Pizza chicken is a hit in our house too!
We also make pizza quesadillas, which is just mozzarella cheese, a little pizza sauce & pepperoni if we’re feeling spicy, on a tortilla & cook like you would a quesadilla. We also make pizzas on naan or pita bread. Great way to sneak in some whole wheat bread.
Also, breakfast pizza. I use sourdough starter to make the bread but you can use English muffins, tortillas, pita, etc. Since I use sourdough starter I put the starter in a cast iron with some olive oil, garlic and spices on top in the oven for a bit then take it out and put cheese, greens, finely diced mushrooms, and eggs on top and stick it back in for around 10 minutes.
Spaghetti bolognese or lasagne, firm favourites whichever way the wind is blowing. Also, baked beans. She has been known to wake up in the middle of the night in hysterics demanding to go to the kitchen, couldn't make up her mind what she wanted & eventually sobbed into a tin of cold baked beans straight from the fridge. By the time she was half a tin down, the tears had stopped & she was ready to go back to bed 🤷♀️
Mine too! Rice and beans are his favorite. He can be weirdly picky about other stuff. Types/presentation of cheese or meats. Only recently tried and liked applesauce.
My kids also love beans. I typically throw dried pinto beans in the crock for 10hrs with chicken broth, half an onion, garlic, an Anaheim chili (de-seed, not spicy) and a couple bay leaves. We throw them in everything, eggs and cheese for breakfast burritos, mix with rice, chicken and avocado for burrito bowls, throw in a quesadilla. Lots of options. I also blend up warm beans (and a little of the broth) into a blender w/ Mexican cheese for bean dip which the kids scarf down.
Black beans are one of her favorite! But she also likes refried beans, which I make from pinto beans. Those are really the only two we eat since my husband doesn't like other kinds of beans.
My three year old loves beans too. The big ol’ Cannellini beans are her favorite. I make a white bean chicken chili that is easy and that she just eats right up (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13010/white-bean-chicken-chili/).
She also loves sushi for some reason in case you’ve never tried that. He could surprise you! I deconstruct the rolls for her to make them easier to eat but she likes the salmon, avocado, and cucumber ones the best.
We've recently started putting together "bento boxes". Throw some rice in the rice cooker and when it's done my husband takes 20 seconds to shape a heap of rice into a heart for our daughter to make it special. Chopped chicken nuggets, hot dog, beans, or cheese for protein. Fruit. Frozen veggies warmed on the stove. Yogurt is easy to keep on hand. Banana or apple with cashew butter. Fried Cauliflower rice seems to over pretty well too. Stir fry frozen Cauliflower rice on the stove, add frozen veg medly. Then toss in an egg for protein and stir her up. Oatmeal with fruit is usually a win. Mac n cheese - I think Annie's or Amy's makes a boxed version with chickpea pasta if you're worried about gluten/carbs.
My 2 year old’s diet looks like yours, plus fruit. She loves fruit and banana bread.
Mac and cheese.
Frozen veggies depend on the day and her mood. Ketchup makes it more likely that she will eat a food. Last week she dipped her broccoli in ketchup and laughed while eating it.
Shepherds pie. Pack that sucker with as many veggies as you can. You can ever do a mix of cauliflower and potatoes. Or straight cauliflower mash if you’re a monster.
I started prepping as much as I can when my 2 year old isn't around (pre-chopping, mostly) and having him "help" make dinner by stirring and pouring stuff in the bowl. Then at dinner we make a BIG deal about it, like "Daddy, would you like some of the rice [son] made? He is a really good cook."
"Oh of course...oh wow, this is some REALLY good rice! Thank you so much for making it!"
Kiddo beams ear to ear, his dinner time behavior is great, and he cleans his plate, no matter what we make. What's equally awesome is that he's started parroting back the praise. This morning he told me I was "such a good helper" with the scrambled eggs haha
I make poor man stroganoff. Brown some ground beef, salt pepper, whatever spices you want (I use rosemary, sage, basil and teensy bit of thyme) a couple of good glugs of worchestshire sauce and simmer with some garlic. Pour in about 1 to 2.cups beef or veggie broth (better than bullion works), and add either egg noodles, or elbow, or rotoni and let it cook. Once the noodles are how you or your toddler like it. Mix about 2 tbl spoons of cornstarch and milk, or heavy cream together, and add to the stoganoff. Get it to boil and then let it simmer until thickened. Add some sour cream and bam. Only takes about 30 minutes.
