I’ve lamented before about my struggles with Jona and eating. He’s 21 months old now, but it was at about 13 or 14 months that he went from eating everything to stubbornly refusing most of the things he once enthusiastically gobbled up. While I know I can’t magically transform him back to the chubby little baby who scarfed down meatballs and sweet potatoes with glee, I’m hoping to help him expand his palate beyond macaroni and cheese and peanut butter toast, a little at a time.
Jona’s picky tendencies are frustrating enough, but when you add in a mess on top of that I’m exhausted before dinner’s even over. While I don’t have the first problem solved, I recently had the opportunity to try a product that helps with the second. I was sent an EZPZ happy mat to try, and I absolutely love it. Made of BPA-free silicone, it’s a flexible mat that is plate and place-mat in one. It sticks to the table (really sticks!) when Jona is eating, but when he’s done I can just pick up the whole thing and put it in the dishwasher. That is a must for me–ain’t nobody got time to wash dishes by hand.
Since the adorable yet functional happy mat keeps me from worrying about the mess, I have more time to find new foods for Jona to try. Here are a few recent toddler-friendly recipes that I consider to be successes. (I don’t set the bar too high here; if he doesn’t spit it out, I’ll call it a success.)
{one} Berry Green Smoothie from Damn Delicious. Other than the occasional strawberry or blackberry seed (I used a mix of berries instead of just blueberries) that Jona found somewhat offensive, this smoothie was a hit. The fact that I was able to sneak spinach in there and he drank it, happily oblivious, makes me want to find more smoothie recipes immediately.
{two} Mini Cauliflower Pizzas from Damn Delicious. I talked a little about these in last week’s Weekly Eats, but this one is perfect for grabby little toddler hands! Pizza is Jona’s absolute favorite meal, and he would never guess that this yummy pizza crust is made from a veggie on his no list.
{three} Three Ingredient Pancakes from Zoom Yummy. I first saw this recipe on In Residence, where Anne said they were a hit at her house. Typically I make peanut butter toast for Jona’s breakfast, since it’s quick and healthy and I know he’ll eat it, but these sounded too good and easy to pass up. It was a smart move on my part–Jona gobbled them up. He quickly ate one pancake and asked for more.
Thanks so much to EZPZ for my Happy Mat!
