It seems that having a toddler with a low appetite is one of the most common problems for parents. Yes, when the toddlers are busy playing, it looks like they just rarely feel hungry. Sure, this makes parents, especially moms, feel so overwhelmed. Moreover, it is when the kid looks skinny with the bodyweight that is under the normal curve.
There are some matters to understand by moms before being puzzled with the problem. First, the kids’ tummy capacities tend to be different from one to another. So, if other kids can eat more while yours is not, you should not worry too much.
Second, in Indonesian society, the definition of eating is rice consumption. Well, it is not completely right because the carbohydrate source is not only rice. If your kid has eaten other foods like bread and cookies, it is reasonable if he or she has felt full and doesn’t want to eat any other things anymore.
Third, kids, mainly toddlers, are simple creatures for real. They tend to choose delicious and simple foods too. Their world is still different from adults who have realized the importance of nutrition and health. For them, it is more interesting to play or do things they think it is fun. Therefore, it is the mom who must play the role to prepare the best dishes for them. Make sure that the foods they consume are not only nutritious but also tasty and simple.
There are some ideas of dishes that are not only delicious but also simple to consume. How to make them is also very easy. Here are the examples.
Tofu and Vegetable Patties
Making tofu patties is quite easy, isn’t it? Yes, it is one of the dishes that is quite common to consume. For kids and toddlers, you can add veggies like carrots, leek, and maybe a little bit of spinach. Avoid giving things like bean sprouts that cause the patties tend to be bitter after being fried.
Ingredients needed for this menu are tofu, egg, and vegetables. For the spices, they are garlic, salt, pepper, and a little sugar if you think it tastes too salty. Make sure that the pepper amount is not too much since it may feel too hot.
Smooth the ingredients for the spice. Follow it by smoothing the tofu. Spread chopped vegetables and egg. After stirring them thoroughly, fry the dough until it is golden brown. Tofu and vegetable patties are ready to serve. Some important nutrition types in the dish are protein, vitamins, minerals, fat, and carbohydrate needed by children.
Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Another simple menu to make is chicken and veggie soup. The ingredients are chicken drumsticks or breasts that have been diced, carrots, celery, leek, cabbage or kale, onion, coconut oil, and chicken broth. For the vegetables, all of them must be sliced to avoid kids or toddlers finding them difficult to chew or swallow.
The steps are quite easy. The coconut oil is put in the pan, wait, and use it to sauté the onion. Add broth and boil it. Pour the diced chicken; continue with carrots and other vegetables. Check it regularly until the meat and vegetables are getting softened.
Serve the soup along with rice. If the kid’s eating portion is not too much, you should not force them to eat more rice. Some spoons are enough. It is even not a problem at all when the meat and vegetables look more than rice.
Grilled Fillet Salmon
To fulfill the needs of protein and vitamins of children, some types of seafood are recommended. One of them is the meat of salmon. Grilling the fish is also suggested as it tends to increase the appetite.
Well, if you are interested to make the recipe for them, some ingredients needed are as follows; a piece of fillet salmon, salt, pepper powder, lemon water, olive oil, and lettuce.
Smear the salmon piece with lemon water, salt, and pepper powder. Wait for 3 to 5 minutes until they are absorbed. Heat up the grilling pan and pour olive oil. If there is no olive oil, you can use butter or cooking oil. Grill salmon until it is cooked well with medium heat. Flip the meat several times until it is cooked evenly.
Meanwhile, you can boil the lettuce or other vegetables. Pour salt or the combination of salt and pulverized onion. After around 5 to 10 minutes, drain them. Serve the grilled fillet salmon along with the boiled vegetables.
Cheese Broccoli Omelet
The next practical menu with a delicious taste is the cheese broccoli omelet. The ingredients are 2 eggs and broccoli that has been cut or diced. You can also add more foods like carrots, leeks, and onion. For the spices, use onion, salt, and pepper. Lastly, prepare also grated cheddar cheese.
To make it, it is quite similar to other omelets. After smoothing onions, salt, and pepper, put the eggs and stir them thoroughly. Next, pour broccoli and other vegetables along with the grated cheese.
Heat butter and a little amount of cooking oil on the pan. Make sure that the oil and butter are smeared thoroughly on the pan’s surface. Pour the mix of eggs, cheese, and vegetables and wait for them until the egg is browned. Flip the egg carefully to make another side cooked evenly. The cheese broccoli omelet is ready to serve whether with rice or not.