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 Food

• Dig out the slow cooker, programme your oven to come on automatically and feel the autumn smugness of returning from a day out to a perfectly cooked casserole and jacket potatoes. (Pendulum)
• Avoid giving sugar-laden fizzy drinks to your children by replacing them with a small amount of fresh fruit juice topped up with sparkling water. (Replacing the fizzy drinks that is, not the children!) (MarionCrane)
• When you've got a birthday cake to ice or decorate, stick it in the freezer for 30 mins first. This gets rid of all the crumbs so your cake has a smooth finish. Much more impressive than lots of bumpy icing. (motherbeyond)
• Break a banana in half and add a lolly stick. It comes out like ice cream. (sarahforan)
• Crust-avoiding bread eaters will scoff much more of the sandwich if you cut it diagonally because there is more 'crust free' area available to them (well, there isn't but it looks like there is and by the time they've worked this out, they are generally old enough to realise crusts are not deadly). (whomovedmychocolate)
• Unless you wish her to be a vegetarian, never let your toddler watch her favourite local pig being shot, killed, skinned and gutted. (artichokes)
• When you have visiting children for dinner, serve everything up on platters or in serving dishes and let them help themselves. Children will often eat more this way. (Hulababy)
• Don't assume supermarkets are cheaper than direct delivery! Our local organic veg box (£5) and fruit box (£3) are far far better value for purse and conscience. (MaeBee)
• For a bit of mealtime fun, freeze jelly babies in ice cubes (one per cube) and float them in children's drinks - causes much amusement. (LISA23)
• If you have a fussy eater, save those cardboard lunchboxes you can get from child-friendly cafes and give your child a 'picnic' on a rug in the living room. The novelty of opening the box to see what's inside never seems to wear off! (sobernow)
• Don't waste leftover wine - freeze it in an ice cube tray for use in casseroles and sauces. (yackertyyack)
• To stop peeled apple going brown and soggy in your child's lunchbox, wrap it in clingfilm immediately after peeling. It's more likely to get eaten if it keeps its natural colour. (Littlekickers)
• Buy new packed-lunch bags now, ready for September. There are loads of cool-bags around for those not wanting characters, and prices will by hiked up come August. (Posey)
• Smoothies frozen into lollies are a great way of getting your kids to eat more fruit over the summer. (Tigerschick)
• Don't eat couscous whilst mumsnetting. Getting the grains out from between the keys will use up all your time. (Katsh)
• If your child refuses a meal put the untouched food into a tupperware box & stick in the fridge and present it again when they ask for a snack or for their next meal. Saves on waste & encourages them to eat what is offered first time round. (superflybaby)
• My son will eat vegetables, providing we've grown them ourselves. It's been a great introduction to new foods... and he's broadening his tastes! (blackrock)
• Cous cous is a great toddler food - you can mix it with pasta sauce, pureed stews, fruit puree, you name it! Quicker to prepare than pasta. (CatherineW)
• Kids refusing to try foods they've previously hated? Tell them now they're 'so grown up' they've got grown up taste buds and will love broccoli/sprouts etc. Worked a treat on the kids I lied to. (Willow)
• Keep a little box of chopped up fruit and veg in the fridge. Easy to grab when you are in a rush and for your little one to help themselves. (shoptilidrop)
• Make your children's school sandwiches with frozen bread. They'll help keep the rest of their packed lunch cool and by lunchtime they'll be defrosted. (Sparkler)
• Instead of buying fresh lemons and only using half, squeeze the juice out and freeze it, you can use the ice cubes in your G & T's! (JODIEhavingababy)
• If it's tricky getting your child to eat fruit and veg, juice it. Sneak carrots in with apple or orange juice. Add juiced strawberries or raspberries to milk for instant pink milk. (emmybel)
• If you have a toddler that loves to throw food on the floor, put an extra plate on the table and they might put the food on the spare plate instead! (jmg4321)
• If one of your children is being fussy about their food, offer to give it to their sibling - it usually makes them want to eat it themselves! (Pamina)
• Buy one of those short, wide flasks (sold at GLTC). My son now has hot pasta, rice, soup - it has revolutionised our packed lunches! (Saffy1)
• Plain popcorn makes an excellent and nutritious packed lunch filler. (NaughtyNigel)
• To make fruit go further, cut it in half. They are more likely to eat the whole piece, and its better than them nibbling round the edges then throwing it away (estar)
• If cooking for picky children who 'hate onions' try using red onions.They become invisible in a bolognese sauce unlike standard white onions which seem to send kids over the edge. (Cremolafoam)
• Always have flour, butter/marg and sugar in the house. A quick baking session with the kids can save an otherwise bad day. (Shitemum)
• Batch-cook savoury muffins weeks ahead and freeze them once cooled. At Christmas, defrost and warm through in the oven for that 'just-cooked taste' (cazmo)
• If you have tubes of yoghurt/fromage frais nearing their best before date, stick them in the freezer. Kids can't get enough of them and it's a healthier alternative to ice-cream. (thelittlestboho)
• Add yoghurt rather than milk to cornflakes or rice crispies - it will make them stick together, so novice self-spooners get more into their mouths! (HysterSister)
• Don't let leftover/untouched veggies go to waste. When cool, blitz in a blender along with some grated cheese and a little plain yoghurt and make a veggie dip/pate. Serve chilled with toast/pitta strips or crudites. (LemonTart)
• Buy a packet of cheap plastic spoons to send with lunch box yoghurts, and welcome all your real cutlery home again! (GrumpyOldHorsewoman)
• For an easy way to add protein to 'weaning' meals, make up a batch of cheese sauce and freeze in ice cube trays and add one to any combination of the veggies you've already frozen. (Noodlecup)
• When cooking spaghetti for younger children, snap it into shorter lengths before it goes into the water so you don't have to cut it up afterwards (anela)
