“No! I don’t want to eat.”
“I don’t like that food.”
Does your child trouble you to eat?
Does your child run away from food?
Your toddler’s hunger and mealtimes do not usually match.
She is hungry when you are not ready or vice versa.
As your child uses up energy rapidly, she needs to snack often. So it is good to prepare light, healthy snacks for her.
RECIPES: 8 FINGER FOODS FOR TODDLERS (1-3 YEARS)
- Mini Pizzas (Oven not required)
- Pin Wheel Sandwich
- Veggies with tomato and cheese dip
- Blinis
- Singapore Noodles
- Potato, Cheese and Brocolli tikkas
- Pasta fries
- Fruit Skewers
Secret: Not just your child, but even your spouse will simply loveeee these dishes. So always make extra.
ESPECIALLY FOR YOU:
At the end of the article, we are including a free ‘Juice Book’.
This contains recipes of HEALTHY SUMMER DRINKS for your Child.
1. MINI PIZZAS
INGREDIENTS:
2 muffins cut in half
4 tbsp good tomato sauce
60 grams mozzarella cheese
Additional topping:
15 grams butter,
1 tbsp chopped spring onion,
60 grams cucumber thinly sliced in the shape of rabbit’s ears,
60 grams mushrooms or carrots thinly sliced to represent whites of eyes,
black olives to represent eyes and noses,
Cheese strips for whiskers.
METHOD:
- To make the topping, warm the butter in a pan.
- Add the spring onion and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the cucumber and mushrooms and sauté until just tender, season for taste.
- Lightly toast the muffins.
- Divide the tomato sauce between the cut sides of the muffins, spread evenly, and then scatter with cheese.
- Top with cooked vegetables, perhaps making patterns or animal faces, then cook on a tawa to melt the cheese.
- If desired, use the sweet corn and cheese strips, olives to decorate.
Prep time: 10/15 minutes.
Nutrition: Rich source of calcium, protein and vitamin A
2. PIN WHEEL SANDWICHES:
INGREDIENTS:
Bread,
Peanut butter,
Mayonnaise,
Jam and egg
METHOD:
- Trim the crusts of 2 thin slices of bread.
- Overlap the edges slightly and flatten with a rolling-pin so that they join together.
- Butter and spread with a colorful filling and roll up, Swiss-roll fashion.
- Cut across into thin rounds.
Suggested fillings: Peanut butter, egg, mayonnaise or jam.
Prep time: 2-5 minutes.Nutrition: Depends on the fillings
3. VEGETABLES WITH A TOMATO AND CHEESE DIP:
INGREDIENTS:
200 grams of cheese spread
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp of Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp of soya sauce
2 tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped.
METHOD:
- Cut your child’s favourite vegetables into bite size pieces just before serving.
Mix together all the other ingredients, blending them thoroughly and spoon them into small bowls. The children can dip their vegetable pieces into this dip and eat.
Prep. Time: 10 times.Nutrition: Rich source of Vitamins A, B12, and E
4. BLINIS:
They are a type of Russian pancakes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
2 cups of milk
½ tsp of salt
1 cup of flour
½ tsp of baking soda
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
sour or fresh cream
METHOD:
- Whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl.
- Add salt, flour and baking soda.
- Stir well to remove all lumps.
- Pour vegetable oil into a frying and heat it on medium heat.
- Pour ¼ cup of Blini batter into the oil.
- When bubbles appear on the surface, flip the Blini with spatula and cook on other side.
- Remove the Blini from the frying pan and make some more.
- Put a dollop of cream on each Blini.
- Top each with a teaspoon of your child’s favourite jam.
Tip: If you don’t like to use eggs, try using a little curd.
Prep time: 10 times.Nutrition: Protein, carbohydrates and calcium
5. SINGAPORE NOODLES:
INGREDIENTS:
150 grams of chicken breast,
2 ½ tbsp of vegetable oil,
1 beaten egg
1 garlic clove chopped
¼ tsp chilli flakes or chilli powder (optional)
75 grams baby sweet corn
75 grams each carrots and beans cut into thin strips
75 grams bean sprouts
4 tbsp strong chicken stock or even chicken cube stock or water
3 spring onions thinly sliced
150 grams Chinese noodles
FOR MARINADE:
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp sake or vinegar
½ tsp sugar
1tsp corn flour
METHOD:
- Mix together the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Cut the chicken into thin strips , add to the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Boil the noodles in hot water with a little oil; drain, refresh with cold water and keep aside.
- Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add the egg and fry to make a thin omelette.
- Remove from the pan and cut into ribbons.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pan or a wok and sauté the garlic and chilli, if using, for 30 seconds. Drain the chicken, add to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the juices evaporate.
Add the spring onions and egg and fry for 2 minutes and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the wok.
- Add the baby sweet corn, carrots, beans and bean sprouts and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock / water to the wok.
- Add the noodles and stir fry and heat through.
- Add the chicken with spring onions and egg that you kept aside earlier.
Season with salt.
Prep time: 10 times
Nutrition: Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and calcium
6. POTATO, CHEESE AND BROCOLLI TIKKAS:
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp finely chopped broccoli
½ cup boiled and mashed potatoes
2 tbsp mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 finely chopped onion
2 finely chopped green chilles
salt
Bread crumbs
METHOD:
- Take a pan and heat oil.
- Add onions and sauté until light brown.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilles.
- Add the chopped broccoli and salt and stir.
- Cook for 5-7 mins until the broccoli is completely cooked.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, cheese and this broccoli mixture.
- Make small triangular tikkas or whichever shape your child likes.
- Coat with bread crumbs and refrigerate for 10-15 mins.
Fry these tikkas until golden brown and serve with ketchup.
7.PASTA FRIES:
Never heard of this?
Well, it’s a wonderful dish that you must try!
Your little one will love the texture and taste of this crispy crunchy pasta.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fusilli pasta
1-2 tbsp of dried herbs ( you can also use the oregano packets that you get when you buy pizza)
½ tbsp pepper powder
Salt to taste
METHOD:
- Boil the pasta in water along with a tbsp of oil (so that the pasta doesn’t stick to each other).
- Once it is 3/4th done, drain and keep aside.
- Combine the dried herbs, salt and pepper powder.
- Heat oil in a deep dish.
- Deep fry the pasta until it turns golden brown.
Once done, sprinkle the seasoning and toss well.
You can store this in an air tight container and let your little one pick few at a time to snack on.
8. FRUIT SKEWERS:
INGREDIENTS:
Kiwi
Pineapple
Orange
Grapes
Or, any fruit that your kid likes.
You can use apple, mango, banana etc.
METHOD:
Chop all fruits into bite size pieces.
Take a skewer and arrange the fruits as shown in the pic.
Place all skewers on a plate and let your child pick.
Tip: Make different types of skewers i.e let each skewer have different fruits. This will make it more colourful and attractive.