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Kid-Friendly Energy Bites

2/1/2020

 
Feeding Littles | A super easy snack recipe idea for adults and kids that is dietitian approved. Make extra and keep them in the freezer for a quick snack for yourself or your kids.

Homemade energy bites are my kids' favorite snack, hands down! We have been making these for years and they’re so tasty for mama and kiddo alike - please make sure read the safety information below before serving.

These are also awesome for pregnant mamas as some data suggests that dates may help with cervical ripening before birth.

Best of all, they are a nice balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates (read: energy) that taste amazing.

I loved having them on hand when I was pregnant and breastfeeding, especially because they’re a quick, satisfying snack that can be eaten with one hand! You can make a large batch and keep them room temperature, in the fridge or frozen - you (adult) can eat them frozen, but make sure to thaw for younger eaters.

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These energy bites are similar to commercially available energy bars and are simply equal parts Medjool dates and nuts or seeds of choice. Make sure to use a high powered blender or food processor to blend. If using the Vitamix, use the tamper.

Vary the nuts you use: each one provides different nutrition! For non-allergic people, regular exposure to allergens is important for allergy prevention. 

A few tips for success with these:
  1. Use juicy (not dry) pitted dates - if they’re too dry the energy bites will be too. You can also soak dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften them up first. Simply drain and remove excess water before blending.
  2. Any nut or seed will do - we tend to like the ones that are a little softer/more oily. Almonds work too, but sometimes they’re a little dry.
  3. If the mix is too dry when you blend it, add more dates.
  4. You can roll into balls or flatten in a pan and cut into bars.
  5. Consider stirring in finely shredded coconut, mini dark chocolate chips, chia seeds etc. into the “dough” and mix well before rolling into balls.

SAFETY INFO:
  • If serving these to kids under 4 make sure that the nuts are completely blended - no big nut pieces!
  • If serving these to babies or young toddlers (a good way to introduce them to various nut allergens), they need to be a very soft paste. Make sure they’re completely squishable between your fingers and are soft. When in doubt wait til they’re older.

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How to Build a Satisfying Salad

2/1/2020

 
Feeding Littles | An easy to use chart created by a dietitian to build a satisfying and filling salad for yourself or your family. Making a satisfying salad doesn't have to be difficult, just choose one item from each category.

We talk often about feeding our kids, but feeding yourself is important as well! 

Every time I post about my lunch salads I get tons of questions about how to make a salad tasty and satisfying. Y’all say that your salads aren’t interesting, but with a few tweaks I bet they could be something you really enjoy!

I love salads. They’re what I crave for lunch. I don’t eat them because I “should” or because I’m trying to be “good.” I eat them because I love how they taste and I love how they make me feel. If I’m not craving a salad one day I don’t eat one! Yup, sometimes that means a sandwich or a burger. But most days when lunch rolls around, salad usually sounds tasty.

However, I rarely eat the same salad two days in a row. Adding variety in flavor and ingredients keeps them interesting and satisfying.

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I also love trying salads at restaurants - there are always so many creative ways to make them!

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When making a salad, consider adding one component from each category so there’s enough flavor, satisfying nutrition, and texture in your salad. (Many of us miss out on protein or filling fat when we make a salad and are hungry 1-2 hours later.) Let’s face it - plain chicken on lettuce is oftentimes not that interesting, but once you add some avocado, chopped almonds and fresh strawberries it becomes a little more tasty! Dress it with tangy vinaigrette and suddenly you have a winning lunch.

New to this? Want to get more salads in your life? Don’t overwhelm yourself, just pick one thing from each category to try to have on hand when you build your next salad. Use a pre-cut base so you can wash and pour it in a bowl.

Oh, and one more thing - some people just aren’t satisfied by a salad alone. Try pairing it with a whole grain bread, some fruit or some soup and see if that helps round out the meal for you. 

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Allergen-Friendly Breakfast Ideas

1/3/2020

 
Feeding Littles | If you or your child has an allergy to gluten, dairy, peanuts, or one of the other top 8 allergens, here's some easy breakfast ideas for you and your family. All options are dairy free, gluten free, and nut free.

All new breakfast series - Part 1: Allergen-free Breakfast Ideas! These ideas also happen to be all plant-based options. 