• You can pick up a food flask for your baby/toddler food for less than a fiver. It stays warm for up to 4-5 hours and it's SO useful not to have to ask people to heat food up when out and about. (cmm)
• For children who think they are too old for bibs, keep a couple of old t-shirts for them to wear when messy food is on the menu. (isaidno)
• If your toddler won't eat his dinner, try spreading it on some toast. Try fishcakes on toast, lasange on toast or pasta bake on toast. (AnnieAlcoholLeft)
• If your toddler won't eat his dinner, try spreading it on toast. Fishcakes on toast, lasagne on toast, pasta bake on toast... yum! (AnnieAlcoholLeft)
• For space-mad kids, mix peas into spaghetti hoops. The peas get stuck in the hoops creating mini Saturns (snowleopard)
• For kids that won't wear bibs, keep a couple of old t- shirts for when messy food is on the menu. (Isaidno)
• Increase your child's vegetable intake by making them parsnip "chips". It took my eldest six months to realise his chips weren't potatoes. (Pixie81)
• Don't give your real-nappy-clad toddler curry for tea, three days in a row. Trust me - it's not a good idea. (Miaou)
• Keep the water you boil vegetables (except potatoes) in. Leave to cool then decant into ice-cube trays and freeze. It makes great ready-made vegetable stock for making baby food with. (Vivaaustria)
• Line lunch-boxes with old carrier bags. If you want to know why, try emptying a yoghurt into your child's lunch-box and whirling it round your head a few times. (AlienEarsUnderSantas)
• Use big wide pasta bowls instead of plates for your children's food. Much easier for them to handle, and virtually eliminates mess spilling onto the table. (roisin)
• When making spaghetti bologneise for children, snap up the pasta beforehand, it saves all the chopping when serving (Mellowma)
• Don't bother buying a specific carving kit, a melon-baller is great for scooping out the insides of pumpkins. (moaningpaper)
• If you've got fussy eaters, try cooking chilli con carne with baked beans instead of kidney beans. (TheDaVinciCod)
• Instead of forking out on the expensive cereal bars, I make a basic flapjack recipe and add store cupboard stuff - dried apricots, dates, sunflower seeds or whatever's to hand. The kids love them and they cost pence! (EmmaGee)
• Add grated carrot or parsnip to the fruit filling of a pie or crumble. It saves money and increases little ones' vegetable intake. (aeadkins)
• Add grated carrot or parsnip to the fruit filling of a pie or crumble. It saves money and increases vegetable intake. (aeadkins)
• To top up protein without anyone noticing, add a tin of ready soaked lentils to baked bean. All my children love them! (NotAnOtter)
• Get into the habit of offering baby COLD food from weaning. If you're caught out you can feed from a jar without having to beg someone to heat it up. (rlucy)
• If your toddler won't eat vegetables, serve them first, and don't bring out the rest of the meal until a few mouthfuls have been eaten. It usually works. (EasyTanya)
• If your little one isn't keen on vegetables, try adding a little cinnamon to make them taste sweeter, without loading up on sugar. (Ponka)
• My children often refuse a whole apple but when I put a plate of sliced apple in front of them while they're watching TV, they start eating automatically. (anon6)
• Freeze segments of tangerines/clementines for a cooling and refreshing snack. Break the segments up first and lay them out on a tray to freeze. (bon)
• Struggling to get your child to eat enough fruit? Try mashing the fruit up with good quality vanilla ice-cream. (Socci)
• Freeze fromage frais tubs for a real summer treat. Kids love them as they are similar to mini- milk lollies. (Cal)
• If serving melon to older babies or children, puree and freeze the rest as lollies - delicious for them and you. (kipper22)
• Freeze bottles of water then put the frozen bottle in the packed lunch box in the morning on a hot summer day and there'll be nice cool water for lunch time. (Popsycal)
• Fruit Kababs a great way of getting at least five different fruits into your kids. They also make a great after school snack (1michele)
• If your child has packed lunches, make it the night before. What it lacks in freshness it more than makes up for in stress-relief the following morning. (Babster)
• If you have a fussy child, get a plate with divided sections when offering new foods, then you can put the new food in one area and it won't 'infect' the rest of the meal. (OliveWhoIsNotHereOhN)
• So young babies don't miss out in the summer, use breast or formula milk in ice lollies moulds. Perfect for teething babies, too. (yackertyyack)
• Never give up presenting vegetables to fussy eaters. I put peas and broccoli on my son's plate countless times and he always refused them until one day he tried the peas and now he loves them. (bernieandblanket)
• My son loves to eat a banana lolly - you just chop a banana into thick slices and thread it onto a chopstick. Much more exciting than a normal banana! (shazronnie)
• If you've half a lemon left over from cooking (even after zesting and squeezing)pop it in your dishwasher to give extra sparkle and a fresh fragrance to your next load. (BettySpaghetti)
• If trying to cool down an extremely hot soup, add small frozen veggies to it. The soup will heat them up while cooling down and both can be eaten together. (MeMyselfand1)
• Keep a bowl in your fridge filled with things like carrot sticks, grapes and chunks of melon. After school put it out at your child's level so healthy snacking becomes a habit. (welshmum)
• Use vinegar and water to get tomato ketchup stains out of clothes. (veryashamed)
• For toddlers that are not keen on eggs, try making french toast (eggy bread) spread with marmite and cut into soldiers. (gingerbear)
• Add a slug of orange juice to hot savoury meals - it cools them down, adds a natural sweetener, and a small amount of vitamin C. Makes previously rejected meals go down a treat. (madcowmagda)
• Adding chopped fresh tomatoes when you heat up tinned spagetti, baked beans etc is a useful way of getting a portion of vegetables eaten, especially if your children are vegetable-haters. (tigermoth)
• Don't be too proud to make weird combinations of food - raisins have saved our three year old from eating nothing! He has mashed potato and raisins, cereal and raisins, sandwiches and raisins, spaghetti bolognese and raisins.... (tortoiseshell)
• I sometimes give my children frozen peas with their dinner. They find this highly amusing and eat more. Same goes for frozen banana (used instead of ice lollies). (jennifersofia)
