How to Make Sure Your Toddler Eats a Balanced Diet
Health-focused tips for even the pickiest little eaters
It’s not just a parenting cliché, it’s a fact: toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. Sure, you might be the lucky parent whose kid will eat a rainbow variety of wholesome, nutritious food at every meal and snack time—but most parents struggle to get their little eaters to try anything that’s new, colorful, flavorful, textured, aromatic, or in any way different than the simple carbs that make up the stereotypical toddler diet.
The good news is, for most toddlers the beige-food diet is just a stage—one they will outgrow. But there are little things you can do now to help foster a taste for nutritious whole foods, while also making sure they get the vitamins and nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong. Add these tools to your mealtime kit.
Add Power Ingredients to Familiar Foods
If protein is a problem, add protein boosts to other dishes: make extra-eggy French toast, swipe hummus on turkey or cheese sandwiches, or make cottage cheese pancakes. For veggie-averse toddlers, layer vitamin-packed veggies into favorite dishes: think butternut mac and cheese, carrot puree-enriched marinara sauce, cauliflower “cream” sauce, or zucchini muffins.
While you might keep the secret ingredient silent at first, once they’re enjoying the food, tell them what’s in it. This helps build positive food memories, so they might be more inclined to try that vegetable again in the future.
Supplement with Toddler Nutritional Drink
This supplemental beverage can help give your picky lovebug a nutritional leg up. Aussie Bubs toddler nutritional drinks are balanced with whole-fat cow or goat milk, vitamins A, B, C, and E, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and prebiotics and probiotics. They taste great, like Bubs infant formulas, and contain no GMOs, corn syrup, maltodextrin, growth hormones, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, pesticides, colors, or preservatives.
Toddler nutritional drinks can be a familiar-tasting and nutritious supplement, either as a beverage or incorporated into recipes like veggie muffins, blueberry smoothies, mashed potatoes, pancakes, or macaroni and cheese, to boost vitamin and nutrient intake.
Model Healthy Eating Patterns
Studies show that when parents eat fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods in front of their children, kids are likely to be less picky. While enjoying melon slices or rainbow carrots, talk about the flavors and textures: for example, “these carrots are sweet and crunchy” or “this melon is smooth and refreshing.” Helping your toddler articulate what they like makes it easier to suggest similar foods they might enjoy.
Offer Choices
Giving children a choice between two different vegetables, fruits, proteins, or sides can empower them and lead to actual eating. Offer broccoli and cauliflower, or chicken and black beans, or brown rice and potatoes. Ask them to taste each one and decide which they’d like to eat. You can also involve them in meal planning by asking whether the family should have this or that for dinner, and credit them with the decision at mealtime.
Final Thoughts
Raising toddlers with balanced diets can feel challenging, but small strategies—like sneaking in veggies, modeling healthy eating, offering choices, and supplementing with a toddler nutritional drink—make it manageable. With consistency and creativity, you can help your little one grow strong, healthy, and confident about food, while keeping mealtimes enjoyable for the whole family.