We want to take you through many different ways to mix up breakfast, starting with ideas for our friends allergic to any of the top 8 allergens - all ideas shown are free from the common allergens, but of course humans can be allergic to anything. (Judy is allergic to avocado!) Modify if your child can’t tolerate something shown.

We also have plenty of breakfast ideas in our free Breakfast Toolkit as well.

If you have taken our online courses, you know that early and frequent exposure to allergens is important for non-allergic kiddos. But if you have a child with an egg, dairy or wheat allergy, breakfast can be tough. Many typical “breakfast” foods that have some protein in them contain an allergen.

Each idea here contains fat, a little protein, and fiber - this combo of macronutrients is important for blood sugar regulation and keeping kids satisfied so they can play, learn and grow. Many protein options like hemp hearts, sunflower seed butter and chia seeds are also a good source of iron - a critical nutrient in childhood! Protein needs aren’t crazy high for kids - they just need exposure to some protein to help balance their nutrition.

If you’re struggling with picky eating or want to help prevent it in your child, don’t forget to check out our Toddler Course.

Each food served here, except the more crunchy rice cake, is appropriate for 6+ months - hold off on the rice cake until around 14-16 months unless you use a really thin rice cake. Babies under 1 can have sips of smoothies, but we don’t want smoothie intake to displace their breast milk or formula intake.

The smoothie shown is made from 1 cup Ripple Foods milk (put in blender first), 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 3/4 cup frozen mango, 3 pitted dates and 1 T. coconut oil. We recommend serving smoothies alongside whole foods because many kids (and adults) aren’t satisfied with a meal when they just drink it.

Bread shown: Follow Your Heart brand from Whole Foods.

Don’t forget that breakfast doesn’t have to come from “breakfast” foods!

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Pour and Cook Slow Cooker Ideas

1/3/2020

 
Feeding Littles | Super quick and easy dinner recipes for the crockpot. Simply pour in one of the sauces and add some chicken. Dinner is ready when you get home. These crockpot dinner recipes are perfect for busy families, and a lot of options are dairy free. Plus, the crockpot makes it nice and tender for baby starting solids the baby-led weaning way.

Our most popular recipe posts and stories on Instagram involve simple dinner ideas - including pouring sauce over chicken, setting the slow cooker (or Instant Pot) timer, and waiting for dinner to be made. Here are some of our favorite sauce ideas that you can experiment with to create a delicious, nourishing dinner (and maybe some leftovers for another meal)! Just pair it with 1-2 veggie sides and a starch like sweet potato, rice or pasta!
Pour at least 2 cups of sauce on the 1-2 lb. of chicken, enough to cover it thoroughly so it doesn’t dry out. You won’t eat all of the sauce; it’s there to retain moisture during the cooking process, which is super important for young eaters! Once the sauce is added, give the chicken a quick stir.

​If using the crockpot, cook it on low for 4-5 hours. If using an Instant Pot, cook it on high for 9 minutes with manual release.


We like chicken thighs because they’re more tender and easier for kids to eat, plus they’re cheaper.

A few notes:
  • Many of these sauces have salt/sodium added. It is recommended to limit sodium for baby; however, some salt is OK! The guidance is 400 mg of sodium a day for babies under 1. If you serve saltier foods one day, go easy on it the next. You can also opt for some of the lower sodium sauces featured above! Toddlers can also have some sodium, and the sauce may make them more interested in what could otherwise be a more plain entree. You can also remove excess sauce.
  • When cooked, some of these sauces become more watery or liquid. If you’re using the IP, once the cooking is done you can use the sauté function for a few minutes to cook off excess liquid. In the crockpot, turn off the heat and let it sit for a moment - or if you have more time you can throw the sauce/chicken into a pan and cook off some liquid. Personally this isn’t a huge issue for us - we’re looking for quick, easy and a little flavor from the sauce.
  • All sauces are from Sprouts except bruschetta and Marsala sauces (Trader Joe's).
  • All sauces are dairy-free except cream of mushroom, tikka masala and Marsala sauce!
  • Here's the recipe for the delicious SkinnyMs. Slow Cooker Pomegranate Chicken.

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Sandwich Skewers Appetizer

11/2/2019

 
Feeding Littles | Try this fun appetizer for the next football tailgate or Holiday party! These sandwich skewer appetizers are also fun for kids to snack on if modified appropriately.