• Every couple of weeks give your high chair a good scrub down in the bath. It keeps it much cleaner and prevents the build up of grime. (Beanfrog)
• Instead of buying expensive children's dinner plates, cups etc, buy a cheap colourful plastic picnic set. Unbreakable, and my children love to choose the colour they are having at tea! (lumpkin)
• Grate carrot into soups and sauces for extra vitamins. They are undetectable. (fishfinger)
• Freeze sauces in ice cubes. Useful when you just need a small portion and don't want to waste a jar. I freeze tomatoe sauces for pasta and sweet and sour sauces for noodles or rice. Then just defrost one or two cubes as and when you need them. (Kayleigh)
• To get my children to eat vegetables, I offer 3 or 4 different types at each meal. I serve them in bowls on the table and the rule is they must eat at least one type. It makes them feel in control if they can choose. (anorak)
• Get your toddler to help you make a fruit salad. It's a brilliant way to help them learn about different fruits and eat them at the same time. (Northerner)
• To get your children to eat more vegetables, gently cook a bag of mixed frozen vegetables and a finely sliced potato in a little water for 20 minutes. Blend thoroughly, and add a little milk. My children will even eat brussels this way! (scoobytwoshoes)
• To get my children to eat vegetables, I offer three or four different types at each meal. I serve them in bowls on the table and the rule is they must eat at least one type. It makes them feel in control if they can choose. (anorak)
• For a quick lunch I mash a banana and mix it with a little ready-made custard. My kids love this and it's a healthy and filling snack. (lielie)
• If you're having trouble weaning your child on to a variety of tastes, add a little of new things to mashed potato so that the taste isn't so strong. (TiredBunny)
• If you have a fussy eater who won't touch what you serve, save those cardboard luncboxes you can get from child-friendly cafes and give your child a 'picnic' on a rug. The novelty of opening the box to see what's inside never seems to wear off! (sobernow)
• Store spare expressed breast milk in ice - cube trays. It can be mixed with early food at the start of weaning. I did it and it worked perfectly. (ozzy)
• Just stop buying chicken nuggets and other processed children's food. You'll find your children are much more willing to eat grown-up food - they never miss what they're not offered. (tigermoth)
• My son said he didn't like yellow peppers when he saw me doing lunch. I decided to blitz them in the blender and mixed them with pasta and some other vegetables. He had seconds... (Nab)
• If your baby won't take food from a spoon, offer the food to them on your finger. I only discovered this yesterday, but it works so far. (lappa)
• To encourage children to eat healthy snacks such as cucumber or bell pepper slices, provide them with a dip. Yogurt, hummous and mashed avocado make great dips and are healthy snacks as well. (Mrsmac)
• Draw faces with ketchup on kids' dinners. It encourages them to eat e.g. eat an eye, eat a nose, don't forget to eat him all up! (beckah)
• Make meal times fun. Our daughter thinks it's hysterical when we tell her 'whatever you do don't eat that carrot' and pretend to be distraught when she does. (Thomcat)
• With fussy eaters try putting the food on your plate, they're much more interested in it (tonysab)
• Difficulty getting your toddler to eat vegetables? Serve them first, and don't bring out the rest of the meal until a few mouthfuls have been eaten. (EasyTanya)
• Encourage your kids to cook especially the boys. It pays off! After a hard day at work my 18 year old son makes me the most amazing exotic meals. (FlaemDragon)
• Don't slave over the Christmas lunch - ready made extras will taste just as good and leave you with more time to enjoy the family. (ladymuck)
• If your child is fussy about vegetables, grate them into whatever dish you are making. They tend to cook down into unrecognisable, yet nutritious mush. (Dior)
• If you've got two fussy eaters, try making one big bowl of food for them to share and watch them compete to eat more than the other. (gtyrell)
• Brighten up plain water with ice cubes - a cheaper, more healthy alternative to most squash and juice concoctions. (Tigermoth)
• For fussy eaters the easiest way to achieve their daily quota of fruit and veg is to juice it. Carrot and apple is lovely and sweet or make up your own recipes banana, natural yoghurt and some milk is a firm favourite with mine. (Calcium)
• Add a slug of orange juice to hot savoury meals - it cools them down,adds a natural sweetner, and a small amount of vitamin C. Makes previously rejected meals go down a treat. (madcowmadga)
• Add chopped up soft pasta to regular purees to make the transition from pureed to lumpier food. It's worked for my two. (hollydolly)
• Add cubes of frozen spinach to baked beans - it still tastes the same but is a way of smuggling in those greens! (Cha)
• Adding chopped fresh tomatoes when you heat up tinned spagetti, baked beans etc is a useful way of getting a portion of vegetables eaten up, especially if your children are vegetable-haters. (Tigermoth)
• A shower curtain (old or from a cheap store) makes an ideal splashmat for mealtimes, painting and general messy fun. As well as being huge, they can usually be washed in the machine. (Punnet)
• Don't be too proud to add weird combinations of food - raisins have saved our three year old from eating nothing! He has mashed potato and raisins, cereal and raisins, sandwiches and raisins, Spaghetti bolognese and raisins.... (musica)
• For a fun tea that kids love to help prepare, buy ready made mini pizza bases, set out a conveyor belt of healthy toppings and let the kids create their own pizza faces. (Beccarollover)
• Toddlers will enjoy having a small packet of raisins all to themselves - just as fun as sweets and much better for them. (Flos)
• Allow one Pick a day a week for fussy eaters, where they can choose exactly what they are having for dinner. (Momof2)
• If you cook baby food in bulk,freeze them in clean, empty baby glass food jars (Hipp etc).Don't fill to the brim and the glass will survive in the freezer. (Ariane)
• If you are trying to feed your toddler and they are not enthusiastic, enlist the help of older children. My 1 year old loves it when her 3 year old brother feeds her from a spoon. It helps them bond and means she eats more! (gtyrell)
