29 Sweetpotato Recipes for Toddlers
- April 20, 2021
- Last Updated: June 4, 2024
- 1 Comment
- Recipe Roundup
These sweetpotato recipes for toddlers are so helpful in introducing new foods and flavors to little mouths.
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Please note that sweetpotatoes is spelled as one word throughout this article, which is the proper spelling. You can learn more here.
As the parent of a toddler, you’re probably aware that toddler likes and preferences change so rapidly.
One day they’ll eat everything you cook. The next, they aren’t interested in the food(s) they previously enjoyed.
If you’re struggling with how to get toddlers to eat veggies, these recipes will help!
That’s why finding sweetpotato recipes for kids that are colorful and fun can be helpful for introducing or even reintroducing sweetpotatoes and other foods and flavors.
Research shows that it can take many times to introduce the same food before a child will even try it.
I say that so you can set your expectations accordingly when serving sweet potato for toddlers.
Introducing Sweetpotatoes for Toddlers
Sweetpotatoes are naturally sweet, making them more attractive to young eaters.
They also aren’t known to be an allergenic food, so they are usually safe for introduction. But, if you have any concerns, always check with your doctor.
Sweetpotatoes for toddlers are a very nutrient-dense and versatile food.
We love kid friendly sweet potato recipes because you can serve them in several different ways (baked, cut in small pieces, cut in finger shapes, paired with fruit, paired with another food they like, etc.).
Serving in different ways can help toddlers become more familiar and comfortable.
If you need more creative ideas, here are 20 ways to use sweet potatoes.
Many of these fall into the category of sweet potato finger foods, which are great and easily held by babies and toddlers.
Manage Your Expectations
I find that not going into every meal expecting it to be a home run can be grounding.
And when I’m introducing a new food, I always pair it with something familiar and just continue to expose my daughter, even if she doesn’t touch it the first 10 times!
This is a huge part of intuitive eating for kids.
But think about it this way – each time you put it on their plate, you are exposing them to a food.
I always try to pair a “new(er)” food with a familiar food when introducing foods to my toddler.
For example, if serving pasta, you could combine regular with sweet potato pasta, like in this sweet potato zoodles recipe.
There are so many kid friendly sweet potato recipes out there, which is why I think introducing sweet potatoes to kids and toddlers is beneficial in so many ways.
Sweet potato recipes for babies are also an easy way to increase exposure and get them used to the flavor. Here are several sweetpotato veggie recipes for toddlers to increase exposure!
Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, making them more attractive to young eaters. They also aren’t known to be an allergenic food, so they are usually safe for introduction.
But, if you have any concerns, always check with your doctor.
Sweet Potato Benefits for Kids
Are sweet potatoes healthy for toddlers? You bet!
A medium sweet potato contains around 100 calories, 4-5 grams of fiber, and is also high in Vitamins A and C, both of which are important for immunity.
So, rest assured, these kid friendly sweet potato recipes are providing an abundance of nutrition!
Vitamin A is also involved in vision, and Vitamin C helps with skin, nail, and hair health.
Remember that the nutrition facts panel goes by adult nutrition needs, so everything will be relatively higher when you are considering a serving size for a toddler or child.
My favorite thing about sweetpotatoes is their high amounts of antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in the body and contribute to overall wellness.
Many antioxidants have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease.
You know sweetpotatoes are rich in antioxidants thanks to their bright orange hues.
Usually, bright colors signal a high antioxidant content (red grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, etc).
What makes sweetpotatoes for kids even more appealing is that they come in many different colors and varieties, all with slightly differing nutrition content.
Depending on the region in which you live, you may find white, orange, purple, red or even yellow varieties.
Better yet, many of these sweetpotato dishes for toddlers also have other fruits and veggies served alongside or with them, increasing the nutrient density even more.
Like this sweetpotato pizza crust!
Ideas For Sweetpotatoes For Toddlers
When starting baby led weaning at 6 months, I have started with sweetpotatoes for baby led weaning for both of my children for the reasons listed above.
They also have a great texture when cooked and mashed for babies, and they can be held as a finger food.
For younger mouths, pureeing sweet potato spinach baby food is a great way to make sweetpotato for baby and expose your little one to new flavors.