Perfect for game day!

Need to bring an easy, fun snack to your next Sunday night football party (or, well, any party)? We love these sandwich skewers originally inspired by Pinterest browsing. The Cuban flavor is amazing, but I figured we could mix it up in so many ways! Some of the flavors are more complex and may or may not be kid-approved in your house (but we still recommend trying it so your child has the opportunity). Just be careful with food on sticks/toothpicks for kids under 2-3, and watch round foods like olives and cherry tomatoes for kids under 4!

Here's some ideas:
  • Cuban: cubed Swiss cheese, nitrate-free deli ham, pickle slice dipped in spicy mustard
  • Vegetarian: roasted eggplant, zucchini, and sweet potato dipped in hummus
  • Turkey: nitrate-free deli turkey, cubed cheddar, tomato dipped in guacamole
  • Italian: olive, mozzarella ball, cooked tortellini or ravioli piece, roasted red pepper dipper in oil, vinegar, and herbs

Don’t feel like party snacks have to be “healthy” to share - all foods can be a wonderful part of living life and enjoying celebrations!

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Inspiralized Littles

11/1/2019

 
Feeding Littles | Do you have a baby six months old getting ready to start solids? Consider the baby-led weaning approach to starting solids with baby. This ecookbook has information on how to get started with baby-led weaning as well as delicious recipes.

For years we’ve been asked to do a cookbook, but we hesitated because our expertise wasn’t in recipe development. Enter Ali from Inspiralized and Inspiralized Kids, the brilliant New York Times best selling author! Together we collaborated to create Inspiralized Littles, our first eCookbook! It's now available! We are so thrilled to partner with such a talented cookbook author and recipe developer. The best part? It’s just $5.99! 

What does this eCookbook include?
  • A brief introduction to Baby Led Weaning (BLW) from Feeding Littles, including how and when to start
  • 14 healthy and delicious recipes written by Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized
  • Photos of every recipe, including a separate photo of a suggested way to plate for baby
  • Infant feeding, nutrition, & occupational therapy tips from Feeding Littles
  • Suggested vegetable and fruit list for starting BLW

Need more of a step-by-step guide to baby-led weaning? Check out our infant course covering everything you need to know about starting solids with you baby at 6+ months old.

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Creamy Bruschetta Chicken

11/1/2019

 
Feeding Littles | Looking for a super easy and fast dinner for a busy weeknight? Try this dairy-free creamy Bruschetta chicken recipe that can cook in an instant pot, crockpot, or the oven.

Do you struggle finding fast meal ideas and need help with filling, nourishing, tasty foods that your whole family can enjoy? Good news - we are in the same boat too! I think everyone struggles with the weeknight mealtime hustle. It’s hard to fit in everything, especially when you’re juggling busy after school schedules, work, cranky babies, or toddlers who decide they hate eating every other day.

We got you - being a parent is hard work. Do your best - which may mean takeout tonight - and give yourself grace to use easy convenience options! There are so many good ones out there!

This is one of my favorite simple chicken hacks using the beloved Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce - sub out marinara or even salsa if needed. It pairs nicely with Primal Kitchen  avocado oil ranch (dairy-free), but use whatever ranch you’d like! We love this option for our dairy-free families who struggle to find meal ideas that lend creaminess similar to cheese!

Here's what you need:
  • 1 tub of Trader Joe's Bruschetta sauce (or sub marinara sauce or salsa)
  • 2-4 tablespoons ranch
  • 1.5-2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Here’s the "recipe": 
  1. Mix the sauces together.
  2. Pour in the stuff.
  3. Cook. (​See below for options.)
  4. Eat with veggies and a starch of your choice.

Cooking Options:
  • Instant Pot: high pressure for 8-9 minutes
  • Crockpot: low for 5-6 hours
  • Oven: 375F for 30-35 minutes

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Fig Vinaigrette

11/1/2019

 
Feeding Littles | Figs are a great seasonal item during the fall. This fig vinaigrette recipe makes a delicious salad dressing. It also doubles as a dip for kids. Dips make food less scary to toddlers and young kids, plus they are fun to dip in!