• Always put baby cutlery on the table/highchair, even if they're still at finger food stage, so they can get used to its presence,and use it when the time is right for them. (Ixel)
• If you have trouble getting your baby to eat when weaning, put their food on the edge of your plate. It suddenly becomes much more appealing! (Ixel)
• Don't be specific about what your fussy eater is eating when you serve just say it's their favourite and also their favorite tv character's favourite - works for me everytime. (Gizmo71)
• When children are losing their front teeth don't forget to chop fruit up for them as they can't bite into an apple or pear without it hurting their wobbly ones. (Soapbox)
• If you are having trouble getting your toddler to eat his/her meals, try sitting with them and reading a story. Otherwise get a little cassette player for their table and let them choose a favourite tape to play while they eat supper.It works a treat with mine. (jessi)
• If they won't eat fruit- thinly slice an apple and just leave it in front of them when they are watching TV - they will eat it without noticing. (Couchbeings)
• When your baby is well established on solids it makes life a lot easier if you can get him/her to eat the same as everyone else. Lunches like scrambled egg on toast, baked potatoes with cheese , sandwiches with suitable fillings suit adults and children alike. It saves on money ,time and washing up. (collette)
• When trying to feed a distracted, fussy baby, give them a spoon of their own and let them think they are feeding themselves. Then, whilst they're not paying attention, stuff the food in yourself. It works every time! (Caspar)
• Add a couple of ice cubes to hot food, like soup or stews, so that your child doesn't have to wait for it to cool down. (Demented)
• When your child is past the ice cube tray method for home made foods, upgrade to larger disposable drinking cups. They hold loads, are cheap and can be re-used at home or disposed of if out on a trip. (punnet)
• Make tomato based pasta sauces and then freeze as ice cubes. Defrost two or three cubes in the microwave and stir into pasta. this can also be done with your kid's favourite jar of sauce to save on both time and waste. (Kayleigh)
• When giving young kids hot food, give them a plastic spoon to eat it with. They don't heat up like a metal spoon and can also be bought in bulk at supermarkets. (oblong)
• Our fruit bowl used to be out of reach for our four year old. When we moved it to another place within his reach, his fruit intake rocketed as he helped himself to fruit during the day. (tigermoth)
• For fussy eaters, always give them a choice of two foods. This way they feel they are making the decision, however small that may be! (mabsy)
• I find that by getting my three and four year old to help me prepare dinner they eat whatever is put on their plate. (denyseboyle)
• For a healthy snack, cut extra baby-finger sized chunks of veg every time you cook, and keep in a tub in the fridge. (Lucy123)
• When your child starts feeding himself and refuses to let you help but ends up wearing most of it, give them a spoon for each hand and have a spoon for yourself. This will make them think they are in charge whilst stopping them from playing with the food, enabling you to spoon it in. (labcm)
• If you have trouble getting your kids to eat a variety of vegetables, try butternut squash(remove skin and seeds then chop and boil).It's easily disguised in mashed potatoes and turns them a lovely orangey shade. My kids love these special potatoes. (jazzymalloo)
• For a healthy alternative to biscuits to get two mini rice cakes, put a tiny bit of jam on one and a tiny bit of peanut butter on the other and squash them together. An even healthier option is to fill them with mashed banana.My daughter loves them. (mollymay)
• My daughter will not drink milk from a cup at all, to encourage her to drink at least some I give her a straw with her bowl of cereal in the morning and all the milk miraculously disappears! (Wedgiesmum)
• We have found that cooking dinners in a slow cooker ensures dinner is at the same time every day which means that we can all eat together. It also saves time in the evening when there are a million and one other things to do. (Juggler)
• Encourage your child to eat by turning his plate into a work of art! I make my son 'Mr Banana Man' by taking a section of a banana and using raisins for eyes and nose and half cut through for a mouth. Another favourite is a volcano. A mound of mashed potatos with baked beans pouring down the sides from a hole in the top and sticks of broccoli going down the sides as trees. (VFeist)
• Don't ever ask what your children would like for supper if you think they will say nuggets or sausages every time. Prepare whatever you decide on (within reason). Present it to your children only when they are hungry and tell them it's that or bread and butter. It works with my two most of the time. (youcandoit)
• If you want to give your little ones chocolate, give them white milk chocolate buttons. They don't stain the clothes like other chocolates. (couchbeings)
• Encourage your kids to have water with at least one meal a day, and that water is the best drink to have when your thirsty. It sets a good lifetime habit of less sweet drinks in their diets. (Batey)
• Frozen spinach is fantastic: it's nutritious, it comes in handy portions and is practically undetectable when mixed into other foods such as mash and tinned spaggetti. (witchypoo)
• To encourage young children to eat vegetables, make 'pictures' on the plate with them - for example, my kids wouldn't try green cabbage until I made it into 'hair' on a mashed potato face. (chrisandmark)
• Use rubber icecube trays to freeze babies' food - it saves breaking your fingers trying to get the frozen food out! (Icky)
• Fussy eaters? Let them help make their food. My son who lived on fresh air at one time now eats Yorkshire puddings since he made. He also eats pastry since he helped to roll it out, which led onto eating sausage rolls. (Margi)
• Use rice cakes as a snack for children from six months (salt free if under a year). You can get organic, sugar-free ones in all supermarkets. They don't spoil mealtimes and though messy, it's a dry mess that is easily cleaned up. (jenni)
• Put tubs of fromage fraise in the freezer - they make a great alternative to ice lollies.
