One of the challenges of raising children occurs during the toddler stage. This is the transitional period when they move from breast milk or formula to more solid foods. At this age, children can become very fussy, and getting them to eat the right foods can feel like a chore.
One way to encourage your toddler to eat is with finger foods. At this stage, children are curious and love to explore things with their hands and mouths. Finger foods satisfy all three needs: they’re engaging, fun, and they help promote independence. Another advantage of finger foods is that they allow the child to learn to feed themselves, giving them a sense of autonomy. Additionally, finger foods are portable. You can prepare them ahead of time and take them along when you need to leave the house. If your child becomes restless, you can calm them down with a tasty snack.
Choosing the Right Finger Foods
Before you select the right finger foods for your child, it’s important to know a bit about the nutritional requirements for toddlers. At this stage, children need approximately 1400 calories daily. If they are very active, they may require more. The caloric intake must also have the right balance of nutrients. The USDA recommends the following:
- Proteins should make up 5% to 20% of the daily diet.
- Carbohydrates should account for 45% to 65%.
- Fat should make up 30% to 40%.
- A toddler needs 1000 mg of sodium, 19 g of fiber, and 500 mg of calcium daily.
- Do not feed cow’s milk, honey, eggs, or citrus fruits (or juices) to children under age 1, and no peanuts or seafood until after age 2.
Another important consideration is to avoid any foods that may cause choking, such as crunchy peanut butter, whole grapes, whole raisins, potato chips, popcorn, nuts, or anything they might swallow without chewing. With this in mind, you can still come up with finger foods your child will enjoy. Finger foods should be large enough to require chewing but small enough for the child to manage easily. The best part is that you don’t need to be a professional chef to prepare them—finger foods are simple and quick to make.
One of the easiest finger foods for toddlers is grains. Cereals like Cheerios, Corn Pops, Honeycomb, Captain Crunch, Chex, Life, and similar varieties are all great options. However, avoid cereals with nuts or small, hard pieces like granola, muesli, and Lucky Charms.
Fruits also make excellent finger foods for toddlers. Simply cut them into small strips or pieces (making sure there are no seeds), and arrange them in fun shapes on the plate. For an extra treat, you can place a small dollop of yogurt in the center for dipping. Apples, melons, pears, bananas, halved grapes, mangos, pineapples, strawberries, and similar fruits are all good choices. Be sure to avoid citrus fruits because of the seeds.
If your toddler is extra fussy, you can cheat a little. If plain fruit doesn’t tempt them, try this trick: Cut bananas, peaches, avocado, and/or tofu into 1″ cubes and roll them in crushed Cheerios, graham crackers, or wheat germ. Coat them completely and let your child enjoy the tasty treat. These snacks are almost irresistible, even for adults.
Another toddler favorite is quesadillas. Simply leave off the hot peppers, and use fully cooked chicken or refried beans. Onions are optional, depending on your child’s taste—some love onions, some don’t. You can also use fully cooked ground beef, but make sure it’s not too spicy. Cut the quesadilla into pizza wedges for easy handling. You can also wrap lunch meats, tomatoes, peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese, or other foods in flour tortillas, then cut them into small sections that your child can easily hold.
And of course, one foolproof toddler food is grilled cheese sandwiches. Simply cut the sandwich into quarters and watch how quickly they disappear.
An exception to the seafood rule is fish sticks. These are a surefire way to excite a toddler’s appetite. Add a dollop of ketchup (another kid favorite) or tartar sauce for dipping, and watch them vanish. Tater Tots are another great option. Anything your child can eat with ketchup is a winner. Other good choices include French fries, sweet potato fries, and chicken nuggets.
Here’s a recipe I’ve used with my children, grandchildren, and hopefully, great-grandchildren. It’s never failed me yet.
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
- 1 qt water
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into French fry-sized strips
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups crushed Cheerios
- 1 egg, beaten
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
In a medium pot, dissolve the salt in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Boil the potato strips in the salted water until they are tender. Discard the water.
While the potatoes are boiling, beat the egg in one bowl and place the crushed Cheerios in another.
Once the potatoes are done, place them on paper towels to dry for a few minutes. Then, roll each piece in the Cheerios, dip it in the egg wash, and roll it again in the Cheerios. Place them on a flat sheet until all are coated.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or skillet to frying temperature. Fry the potatoes until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels, and allow them to cool slightly before serving.
Don’t forget the classic stand-bys like Vienna sausages, sandwich strips made from potted meat, deviled ham, cream cheese, pimento cheese, lunch meats, tuna, and chicken salad (no nuts).
With a little planning, preparing finger foods for toddlers can be both easy and enjoyable.