Sandwich Shapes – a Toddler Trick for meal time

It is amazing how a sandwich shaped like a star or a flower or a circle tastes so much better than when it is a normal sandwich shape! At least that is what my toddler tells me.   While I am blessed with a child who will pretty much eat anything we still have days when tiredness or boredom gets the better of her and I have a battle on my hands.  Sandwich shapes is a quick and easy way to transform a lunch or snack time staple into something special.  It makes a quick and easy party trick and can turn uneaten toast into something a lot more tempting.

 This trick is suitable for toddlers of all ages and works a treat with much older ‘kids’ as well.

What you need: (For one toddler sized lunch serving)

- 4 slices of white bread (or a light wholemeal) – sandwich or toast slice.  Works with two slices of toast as well!

- A sticky spread – honey, nutella, jam, vegemite, pate – or for parties butter with hundred- and-thousands.  Doesn’t work so well with meat or salad type fillings.

- Cookie cutters, play-dough cutters, different sized glasses and/or a knife for cutting squares and triangles.

What you do:

1. Make your sandwiches with the spread of your choice.  Pays to go close to the edges for extra stickability.

2. Press down on the sandwich with your hand so that it is well sealed together.

3. Now get your cutting shapes and get creative.  If you don’t have cookie cutters see if you can find a glass to makes some circles. You can also use a knife for cutting more regular shapes and for making little squares with the trimmings.

4. Display in a pattern on your plate or make your shapes into an object (trucks and houses are popular at our place).  It is all about making it look as visually appealing as possible.

5. For parties…follow the same steps above but with a single slice of bread topped with butter and hundreds-and-thousands or a similar party sprinkle.  These are popular with kids of all ages!

 Some notes:

- Crusts are optional – I leave them on when I can but I find it hard to capture crusts when  using a cutter.

- I would add in fruit, vege sticks and possibly some cheese cubes to make the plate a well-rounded meal.

- I can’t pretend that these creations would win any art prizes; but they go down a treat!