• Put tubs of fromage frais in the freezer. They make great alternatives to ice lollies. (Eros)
• For children who won't eat their greens mash up sprouts, carrots with potato, mix with a beaten egg, roll into balls, toss them in breadcrumbs, and fry them for a few minutes until golden. (Charley)
• Want your child to drink more water? Buy a 'sport' type bottle and reuse. Children seem to love it and even babies will drink from them (supervised of course). (Winni)
• If you have small children who are learning to feed themselves, buy a dustbuster.It saves lugging out the hoover after every meal or trampling far flung food into the floor. (cori)
• When starting your child on baby rice, mix the rice in the lid of the bottle that they're going to drink anyway. It's about the right size and it saves extra washing up. (karenfev)
• To encourage an interest in eating fruit and veg, grow some... there's nothing quite as good as a tomato or strawberry straight off the plant. (emmagee)
• Make a game of counting how many different fruits (including juice) and vegetables your child has had during the day. As well as being educational (numbers and fruit and vegetable recognition)it helps even faddy eaters eat a wider diet. (Lynnw)
• With reluctant eaters try putting on a chef's hat and apron and announcing that you're cooking something great but that there's only enough for you. Allow the kids to stir or taste but still say there's not really enough. When the food is ready put small portions on their plates and says there really isn't any more. It's amazing to watch them gobble it down and then insist that there must be more. (lisalisa)
• For fairy cakes, put half the plain mixture into the bun case followed by a small blob of chocolate spread then the rest of the mixture. The choc spread stays soft after cooking and is a lovely gooey surprise. (BagelBird)
• If your child will not eat greens, puree them into a tomato sauce to serve with pasta - easy to freeze too! (grommit)
• Give your child a healthy start to the day by giving them pancakes mixed with fruit. I mix bananas into the batter or squeeze fresh orange juice over them. Even if they don't eat their school dinner, it means they've had protein at the start of the day. (Monty)
• To encourage my reluctant fruit eaters I take my 6 and 3 and a half year old to the supermarket with me and they are allowed to choose one new exotic fruit each themselves to try. We play a game where they must try to guess the country where it grew and whether on a tree or a bush and if it has seeds or stones or soft or hard flesh. By the time they get home they are itching to try the new fruit and this way we have avid lychee, melon and mango eaters which makes for unusual school lunchboxes and votes for street cred from the other children! (lisalisa)
• To encourage reluctant fruit eaters let them choose one new exotic fruit each week to try. We try to guess the country where it grew, whether on a tree or a bush and if it has seeds or stones etc. By the time they get home from the shops my children (aged three and six) are itching to try the fruit and we now have avid lychee, melon and mango eaters which makes for unusual school lunchboxes. (lisalisa)
• For some reason toddlers seem happy to eat sandwiches cut into pretty shapes with biscuit cutters - mine even eats the offcuts but won't touch ordinary square or triangular sandwiches! Strange but true! (Fleabag)
• Give carrot juice as an alternative to fruit juice - my daughter loves it and doesn't realise that it's not fruit. (pamina)
• Stir soft cheese into tinned spaghetti to con a fussy eater into consuming more calcium. (bethscott)
• I use coffee stirers to make kebabs (with anything. One of my son's favourites is sausage and baby tomatoes. I got the idea when I made fruit kebabs for his birthday party, he will eat almost anything if it's on a stick. (Enchanted)
• If your child will not eat his/her food try a bit of reverse psychology. Tell them that they had better not eat anything that is on their dish! Their desire to be naughty overwhelms their desire not to eat anything, so before you know it they have licked their plate clean! (Rhubarb)
• Give food interesting names to entice your children to eat - we have dragon soup, monster mash and spaghetti is slimy snakes etc. (RachelB)
• I tried to feed my kids minced lamb, gravy and vegetables but they refused so I put it in the liquidiser with a blob of shop bought pasta sauce and poured it over some fusili and there were clean plates all round! (clogger)
• When trying new foods with children do not give up until you have tried to introduce the new taste at least 12 times but do it in a relaxed way and accept that it will take time for new tastes to be accepted. (SueWontroba)
• If your toddler will not give up their formula milk for cow's milk, try mixing up half and half and then gradually increasing until it is all cows milk. (cathmack)
• Put a note into their lunch box each day. For example, 'Mum loves you', 'Have a good day' or 'enjoy your apple'. I find it encourages them to eat the contents and they are always excited to tell me at the end of school what the note said. (lucyanne)
• If you do a lot of home cooking,instead of buying sticky labels, get some masking tape from your local DIY. It's cheaper and you can write out what it is in full, date, contents, how many it is for etc without running out of space. (Casbie)
• As far as possible eat your meals with your child, so that they learn good manners and know that they're eating the same food as you. My daughter doesn't eat huge amounts but will always try new things because I'm eating them. (Mumshaw)
• For some reason toddlers seem happy to eat sandwiches cut into pretty shapes with biscuit cutters. Mine even eats the offcuts but won't touch ordinary square or triangular sandwiches! (Fleabag)
• For fussy eaters buy Lauren Child's book I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato. The ensuing laughter will make your child forget all about being fussy at mealtimes! (Cas)
• Give carrot juice as an alternative to fruit juice. My daughter loves it and doesn't realise that it's not fruit. (pamina)
• Babywear catalogues are ideal if your toddler requires entertainment in order to sit still in a high chair for more than a couple of minutes. They love looking at the photos of babies and it doesn't matter if the catalogues get covered in food. (Bossykate)
• When trying new foods with children do not give up until you have tried to introduce the new taste at least 12 times. Always do it in a relaxed way and accept that it will take time for new tastes to be accepted. (SueWontroba)
• Add vegetables such as red peppers and frozen spinach to a home made tomato sauce, then blend and serve with pasta as pasta with tomato sauce and grated cheese which kids love. (JoT)
• I have a stash of coffee stirers that I aquired from various cafes. To entice my son to eat I make kebabs. One of his favourites is sausage and baby tomatoes but you can use anything. He will eat almost anything if it's on a stick! (Enchanted)
• Get toddlers to eat raw carrot sticks by saying any hungry bunny rabbits here? it always works and saves having to cajole them into eating the cooked version! I also grate cheese in a bowl and say I hope that mouse doesn't eat this when I'm not looking and of course he does. It helps if your children like pretending to be animals I suppose.
