For me, mealtime is the biggest stress of parenthood. Getting my children to eat the same thing at the same time in an allotted timeframe makes for some truly trying times. But leave it to some creative moms to come up with some great food hacks to make feeding your kids easier, faster, and yes, even neater! From popsicle drip catchers and fun corn holders to a great way to hull strawberries without throwing out half of the berry, read on for 11 great parenting food hacks!
1. Presliced Apples
No one likes brown apples — especially picky kids! A Helicopter Mom’s tip of pre slicing apples and then securing them with a rubber band is great for packing lunches or going out for the day. By securing the slices together, air can’t get to apple flesh, keeping it fresh and clean!
Source: A Helicopter Mom
2. Corn-a-Saurus
OK, this may be the cutest corn holder we’ve ever seen! Paging Fun Mums came up with the most adorable way to get her tot to eat corn on the cob — by hacking his toy dinosaurs!
Source: Paging Fun Mums
3. Easy Peel Mandarin Oranges
Forget peeling and then pulling apart mandarin oranges — the process leaves your fingers smelling like oranges for days! JewelPie has an easy — adult-only — way to get the job done, and kids will love picking the slices off the peel!
Source: JewelPie
4. Homemade Chipwiches
There’s nothing like a scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two fresh cookies, but getting the ice cream to fit perfectly between the cookies can be tricky. That’s where this tasty Ben & Jerry’s hack comes in. Just slice the carton into even slices, place them between the cookies, and peel off the carton. Ta-da!
Source: YouTube user BuzzFeedFood
5. Strawberry Stem Removal
I don’t know about you, but when I attempt to remove the stem of a strawberry, I usually end up taking off more of the fruit than I need to. But according to Instagram user foods2hack, all you need to do is take a straw and stick it through the berry, leaving more fruit for your little ones to enjoy!
Source: Instagram user foods2hack
6. Keep Bugs Out of Juice
Bug juice got its name for a reason. But your tot’s juice doesn’t have to be full of bugs during a picnic or dinner al fresco. Simply place a cupcake liner over the cup, and the bees and bugs will leave their drink alone!
Source: Instagram user foods2hack
7. Banana Messages
Perfect for the first day of school or when friends are coming over for an after-school playdate, if you use a knife or a pin to “write” kids’ names in a banana, the peel will turn brown around the incision so the name stands out.
Source: Instagram user mikersanfran
8. Hot Dogs and Spaghetti
Perhaps not the most sophisticated meal, but it is one that will put a smile on your little one’s face! Place rods of dry spaghetti through a hot dog and then boil them. The results are fun!
Source: Instagram user capironjacka
9. Watermelon For Little Fingers
Yes, a child with a huge triangle of watermelon makes for an adorable photo, but what the pictures don’t show is watermelon juice covering their faces, shirts, shoes, and more. Because a good slice of melon will drip! Mama Say What?! came up with a great way to slice the fruit so little kids can eat it without covering themselves in its sticky sweetness.
Source: Mama Say What?!
10. Pizza Wheels
Instead of painstakingly cutting all your babe’s food with a fork and knife, grab a pizza cutter and roll away!
Source: Instagram user shawnadovetail
11. Drip-less Popsicles
Hot weather and popsicles don’t always go together. While the pops are certainly refreshing, melting pops make for messy fingers and dirty clothes. The expert cleaners at Merry Maids, who know a thing or two about getting rid of messes, have come up with one clever way to stop this: thread cupcake liners through the bottom of the popsicle stick to create a “catcher” that keeps drips in the liner, not on your child!
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