Almost every parent I know is preoccupied with what to feed their kids—and I’m convinced it starts from the moment they’re born. Enter the picky eater, and suddenly it becomes a full time job trying to figure out what your child will eat and when.
The toddler years seem to be about the time little people start turning their noses up at certain textures and tastes—my two-year-old niece currently refuses all forms of meat—and I think ultimately, most moms feel worn out by trying to guess which meal will go down well that day.
I’ve put together a few ideas for toddler meals based on what was popular with my own kids, and what my many nieces and nephews—frequent dinner guests—are eating right now. I often found that just seeing some new ideas would offer me the inspiration I needed to get something different into the tummies, and I’m hoping these ideas might do the same for you.
Here are 14 ideas for toddler meals:
- Hummus on toast with sliced avocado
- Grilled cheese with strawberry jam
- Fish cakes (recipe coming soon)
- Meatballs, orzo and tomato slices
- Toddler antipasto platter—cheese, turkey slices, crackers and grapes
- Tuna salad with grated apples and celery on English muffins
- Scrambled eggs, rice and peas
- Vegetable soup and a slice of toast
- Roasted broccoli with Parmesan and sausages
- Sweet potato fries and roast chicken
- Burritos with black beans, avocado and cheddar cheese (rolled and thinly sliced)
- Spinach, feta and cherry tomato frittata
- Shrimp with couscous and feta
- Salmon, green beans and boiled potatoes
A few notes about the above:
- I’m not suggesting that you make something separate for your toddlers. I would be perfectly happy to eat any of the above for dinner. Often a meal just needs to be doled out differently (see above) to make it toddler friendly.
- I didn’t introduce harsh flavours (like black olives and hot sauce) to my toddlers, but my sister-in-law did. Her six year old now eats hot sauce, olives, sundried tomatoes and pickled peppers on almost anything, which I find fascinating.
Are your toddlers going through a picky phase? What are some of the foods you’re serving up these days?
Tagged under: meals,recipes,toddler,picky eaters,toddler meals,dinner ideas
Category: toddler-food
