Hellobee

You know how before you have your first child you read all these books and think “THAT’S the kind of mom I’m going to be.” Or you see a kid throwing a tantrum in public and the parent loses their cool, and you think, “Nah, that’ll never be me. I’m sooooo level headed in a crisis.” As parents, we know better now. I pretty much mock my pre-parent self on a daily basis.

Pre-baby, Mr. Cotton Candy and I listened to the audiobook version of Bringing Up Bebe and loved author Pamela Druckerman’s take on French parenthood, and especially her ideas about feeding little ones in such as a way as to create these magical eaters who love all foods and can identify different types of cheese from the womb. Well, the universe is laughing at us now, as we have so far managed to raise a picky toddler.

Some things he won’t eat?

• macaroni and cheese
• grilled cheese sandwich
• quesadilla
• any topping besides cheese on a slice of pizza
• any food that is mixed in with another food
• hot dogs
• hamburgers
• tacos with anything besides guacamole in them
• eggs, unless they are cooked by his dad
• pretty much any vegetable unless it is a carrot, tomato, or bell pepper

But a kid’s gotta eat, right? I have managed to find and create some healthful snack and breakfast ideas that Little Cotton Candy can’t say no to.

1. Yogurt with lemon curd.

I get the full fat Greek yogurt with no added flavors or sugars. (There is so much sugar in the flavored varieties.) For some sweetness, I add a hit of lemon curd, which you can get in the jelly aisle.

2. Overnight oats.

This is our ride or die breakfast, but we also love it for snack time. I put equal parts organic rolled oats and whole milk into a glass bowl with a lid and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I add fresh berries, honey, and a pinch of cinnamon.

3. Breakfast popsicles.

I recently realized I could make a healthy version of a popsicle using fresh or frozen fruit and yogurt blended up in the blender. All you need is a popsicle mold and a freezer, and you can leave the mixture to harden overnight. A flavor combo I love is fresh peaches and blueberries with a scoop of yogurt, a squirt of honey, and some whole milk (or OJ) to thin it out a bit. (Tonight I’ll be making some strawberries and cream pops for breakfast and snacks tomorrow.)

4. Avocado toast.

I’ve been eating this as my go-to breakfast since before Little Cotton Candy was born, and now he loves it too! For his, I keep it simple with whole grain toast, avocado, and a squeeze of lemon. For mine, I like to add a pinch of salt and sometimes a fried egg and some hot sauce.

5. Smoothies.

Little Cotton Candy will eat almost anything in smoothie form, so I blend up frozen bananas (I always freeze old bananas when they start to turn) together with any fruits I have on hand, a handful of greens like kale or spinach, and some OJ or milk. These are perfect for cooling off after a long day playing outside at preschool.

6. Banana bread.

To make it more fun, I like to bake it in a muffin or mini muffin tin. And I add chocolate chips for special occasions!

7. Kale chips.

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Pre-heat your oven to 300. Place your pre-washed and chopped kale (I buy it in the salad bags) on a baking sheet. Toss it with a little bit of olive oil and salt. Bake for 15 minutes, turn, then bake for another 15. Crispy, salty perfection.

8. Frozen grapes.

If you can find the Cotton Candy variety (of course we love them in our house) , grab those!

9. Watermelon slushy.

Little Cotton Candy loves using our melon baller to scoop out bites of watermelon. Then, we take what’s left over, scoop it out, including the juices, and blend it up in the food processor for a slushy juice drink. I like to add a little squeeze of citrus.

10. Oatmeal energy balls.

Whole rolled oats get mixed up with peanut butter and chocolate chips, rolled into balls, then left to chill for a couple hours in the fridge.

11. Banana boats.

I love this recipe for a snack that tastes like a treat. Fave toppings in our house include shredded coconut, chocolate chips (of course), and peanut butter.

12. Ants on a log.

Did you eat this classic snack as a child? Just add peanut butter (or an alternative like sunflower butter) to a celery stalk and place some raisins on top.

13. Carrots/bell pepper slices & hummus.

I keep it simple with store bought hummus and baby carrots.

14. Apples and peanut butter.

An important corollary to the “no foods mixed together rule”: Dipping anything in peanut butter or honey is delicious. Duh, Mom.

15. Magic wands. 

The Potterhead in me is in love with this simple snack of pretzel sticks dipped in peanut butter, then dipped again in colorful sprinkles.

16. Trail mix.

My version includes Cheerios, raisins, goldfish, peanuts, and (optional) M&Ms or chocolate chips.

17. Whole grain pancakes or waffles.

It’s easier than you would think to whip up your own homemade pancake or waffle batter. I love adding yeast to my waffle batter and letting it sit overnight for added flavor and nutrition.

18. Pistachios.

They’re pricey, so we don’t always buy them, but they’re always a hit.

19. Cherry tomatoes.

If they’re fresh from my mom’s garden, Little Cotton Candy eats these by the fistful.

20. Fruit salad.

Luckily, Little Cotton Candy loves fruit. If I cut it into bite sized pieces and mix it together, he’ll happily eat a whole bowl. I add a squeeze of lime to tie the flavors together, and to keep bananas and apples from turning brown.

21. Edamame. 

Little Cotton Candy loves eating steamed edamame, mostly because it’s so fun to pop the beans out of the shells.

22. Hazelnut butter toast.

We save this as a special treat for Fridays. Justin’s Hazelnut Butter costs more than Nutella but is better quality. It actually tastes like toasted hazelnuts with a hint of cocoa flavor. I add sliced bananas to mine, though I haven’t convinced Little Cotton Candy this is the way to go yet.

What are your tried and true snack and breakfast options for picky eaters?