Recipes your toddler will love

Toddlers need excitement in their diet, but they're not ready for wholly adult food. Here are tips on what to feed them and 10 great recipe ideas.

Childhood obesity is on the rise. According to research from Leeds Beckett University, nearly a quarter of British children aged five or under are overweight or obese. We're not saying this to scare you, but to point out that toddler age is the ideal age to cement an understanding of which foods are good to eat, and how tasty healthy food can be!

Organix is currently running a #LoveGoodFood campaign, which is promoting healthy eating among children. Dr Frankie Phillips, Nutrition Advisor to Organix, says that an early start will make it much easier for children to eat a good balance of foods later in life. She offers the following tips for keeping your toddler healthy and happy.

• Offer regular healthy meals and snacks – toddlers need to snack as their tummies aren't big enough to take on board enough energy and nutrients from just three meals a day.
• Give plenty of choice and balance – a varied diet containing a selection of foods will provide the essential nutrients they need.
• Each day aim for five portions of starchy foods, five portions of fruit and vegetables, three portions of dairy foods and two portions of meat, fish, eggs, nuts and pulses (three if vegetarian).
• Aim for lots of tastes in a range of different fruit and vegetables.
• Different colours, tastes and textures add variety to the diet.
• Offer 'me-sized' portions. There's no such thing as an ideal portion size for all children, as size, growth and physical activity levels vary. 
• Don't add extra sugar or salt – too much salt isn't good for toddler's kidneys and sugary food encourages a sweet tooth and can cause tooth decay.
• Give enough healthy drinks to keep them well hydrated.

And here are some recipe ideas.

Family fish pie

Fish has a nice soft texture and white fish like cod or haddock is flaky and not chewy, so is good for little ones. Of course, a fish pie is a favourite that the whole family will love, so this offers a great chance for toddlers to share a proper meal with the rest of the family. Be really thorough when checking the fish for bones.
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Sweet and sour chicken

A healthy sweet and sour sauce with pieces of chicken, pineapple and carrots. You could also add green beans to the mix and dip baby corn in the sauce. Remember that pineapple is sugary and can get very hot; make sure the meal is cool enough to eat before serving.
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Pea pesto

Cook up some pasta (small shapes are preferable for younger eaters) and stir it into this smooth pea pesto made with crème fraîche and mint. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan and introduce other flavours like cheddar or a little cut up sausage if you like.
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Moroccan chicken with couscous

Excite your children with spice. There are so many flavours to be discovered in this Moroccan-style dish, including turmeric, lemon and coriander. Cut up the chicken into small pieces and marinade it well. A gentle way to introduce them to hotter types of food without putting them off.
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Mini minestrone soup

Choose your child's favourite small pasta shape to encourage them to get stuck into this minestrone soup. Also give them some toast to dip into the broth and soak it up with. Use plenty of vegetables and low-sodium stock rather than the regular kind.
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Mackerel pâté

Pick up some pre-cooked mackerel fillets and check them carefully for bones. Mash them up with cream cheese and spread the resulting pâté on toast and crackers, or dip carrot and cucumber sticks into it. Good for a healthy afternoon snack.
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Spaghetti al pomodoro

A classic Italian dish of spaghetti in a tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, passata and plenty of basil with torn mozzarella on top. Cut the spaghetti into shorter lengths to help your toddler eat it easily and go easy on the olive oil and salt. 
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Homemade baked beans

Store-bought baked beans can be high in salt and sugar, which isn't great for anyone, least of all children.
Try making your own – they take a while to cook but they're dead easy to make. Mash up the beans a bit to help younger kids chew.
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Granola bars recipe

Healthy granola bars made with nuts and seeds, ground almonds and rolled oats. They do contain sugar, but are perfect to enjoy in moderation. Break up the larger pecan nuts before use and use whatever seeds you fancy, and extra dried fruits like snipped-up apricots.
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Pancakes

Children absolutely love pancakes. Since we're assuming you do too (and in all likelihood you do), pancakes with a simple light sprinkling of caster sugar and a squeeze of tart lemon juice are a lovely pudding for a treat. Also try a little chocolate spread or savoury versions.
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