Today we are sharing finger food meal ideas for a one-year-old. This is a tricky time because you have moved away from baby food, but you aren’t quite sure how to make that transition.
We asked other parents of one-year-olds what they were feeding their toddlers & we wanted to share the answers with you.
Ideas for meal finger foods for a one-year-old
Here are some fun hacks, tricks, and ideas you can do to make your 1-year-old’s snack and meal times more fun.
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1. Cheese and Crackers Combo
Cut up little pieces of cheese for him and serve with crackers. Our son ate crackers from 9 months on and cheese from 12 months on.
2. Lunch in a Muffin Tin
Serve lunch in a muffin tin. Kids love having everything separate and tend to eat more when it is served this way. Remember you can even add the “next step” formula into muffin mix to give added nutrition.
3. Small Bites of Veggies
While he may not like certain vegetables at first, keep trying as he can develop a taste for them. You can basically feed them what you are eating, just in smaller bites.
4. Spaghetti and Chicken and More!
Cut up the spaghetti, chicken etc. Just be prepared for a mess, but that’s all part of the learning curve.
5. Yummy Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are usually a favorite for little ones. Cut them up into small bite-size pieces.
6. Fruit and Steamed Veggie Salad
Dice up fruit and make a fruit salad. If you steam the veggies, they will be softer and easier for toddlers to chew.
7. Offer More Options!
Keep offering a variety of foods. It takes around 10 tries to welcome a new food.
8. Check the Nutrition Facts
Some days they eat more than others and that is normal. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t rely too heavily on snacks that don’t offer nutritional value.
9. Keep Serving Milk
If your child does not have dairy allergies, encourage milk drinking while always giving water. A child can have cow’s milk from 12 months on. Remember yogurt & cheese are great alternatives.
10. Develop a Love for Water
When your kids are little you can encourage a love for water. Our son loved drinking water from a sippy cup with a straw!
11. Keep Sugar on Check
Limit the sweets for special occasions so that is not a prime source of food. Try not to get your child too used to eating them. There isn’t a need for sweets, especially at this young age. They are just as happy to have peas. 🙂
What about you? What are your toddler’s favorites? Try these fun toddler snacks!
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