• If your toddler won't eat fruit, chop up apples, pears, bananas, add some raisins and put these into a bag to go and 'feed the ducks with'. Suprise! The kids eat most of the fruit and share just a few bits with the ducks! (AngelaMedwaySmith)
• For a nutritious means of satisfying the whole family make pizza bases and tomato sauce then put out bowls of toppings so everyone can choose our own. I'm happy with vege and pinenuts, the girls like pineapple and peppers and the carnivore has whatever he wants without me needing to touch it! (Candy)
• When kids aren't keen on greens .... hide them! I do mashed potato with things like leeks pureed in, and omelettes with broccoli finely chopped in the mixture. (Frogatt)
• If your toddler is going through a 'non-eating' phase, get them out of the high chair, and try having a teddies' tea party instead. All sorts of finger food lends itself to being eaten off toy plates. Sometimes a change of scene is all you need. (Rae)
• If your child refuses to eat, get them involved in making it. You'll be amazed how quickly the food goes down once they think they've made and cooked it all themselves! (Rhubarb)
• If your children will eat mashed potato but not cauliflower, mash cauli into their potato, they won't know they are eating it. (stumo)
• If you have a fussy eater, save those cardboard lunchboxes that you buy in child-friendly cafes and give your child a 'picnic' in the living room or the garden. The novelty of opening the box to see what's inside never seems to wear off! (sobernow)
• Freeze chunks of melon with lolly sticks stuck into them. They're delicious, free of colourings and flavourings but best of all they simply defrost and don't drip so you don't get the sticky aftermath. (janet)
• If your children will eat mashed potato but not cauliflower, mash cauli (or other veg) into their potato, they won't know they are eating it (stumo)
• My young toddler started becoming fussy with her food so now we sit down together with 'her' food on 'my' plate and something very dull in front of her. Within seconds she is begging for mine - works every time! (Dimples)
• If you have a fussy toddler who won't eat vegetables, chop them up finely and add to dishes such as lasange. My daughter doesn't like onions, and various others vegetables depending on the day of the week, but I had a clean plate when I tried this! (Sammi)
• If your child is a fussy eater and only wants to eat the good stuff, fool them with a mix of food. My baby, Maisy, would only eat rusks for breakfast and I wanted her to have weetabix so I mixed one weetabix with one rusk and after a few mouthfuls she ate the lot. Eventually I will cut out the rusk altogether. (lilly72)
• Encourage fussy eaters to join in the cooking. They are much keener to try their own efforts. (Tiggertwo)
• For fussy eaters I have devised a 'picture meal'; I ask the children what they would like to see and brocolli 'trees', cheese 'sailboats', carrot 'goldfish' etc. go down a treat. (BORIS3)
• If you have trouble getting your toddler to drink water pour it into an unusual vessel such as plastic stacking 'cups'... my son is so thrilled by this the water is gone in seconds and he is asking for more! (Cecila)
• When trying to get your baby to drink something other than milk or water, try offering diluted apple juice or one of the baby drinks flavoured with apple. In my experience babies seems to prefer this flavour to any others initially. (MaryC)
• My son will not eat anything in his high chair. However, if he sits on my husband's lap we have more success. (Louise 2728)
• Provide easy-to-get-at healthy snacks for weekend breakfasts and show your five year old like its a special surprise. Ours gets up early and gets breakfast for itself and smaller sibling while we doze happily until a civilized hour. (fish)
• Buy a couple of packs of face cloths when you first start weaning. This saves endless wet wipes and they can we washed. (sarah56)
• To help your baby combat food allergies, introduce new foods one at a time, several days apart, to check for a reaction.
• Don't buy pasta shapes or pasta sauce which are specifically made for babies. Use organic ordinary pasta and passata and mash it with a little grated cheese. My seven and a half month old twins love it, it's cheap to make and freezes well.
• If your child won't eat vegetables, use the water they were cooked in to make soups or sauces, and disguise the veg in mashed potato.
• For a quick nutritious meal, mix a can of tuna chunks, some instant mash (made in the microwave if you want to save even more time) and grated cheese. Stick in the oven or under the grill for five to ten minutes and hey presto!
• I sit my toddler on the edge of the kitchen sink to wash his hands after a meal. Sounds a simple way to clean up but it took me 2 years and a variety of cloths, flannels and kitchen towels before I thought of it!
• Try giving foods your kids don't like funny names. My children used to turn their noses up at omelettes but now I call them a b c b g bees they tuck into them.
• Let your toddler taste any food they express an interest in - even if they don't like it, it helps prevent food faddishness later on, and it makes it far easier to eat out with a child. Even when small my children enjoyed garlic bread.
