Toddler Meal Ideas

Need a handy site to jazz up your meals for your toddler?

Well- check out Wholesome Toddler Food! 

Or, check out these quick links on the site:

Breakfast

Lunch 

Snacks

Dinner 


and- my favorite- the meal planner!

Now- anyone who knows me, knows that I do not make separate meals for my son. He eats what we eat. Period. But, there are sometimes when he needs to eat and my husband is not home yet, or when I just need to make my son something quick for lunch and we are not going to eat.

And, most of these recipes can be adapted for the whole family.

Click here to visit Wholesome Toddler Food

Toddler Nutrition

A really helpful article about toddlers and their nutritional needs from Wholesome Toddler Food:

"Concerned your toddler won't eat 3 full meals?"

Don't panic - most toddlers will only eat between 1 to 2 "meals" per day. Yes, it is true and it's perfectly fine.

If you think that your toddler should be eating a full meal at each mealtime, take heart - your toddler won't eat 3 "full" meals and further, does not need to eat 3 "full"  meals per day! What your toddler does need is at least 1000 calories per day, according to the AAP.

My Toddler does not eat at Dinner!

You will notice as the day progresses that your toddler becomes less and less hungry. Rest assured, it is common for toddlers to eat great at breakfast, eat "ok" at lunch and come dinner time, your toddler may eat either miniscule bites or leave behind a 99% full plate.

The AAP ( American Academy of Pediatrics )  recommends that children age 1 to 3 years get about 40 calories per inch of height a day.

Translation: Your 32-inch-tall toddler ideally should eat about 1,300 calories a day for normal growth and weight gain. These calories should come from the sources listed below as shown in the apple.

So what does this mean for My Toddler?

You should prepare balanced meals and healthy snacks for your toddler. Well balanced

QUICK TIP Your Toddler does NOT need to eat as much as you think he/she does! Medical Professionals will tell you - children grow more slowly after the age of 12 months. Hence, their caloric needs are less than what they were during the rapid growth period of newborn to 1 yr. old.

offerings, especially during snack time, will help you to overcome the inevitable lack of food intake during a meal.

For example, if your toddler does not drink all of his milk at breakfast, give him cheese for a snack. If your toddler refuses to eat his meat at lunch, give him tofu bites dusted with Cheerio or Granola crumbs for a snack.

In these examples, while you may lament at the lack of calcium and protein intake during breakfast and lunch, you have taken the opportunity to "make up for it" during snack time!

Toss out the idea that your Toddler will suddenly be eating "like the family" does!  Remember, your Toddler is still in a stage of slow-then-rapid-then-slow growth and is going through many changes! 

How Much Should I Try to Have my Toddler Eat per Day?

When planning and serving meals to your toddler, try to have him/or her consume the following on a daily basis:

• 2 to 3 cups of calcium - milk (or yogurt, cheese or other calcium rich foods)

• 4 servings of fruits and vegetables. (Serving size: one tablespoon per year of age.) One serving should be high in vitamin C and another in vitamin A.

• 4 servings of grains - bread and cereal. One should be an iron-fortified baby cereal. A serving is about 1/4 to 1/3 an adult portion (1/4 slice toast, 1/4 cup pasta)

• 2 servings of proteins - meat, beans, eggs, tofu, or peanut butter. A good serving of protein should be served at every meal. One serving equals 1/2 ounce. Courtesy of Parent'sPlace Nutritionist Q&A.

What is Considered a Serving Size for a Toddler?  

We find that feeding your Toddler becomes less complicated and frustrating when parents realize what a serving size for a Toddler really is. A good rule for serving sizes for toddlers is the following::

1 tablespoon per year of age or 1/4 of an adult serving per year of age 

At the next meal, use these measurements exactly and see for yourself how little food a Toddler should actually  be eating.  We bet you will be quite surprised!

Resources & Learning More:

USDA's Searchable Nutrient Database - Enter in any food and find it's nutrient content

Your Child's Growth - Dr. Sears

Feeding Infants and Toddlers by William Sears, MD

Nutritional guidelines for toddlers by Sue Gilbert, Consulting Nutritionist - Parent's Place

RDA for toddlers? by Sue Gilbert, Consulting Nutritionist - Parent's Place

Nutrient Information from the the American Society for Nutritional Sciences"

(http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/Toddlers.htm)

I know my toddler is not very predictable in the quantity of foods he eats. Some days, he eats more than I do and others, he eats barely anything. It is hard for us adults to get this concept, but I really think that we should just trust our little ones! They will eat when they are hungry!

Great article to help busy parents cook healthy!

I love the website Moneysavingmom.com! If you have not been there- you need to. You will become addicted and visit everyday. (She is a SAHM to 3 kids and basically is the master grocery shopper, only spending about $30 per week for her family of 5!!)

She gives you tips, suggestions, recipes and links to every great sale and coupon out there! (Can you say $1.89 pack of Huggies diapers?? Yep- I got them!)

What I also love, is that she makes good food for her family. She makes healthy, homemade meals and shares her ideas. LOVE THE SHARING!

Here is her latest tip on making homemade meals quick and easy even with little ones running around! Enjoy!

Lunch Ideas for Toddlers

Here is the second in a series of ideas on what you can feed your toddler. I first posted about some breakfast ideas- not because I think my ideas are amazing... No way! I actually just wanted to start a conversation where us parents can share ideas to hopefully, make all of our lives easier!

I am hoping that in each of these posts, several people will generate ideas so we all can have an easier time preparing healthy food for our children. I know I am running in a hundred different directions, so when I realize "oh no! It's already meal time!", I struggle to come up with new creative ideas.

