Fruit of the week

When kids learn letters and shapes, they learn one letter/shape for the whole week.  A great way to increase your child's food repertoire is to pick a food/fruit that they don't eat and introduce it on the first day with pictures, games, crafts, etc.  On the second day, you could begin to cut the food, "explore" it with their fingers, kiss the food, etc.  Each day progress as far as how far your child will go with the exploration until he/she is eating the food.  Kids love to learn, so this approach is easy and will be fun for them to try new foods! Here are some ideas of crafts and fun things to do with foods:

- Paint with fruit (cut the fruit in half and use it as a stamper for the paint!)
- Colorful spaghetti (cook some different shaped noodles and put some paint in them, allow your child to play with them using their hands, kitchen tools, etc)
- Food towers (use their preferred foods to build towers, alternating every other layer with a non-preferred item)
- Make mom lunch (have your child help make YOU lunch using some of their non-preferred foods.  This way, your child will have to touch and smell the foods, and then can watch you eat them)

As always, although you may be stressed out because your child is having a difficult time eating, don't become so stressed that you loose focus on the fact that mealtime should be FUN!

Finger Foods!!!

Many of my readers are wondering about finger foods to introduce.  Here is a list of all of my go-to finger foods to suggest for kids:

7-9 months:
- MumMums
- Biter Biscuits
- Small pieces of soft veggies
- Small pieces of cooked fruits
- Meltable solids: cheerios, puffs, rice krispies, graham crackers, Ritz (or any buttery cracker), etc

9-12 months:
**This is the time when you are allowing your kiddo to practice eating solids especially introducing ones similar to what you and the rest of your family is eating for dinner.

- Soft Cheeses (ie:Laughing cow)
- Meatball
- Bread with melted cheese
- Bread with nut butters/butter/jelly
- Zucchini chunks- no skin
- Cooked cauliflower
- Mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes/yams
- Quesadilla bites
- Rotisserie chicken- dark meat shredded
- Raviolis with different fillings  - butternut squash/cheese/spinach- try mini ones :)
- Pancakes/waffles with syrup/apple butter/or jelly
- Rice (try mixing your child's favorite puree as the sauce initially)
- Soft cooked pasta (try mixing your child's favorite puree as the sauce initially)
- Cracker with jelly/sunflower seed butter/cream cheese
- Tofu
- Green beans - cooked
- Peas
- Carrots - cooked
- Squash - cubed
- Potatoes - cubed or in strips (like french fries)
- Breadsticks
- Rice cakes
- Dips (hummus, refried beans, guacamole, sunbutter, soft cheese, cream cheese, etc)
- Deli meats (Nitrate-free if possible)

**Just remember: Every child develops at their own pace and therefore some of the foods on this list may not be appropriate for your child.  This is simply a guideline for suggestions... As always use your best judgement!