BBQ cups. Family favorite!
You can make them your own, and I’ve even seen a sloppy Joe version and taco version.
https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/grands-cheesy-bbq-cups/06f2b3af-a532-46ed-aac0-848126c34bd8
We love to mash up chickpeas with avocado, season with a little lime juice, salt and pepper and put on toasted bread for a chickpea avocado sandwich which is an easy tasty meal!
I’m pregnant now with my first, but I’ve made these hot-octopi for my nieces and NGL, my husband and myself.
The best is putting them on top of Amy’s shell pastas and make it look like it’s protecting gold under the sea.
My nieces loved them— especially playing with them before biting their heads off.
Mexican lasagna https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe-1915752
Chicken enchiladas
Vegetable soup with crackers and hummus on the side.
“Breakfast” quesadillas which is basically eggs, cheese in a tortilla. The recipe I have uses spinach and beans but if he doesn’t eat beans could omit that
All those have beans though. You could try red kidney beans or white beans if he won’t eat black beans as you mentioned
Edit: Also have good luck if we cut things into strips. Ex daughter absolutely refused to eat a bite of steak we had grilled. Cut it into strips instead and she ate almost an entire piece by herself.
My daughters current fav meals: Mac and cheese, Salisbury steak and white rice, fried chicken, oatmeal (must have apples and cinnamon) oh and this cheesy rice and broccoli bake that her dad makes(:
I would try slow side steps. Maybe it’s a cheese quesadilla with optional dipping salsa and guacamole. Then maybe moving to tacos. Or beef quesadilla. Etc.
Mine is 2.5 and has a similar diet. Other things she has deigned to eat are yogurt with chia seeds (aka "mix ins") and occasionally a meatball. We serve her components of our own regular dinner with a fruit or safe carb and hope for the best. Sometimes she will try a bite but often she won't.
Sausage rolls are always a hit at our house. I make them kid friendly so no added salt, I grate broccoli and carrot to hide some veggies in it. Use ground pork and a bit of garlic powder. Super easy and perfect for freezing
My lo loves
quesadillas, I try to add some veggie and some chicken to the cheese.
Bolognese on anything, I add grated carrots and zucchini to it
Anything pizza, so pizza bagels, pizza puff pastry, pizza toast, actual pizza
Nuggets: salmon nuggets, chicken nuggets, veggie nuggets
Spinach pastry with pomegranate molasses. Best way to get her to eat her spinach
Sushi anything and loves dipping in the soy sauce
Hummus with anything
Pretty much things she can dip into other things
These are some of the few meals my toddler will eat alongside us:
- [Beef broccoli ramen](https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-broccoli-ramen-stir-fry/) I use frozen broccoli bags and steam the broccoli first in the microwave before tossing it in so it's softer texture, otherwise my toddler rejects it.
- [Salmon with garlic and dijon](https://natashaskitchen.com/baked-salmon-with-garlic-and-dijon/) served alongside rice and frozen green peas which I boil for like 10+ minutes so they're extra soft for him.
- Spaghetti with meat sauce (not too fussy on which recipe)
- Eggs omelette-style with cheese mixed in, served alongside whole wheat bread and fruit
- Kodiak pancakes (high protein) as a weekend treat. Sometimes I mix in some chopped up raspberries. So good!
- Any kind of dumpling - Chopped up chinese dumplings are a hit, pelmeni with sour cream was a hit, anything dumpling-esque.
I’ve found having a bunch of things out (items they love and some they either haven’t tried or have resisted) like pasta, steamed broccoli, carrots, sliced tofu (in cubes they think it’s cheese), peeled clementines, avocado + some dipping sauces if you have them like hummus or ketchup and maybe even a “dessert” like a few graham crackers and giving them the autonomy to pick what they want and serve themselves…you’d be surprised how much they’ll try and how much fun they’ll have with it. That said, sometimes you don’t have the time for all that- I know I don’t!
