6 Finger Food Recipes to Tempt Your Toddler

Is your toddler a fussy eater? Do you find yourself running after them trying to get them to finish their food? Toddlers can be picky eaters as they are in the process of discovering different new foods – tastes, textures, colors – and it isn't necessary that they love everything they're fed! We know how challenging it can be to feed your toddler, so to help you - our Recipe Blogger Priya Mankotia introduces us to the world of delicious finger-foods for toddlers with 5 tried-tested, healthy, easy to cook and eat recipes that your toddler will enjoy finishing up all by themselves!

• Why finger-foods for toddlers? Most importantly, it helps them learn how to feed themselves while developing their motor skills – read on for more great reasons why you should try these today!
• Jowar and Sesame Breadsticks & Speckled Bubble Bars – nutritious and easy to make and store, ready for anytime your toddlers hungry!
• Crispy Paneer Rolls & Baked Potato Cheese Fries – super healthy and made with delicious ingredients like paneer, cheese, potatoes, and sweet potato…yummy mummy!

Toddlers are known to be picky eaters (I don't prefer calling them fussy as they are exploring food and it's not necessary that they should like all the food items being served). Moreover, they want to assert their newfound independence by feeding themselves. You can either carry a plate and run behind them all day or give them some easy finger-foods to feed themselves and hope that most of it go into their mouth! Also, finger foods help them in other ways like:

• It teaches little ones to feed themselves
• Helps develop motor skills
• Helps and soothes them while teething
• It's the best way to introduce them to various foods

Finger Foods to Tempt Your Toddler

So, in this blog, I'm sharing a few recipes of finger foods which I have tried to feed my daughter like Jowar sesame Breadsticks and Crispy Paneer rolls (she loves them) and more…read on!

#1. Simple Jowar Sesame Bread Sticks Recipe For Your Toddlers

Ingredients For Jowar Sesame Bread Sticks

• 1/4 cup jowar (white millet) flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
• 1/2 tsp fresh yeast
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp butter

Method For Preparing Jowar Sesame Bread Sticks

• Combine all the ingredients and knead into soft dough using enough water
• Add the butter and knead again until the dough is smooth and elastic
• Cover with a damp muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll out each portion into a 100 mm. X 125 mm. (4" x 5") sheet of 6 mm. (¼") thickness
• Cut each sheet into 6 mm. (¼") wide strips and separate them
• Roll them individually so that they are circular and have no rough edges which can hurt your baby's gums
• Place them on a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 140ºc (285°f) for 40 minutes or till the breadsticks are crisp and golden brown
• Cool and store in an air-tight container

#2. Quick & Easy Speckled Bubble Bars Recipe For Your Picky Eater

Ingredients For Speckled Bubble Bars

• 1/4 cup jowar (white millet) flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
• 1/2 tsp fresh yeast
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp butter

Method For Preparing Speckled Bubble Bars

• Combine all the ingredients and knead into soft dough using enough water
• Add the butter and knead again till the dough is smooth and elastic
• Cover with a damp muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll out each portion into a 100 mm. X 125 mm. (4" x 5") the sheet of 6 mm. (¼") thickness
• Cut each sheet into 6 mm. (¼") wide strips and separate them
• Roll them individually so that they are circular and have no rough edges which can hurt your baby's gums
• Place them on a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 140ºc (285°f) for 40 minutes or till the breadsticks are crisp and golden brown
• Cool and store in an air-tight container

#3. Quick & Easy Speckled Bubble Bars Recipe For Your Picky Eater

Ingredients For Speckled Bubble Bars

• 1/4 cup grated jaggery (Gur)
• 1 cup puffed rice (kurmura), toasted
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (til), toasted
• a pinch cardamom (elaichi) powder (optional)
• oil for greasing

Method For Preparing Speckled Bubble Bars

• Melt the jaggery in a heavy bottomed pan over a slow flame until it caramelizes
• Remove from the fire and add in the rest of the ingredients except the oil. Mix well
• Pour this mixture onto a greased marble or stone surface
• Using a large greased rolling pin, roll out the praline into a 150 mm. X 112 mm. (6" x 4 1/2") a sheet of 12 mm. (½") thickness
• (Remember to grease your hands too while rolling this mixture)
• Cut into 75 mm. X 37 mm. (3" x 1 1/2") bars
• Store in an air-tight container.

#4. Delicious Crispy Paneer Rolls Recipes To Tempt Your Growing Child

Ingredients For Crispy Paneer Rolls

• 1 cup grated paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1/4 cup boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup grated processed cheese
• 2 tsp ginger-green chili paste
• a pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
• coarsely crushed vermicelli for rolling
• oil for deep-frying

Method For Preparing Crispy Paneer Rolls

• Combine the paneer, potatoes, cheese, ginger-green chili paste, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder, chili powder, dried mango powder, garam masala and salt in a deep bowl and mix well
• Keep aside
• Combine the plain flour and approx. ½ cup of water in a bowl, mix well and keep aside
• Divide the paneer-potato mixture into 14 equal portions and shape each portion into a cylindrical roll
• Dip each ball into the plain flour-water mixture and roll them in vermicelli till it is evenly coated from all the sides
• Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan and deep-fry, a few rolls at a time, on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in color from all the sides
• Drain on an absorbent paper
• Serve immediately with chili sauce and tomato ketchup

#5. Traditional Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

Ingredients For Baked Sweet Potato Fries

• 1 medium sweet potato
• Olive oil for drizzling

Method For Preparing Baked Sweet Potato Fries

• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C)
• Peel the sweet potato, trim the ends, and cut it in half crosswise
• Cut each half in half again lengthwise
• Put each quarter cut-side down on the cutting board and cut into thick slices
• Cut each slice into sticks
• Pile the sweet potato sticks onto a rimmed baking sheet
• Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat evenly
• Spread out the sticks so they are not touching
• Bake the fries until golden and tender, about 25 minutes, turning them over about halfway through baking
• Let cool, cut into pieces small enough for your child to eat safely, and serve
• Refrigerate the sweet potato fries in an airtight container for up to three days
• Makes 6 to 8 servings

#6. Tempting Potato Lollipops Recipe For Your Fussy Eater

Ingredients For Potato Lollipops

• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup grated carrot
• 1 bread slice, soaked and squeezed
• 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
• a pinch of sugar
• salt to taste
• 8 small cheese cubes
• 4 breadsticks, broken into half
• 3 tsp oil for greasing and cooking

Method For Preparing Potato Lollipops

• Combine all the ingredients, except the breadsticks and the cheese cubes in a deep bowl and mix well using your hands
• Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions
• Take a portion of the mixture and flatten it slightly between your palms
• Place a cheese cube in the center and bring all the sides together in the center, seal it properly and again flatten it lightly
• Insert a breadstick from one side towards the center and again seal it properly as seen in the below image
• Repeat steps 3 to 5 to make 7 more potato pops
• Heat a non-stick tava (griddle), grease it with oil and place 4 potato pops over it
• Cook it with oil till it turns golden brown in color from both the sides
• Repeat step 7 to cook the remaining 4 potato pops in one more batch
• Serve immediately

Try these with your toddler and you will see how much they enjoy eating by themselves and of course finishing more than half of the food being served to them. Happy feeding mommies!!!

Did you enjoy Priya's recipes for finger-foods for your toddler – do try them and let us know! Do you have any special recipes to share? Do leave your comments…. We love hearing from you!