Here are some of my favorite lunch menus:

Chicken, Ham or Turkey- I cannot really afford organic lunch meats, but I do get Boar's Head meats because they have no preservatives and no additives.

Cheese- my son does not drink cow's milk, he does not like it. So, I supplement with lots of other wholesome dairy. I try and mix it up with different varieties, and not just the plain mild cheeses. I give him some of the more unique flavors too. Be careful about added preservatives and artificial coloring.

Cut veggies- Of course, carrots and celery are favorites- but don't forget the bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes and more! (I cut the veggies when I get home from the store so snack sized portions are readily available)

Fruit- A staple in our house, just like the veggies. Also- try and see if your child likes to eat the whole fruit. My son flips out when I give him a whole apple, peach or other fruit. He is occupied for a long time and feels like such a BIG boy, haha!

Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese- Love it!

Grilled Cheese- I add meats for protein when I feel my son needs it

Quesadilla- I add meat and veggies too- for a more complete meal

Turkey meatballs and sauce- You can modify your favorite meatball recipe to fit any meats you allow your toddler to consume. If you are vegetarian, you can also make them with beans and other legumes.

Dips- My son likes to dip anything fruit, veggies, sometimes even things that don't seem 'dip-able'. I give him yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, hummus, guacamole, salsa...


So- here are my few ideas. What about you? What are your lunch favorites for your toddler?? Leave a comment and let me know!

Breakfast ideas for toddlers

If you are like me, mornings are a fuzzy time. My son happens to be a very early riser. Around 5:30-6am everyday. I am more inclined to sleep until 9am...so obviously, being creative at breakfast is not an easy task.

However, I do like to offer a variety of options for my son to increase his tastes and offer many nutritious options. I figured that it might be helpful to list some of our morning menus to give you some new ideas! Hopefully, you will be inspired to do the same so I can get some new plates into our repetoire as well.

- Instant Organic Oatmeal mixed with organic unsweetened applesauce. (they make a variety of flavors of applesauce to make it more exciting)

- Scrambled eggs (I only buy free range, organic)

- Dry cereal (I stick to no sugar, organic, whole wheat varieties)

- Omelets (mixed with anything I have in the fridge. Onions, peppers, ham, turkey, cheese, broccoli, etc.)

- Whole Wheat toast with banana spread (just mush up part of a banana and spread it on top instead of butter or jelly)

- Breakfast burritos- whole wheat organic tortillas with eggs, ham, turkey or chicken and some cheese and veggies

- Organic no refined sugar added waffles or pancakes (they sell many varieties at Whole Foods made of flax seed, whole wheat, gluten free, etc.) Instead of butter and syrup, I use a fruit puree and let my son dip his waffles or pancakes...he loves to dip!

- Any fruit on Earth, haha. My son loves fruit and I usually give him a bowl full with breakfast

- Cheese and fruit platter. My son is not a huge milk lover yet (still likes mama's milk best) so I am diligent to give him lots of other dairy for his calcium

- Yogurt. I only buy organic or greek (normal yogurt has lots of sugar added and other nasty preservatives. Check the labels!) My son also loves to dip fruit, toast or waffles in yogurt.

I will post lunch and dinner ideas soon! Let me know- What are your favorite breakfast items?

Toddler Super Bowl Fun

So- pretty much everyone watches the Super Bowl, whether you watch it for the commercials or actually for the football. It also seems like it is mandatory to have some "football food" for the big game.

You can still make it healthy and let your toddler join in! Here are some suggestions:



Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Hummus and Veggies

Whole Wheat Pizza Bagels

Fruit Salad

Mini Turkey Burgers

Grilled Chicken Skewers

Pumpkin Muffins/Cupcakes (In this recipe, I would use much less sugar or omit completely for toddler)

And- if you have a favorite recipe, but you want to make it a healthier option for your little one, visit Eat Better America for tons of "healthified" versions of your recipe!

Enjoy!

No more picky eaters!

Something I believe in is giving your kids variety and spice from their first bites of food!

Of course, every toddler will go through phases where they don't seem to want anything you make for them... but remember- YOU are the parent. YOU are the only way a toddler can get food. YOU set the example and make the rules for eating. (Of course, if your child has any special needs or medical issues, follow the plan set up by you and your doctor. Always check with your doctor!)

Here are some tips:

- do not let your kids snack all day long. Make 3 main meals and offer a healthy snack once or twice in between meals at a pre-determined time.

- offering a snack at a pre-determined time helps to eliminate "boredom eating". We have all been there and kids are no different. If you just wait around until your toddler whines- you might be giving him/her food when all they need is a new activity.

- Make your meal for the entire family. Do NOT make a separate meal for the kids. Do not make the mistake of saying your child won't like what you are eating and not even give them the chance to enjoy it.

- Once you make the meal, if your child decides they do not like the food- do not force them to eat it. Tell them "this is your meal, I am not making anything else." They may choose not to eat this meal, but they will learn that they cannot dictate the choice of meals. If you cave, they will know they can manipulate you. BE STRONG! (I know this is easier said than done...)

- If your kid does not eat a meal or even two, they will not starve. They will get hungry enough and you better believe they will eat what is in front of them the next time!

- Offer your kids variety! Give them many different vegetables, fruits and spices. If you always make rosemary potatoes, don't make plain ones for your kids- help them to learn the infinite delicious flavors of food!

- Let your kids help make meals. Even the youngest can grab some ingredients and throw them into a bowl or stir up some sauce. They will be proud that they helped and be more inclined to eat it when they had a hand in the process.

- Most of all, keep trying new things. I think of my childhood- I hated onions. Eventually, they have become one of my favorites. If your kid does not like a particular item on the first try- give it to them again and see what they think.

Do you have any great ideas or tried and true methods? Share them with us!