Today’s post is sponsored by my friends from ALDI. Thoughts and opinions are my own. I love this store and if you haven’t been, you’re missing out on incredible deals.  

Whenever I sit down to blog about life as a parent, I wonder if for every mom I help, there are 10 others laughing at my rookie enthusiasm. My skills and knowledge are admittedly average. My latest accomplishment was sneaking vegetables into Tommy’s diet. I thought I was the smartest mom alive. Kidding.

While hardly creative, they were easy to do and didn’t require Pinterest to learn. Then I changed a dirty diaper and wondered, if the food comes out the same as it goes in, does the child reap any nutritional benefits from the food?

What I’m Giving Tommy To Eat These Days

I added spinach to ground turkey with a splash of marinara sauce that he loved. I thought I was a genius. The spinach however was never digested, so was there any point of adding it? While completely normal, I believe introducing him to the taste and texture is beneficial enough.

He liked my smoothie I made yesterday with coconut water, kale, mango, banana and pineapple. He also is obsessed with steamed broccoli. He eats it plain most of the time but was a big fan when I scrambled leftovers with an egg as an omelet.

Tommy’s Favorite Foods

There are only a few foods I can give him that I know he will love: broccoli, cheese and puffs. He still only has 4 teeth so our options are limited to soft foods with our “baby led weaning”-ish strategy.

I found this recipe as part of a recent ALDI delivery that instantly made me think of Tommy. When the ingredients are purchased at ALDI, the cost per serving is just $1.70!

I omitted the red pepper flakes for him and overcooked the pasta and broccoli so they were easier to chew. He loved the dinner and ate it right up.

How I Save Money on Baby Essentials

ALDI is amazing for picking up items to meet all your needs, from diapers and wipes to organic pouches and yogurt bites, plus all your groceries for up to 50% less than those at traditional grocery stores*.

While some of my hidden veggie ideas might not be life changing, shopping at ALDI is. The new Little Journey line is a favorite in our house. Tommy’s picks include the Little Journey Yogurt Bites and Little Munchers®, I assume because they are made with cheese. Packages are just $1.39 at ALDI, so when half of his snacks end up squashed in his stroller, I don’t feel bad.

I may not know all the tricks yet of being a mom, but I’m learning and enjoying the journey. I hope you have fun following along with us.

Got a sneaky veggie trick? Let me know in the comments below.

*Based upon price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.