My son's birthday is 10 days after Christmas, so for my family, the entire month of December and the first week of January are one big party.  We've always been big fans of celebrating with appetizer-type foods, but when you've got a toddler in the mix, you have to be sure to serve something he will eat, preferably something with at least a little nutritional value.   Here are some tricks that got me through this holiday season.

BRING ON THE BRUNCH

Based on the napping schedule of my son and his toddler friends, we decided on a mid-morning birthday party for his second birthday.  I used one of my previously posted recipes and made Fruit Skewers with yogurt dip to accompany our cupcakes.  We needed something savory, so I thought about the things my son likes to eat for breakfast.  Eggs didn't seem like a great idea because they get cold so quickly, so my mind wandered to cheese, biscuits and sausage.  I whipped up a batch of sausage cheese balls (with a recipe I found on a Bisquick box) and they were a hit with everyone at the party!  The trick for us was not over-complicating the flavors.  Sure, I could have whipped up a quiche, but what toddler (other than my own) is going to eat that?  The portions of the food we made were bite-sized and the flavors were familiar, so I'm counting that batch of party food a success!

COLOR THEM HAPPY

Holiday food is so festive and pretty--a perfect opportunity to provide your toddler with some colorful, healthy food.  Many of us strive to feed our kids a rainbow a day or work hard to achieve our five servings per day of fruits and veggies, and party food can certainly help you out where that's concerned.  My son got so excited watching me chop red bell peppers, cucumbers and other colorful treats for our veggie platter that he practically begged for a sample to dip into his hummus.  Pickles and olives liven up a table and are good, munchable treats for toddlers.

GO WITH SOMETHING FAMILIAR 

Dips, casseroles and other party concoctions can be a turn-off to little ones, as they are unsure of the ingredients and scared they might taste yucky.  Be sure to provide at least one tried and true dish you know your child likes.  For our Christmas Eve dinner, we made a pork tenderloin because it's one of the only meats my son will always eat. (And in true toddler form, he refused to eat it. Prepare yourself for that, too!)  If you know your little one likes pasta, whip up a nice pasta salad with cheese and lots of veggies.  Mini pizzas will make everyone happy and if you load them with healthy veggies, they are a good way to ensure your child will eat pretty well during your party.

As our kids grow, it will be easier to prepare holiday foods because they will certainly be happy to voice their opinions about what they'd like to have included on the menu. Until then, think about what your child likes to eat on a daily basis and figure out a fun way to include it on your party table!

Jen Lane is the Feeding Toddlers editor here at Foodie Mama.  She spends a huge chunk of her day picking cereal up off the floor and trying to convince her son that it's good to wear pants.  Read about her adventures in toddler-rearing at Hey,Y'all, home of Comfort Food Saturday.