Toddlers and Tomatoes: Beneficial, Easy to Prepare, and Delicious!

Summer is fast approaching, and tomatoes are at their peak! We love tomatoes because they are simple, we don’t have to cook them, and they taste delicious – especially this time of year!

Here, a short list of all the reasons tomatoes are a power food:

When tomatoes are eaten along with healthier fats, like avocado or olive oil, the body’s absorption of the carotenoid phytochemicals in tomatoes can increase by two to FIFTEEN times (!!!), according to a study from Ohio State University.
Tomatoes contain all four major carotenoids: alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene. And, while all of these carotenoids are beneficial on their own, they also interact with each other to maximize their benefits.
Tomatoes contain all three high-powered antioxidants:beta-carotene (which has vitamin A activity in the body), vitamin E, and vitamin C.
For the breastfeeding mamas: when a breastfeeding mom eats tomato products, it increases the concentration of lycopenein their breast milk. Research shows that eating tomato products like tomato sauce increased concentrations of lycopene in breast milk more than eating fresh tomatoes did.

These are just a sampling of benefits; the list goes on, and on! You can read more about health benefits of tomatoes in this article on WebMD. But, in the meantime, here are a few ideas on how you can easily prepare tomatoes for both your child and your entire family!

Simply sliced: This one is easy peasy, and a regular for us as both a snack and part of lunch. Just simply slice up tomatoes into bite-size chunks, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a tiny bit of fresh pepper, and serve!
Baby Caprese link. Similar to simply sliced, but this one takes it up a notch with fresh mozzarella and herbs. Delish! Grab the recipe, here: Baby Caprese.
Avocado, tomato, hummus sandwich. This one is a great one, for both parents and babies alike. It’s easy to make a sandwich out of it – get the recipe, here: Avocado Tomato Hummus Sandwich.

What about you: does your little one like tomatoes? How do you like to serve them (in a sauce, over pasta, in a salad)? Share your ideas with us!

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About Alessandra Macaluso

Alessandra Macaluso is author of What a Good Eater! and The Real-Deal Bridal Bible, host of the Real-Deal Brides Podcast, and blogger at AlessandraMacaluso.com. Alessandra’s work is featured in several anthologies, most recently But Did You Die? which is the fifth installment in a New York Times bestselling series. She has contributed to The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and many other online publications. Her original screenplay “Polar Suburbia” placed as a semi-finalist in the Moondance Film Festival. Alessandra is mom to two toddlers and a twenty-five pound Maine coon cat who believes he is a dog. She spends her time driving her OCD husband completely nuts with her constant rearrangement of scenery in their home. Learn more at AlessandraMacaluso.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.