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November is the month that ushers in our country’s favorite day of food festivities. We celebrate family traditions that reach back generations and recall special memories from our childhood Thanksgivings. As a nutritionist, I am thankful for the bounty of healthy foods the fall season brings and the opportunity to share how they can be prepared and enjoyed with my family and others.

The traditional Thanksgiving meal is really quite nutritious, AND the occasion offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce new foods to your toddler. She can help you pick a healthy recipe, shop for ingredients and prepare the winning dish. You are helping your little top chef identify with her own special role in the holiday meal preparation as well as increase her awareness and comfort level with new foods and cooking in the kitchen. Not to mention, she be more inclined to eat some of the meal too!

So what are these nutritional super foods of fall and some fun ways to include your toddler in preparing them?

• Sweet potatoes
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Celery
• Winter squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti)
• Pumpkin
• Broccoli
• Beets
• Parsnips
• Cauliflower
• Green beans, Snow peas
• Kale, Swiss chard, Spinach, Collards
• Avocados
• Pears
• Pomegranates
• Persimmons
• Grapefruit, Tangerines, Blood oranges
• Apples
• Cranberries
• Kiwi
• Turkey
• Beans
• Whole grain breads, rolls, wild rice

These foods store a rich supply of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that fortify and support our body health. Here’s a turkey day dining guide and list of kitchen tasks to tempt your toddler into adopting some new food favorites! Many of these can be prepared ahead to avoid tiring out the head chef.

Appetizers (try serving these with some fun fall cocktail napkins. Even the table decorations encourage trying different foods)

• Sliced hard boiled eggs. Your toddler can help arrange them on the tray.
• Raw veggie bites with hummus dip and yogurt dips. Let your toddler create a dip with yogurt a little honey or vanilla spice.
• Cheese, olives and whole grain cracker tray. Include some black olives for some holiday finger food fun (Not too many! These are high in sodium)
• Soup: Butternut, sweet potato, or pumpkin soups are winners! Use milk instead of cream and low sodium broth. Have your toddler help spoon soup into mugs and his own special cup (make sure it has cooled first)

Sides

• Cranberry relish: This dish is loaded with antioxidant power and was designed with toddlers in mind. They can measure cranberries and help grind and taste. I’ve been making this since I was four years old! Grind or mix in a food processor 2 cups fresh cranberries with 2 small oranges (rind and all) and ½ cup sugar or to taste.
• Jell-O salad: Abandon the sugary-sweet ambrosia salad for a jello mold with fresh fruits or avocado whipped with light cream cheese.
• Gravy: Throw in some ice cubes to separate the fat from the juice and skim the fat off the top. Older children that know about hot burners can stir the gravy while it thickens.
• Sautéed veggies: try carrot “coins” with ginger and honey, snow peas, sliced turnips with maple syrup and raisins, or green beans. Your toddler can design the veggies into fun shapes on the serving plate (trees, stars, faces).
• Whipped sweet potatoes (whip steamed sweet potatoes with some plain yogurt)
• Potato parsnip mash (your toddler will love the “white carrot”)

Main course

• Turkey, Tofurky or your meat of choice. Your toddler can help out by telling you when the timer goes off for basting or baking.
• Stuffing: Fore go the packaged breadcrumbs and have your toddler tear up small pieces of dry, whole grain bread into a big bowl for stuffing mix. This is a great activity while watching the floats and balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Sneak in some extra veggies and fruit by mixing in some chopped sautéed celery, onion, parsnips, apples, raisins, kale or chard before baking or stuffing.

Dessert – these choices are low in fat and contain natural sweetness, so not much sugar is needed. They are also loaded with vitamins!

• Pumpkin Pie – use fresh pumpkin or canned, organic pumpkin, skim evaporated milk, and brown sugar. You can make a custard-style crustless pie too; just bake the filling in a nonstick or oiled pie pan. Have your toddler help you scoop a little frozen vanilla yogurt, ice cream or soy dessert for some a’ la mode action!
• Fruit crisps – try a pear or apple crisp with some cranberries thrown in and have your toddler help sprinkle on the crumble topping…watch that they don’t eat it all!
• Sliced pomegranate halves. Make sure to have plenty of napkins to pick out edible seeds from these fun, polyphenol-packed, finger-staining fruits.

Whether or not your toddler gobbles down each lovingly composed recipe this Thanksgiving, by allowing him to take part in preparation, you have nonetheless exposed him to new foods, cooking in the kitchen, and sharing a family meal. Research shows that each of these factors in to healthier eating throughout life!