Did you know that mealtime can be an enjoyable adventure? ๐ฝ๏ธ
Hello, PTL Families! ๐
This week, we'd like to begin by offering some valuable parent tips for dealing with picky eaters. Coping with picky eaters can occasionally transform mealtime into a battleground, posing a challenge for both parents and children. We have some helpful tips that you can try with your little ones to ensure that mealtime becomes an enjoyable experience for everyone.๐ฅฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง
๐ฝ From Picky to Foodie: Top Tips ๐ฎ
Explore Together: Get your child involved in the meal preparation process. Let them choose ingredients, stir, and taste along the way. This hands-on approach encourages them to become curious eaters.
Make Food Fun: Turn mealtime into an exciting adventure. Create colorful and appealing dishes. Try shaping food into fun figures or telling stories to make eating an enjoyable experience.
Set the Example: Children often mimic their parents. So, be a role model when it comes to healthy eating. Let them see you enjoy a variety of foods.
Routine Is Key: Establish regular meal and snack times to create a predictable schedule for your preschooler. This can reduce mealtime battles and ensure they are hungry when it's time to eat.
No Pressure Zone: Avoid pressuring your child to eat specific amounts or types of food. Instead, focus on providing various options and let them decide how much they want to eat.
๐ฉโ๐ณ Special Recipe of the Month ๐
Try out our special "Colorful Veggie Pasta" recipe! It's delicious and a fantastic way to introduce different veggies into your child's diet.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound small-shaped pasta any kind
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes or 1/2 bell pepper
1 bunch rainbow carrots or two large orange carrots
2 small cucumbers or 1/2 large English cucumber
1 lemon cut in half
1 tsp honey optional
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the top optional
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Adult: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Adult: cut whatever veggies you are using into smaller, more manageable pieces to cut. (Cut cucumbers into long, thin strips.) Trim the ends off of the carrots.
Kids: help cut tomatoes and cucumbers into small, bite-sized pieces. Help peel carrots then grate them on the large holes of a box grated until you get one to two cups. Add all the prepped veggies into a large bowl. Add cooked pasta on top of veggies.
Kids: squeeze 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into a mason jar or small bowl. Make sure to remove any seeds that fell in. Add honey, olive oil, grated cheese, and a large pinch of salt. Tightly close lid of mason jar and jump up and down to shake the dressing together. Make sure to hand on tight! If using a bowl to mix dressing, whisk ingredients together until well combined.
Kids: Pour dressing over pasta and veggies. Stir to coat everything in the dressing. Taste then season with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle on extra cheese, if desired.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
๐ Continuing With Our Fun Facts for Fall Conversations ๐
Did you know that pumpkins grow on long, twisting vines? ๐ฟ Share this intriguing fact with your preschooler as you delve into the pumpkin life cycle. ๐ฑ
๐ฆ What's Inside Your Pumpkin Packet? ๐งก
Life Cycle Exploration: Dive into the stages of a pumpkin's life, from tiny seed to big, orange pumpkin. ๐ฑ๐
Count and Match: Play a fun game matching pumpkin seeds to their respective stages. ๐ข
Artistic Adventures: More coloring and crafting to spark creativity! ๐จโ๏ธ
Letter Fun: Practice letter recognition and tracing with pumpkin-themed letters. ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐
๐ Your Weekly Mission:
Explore the Pumpkin Life Cycle together with your preschooler. Discuss each stage and let them get hands-on by drawing or crafting their version of a pumpkin's journey. ๐๏ธ๐งถ
Stay tuned for next week's newsletter. ๐
God Bless, PTL Treehouse
