Toddler Boy with rice cereal (4.5 months). He was not a fan.
Baby Girl and oatmeal (6 months). Seems good…
but maybe not so much.

All this talk about picky eaters has me on a search for more resources to get advice about toddler nutrition. I’ve found a couple websites that I think are helpful, informative and interesting.

* Parents Magazine has a lot of great articles and Q & A’s with real-world advice. (If prompted, you don’t need to sign in, simply click in the top right corner to continue to story.) It has everything from how-to avoid drama while dining out to top 10 mistakes parents make (I’m definitely guilty of 7 of the 10 – no shocker there). There is even a discussion of whether or not to bribe a picky eater – an area where I’ve been struggling.

* Nutrition Exploration is a product of the National Dairy Council. The website has resources for educators, school nutrition professionals, and kids as well as parents. It has an interactive guide to the new Food Pyramid, and I really like the Healthy Kitchen section that has tips on grocery shopping, recipes and tips for cooking safe.

* For recipes and basic tips, I like the Annabel Karmel website. Granted, I’m a big fan of Annabel Karmel’s cookbooks so it’s only natural that I also enjoy the website. It’s divided by age group so you can find recipes appropriate to your kiddo.

What do you think? Do you have any websites or books that you find particularly helpful?

As you know, feeding a little one requires a lot of stuff. The winner of this giveaway will get two great essentials for feeding a baby: Baby Dipper Bowl and Spoon and a Spoiled Sweet Couture bib!

I had the great pleasure of reviewing the Baby Dipper set and it is a definite must have for feeding babies. Well, it’s a must have for feeding any little kiddo, actually, because my toddler now uses it for his yogurt. To learn more about the Baby Dipper, please read the full review (and leave a comment because it makes me happy).

Shop! Purchase the Baby Dipper set at http://www.babydipper.com/ for $9.99.

The second item in the prize pack is a beautiful Spittle Bib from Spoiled Sweet Couture. Spittle Bibs are perfect for babies and young eaters.

The Spittle Bib is approximately 10 inches across and 6 inches long from the neck opening. They are made with adorable, funky designer fabric, backed with soft minky dot and lined with a super absorbent material to keep clothes clean. (Or, as clean as possible with dealing with a baby!) The bibs close with a snap and were completely designed through trial and error by Pamela.

Here are a few of my favorites. Aren’t they just too cute?

Shop! All the baby gear at Spoiled Sweet Couture is as affordable as it is totally cute. Spittle Bibs range in price from $6.50 to $8.50.

Win! One lucky Shopping Mama reader will get a Baby Dipper Bowl and Spoon set and an adorable Spittle Bib from Spoiled Sweet Couture.

I was recently selected to be a part of the MomDot little sister review program. My first review and giveaway is now up on the new (and totally awesome) MomDot site.

Please go check out my Big Eye Dummies Review and Giveaway!

Time to kick off the All About Eating series of posts with a great giveaway. I am a fan of Mutsy products, plain and simple. I’ve even blogged about my love affair with my Mutsy 4Rider and Step Up Board. In addition to great strollers, Mutsy has two mealtime options. The Easygrow high chair and Grow-Up! booster seat.

The Grow-Up Seat allows your little one to join you at the dinner table in comfort and style. It rests on an average grown-up chair and provides some height and security. The seat has an optional 3 or 5 point harness to keep young ones safe and sound. The Grow-Up is recommended for little ones who can sit on their own and is suitable for children all the way up to 4 years of age.

The Mutsy Grow-Up is so modern and sleek looking and is offered in six bright and vibrant colors. I love the Raspberry and Apple. And, new in 2009 are the Blueberry and Nut. Your little one will literally be the most stylish one eating at the table in this gem of a seat.

Shop! Goore’s has a great selection of Mutsy products, including the Grow-Up! for $59 and the EasyGrow high chair. Get 10% off your Mutsy order with the code TSMMU.

Win! Mutsy is offering a Grow-Up! seat to one reader of The Shopping Mama!

How to Enter: Visit Mutsy and leave a comment here with your favorite product.

Bonus Entries - leave one comment for each you complete:
* Leave a comment on a non-giveaway All About Eating series post and let me know which post in a comment on this giveaway. (Only one entry, please.)
* Follow The Shopping Mama
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in a reader or email.
* Post the All About Eating button on your blog.
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet this: Just entered to win a Mutsy Grow-Up booster seat in the All About Eating series @TheShoppingMama http://tinyurl.com/ksu3ej #giveaway
* Blog about the All About Eating series, including a link to http://www.theshoppingmama.com/ for FIVE bonus entries into every All About Eating giveaway.

Fine Print: Please leave a valid email address in your comment so I can contact you. If you prefer, leave a comment and then send me an email. Open to US and Canadian mailing addresses. Contest ends 11:59 pm July 1. Winner will be chosen via random.org and has 48 hours to respond or the prize will be awarded during a live giveaway.

So, I have to admit that I’ve been so distracted starting Baby Girl on solids that I’ve forgotten, er, ignored the fact that Toddler Boy isn’t such a great eater. He’s so darn picky.

My biggest challenge is getting him to just try something new. It’s so frustrating when I offer him something I know he will like but he just won’t even take one single little bite. For a while we enforced the “one bite” rule and I told him he couldn’t get down from the table until he tried at least one bite of everything on his plate. Turns out he’s stubborn. He would literally sit at the table for 30 minutes after my my husband and I had left the table before finally trying a tiny bite.

Sadly, he has developed a sweet tooth. Not surprising given that I am his mother and have the biggest sweet tooth on the face of the planet. But, I don’t want to bribe him to eat his meal by dangling a cookie in front of him. He shouldn’t get a reward for doing something he should do anyway (eat dinner), you know what I mean?

I hate to make mealtime a fight. I just don’t want to make it a battle – it should be a pleasant, nice time for my family. And, frankly, I love eating and want my kids to love it, too. Seriously, it’s food, kid! EAT!

What are your toddler mealtime battles? How do you overcome them? Any advice for this mama?