Studies show that when kids have a hand in making a meal, the food they help to prepare is more likely to make it into their mouths. And even if you don’t have a picky eater, these fun food activities can turn supermarket shopping and toddler mealtime prep into learning experiences for your toddler or preschooler. So don’t be afraid to put your little one to work in the kitchen and try out these food activities for children. There are plenty of things he can do that will actually help you out (really!) and turn food prep into an enjoyable experience.
Fun with Food
A Cookie Zoo or Garden
Every toddler loves cookies, but let's face it: plain, old chocolate chip cookies get boring. Give your child a whole new appreciation for cookies and teach her a little bit about the animal kingdom or plant life, too. You can start with a store bought-package of sugar cookie dough, or let your little chef help make the cookies from your favorite recipe. Once you've rolled out the dough, let her cut out animal or plant shapes with cookie cutters. Once the cookies have baked and cooled, it's time to really have some fun. Provide her with little bowls of icing, colored sugars, marshmallows and other colorful toppings, and let her transform each animal or flower into her own little work of art.
Funny Fruit Faces
If you'd rather provide your toddler with a healthy food activity, turn to fruit for some food fun. Even if you have a picky eater, not many toddlers will be able to resist an adorable and funny face made from blueberries or strawberries. Start with a pair of triangle-shaped pineapple slices for the eyes and let your child arrange them on the plate. Top each slice with a raspberry to make the center of the eye. Next comes a slice of banana for the nose and two slices of strawberry for the mouth. Now your toddler can complete her funny face with two arches of blueberries to make the eyebrows. Take a picture of her fruity artwork and then see if she can resist diving in to the healthful treat. If you have a honeydew melon handy, you can replace the plate with a large round slice for a completely edible face.
DEVILED EGGS
Hard boil some eggs. Cool the eggs, then take off shells. Cut eggs in-half lengthwise and set them on a plate. Let your child help you remove the yolks and place them in a mixing bowl. Let your child help you add some mayonnaise. (approx. 1 Tbsp. Per egg yolk.) Add a little mustard, salt and pepper if desired. Show your child how to smash and mix the eggs and the mayonnaise with a fork. Then, using a spoon, have your child help you fill the egg white cups with the yolk mixture. Serve the eggs for snack or for lunch. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.
RAINBOW FRUIT SALAD
Set out on a platter, rows of different kinds of fruit in different colors.
Such as; red berries; small orange slices, banana slices, honey dew melon, blue berries and purple grapes.Let the child pick his colors and create rainbow on his plate.
Apple Sandwich
I got this idea from Williams-Sonoma and all you have to do is slice the apple*, cut out the core with a small round cookie cutter, knife or corer, and fill with:
- Peanut or sunflower butter
- Raisins
- Raw rolled oats (optional)
Fruit Kabobs
Incorporate fruit and cheese that you know your child likes as well as one new item. Everything is more fun on a stick!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cantaloupe chunks
- 3/4 cup honeydew melon chunks
- 3/4 cup small strawberries
- 3/4 cup pineapple chunks
- 2 small bananas, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 8 ounce carton vanilla low-fat or fat-free yogurt
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- Ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon (optional)
Whole-Wheat Pizza Toast
This is much faster than making regular pizza from scratch and just as delicious.
Simply top regular whole-wheat sandwich bread with sauce and cheese then pop it in the toaster oven….and voila!
Simply top regular whole-wheat sandwich bread with sauce and cheese then pop it in the toaster oven….and voila!
Peanut butter and Banana
Cut your banana into pieces,
spread peanut butter (or almond butter) on banana pieces,
sprinkle with finely chopped seeds (we use pumpkin) and
top with a raisin.
spread peanut butter (or almond butter) on banana pieces,
sprinkle with finely chopped seeds (we use pumpkin) and
top with a raisin.