Late summer is fig season! These fun, high-fiber and mineral-rich fruits are awesome eaten raw, but I especially love them as a salad dressing or dip!

I’ve been making this Fig Vinaigrette for years, and every time I make it I love it even more. This recipe is heavy on the vinegar (because that’s how I like it - bring on the sour and strong flavors!), but you may not like as much acid. It’s perfect on a big green salad with feta, walnuts and strawberries. Watch whole nuts for kids under 4; if you use walnuts on your salad, finely crush them for your tot.

Dips are great to start serving as early as infancy (6+ months) because as a child gets older, a familiar dip makes a less familiar food not so scary. Hummus and guacamole are great places to start, but we also love vinaigrettes, marinara, fruit purees served as dips, ranch, Greek yogurt, ketchup, etc. Serve dips often so that when your tot inevitably shuns a new food, the familiar dip makes it much more appealing.

Here's how to make it:
  • 8 fresh figs
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • Dash maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt/pepper to taste
Blend until smooth. Enjoy as a dressing or dip!

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Holiday Favorite: Magic Bars

10/2/2019

 
Feeding Littles | An easy holiday dessert to share with family and friends that requires minimal ingredients and very little prep time.

Magic bars are always the favorite of the party when we make them. We gifted them to neighbors recently and I already got the "best neighbor ever" text from a few of them - one asked to put in a large order, another asked if I’m selling them. Not kidding, they’re insanely good!

Do you feel out of control around holiday desserts? One thing to try: sit down so you can really enjoy your dessert - we savor food most thoroughly when we are given the space to enjoy the eating process. Put it on a plate, maybe grab a glass of milk/milk alternative (or beverage of choice), and taste it! Eat slowly and savor each bite! After all, isn’t that why you want to eat it?

We usually use more quantities than what typical recipes call for - see images below of us putting together the layers. *Make sure the walnuts are finely crushed if serving this to kiddos under 4.*

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 2 cups butterscotch chips
  • 2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts
  • 1.5 cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  3. Combine melted butter and graham crackers in a bowl, then press into the bottom of the pan to create a crust.
  4. Layer with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and walnut, then top with the sweetened condensed milk, trying to distribute milk evenly over the pan. (Layer progression photos below). 
  5. Bake for 35 minutes or until slightly browning on top.
  6. Cut into small pieces and enjoy!

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Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Olives Appetizer

10/2/2019

 
Feeding Littles | A fancy and easy holiday appetizer to bring to your next party. It only needs three ingredients and is quick to assemble.

Do you have a go-to party or holiday appetizer? I love making new party snacks! 

This one is my favorite - it’s requested by my dad’s golf friends every time I see them! The smoky, salty sweet combo of the olives, goat cheese and crushed smoked almonds make it taste complex and interesting, but it’s literally just three ingredients! You’ll feel like a fancy gourmand serving these, even if you couldn't accomplish other tasks in your day you meant to get to. Kids can eat this too, just make sure to quarter the olives for kids under 4.

These ingredients were just what I found at Target but you can use whatever you can get! 
  • 2 jars Pearls Olives organic bell pepper stuffed olives or other stuffed green olive
  • 12 oz Montchevre goat cheese
  • 12 oz Blue Diamond smokehouse almonds
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  1. Drain olives.
  2. Cut the goat cheese logs into 3/4” slices, and cut each slice into quarters.
  3. Grind the smoked almonds into a fine powder in the Vitamix (or other blender or food processor).
  4. Wrap a goat cheese piece around each olive and mold with your fingers until completely covered in goat cheese. (Yes, this gets messy! Older kids can help too for a sensory experience for all!)
  5. Roll the olive in the crushed almonds and place on a platter.
  6. Serve on toothpicks. Makes about 50 olives.​

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    Authors

    Megan and Judy, co-owners of Feeding Littles, bring you helpful info on food, nutrition, picky eating, and feeding young children. Megan McNamee MPH, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Judy Delaware, OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy with children 3 and under in Boulder, Colorado. Megan and Judy are both moms of two and love helping families develop a healthy appetite for all foods! 

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The contents of this site are opinions of Feeding Littles LLC partners unless otherwise noted. The information on this site and the products featured are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any type of disease and are not intended as personalized medical advice. Any decision you make regarding your health and medical treatments should be made with a qualified health provider.
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