Lil’ entrées™ are easily prepared. Simply serve at room temperature, or microwave.
Travel Tip If you are travelling by plane with your toddler, you may wish to take along a Lil’ entrées™ meal. Serve at room temperature or ask ahead if your flight attendant is able to warm it up. Your little one will feel all grown-up eating from a tray just like you!