Do you struggle to prepare healthy and varied meals for your toddler? It can be easy to get in a rut with a finicky eater who demands the same thing (in our house it’s applesauce) EVERY day. I want to share some easy meals that are toddler approved (by Hannah) and pretty healthy.
We’ve been blessed to have a pretty good eater, but Hannah can definitely be demanding and picky at times. Here are some tips that we use to encourage her to eat healthily and encourage her to try new foods.
Tips For Getting Your Toddler to Eat Well
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- I put at least two foods I know Hannah will eat and a food that is either unfamiliar, or one that she is not a fan of on her plate.
- I don’t make a big deal if she doesn’t eat all of her food. She knows she can leave food she doesn’t like, or isn’t in the mood for (this eliminates a lot of power struggles over food).
- If she hasn’t eaten something I know she does usually like, I will put it in the fridge and offer it again later when she tells me she is hungry.
- I try to provide lots of positive reinforcement if she does try something new (we often say cheers and touch our food together instead of our drinks, which she LOVES).
- I try to provide balanced meals, with some proteins, grains and at least two fruit/veggies (Hannah also has a glass of milk at each meal). The Oxo Tot Divided Plate
makes it easy to ensure she has proper portion sizes.
- Hannah is more excited to eat fruit and veggies when she has dip (usually yogurt or hummus).
- I often let Hannah choose at least of few of her foods (sometimes I give her a choice between two) so she feels she has more control over what she eats (this accounts for a few strange choices like hummus for breakfast!).
- We try hard not to let her eat junk food or much processed food. I think this is the main reason why she eats so well. I’m hoping I can keep this up as she grows up.
makes it easy to ensure she has proper portion sizes.Healthy and Easy Meals for Toddlers
Breakfast:
Meals clockwise from top left:
- Oatmeal, applesauce and strawberries with blueberry yogurt for dip
- Bagel with peanut butter, blueberries, blackberries and freeze dried fruit (banana and blueberry)
- Oatmeal cup with raspberries, cheese, kiwi and blueberries
- Oatmeal cup with blueberries, bananas, strawberries and blueberry yogurt to dip
- Oatmeal, kiwi, cheese and blueberries
- Breakfast muffin, applesauce, blackberries, carrots with hummus dip
- Oatmeal cup, strawberries, banana and blueberry yogurt to dip
- English Muffin with peanut butter, blueberries, strawberries with blueberry yogurt to dip.
Lunch
- Kale and basil pesto roll-up with cheese, snap peas and kiwi
- Pita pockets with hummus, chicken, cheese and blueberries
- Hamburger, zucchini, green beans and tomatoes
- English muffin and hummus, apple, kiwi and blueberries
- Kale and basil pesto roll-up with cheese, watermelon, carrots and hummus
- Pita pockets with peanut butter, kiwi, strawberries and yogurt dip
- Chicken pesto pasta, cherry tomatoes, green beans and blueberries
- Peanut butter flatbread, cheese and blueberries
Supper:
- Pita pockets with peanut butter, ham and carrots
- Tilapia, rice, zucchini and cherry tomatoes
- Sausage, potatoes, onions and carrots
- Salmon, potatoes, carrots and cherry tomatoes
- Tilapia, kale and basil pesto pasta, blueberries and blackberries
- Chicken pesto pasta, cantaloupe, strawberries and blueberry yogurt
- Salmon, carrots, potatoes and pineapple
- Hamburger, carrots and a plum
What are your little ones favorite easy meals? Do you have any strategies for getting picky eaters to eat nutritious foods? Share them below!
Love these suggestions, thank you!!
Glad you find them helpful!
Great ideas! My sister in law is a nutritionist and this is how she counsels moms to help kids eat!
Thank you! I did a LOT of research on this because I’m a picky eater myself. Glad to know I’m on the right track!
Love these fabulous suggestions and on a side note… I really like those cute little plates you have!!!
Thanks so much love the plates. 🙂
Ooooh that food looks beautiful and delish and soooo many great ideas. I have some picky eaters and some great eaters- I feel like so many of these recipes will work for both!
Thanks very much! Most of these seem like wins for any kid!
Love these ideas! My 6 year old is so picky. I try to offer her a variety of foods at one sitting in case she will only eat one or two of the food choices.
I think that’s the way to do it. No sense in causing huge arguments. She’ll likely try more things as she grows up and is eating around friends. That’s how I discovered I liked many foods (like pizza!) haha
I love the way you presented all of the toddler meals Where did you get your plates? My toddlers hate it when their food touches each other. Especially when its a food they don’t like!! Thanks so much for all the delicious meal ideas. I’m excited to try one for dinner tonight!
You are most welcome! Glad it helped. There is a link in the post for the plate. 🙂
I don’t have a picky eater, but this gave me some ideas!
Super! I find it hard not to get in a rut sometimes. 🙂
I love these meals! They are so colorful and well balanced. My baby is soon to be a toddler and I will definitely give these a go!
Thanks very much! Hope your little one enjoys!
My Little Guy is getting molars in, so doesn’t want to chew anything. He likes mashed potatoes mashed beans and rice, most veggies, all fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, farnia cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter (LOVES smashed banana, peanut butter and yogurt for breakfast), and just about anything Dady eats. Since I don’t want him to choke, and to keep getting good food in, we’ve been doing smoothies
These are some awesome suggestions! My daughter is the picky eater in our house. If she could eat cheese and carrots all day – she would.
Thanks! I’m picky too, so I understand!
absolutely love these meal ideas!! also, where did you get your plates?
Great ideas! My toddler is so picky, and we ofthe have the power struggle over food. I will try your ideas out!
What are the oatmeal cups you refer to? Checked your recipes and didn’t find anything but they look yummy!