Toddler Meal Ideas
- Veggies first! First, identify the fruit and veg you will serve in your meal, then plan around them when you are choosing a protein and/or grain source
- Then add a protein and a grain source as desired
- Kids don’t need recipes. Kids like to keep it simple. If it requires a recipe, it’s generally not an easy answer to kid accepted simple healthy foods.
- Healthy food really is that simple. It should be a few peels or cuts and maybe a light steam, but whole foods are generally not processed much and eaten as close to nature as possible
- Yes, it is perfectly normal and common for kids to go through phases where they only want to eat one thing. This is fine, but keep encouraging new options and help them get used to seeing color and options in different ways on the plate. At some point it will look interesting enough to eat.
- These simple foods are best accepted if they don’t touch, so buy compartmentalized plates
- Pair the things they may not like or are new with things you know they do like
- It’s easiest if they see you eating the same thing and not hiding “the good stuff” to be eaten in between meals. They are more likely to eat healthy if they see you do it
- My pinterest boards always have options you might want to check out:
- Baby Nibbles Board https://www.pinterest.com/dr_foodie/baby-nibbles/
- Health Friendly Holidays https://www.pinterest.com/dr_foodie/health-friendly-holidays/
- Gluten Free https://www.pinterest.com/dr_foodie/gluten-free/
- Vegan Kids https://www.pinterest.com/dr_foodie/vegan-kids/
- Grain Free https://www.pinterest.com/dr_foodie/no-grain-no-pain/
- Also, my online toolkit always hosts healthy recipes for the whole family: drfoodie.live
Healthy Protein Options (It’s not just a meat world folks!)
Veggie burger Almond Butter
Lima beans Nut butters of all kinds
Quinoa Tempeh
Chia Lentils
Broccoli Spinach
Black beans KIdney Beans
Cooked peas Pinto beans
Black eyed peas Refried beans
Chick peas Hummus
Eggs Artichokes
Nutritional Yeast Seeds and seed butters
Noodles that are made from quinoa, chickpea, or lentil
Some possible combinations:
Veg Veg Fruit Add’ protein or grain source
Carrot celery strawberries Mini bagel pizzas
Red pepper avocado cubes grapes boiled quinoa noodles
Snow peas tomato soup watermelon grilled cheese
Corn olives cantaloupe cubed chicken
Sliced squash brussel sprouts peach rice and gravy
Avocado cauliflower banana quesadillas
Broccoli peas apricot slices mini waffles
Red pepper green beans cherries scrambled eggs
Strawberry blueberry pancakes, egg slices
Blueberries raspberries banana yogurt and granola or cereal
Strawberry cucumber baby orange hashbrown
Carrot sticks raisins banana cheese sticks
Celery raisins applesauce sunbutter (to make ants on a log)
Cherry tom Broccoli raspberry hardboiled egg
Carrots cauliflower grapes chickpea noodles
Snow peas butternut squash applesauce peanut butter sandwich/sunbutter