Being a first time mom I was always searching Pinterest for easy meals for toddlers I could feed my son, Noah, once he got past the baby food stage. Finally I searched the nutrition requirements for a toddler and came up with meal ideas of my own! These are some of my simplest, and my son’s most liked, meals!
According to kidshealth.org , toddlers should have about 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day depending on how active they are. They need a minimum of: 3 oz of whole grains, 1 cup of veggies, 1 cup of fruits, 2 cups of dairy, and 2 ounces of meat or other source of protein on a daily basis.
Easy Meals for Toddlers
Breakfast
For breakfast I always like to include 1 ounce of the whole grains in the form of toast. my son loves to feed himself and toast tends to not be very messy. I get a natural sausage like Jimmy Dean® All-Natural sausage and make a small 1/2 ounce patty, feel free to replace this with 1/2 hardboiled egg also to satisfy the 1/2 ounce protein requirement. Serve with a half a cup of vitamin D milk and a half a cup of fruit, typically I choose a half a banana. Don’t forget to give your toddler their daily vitamin!
Totals: Whole grains (1 oz) Veggies (0) Fruit (1/2 cup) Dairy (1/2 c) Protein (1/2 oz)
Lunch
Banana Peanut butter Pinwheels
1 whole grain tortilla
1 Tbs natural peanut butter (without chunks)
honey
1/2 banana
For lunch Noah loves PB! The peanut butter will satisfy another 1/2 ounce protein requirement. A fun way to incorporate peanut butter without the same old peanut butter sandwich is a whole wheat tortilla! This is a great one to split between siblings because the recipe makes enough for two! If your child is an only child like Noah, I like to eat the other half or my husband does.
Take a large whole wheat tortilla and warm up in the oven at 150 for 2 minutes. Once warmed spread 1 Tbs. of natural peanut butter on the tortilla. Chop the other half of the banana from breakfast and pile in a line down the center. Drizzle with honey. Roll and cut into pinwheels. Serve half to your toddler with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. Serve with 1/2 cup of veggies, such as corn, carrots, or asparagus. Noah has taken better to canned veggies, they are softer but tend to be preserved with salt. Run under hot water after draining in a small strainer to wash away some salt and warm them up! Quick and easy!
Totals: Whole grains (1 oz) Veggies (1/2 c) Fruit (1/2 c) Dairy (1/2 c) protein (1/2 oz)
Snacks
1 cup milk
1 Veggie pouch
Totals: Whole grains (0) Veggies (1/4 c) Fruit (0) Dairy (1 c) Protein (0)
Dinner
Cheese and Spinach Enchiladas
a mild green enchilada sauce
3/4 oz grated Monterey Jack Cheese (about 4.5 Tbs)
corn tortillas
1/4 cup spinach (torn into small pieces)
olive oil
For dinner I like mexican food! I tone down the spice on the enchilada sauce so I don’t end up making separate meals for us and Noah. He loves eating whole beans since it’s a finger food. Bonus!! its an excellent source of protein paired with the rice.
Warm up the corn tortilla in the oven at 150 for 5 minutes. Switch the oven to broil. In a small pan sauté the spinach with a dash of olive oil until soft. Place inside of corn tortilla with most of cheese (save some the sprinkle on top). Roll up the tortilla and place in an oven safe container (I use a pie tin) cover with sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Put in the oven until the cheese is melted. Let cool for a minute or two then serve to toddler with 1/2 cup brown rice (I make spanish rice with brown rice) and 1/4 cup whole black beans.
Totals: Whole grains (0) Veggies (1/4 c) Fruit (0) Dairy (1/2 c) Protein (2 oz)
All of these meals and snacks bring us to a grand total of:
Totals: Whole grains (3 oz) Veggies (1 c) Fruit (1 cup) Dairy (2 c) Protein (2 oz)
**The minimum daily requirements for toddlers!**
Let me know what your toddler’s favorites are in the comments below!
Enjoy! ♥
I love getting new ideas!! I have a finicky toddler on my hands!!
Ugh trying to get a toddler to eat is the hardest task I have ever tried!
peanut butter and bananas are eaten in our house like, every other day! yum!
haha I would say we eat them that much if not more!
This looks pretty good for adults too haha
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking Disorder recently posted…Montreal Food Adventures
haha they really are! I eat all of them!
Awesome ideas! I’ll have to keep these in mind next time we are babysitting our godson!
The peanut butter honey pinwheels are very popular with kids!
Yum!! I love that you’re looking for whole-grain options for your toddler. We have done all kinds of quesadillas – when my kids were smaller, I’d just cut them into thin strips for them to eat. Ham and cheese, “pizza” quesadillas … whatever I have on hand!
Kimber @ Let’s Do Some Good Today recently posted…Happy 4th of July!
I bet my son would love a pizza quesadilla! I’ll have to try that. Thanks for the suggestion!
Great simple solutions for busy moms! They look yummy and fun to eat!
They are even yummy for adults!
I love that you have broken down the health facts here!
It always good to know the purpose behind what you are feeding you child 🙂
Those pinwheels look so fun and simple! What a fun little treat. Love the way you incorporated spinach as well
I love spinach so I’m hoping my little guy will too!
Great, simple ideas. My little man has loved cheese and ham roll ups (in a tortilla), and we also love to just do a “tasting tray” assortment of a whole bunch of different finger foods.
Oh yummy! I can’t get my little guy to eat ham.
Great ideas! The toddler age can be hard to figure out at first! The pinwheels look fun too, and I will have to try the enchilada with my kiddos!
my son has loved enchiladas since he was a year old!
Great ideas! The toddler age can be hard to figure out at first! The pinwheels look fun too, and I will have to try the enchilada with my kiddos!
my son has loved enchiladas since he was a year old!
These are great ideas! It can be so hard to come up with fun and easy meals every day that will get my daughter excited for eating. I love the pinwheels! We will have to try those.
They are so yummy We like to eat them too!!
These are great ideas! It can be so hard to come up with fun and easy meals every day that will get my daughter excited for eating. I love the pinwheels! We will have to try those.
They are so yummy We like to eat them too!!