As a kid I loved playing with my food! (much to Amma’s dismay!). I loved to roll my spaghetti into small balls. The first time I ate spaghetti was when my sister (five years older than me) made it when we were home alone one day. It was simply boiled spaghetti with tomato sauce but it was the best thing I’d ever eaten back then! It was the sauce that made me love spaghetti forever! I thought it would elicit the same reaction from my son, but it seems a generational change also affects tastebuds! A few days ago I made it with homemade tomato sauce for my son. Much to my dismay, he took a paper towel and wiped off the sauce! He seems to be in a phase of wanting ‘no sauce’! only plain pasta. Dismayed as I was, he too loves to play with his food like I did! Amma would say, ‘Karma’! I made these spaghetti squids, to get him to eat something more than just plain pasta. But it was a win win situation, because I have been waiting for this moment, to make him cute kid friendly food with faces! It seems to work. These squids went down very well, gherkins and all!
How to Make Squids with Spaghetti
I looked for ideas online how to get a fussy toddler to eat, most give advice that I have already tried. I decided to get creative instead. I saw this Pinterest idea (from: vinatege-kids) where spaghetti was threaded through sausages. I made squid forms instead because we had just read a book about sea creatures.
To make these you need spaghetti and sausages (meat or soya ones) as main ingredients. I made minion inspired faces. To make the eyes, I used pickled gherkins. Mustard seeds from the pickle for eyeballs and paprika for the mouth. Mustard seeds may not be to every kids liking but mine did like it.
Slice the sausages in half or in the size you want. Poke spaghetti sticks into sausage. Boil. To avoid the sausages from cracking, I cooked the squids on low heat.
Drain and decorate as desired. I opted for faces, and ketchup starfish.
Toddler Spaghetti Recipe: Sausage Spaghetti Squids
Squids with Spaghetti for Toddlers
Ingredients:
- 2 small sausages
- 8 spaghetti sticks
- 1 l water
- Salt
- Gherkin for eyes
- Small piece paprika for mouth
- Mustard or sesame seeds for eyes
Instructions:
- Cut sausages in half. I used small sausages, for longer ones, you can divide into more pieces.
- Break spaghetti sticks into desired lengths. Poke into sausages.
- Boil water with salt in a shallow pan. Once boiling, add squids, turn the heat to low.
- There should be just enough water to cover the squids. The amount of water will depend on the size of the pan used. I used a shallow pan and 1litre was enough to cover the squids. Cook until squids are al-dente or based on cooking instructions on the pasta you use. I used whole wheat spaghetti with a cooking time or 7 minutes.
- Remove from stove. Drain.
- Compose on a plate. I added ketchup starfish. It may be a good opportunity to add salad or more greens to the mix.
Did you make this recipe?
More Creative Pasta Ideas for Toddlers
I have also made spaghetti spiders. The same principles apply, stick spaghetti sticks into meatballs, cook on low heat .
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