a toddler's tastebuds

North consumes kalamata olives and pickles like they're chocolate bonbons, his favourite 'treat' is frozen blueberries and above all else, he is always in the mood for avocado. Despite this seemingly gourmet palette, like every other toddler in the world, some days he just decides he's not interested in food and declares a hunger strike, at which point I panic and try to come up with new and exciting textures, flavours and smells in order to seduce him back to the dinner table.

Here are a few tried and tested suggestions for a toddler on hunger strike that have worked for me. But before you throw yourself into the kitchen, give your little one a few days to get their hunger back by themselves. They quite literally follow their gut instinct better than any adult does and their body's may be trying to fight something before it's taken hold.

Healthy and Creative Snacks for Vegetarian Toddlers

ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and sultanas (raisins) on top

cheesy star sandwiches (grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches cut out with a star cookie cutter)

wholewheat pita with hummus

sliced apples with peanut/almond butter

fruit smoothies (banana and maple syrup is a favourite around here)

tofu fingers with beetroot dip (dip tofu in beaten egg and then breadcrumbs, fry until golden)

fruit faces (sliced fruit arranged on a plate to make human and animal faces)

fruit kebabs dipped in yogurt (cubed fruit on a stick)

frozen smoothie icy poles

carrot cabins (using thin slices of carrot create a square cabin, add other veggies or fruit to decorate or add characters to the scene)

pureed soup in a cup (sealed containers with straws are a cleaner option for young toddlers)

homemade banana custard with brown rice or quinoa

sneaky vegetable mini muffins

What kind of tricks do you have up your sleeve to entice the hungry munchkins?

xo