By: Dominica Morris

Cooking nutritious meals for toddlers doesn’t have to be hard.

As many of you know we’re pretty busy around here, from working our day jobs to running a family business, as well as raising a wild 1- year old our home is constantly on the move, so when it comes to making healthy and nutritious toddler meals and snacks I need to make them quick yet also want to make sure that they are wholesome and full of good nutrients that are good for our growing toddler.

Like many new parents, I asked myself: “What are good meals for toddlers?” As many of you know I don’t like standing in the kitchen for hours on end to make the perfect meal and even if I wanted to there just isn’t enough time in my day to do so. So, I always make it a point to cook quick/easy yet nutritious meals. If you find yourself googling, what are some good meals for toddlers, or what meals can I make for my toddler? This article is for you. In this post, I share some quick, easy, and most importantly healthy meal ideas for picky toddlers. They are my favorite healthy go-to ideas for toddler meals and snacks. Seriously, they take no more than 15 minutes to make and are jam-packed with all of the wholesome deliciousness he needs for his growing body. I’m also breaking them down by meals so it’s easy to follow along.

Toddler Healthy Breakfast Ideas

When my son wakes up first thing in the morning around 7:00 am, we give him a cup of organic whole milk, this usually ties him over until 7:30-8:00 am until it’s time for his breakfast. We love giving him Horizon’s Organic Omega-3 DHA whole milk. It’s great for brain and bone development, plus gives him the extra calories he needs.

Organic oatmeal with Peanut Butter, Bananas, and Blueberries

Add peanut butter in your oatmeal for that extra protein boost.

This meal may look like it takes a lot of time, but it seriously doesn’t. I love using organic rolled oats. I put about half a cup in a bowl then add another half cup of vanilla almond milk, pop it in the microwave for a minute in a half then top it with a spoon of organic peanut butter, blueberries, and chopped bananas.

Ingredients:

½ Cup organic instant oats
½ cup vanilla almond milk
½ cup fresh organic blueberries
½ Banana cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp organic peanut butter

Protein Waffle and Side of Fresh Organic Berries

Protein waffles and berries is such a quick breakfast idea for when you’re in a hurry.

Some days I really don’t have time to make a meal. On those days we give him half of a frozen waffle with a side of fresh organic berries. We really love the Kodiak blueberry protein waffles. Not only is he getting to eat a waffle but he’s also getting that extra protein his body needs. Just pop the waffle in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes, cut it in half, and add some fresh organic berries as a side and he’s good to go.

Yogurt Granola, Fruit Jam, and Berries

You’re probably seeing the pattern by now, yes Carter eats a lot of berries. They’re his absolute favorite fruit. I love giving them to him since their low in sugar, bite-sized, great finger foods, and full of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. It’s a win-win, we love giving him our home-made parfait. Just add some Greek yogurt, berries, fruit jam, berries, and granola in a bowl, and breakfast is made.

Peanut Butter Toast with a Side of Fruit

Toast is always a go-to breakfast for us, and it’s so easy to make it healthy. We love using Dave’s Killer Bread’s 21 Whole Grain bread. We toast it for a few minutes then add some organic peanut butter to it. I also like cutting it into bite-size pieces so it’s easier for him to eat. I always add a side of fruit with it too.

Toddler Lunch and Dinner Ideas

Mac and Cheese doesn’t have to be store bought and is so easy to make yourself. Plus you get to save money.

Most days we eat the same meals for dinner and lunch as a family, but on the days we don’t, I try to make meals that are easy yet still wholesome. Here are some of my go-to meals that I can whip up in no time, and that I know he will eat without a fuss.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Carter loves macaroni and cheese but the store-bought kinds are usually not too healthy and expensive. I much rather buy the noodles myself and add the cheese. All I do is boil the noodles in a pot, then when they are thoroughly cooked, I drain the water, put the noodles on his plate, and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. It usually melts on top of the noodles and is less messy finger food.

Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole

Quesadilla’s are such an easy no mess finger food. Instead of adding salsa why not add chopped cherry tomatoes.

You can never go wrong with a cheese quesadilla. I use fiesta blend shredded cheese fold the tortilla and then place it in the toaster oven. For sides, I either give him cooked black beans, guacamole, cut tomatoes, or half of an avocado cut into bite-sized pieces.

Avocado Toast with a Side of Fruit or Sweet Potato Fries

Yes, my toddler eats avocado toast, and guess what he loves it. It’s also such an easy meal to make, so why not? I just mash a little avocado on toasted Dave’s Killer 21 Whole Grain bread, and it’s done. I usually add fruit as a side, but some days I’ll add half of an avocado or a few sweet potato fries.

Baked Sweet Potato with Homemade Mac and Cheese

For this just follow the above-mentioned mac and cheese recipe. For the potatoes, I just use the steamed bag of sweet potatoes. You just pop the whole bag with the potatoes in the microwave for 8 to 10 minutes and they’re done. I always peel the potatoes and cut them into little bite-sized cubes. I also add a little bit of cinnamon on top.

Easy Healthy Toddler Snacks

So now that we’ve got the main meals out of the way I’ll share some of our go-to snacks for in-between meals. Most days we just give him fruit with a cup of milk. He loves eating berries, bananas, apples, and clementines. We’ve also recently introduced him to raisins. Cheerios and cheese sticks are also great go-to snacks.

Toddler Snack List:

Organic Fresh Fruit: Sliced bite-sized apples, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, sliced cherry tomatoes, avocados

Dried Fruit: raisins, blueberries, cranberries

Other snacks: Fig bars, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Annie’s Cookies, Bamba Peanut Snacks, Cheerios, cheese sticks, boiled organic eggs, unsweetened apple sauce, guacamole, and unsalted toasted crackers,

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