My 15 month old son, Logan, has always been a good eater. He weighed over ten pounds at birth, and grew out of his clothes so quickly during the first year of his life, that I could hardly keep up. He always had a fierce appetite, and would devour pretty much everything I put in front of him.
Now that he’s a bit older, however, he’s started to go through a phase where he likes to play with his food a little more than he likes to eat it. He’s still a pretty good eater, in comparison to my 3 year old daughter who barely eats anything at all these days, but there are times when I’m really not sure exactly how much food he is eating, because a lot of it ends up splattered all over my kitchen floor, or rubbed through his hair, or all over his face!
Toddler mealtimes can be very messy, but they don’t have to be stressful. It’s all part of the learning and growing process, and some day it won’t be so worrisome. Until then, I just make sure my kids always have a variety of healthy and nutritious snacks and meals available to them. Some of our favorites are apple slices with peanut butter, cheese and whole grain crackers, nitrate free deli meats, vegetables with hummus and hard-boiled eggs. Even if they don’t eat everything on their plates, I at least know what they do end up eating is healthy and nutritious. I also try to sneak vegetables into our meals whenever possible. It’s really easy to add a bunch of different vegetables to their favorite meal of whole grain macaroni and cheese. Everything tastes better with a little cheese on it, right?
In addition, when I reward my children for doing something good, I usually opt for a small piece of dark chocolate, instead of cookies or candy, as it’s loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients. They think they are getting a delicious treat, and I know they are getting something nourishing for their bodies.
MAINTAINING PROPER NUTRITION DURING THE TRANSITION TO TODDLERHOOD
Like most other toddlers, Logan stopped drinking formula when he turned a year old. Now that he is no longer drinking formula, I want to make sure he is still getting the proper nutrition his growing body needs, and after a little bit of research, I found Stage 3 Gerber® Good Start® Grow Toddler Drink.
This Toddler Drink is designed for ages 12 months to 24 months, and it has essential nutrients to help fill common nutrient gaps that many toddlers experience since toddler mealtimes can be so unpredictable. It also has probiotics to support digestive health. I love knowing that my toddler is getting the nourishment his body needs.
Learn more about Stage 3 Gerber® Good Start® Grow Toddler Drink here, and check the store locator on Gerber.com to find it in a store near you. I buy ours at Target!
“Welcome to Toddlerhood Kit” Giveaway
Gerber is giving you a chance to win a “Welcome to Toddlerhood Kit” so that you can experience Stage 3 Gerber® Good Start® Grow Toddler Drink (and some bonus goodies!) for yourself! For a chance to win this prize package, simply visit the Stage 3 Gerber® Good Start® Grow Toddler Drink page, then come back here and comment below with one thing you learned.
For an extra entry, leave a separate comment sharing an experience you have had with your little ones transitioning into toddlerhood, or a fun toddler mealtime story.
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on Monday, June 20, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. Good luck!
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