You can even throw them in these homemade yogurt pouches, which is a great way to serve it to babies!
But, there are several other out-of-the-box ideas to incorporate sweetpotatoes for toddlers too!
When thinking about what to eat with sweetpotatoes, you can include just about anything!
Sweetpotato Snacks for Toddlers
Snacks are a great way to incorporate more sweetpotatoes and vegetables, in general. They can be as easy and fun as you make them.
Sometimes you have to get a little creative in getting kids to eat sweetpotato recipes.
For example, consider mixing sweetpotatoes into a quickbread or muffin recipe, or microwaving it in this 2 minute sweetpotato mug cake.
Or, mashing it with onions in a ground meatball recipe.
Another great thing about many kid friendly sweetpotato recipes is that they are freezer friendly and frozen meals for toddlers are life savers!
While I wouldn’t serve this every day, my toddlers also love this instant pot sweetpotato casserole.
While there is sugar in there, there are also oats and some fat for satiety, along with the healthy sweet potatoes!
Swap the Traditional Recipe for a Sweetpotato Recipe
These don’t have to be bland, but instead, are fun ways to serve sweetpotato for kids.
For example, burgers and nachos.
- Swap out an all-beef burger or turkey burger for a sweetpotato apple turkey burger. It’s still a burger and tastes similar, but it has so much more nutrition (and color!) with the addition of sweetpotatoes.
- Make your own nachos. Swap out salty, nutrient-void tortilla chips for sweetpotato coin shapes. Let children choose their toppings, and once you cut the vegetables, let children decorate the “sweetpotato nachos” with them. Choose different protein options (beans, chicken, beef, pulled pork) and see which they like best!
Serve With A Safe Topping
Most kids enjoy cheese, so having that as a “safe” topping can be helpful and mesh well with other flavors and ingredients in a kid friendly sweetpotato recipe.
Similar to these bean recipes for toddlers and lentil recipes for toddlers, make sure to include variety in what you’re serving.
In the sweetpotato nachos recipe above, the cheese melts over all of the other vegetables, and looks familiar to little minds.
Have a Fun Dip
Lastly, I tend to have fun dips as side options, like this lemon greek yogurt dip.
Some options I use include ketchup, hummus, guacamole, salsa or even ranch dipping sauce.
These can be fun toppers and may help increase the chances of your little one trying something new, especially if they are familiar sauces to them.
Sweet Potato Recipes for Toddlers
These sweet potato meals for toddlers will help make mealtime fun, and provide nutritious and fun kid friendly options for your picky eater.
Sweet Potato Zucchini Muffins
Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Zucchini Muffins are a tasty, portable snack option for your little ones. These zucchini and sweet potato muffins are full of veggies and provide a dairy-free option.
Baby Waffles
Baby waffles are a great first food for babies. These spinach waffles with sweet potatoes are free of added sugars and full of healthy ingredients for your little ones.
Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Waffles
Your whole family will love these fluffy, warming Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Waffles. Use up your leftover mashed sweet potatoes in these breakfast or brunch waffles and serve them up with some fruit and maple syrup.
Baby Pancakes
This easy baby pancakes recipe is nutrient-full and great to serve for baby led weaning at 6 months and beyond!
Sweet Potato Coconut Ginger Energy Bites
These no bake 5 ingredient peanut butter energy bites are a great on-the-go snack for kids. Made with oats, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, coconut and some spices, these sweet potato bites are everything you'd want in a healthy portable snack.
Simple Roasted Sweetpotatoes and Carrots
These oven roasted sweetpotatoes and carrots are simple yet flavorful. In just 35 minutes, you'll have a vibrant, nutritious and flavorful side option for any meal.
Sweet Potato Vegan Cookie Dough
Sweet Potato Vegan Edible Cookie Dough is the perfect appetizer for your sweet tooth or for kids. This vegan cookie dough recipe is made with natural ingredients and goes perfectly with fruit, chocolate and graham crackers. Toddlers love it!
Frozen Sweet Potato Cookie Dough Bites
Frozen cookie dough bites made with sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, peanut butter and maple syrup are the best homemade cookie dough bites. Just take them out of the freezer and enjoy these no bake cookie dough bites frozen!