• If you buy a good booster seat you can do without a highchair. In retrospect, we could have fed our son in his bouncy chair until he was ready for the booster seat and saved ourselves £80.
• If you're struggling to get your toddler to eat in his/her high chair, try a booster seat. We've found that ours eat much better sitting round the big table with adults.
• Feed toddlers en masse where possible! If you meet up with other mums/ carers for meals there's plenty of people to help tidy up, the children eat better, it helps get you through that early evening slump and mums with new second babies get the chance to feed them in (relative) peace.
• My secret weapon on the food front is parsley. It contains Vitamin C, iron, calcium and sodium and can be hidden in almost any savoury food.
• When meal times become a battlefield, put what they like under a layer of vegetables and on top of that a layer of mashed potato topped with cheese - it works with both of mine, although they're still not keen on anything green.
• If your baby won't eat lumps (and that means they're not getting any meat or fish) give them the gravy or broth left over from cooking the meat or fish as a soup.
• Bagel is a great teething foodstuff. It is naturally chewy, and slightly sweet. It keeps my baby occupied for ages.
• Disguise vegetables in casseroles and stews by grating them finely before serving at the table. They are hard to find in the sauce.
• If your children don't want to drink their water/juice and are more interested in lemonade/coke etc., put a couple of ice cubes in their cups, it makes them think they are being very grown up.
• If your child has a food intolerance to milk/colourings, make your own advent calendar. I used 24 mini raisin boxes filled with hair bands, sweets, magnets - anything they would like that would fit. I wrapped the raisin boxes in paper, numbered them and blu-tacked them onto a painted cardboard cracker. The kids can't wait to get started and no longer want a 'boring' chocolate one.
• Baby 'canapes' can be made with Shreddies and small pieces of banana placed on top.
• If your kids like Teletubbies, add a few drops of red food colouring to normal custard to make Tubby custard (don't add too much or you'll make bright red Dracula custard!).
• If you want your kids to eat sandwiches - try using a biscuit cutter to cut them into interesting shapes - it worked for us and was particularly useful for children's parties. If you cut carefully there's very little wastage.
• If your child refuses to eat vegetables, mash them up with potatoes - parsnip works particularly well as it's the same colour. All the top restaurants are doing it so it must be the right thing to do!
• Humous is just a great food for babies/ kids. Whack it on some bread/ rice cake and you have a nutritious snack in minutes flat. I've hardly come across a young child who won't eat it. (Nancy)
• Move your child from bottle to beaker as soon after his first birthday as possible. It will take a bit of effort to adjust but it's much easier doing it now than later (when they really know their own mind) and it's better for their teeth. (Jraven)
• Try giving teething babies those hard chewy fruit bars you can buy in health food shops. Keeps my son happy for ages and it's all natural ingredients. (Soup)
• If you're really struggling to get your child to eat veg, try mixing them with a dollop of petit filous. That was literally the only way my little boy would eat any. (Bells)
• At dinner, give your baby some finger food from your plate to keep her happy while you eat. You can spoon mush in at the same time. Broccoli or pitta bread goes down well with mine, and she enjoys being part of the family at meal times. (Emmy)
• I have found that spaghetti hoops are a great, fun way of getting your toddler to manage a fork. It helps them practise the scooping action with little effort (. Judith)
• Encourage a fussy eater to try cereals. Most toddlers like them and even the most hideously sugary ones are fortified with vitamins, so you know they're getting some benefit. If they're allergic to milk, try serving the cereal with juice. (Holly)
• For my daughter who won't eat vegetables or fruit, I make jellies out of fruit juice, pureed fruit or vegetables. She loves them, especially if they are funny-shaped moulds. (CK)
• If you're stuck with a toddler with a hula hoop addiction, try stuffing the hoops with cheese. Not something you'd want to do every day, but for the days when nothing else will do at least you feel there's something healthy going down. (Cl)
• I've discovered that for some reason my children will eat whole baby carrots whereas they won't eat carrots if they're diced/cut in strips. The whole ones are a bit more expensive - but for me it's worth it! (Cc)
• The easiest-peasiest fish dish ever is to get one of those boil-in-the-bag cod things (you can microwave them too). (Emmam)
• Don't be tempted to cut your children's spaghetti into small pieces. They eat much more if they can suck up the long pieces - messy but quite good fun! (Cc)
• If our daughter isn't keen to eat, we just look shocked and say that her doll is hungry and forkfulls suddenly seem to find their way in via dolly's mouth! (nmd)
• Encourage toddlers to eat meat or fish by marinating it in something sweet. Try honey, the juice of an orange or cranberry sauce. (Ra)
• Mix chopped up orange with green vegetables. The vitamin C helps you absorb the iron in the veg and my kids love the taste. (Bon)
• Put small pieces of fruit on a toothpick and pop into the freezer for a healthy summer snack. Works well with pineapple, blueberries, grapes, peaches and bananas. Kids of all ages love them! (Chelle)
• If your toddler is a fussy eater whatever you do don't get into battles with her. Simply remove uneaten food without comment. To keep your sanity it is as well to remember no normal toddler ever starved itself to death! (littlered)
• When encouraging a young toddler to feed themselves, feed them the first few mouthfuls, so their immediate hunger pangs go away. (Tigermoth)
• When trying to get my son to eat his vegatables, I close my eyes and say I bet those vegetables will still be there when I open my eyes! He thinks it's hilarious to eat some and see the look of surprise when I open my eyes. (storyteller)
• If your children love macaroni cheese as much as mine, make a huge batch of cheese sauce and freeze it in ice-cube trays. You can then defrost as many cubes as you need depending on the number of friends they decide to bring home for tea! (AnnaB)
• I know it sounds daft, but my two love it. When I give them a chocolate biscuit, I give it to them on a peg ! No more chocolatey fingers, they just hold the peg. (lovedayathome)
• No matter how young your children and how messy they may end up, let them help out in the kitchen, for example cooking, stirring or buttering bread. Hopefully the will grow up to enjoy it. (sweetex)
• Feed toddlers en masse where possible! If you meet up with other mums/ carers for meals there's plenty of people to help tidy up, the children eat better, it helps get you through that early evening slump and mums with new second babies get the chance to feed them in (relative) peace.
