Did you know that introducing a yummy dip and teaching your toddler the art of dipping (the action of dipping a food / spoon into a dip) can help reduce their picking eating tendencies? This is a technique often used in feeding therapy, and you can easily embrace it at home! Here are a few recipes + tips to try with your little one.
Yogurt Dip
Expand your Toddler’s Flavor Profile: Yogurt doesn't always have to taste sweet. In fact, changing up the taste (but keeping the same color and texture of yogurt) can be a great way to challenge your toddler's sensory system. Have them make this yogurt dip with you so they can explore a new taste!
Feeding Skill: Practice dipping or scooping with a spoon with this recipe. Try using the ezpz Mini Spoon, which is a spoon with a silicone handle and nylon head that is perfectly sized for toddlers.
Ingredients
1 cup of plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp dill (dried or fresh)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Place the yogurt dip in the ezpz Mini Bowl and showcase a variety of veggies on the attached mat.
Hummus
Expand your Toddler’s Flavor Profile: Hummus is an easy way to experiment with novel flavors. Create a tangier puree by adding a little more lemon juice or a bolder taste by adding additional garlic and pepper.
Feeding Skill: Practice spreading using a training knife with this recipe. Hummus is a heavy and thicker puree that can help teach toddlers how to spread foods on toast, celery, crackers or pita bread.
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon crushed garlic (or to taste)
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Directions
Drain the liquid from the garbanzo beans into a separate bowl. Blend all of the remaining ingredients (including the garbanzo beans) in a blender or food processor. Slowly add the garbanzo bean liquid to your blended mixture. Add less liquid for a thicker hummus and more liquid for a thinner consistency. Place in the ezpz Happy Bowl and sprinkle with the garnish or your choice, e.g., chili powder or mint.
Guacamole
Expand your Toddler’s Flavor Profile: Guacamole is a classic dip that your child will be exposed to often. Familiarize your toddler with this colorful snack by making it at home. Try experimenting with new flavors and textures by adding a little cilantro for a powerful punch or some sour cream for a creamier texture. These taste changes will help you avoid food jags commonly associated with snacks.
Feeding Skill: As your toddler gets the hang of dipping, you will find they will want more control at mealtime. The stable base / suction feature of the ezpz Mini Mat promotes self-feeding by making hand-to-mouth coordination more effective. You can place the guacamole in one of the eye compartments of the mat, and use the other compartments for chips and veggies!
Ingredients
2 avocados
1 clove of garlic minced
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small tomato chopped
½ lime (juiced)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop out the insides into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in garlic, onion, tomato and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tzatziki
Expand Your Toddler’s Flavor Profile: This dip is a delicious way to introduce another yogurt staple with the cooling flavor and texture of cucumber! Most of the picky eaters I work with won’t touch a green cucumber, but when it’s blended in this yummy dip, they eagerly gobble it up!
Feeding Skill: Practice dipping with food spears (e.g., a carrot stick, snap pea, strip of toast) to promote your child’s pincer grasp. The ezpz Play Mat is the perfect surface for exploring with a variety of food spears!
Ingredients
1 large cucumber (remove seeds)
1 (6 oz) container of plain full fat Greek yogurt
½ tsp minced garlic
1 small lemon
1 tsp olive oil
Pepper to taste
Directions: Grate the cucumber and pat it with a paper towel to remove the excess liquid. While the cucumber is drying, mix together all of the other ingredients in a small bowl. Add the cucumber to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture in the fridge for 2+ hours to allow the flavors to mix.
When introducing a new dip to your toddler, be sure to have several preferred foods they can eat with the dip to make them comfortable and more willing to try something new. I hope these easy recipes bring your kiddos some joy at snack time or mealtime! #ezpzfun
