Creative and healthy toddler meals and snacks - share your ideas!!!

[chitownmelli]

Our blueberry bushes and apple trees should be giving us gifties this year, I can't wait. I had a few berries off of the bushes last year and they were just so delicious. I thought I didn't like blueberries. This was incorrect, I don't like grocery store blueberries lol.

I would love to get more cutters. Joann sells the small Wilton cutters that I think are for fondant, but I can see cheese and fruit taking shape with those :D

[mom2lucas]

i have some of the small wilton cutters. they work well for cheese. i havent tried fruit yet.

[momof2inohio]

When the girls got older they refused to carry a lunch box or even one of those insulated lunch bags (because OH MY GOSH you can NOT be practical and carry your lunch in a container once you hit high school!!! DUMB!!) so I couldn't surprise them with unexpected treats or special occasion napkins or notes.

But, after 16 1/2 years I'm now almost done making school lunches because my youngest is a senior.

Hubs just takes leftovers from dinner in his lunch most days and while those may not be particularly exciting, from the reports he gives on what some of those other poor guys eat it's not too bad.

You also cannot wear a decent coat once you are in middle school and older. You probably don't have much of this in Texas but here in Ohio it gets pretty cold and my son will not wear a coat, only sweatshirts even when it is 10 degrees out! He also wears shorts when its 30 degrees and warmer!

[chitownmelli]

Today is tulip shaped eggies with honeydew stems, peanut butter and jelly hearts and green grapes. She does eat "regular" looking food too, I just like to mix it up and make it fun sometimes :)

[3timesoccermom]

melli - I hope the parents of your day care kids appreciate how much extra you do for their little ones.

[chitownmelli]

Renee, they really do :) That's part of what keeps me making cute snacks lol!!! There is no lack of appreciation between us and them and they say such nice things about me to co workers and acquaintances --- when I met some friends and family members at little ones birthday last october they all knew who I was, apparently the parents have nice things to say, and you know, that makes me feel SO good about the job I am doing :)

[chitownmelli]

honeydew and watermelon butterflies with craisin bodies and spots, banana flowers and honeydew stems and grass :)

[VivaciousJewelz]

This is a wonderful thread!

I don't have anything to add, I'm just bookmarking it so I'll get the updates.

[chitownmelli]

I'll have to start posting lunches too then since I understand you are having troubles with veggies right now lol. I don't get over creative at lunch though, by that point I'm just like break time can't come soon enough lol!!!!!

[3timesoccermom]

That's good melli. I think, as a SAHM, that was one of the main things I missed when I stopped working - praise for a job well done, especially when the girls were little, before they learned to express appreciation. Sure you get some satisfaction and take pride in doing your job to the best of your abilities but there is nothing like a regular pat on the back from the ones you make the effort for.

Renee, they really do :) That's part of what keeps me making cute snacks lol!!! There is no lack of appreciation between us and them and they say such nice things about me to co workers and acquaintances --- when I met some friends and family members at little ones birthday last october they all knew who I was, apparently the parents have nice things to say, and you know, that makes me feel SO good about the job I am doing :)