• When my son declares he has finished eating (with lots still on the plate), we say, but you've only got 5 spoonfuls left. At which point, and he falls for it every time, he says, No, there's only 3, and promptly goes on to eat the food and prove us wrong! (sylvev)
• My 10 month old will not accept solid/ finger food. I have been advised to try melt in the mouth food like Skips and Quavers to get her used to having something solid in her mouth which dissolves quickly. Obviously this isn't the ONLY food she should be given (!) but it is worth a try. (Sophs)
• For an easy weaning meal, parcel up meat and veg in tin foil and bake in the oven with a jacket potato. When cooked blend together with a processor & voila! meat, potatoes and 2 veg with no hassle! (sheesh)
• If we are not having a Sunday roast, we have a good local butcher who cooks all his own roasts. I buy a few slices and mix in the blender with potatoes, veg and gravy. I give it to my one year old who eats it all with no hesitation. (gemma)
• Collect all your takaway trays, they make ideal freezing containers for your little ones meals. (joe)
• Children are notorious for not eating veg... so mash up sprouts/ carrots etc with potato, mix with a beaten egg, roll them into balls, toss them in breadcrumbs, and fry them for a few minutes until golden. (Charley)
• Fussy eaters...let them help make their food. My son who lived on fresh air at one time now eats Yorkshire puddings since he made them and he saw what went in them. (margy)
• My kids are greedy when they see the freezer full of lollys. So they only get them after meals I take them out of the box and hide them in the vegi bags so they just think theres an abundance of sprouts or carrots. (Angiet)
• When using icecube trays to freeze babies food, use rubber ones, as it saves breaking your fingers trying to get the frozen food out! (meD)
• Put a few pieces of pasta/rice/ potato on the high chair tray when feeding very young babies - chasing the bits of food keeps them occupied whilst you get on with the job of feeding them. As a bonus they start to learn to feed themselves with finger food. (sis)
• Sometimes you can cajole a fussy eater by bringing a dolly to the table. Give dolly a spoonful of food, then give baby/toddler a spoonful. Tell baby he'd better hurry up and eat, or else dolly will eat it all for him. (KAM)
• If you find it hard getting your toddler to eat meat and other sources of protein, try pancakes - you can either stuff mini pancakes or add finely chopped chicken to the pancake mixture and serve it with a light spreading of cream cheese. (Bland)
• Sometimes you can cajole a fussy eater with a dolly at the table. Give dolly a spoonful of food, then give baby/toddler a spoonful. Tell baby he'd better hurry up and eat, or else dolly will eat it all for him. (KAM)
• Let your toddler taste any food they express an interest in - it doesn't matter if they don't like it, it's always good to encourage adventurous tastes. It may help prevent food faddishness later on, and it makes it far easier to eat out with a child. (EJ)
• Freeze raw carrots (peeled). They are perfect for teething and practicing chewing because can't bite bits off and they get the carrot juice as they suck. Either defrost partly or run under water to take the freeze off. (Macau)
• Baby jars from the regular baby food brands are great for freezing your own food in. They are perfect size and don't crack in the freezer. I find them great for travel because if I take them frozen, it will still be fresh - but defrosted when we arrive in a new place and eating home-made food is comforting for my daughter in a strange environment. (Macau)
• Breadsticks have all sorts of uses, not least for keeping your child happy whilst you make that important telephone call/cook dinner/shop, etc. (LisaV)
• If you have a child who is fussy about savoury and prefers sweet, just mix a little of each together. This way they're getting both flavours and it saves hassle for you! (Shaz30)
• If your child's sleeping/eating problems are driving you insane, just keep repeating the mantra, 'it's only a phase'. It's true and it calms you down. (cc)
• If your toddler steadfastly refuses to eat your own cooking but is happy with jars, have you tried washing and saving old jars and feeding your own creations from them? Worked for me. (Jona)
• If you're worried about how little fruit/veg your toddler/child seems to eat, try serving it up in nibble-size pieces (e.g. slices of apple/pear/melon or grapes, peeled orange segments etc) or crudities (sliced raw carrots/peppers/cucumber)and let kids 'graze' while watching a video/playing. (MotherofOne)
• If your toddler is, like mine, allergic to dairy and can't drink milk, try the new bottled water with added calcium. We use it to water down her juice and a litre contains the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk. (Cl)
• My four year old boy has more energy than the rest of his family put together and more than is somethimes good for him. We changed his drinks to either water, milk or lemon barley and it seems to have really calmed him down. (Vanessa1)
• If your child wont eat veg. except potatoes try using a jar of veg. baby food - or puree your own - as a topping on baked potatoes. Then add cheese on the top and they wouldn't know. (TigerFeet)
• Chopped fruit in a bowl placed in front of television-watching children will usually all disappear very quickly. (SecondHandRose)
• Pack a picnic breakast that your children can get out of the fridge themselves on a sunday morning. It will give you that all important extra hour in bed! (Mo2)
• For fussy eaters, buy yourself a hand held food blender and investigate which vegetables you can hide in a basic tomato sauce. You'll be amazed how many can be disguised on a pizza. (Lonelymum)