Good Food Baby Blog

Eggs are a rich source of protein, folate, vitamin B12, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, eggs also provides a good source of lutein, a type of antioxidants that can be prepared in many ways: Scrambled, hard-boiled, or poached are just to name a few! Having an egg for breakfast is good ways to kick start their day. Serve it in a whole wheat wrap with a cup of vegetables.

This healthy dish is not only for your children but you will enjoy it as well! For an extra kick trying dipping it salsa!

Ingredients:

1. 2 zucchinis
2. 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or toast your own whole wheat bread to use as bread crumbs
3. black pepper to taste
4. 1 cup of nutri-blend flour
5. 2 eggs
6. ½ tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
1. Cut zucchini crosswise then lengthwise into thirds; slice into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick strips. Pat dry.
2. In bag, shake flour, half of the salt and the pepper.
3. In bowl, beat eggs, 1 tbsp. water and remaining salt.
4. In shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and garlic powder.
5. Place zucchini slices in flour mixture and shake to coat. .
6. Shake off excess flour and transfer to the egg mixture. Toss till coated.
7. Roll zucchini in breadcrumb mixture to coat.
8. Bake on a greased baking sheet in 450ºF oven for about 10 minutes.
9. Toss and return to over for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

There is a lot of information on a food label, which can make it confusing to understand. When thinking about packaged snacks for your toddler, a good source of information can be found on packages themselves. These include the Nutrition Facts Table and the ingredient list. The ingredients are always listed in descending order by weight with the item in the greatest amount listed first. The portion size on a product is not always equivalent to Canada’s Food Guide recommendations. For example, 30 grams of cold cereal is one serving of grains; however, some cereal boxes list it as 90 grams in the nutrition panel.

Prepare spaghetti squash with your family’s favorite pasta sauce for a fun and healthy twist. Enjoy some hot healthy whole grain bread with it as well.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the spaghetti squash into halves and scrape out the seeds and pulp.
Place flat side down in a baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes
Let cool then separate “spaghetti” strands by running a fork through it.

Add your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy!

You can encourage your toddler to enjoy their vegetables by making fun dishes that resemble foods they already love. Such as cauliflower to resemble “mashed potatoes.”

1 head of cauliflower divided into bite size florets
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1/3 cup almond milk or skim milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Black pepper to taste (optional)
Parsley (optional)

1. Steam cauliflower.
2. Add the cauliflower and garlic to a food processor.
3. Add the milk, olive oil and pepper to taste.
4. Run the food processor until it reaches a creamy texture.
5. Garnish with parsley. (optional)

Ingredients:

skewer sticks
bananas, sliced (1 inch thick)
bite-sized pretzel sticks
raisins or cranberries
grapes
half an apple or pear, skin on and cut into wedges and then halved

Instructions:
1)Three banana slices from the side per skewer, stack on top of each other
2)Position the apple wedges like a hat on one end of skewer stick
3) stick the grape on top of the apple wedge like a pom-pom
4) have kids decorate with the pretzel sticks for arms with the raisins
5) Serve as is or frozen

Happy Holidays!

It is difficult this time of year to resist all the treats. Why not make some fun shaped cookies with whole wheat flour!

Ingredients:
1. 2 1/2 cups of nutri-blend flour
2. 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4. 1 cup splenda
5. 1/3 cup light becel margarine
6. 1/3 cup egg whites
7. 1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350’F
2. Beat with an electric mixer; eggs, margarine for 30 seconds.
3. Then beat in the sugar and vanilla for a minute.
4. Beat on low speed the remaining indredients.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough until cold, can take up to four hours.
6. Once chilled, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface.
7. Cut up the dough with fun shaped cookie cutters.
8. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until slightly golden brown. Do not over bake.

You can always gear the feeding experience towards toddlers so that trying new foods is not a constant battle.
1) Keeping meal time in the kitchen or dining room in order to reduce distractions such as loud sounds, television and/ or a computer. Being in a calm environment will make it easier to introduce new foods.

2) Give a chef’s hat to your toddler. Allowing them to help with the preparation of their own meal can give the impression that new foods are fun.

3) Keep it colorful with fun shapes. For example, cut fruit into different shapes, create faces with vegetable pieces, or use molds such as LunchPunch.

Do not forget to buy some unique gifts for your friends that are new parents! Check out Good Food Baby or Good Food Toddler

Do you need to buy a gift for parents that have toddlers?

Good Food Toddler Book features healthy recipes, great ideas for menu planning, snacks and dining out options. It also offers tips on many common situations, such as dealing with picky eaters or planning a party for tots with food allergies.

Provided by two healthcare professionals, this book is an ideal guide for parents to teach their toddlers appropriate portion sizes and more. Great for toddlers aged one to four years of age.