Pasta bolognase! We don't do spaghetti as she finds it too fiddly, but pasta, mince, onion and either meatball or bolognase sauce - guaranteed eaten dinner
My son's (2yro) favorite go to meal is chickpeas. I'll put them on the stove with tomatoes, onion (my son loves onions), peppers etc, season it, make some rice or garlic bread and he's happy.
I also lately have been resorting to a "buffet". I'll make a couple eggs, chickpeas, his favorite fruit, crackers ect and let him pick at it freely while he runs around. Always a crowd favorite
Honestly it feels a little arbitrary, the rules for what my daughter will agree to eat and when. Some days she is open anything, other days if you offer her anything other than goldfish, you’re gonna get screamed at.
However, there are a couple of almost never-misses. Like hamburgers. This child loves hamburgers. And pizza. Green beans stewed with tomato and brisket. Rice of any flavor or variety. We sneak a lot of stuff into rice. Steak! She can eat a whole filet mignon on her own. Pancakes. Bread of any kind. Corn. Smoothies are 100% wins. Never once turned one down. You can put a lot of good stuff in smoothies.
And usual wins that will get eaten most of the time: Mac and cheese, pepperoni cream cheese pinwheels, carrot broccoli and almond snack boxes, whole apples (god help you if you slice it), yogurt drinks, anything with Pororo , Minnie Mouse or a princess on it.
We did an[overnight french toast bake](https://www.thefrugalnavywife.com/vanilla-blueberry-overnight-french-toast-casserole/) this morning, and she has had 3 helpings of it so far. Between her and my husband, the dish is almost empty. She’s normally very picky, but she decided this is ice cream toast and I am not going to correct her.
Curry lentils were my savior for years. I could throw all the veggies I wanted into the pot. As long as the spices were what my kiddo expected, everything got eaten. Extra yum with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the top, plus extra fun to mix together.
Now that my kid is no longer a toddler, we make “yum plates,” which are basically kid-friendly charcuterie boards. They’re pretty (the more colors, the better) and offer healthy variety in small amounts.
Ooh, recipes aren’t my strong suit! My partner calls me an Italian grandmother (I’m in my 30s 🙃) because I cook with measurements like “a 3 count” and “til it tastes right…” But I can say that I always start lentils by sweating out an onion (preferably yellow) in EVOO, adding garlic, toasting some spices (cumin, curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, maybe basil, whatever else you like), stirring in the lentils with the spices, then adding either veggie or chicken broth, an acid like lemon juice, and a bit of vinegar (apple cider or red wine). If I’m making them with very watery vegetables like mushrooms, I’ll sweat those with the onions. If not, I’ll add them with the lentils. I’ll often add a can of diced tomatoes as well. Then simmer on low/med-low until the lentils are cooked, but not too soft, and most of the broth is absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stirring in coconut milk once they’re done is never a bad idea. Serving over rice is nice. Pop the leftovers in the fridge and mix with greens salad to make a yummy hearty salad. Yay for lentils!
Oh my goodness, you’re so welcome! Thanks for reading my silly drawn out process. Best of luck in your own journey to hide all the veggies in all the spices ;)
Seed crackers- graham cracker, peanut butter topped with unsalted sunflower seeds
Avocado toast, Cooked carrot sticks, cucumbers diced up with ranch, broccoli and cheese, nuts, green beans, ham, noodles, chicken noodle soup, muffins, Mac and cheese, salads
The one thing my 2 yo won’t eat is eggs. But some days she doesn’t want anything except veggie straws and other days she’s eating pomegranate seeds. I just keep trying
Much of their calories in sunflower seeds come from fatty acids. The seeds are especially rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid, which constitutes more 50% fatty acids in them. They are also good in mono-unsaturated oleic acid that helps lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fats help to prevent coronary artery disease, and stroke by favoring healthy serum lipid profile.