Baked Veggie Sweet Potato Fritters {Vegan+GF}
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these healthy baked Veggie Sweet Potato Fritters are ready in 30 minutes and awesomely vegan & gluten-free.
Sweet Potato Nachos
These customizable sweet potato black bean nachos are great as a weeknight dinner, vegetarian nachos recipe, or football food. Easy to make for groups and great for kids!
HONEY BBQ SWEETPOTATO CHIPS
Toddlers, teens and adults love these homemade Honey BBQ Sweetpotato Chips. Plus, they’re baked!
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pizza Crust
This Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pizza Crust is a wholesome, gluten free and vegan pizza crust alternative that you can decorate with your favorite options. As a plant based pizza crust, it's full of flavor, fiber, nutrients and antioxidants and makes for a fun chance for kids to add the toppings.
Sweet Potato Beet Smoothie
This bright hued sweet potato beet smoothie is the best post workout smoothie recipe. Made with mango, beets and sweet potatoes, it's antioxidant rich, and helps replenish and restore your muscles to expedite recovery.
Wild Blueberry Sweet Potato Bread
Healthy blueberry sweet potato bread is an easy quickbread option made with whole wheat flour, sweet potatoes and blueberries.
Easy Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Burgers
These easy ground turkey sweet potato burgers offer a delicious, flavorful twist on your original turkey burger. Sweet potato patties are chock full of antioxidants and can be made as a paleo turkey burger and gluten free turkey burger without the bun.
Sweet Potato Oatmeal Cookies (The Best Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies)
Sweet Potato Oatmeal Cookies are an easy snack that also work great as healthy breakfast cookies. These vegan breakfast cookies are made with whole grain oats, flour, sweet potatoes, spices and maple syrup.
Paleo Chicken Nuggets with Sweet Potato
Toddlers adore chicken nuggets and these healthy sweet potato chicken nuggets are no exception. Fun clean eating snack for little ones!
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
Kids love french fries, so upgrade the nutrition with these crispy oven baked sweet potato fries.
Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese is the answer to your cheesy pasta dreams and great for kids. A mixture of whole wheat pasta, mashed sweet potato, cheese and kale make this savory sweet potato pasta dish a real winner.
Sweet Potato Brownies {Gluten and Dairy-Free}
These Sweet Potato Brownies are not only tasty but made with mostly healthy ingredients. They don't contain dairy, refined sugar or gluten and are perfect for kids.
Spinach Sweet Potato Tater Tots
These Spinach Sweet Potato Tots are a fun way to offer nutrient dense toddler vegetable recipes to your little ones. Packed with iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and carbohydrates, this veggie tots recipe is great for meal prep and the side to any meal.
Healthy Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples (Paleo)
These Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples are a healthy and easy side dish made with 6 ingredients.
Creamy Coconut Popsicles
These creamy coconut popsicles are the perfect combination of summer, boasting tropical flavors of coconut and pina colada. Pineapple coconut popsicles are naturally sweetened with pineapples, coconut cream and sweet potato.
Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread
Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread is a healthy option for your sweet tooth! Made with sweet potatoes, whole wheat flour and oat flour, this bread is soft and fluffy and provides a healthy pre or post workout option.
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
Pumpkin sweet potato soup combines the hearty, nourishing flavors of autumn in an easy 30 minute vegan instant pot recipe.
Silver Dollar Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes
These sweet potato pancakes are made with just two main ingredients - sweet potatoes and eggs. They're a great breakfast or snack option for toddlers and the whole family
Baby Led Weaning Turkey Meatballs
These easy 4-ingredient baby led weaning meatballs are not only easy to prepare, but are the perfect, nutritious meatball recipe for baby led weaning and toddler feeding.
5 ingredient sweet potato and broccoli medallions
The perfect finger food, these yummy sweet potato medallions are a kid favourite!
Sweet Potato Truffles
Soft and subtly sweet, these Sweet Potato Truffles are sure to be a hit with everyone in the household. An easy recipe that are best enjoyed chilled.
Comment below and let me know if you have any success with these kid friendly sweetpotato recipes!
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Support Bucket List TummySweet potato nachos are headlining tomorrow night’s menu, Sarah –
Thank you!!!