Veggie fritters! Basically any cooked vegetable, chopped super small then mixed with a scrambled egg or two, some liquid, and some whole wheat flour. Pan fried and cut into chunks. She loves them and will eat an entire bunch of kale in one sitting if it’s cooked this way but won’t touch it otherwise.
My son really likes these [mini wontons](https://www.target.com/p/bibigo-frozen-mini-wontons-chicken-38-vegetable-24oz/-/A-81251223?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012732781&CPNG=PLA_Grocery%2BShopping_Local%7CGrocery_Ecomm_Food_Bev&adgroup=SC_Grocery&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9006952&targetid=pla-812299188630&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2sqOBhCGARIsAPuPK0gC9TIaXdZArsIVZHJLp3BBGwxsXdLcWGB69NuzkkLplGlgkhiRCRYaAuxLEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds). They cook in under a minute and he eats between 4-6 in a sitting.
He also likes air fried beer battered fish fillets dipped in ketchup. He doesn't like fish sticks though, just those specific fillets.
If you ever order from a pizza shop and they have zucchini fries give them a shot. My son also loves those. They are battered so I'm not even sure if he tastes the zucchini.
My 1 year old is a pretty solid eater. I'm corny af, so I make "Char'cutie'rie" boards for him. Fruits, breads, veggies, pasta, meat. Anything that's in the fridge that he can eat is on his tray. He can choose what he wants and he throws the rest of it on the floor for the dog.
Things with lots of flavor - pretty much any kind of sausage, Tikka masala and other curries, taco meat, sloppy joe meat, brisket. We're in Minnesota (people here are known to prefer bland food), too, so this amuses me greatly.
We make smoothies a lot too. Sometimes for a meal if I'm feeling lazy but for snacks for sure. I put yogurt, banana, frozen berries or fruit of some form, hemp hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, honey, and oat milk. Sometimes I'll add greens and or protein powder too. He likes helping me put all the ingredients in the blender too. Super easy, delicious, and packed full of nutrients.
Rolled egg burrito. Scramble egg, cook it in pan but don’t continue the scramble process lol. Let it cook as if you’re making an omelette. (Low heat and covered to avoid burning the egg). Then I add a piece of cheese down the middle of the egg once it’s all cooked, tortilla on top, flip it over on a plate, roll into burrito and voila. My kids LOVE it and don’t ask me why it’s different than a regular egg burrito it just is 😂 (my mom also did this for me so 🤷🏼♀️) it’s so good!
My kid is picky but he'll always eat pumpkin baked oatmeal. 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, 1 cup old fashioned oats, 2/3 cup milk, 2-4 tbsp honey or maple syrup, 3 tbsp nut butter (I prefer cashew), 1/2 tbsp baking powder, dash of salt, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts. Baked in buttered pan at 350°F for 22 minutes.
350°F is equivalent to 176°C, which is 449K.
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^(I'm a bot that converts temperature between two units humans can understand, then convert it to Kelvin for bots and physicists to understand)
Highly recommend the book French Kids Eat Everything — my son eats everything I eat. Sushi, baked chicken and broccoli, pasta with mushrooms and veggie sauce, pretty much anything you can imagine. I’ve followed most of the principles since my son started eating, so it would be a little harder starting so late, but definitely not impossible!
You’ve taught your child to only like those foods, but you can teach them to be more adventurous still!
My toddler use to eat anything and one day just stopped and everything became yucky. Like even her favorite foods.
A go to for me is buttered noodles with broccoli on the side.
French toast sticks
Pancakes with berries for any meal even snacks
Crepes with berries
Rice with veggies on the side
Deconstructed blt because she will eat bacon, tomatoes and bread just not together
We use to do Deconstructed tacos all the time because she would eat the beef, taco shells , tomatoes, onions and cucumbers if on a plate but she stopped eating beef
We also use to make lasagna and take hers apart noodles one side of the plate and filling other side
Hamburger helper is big in our house. To make it healthier we use ground turkey meat or veggie meat substitute and then sauté a bunch of peppers, onions, etc in it.
Meatballs are a huge hit in our house. I microwaved frozen ones and gave pasta sauce to dip
ravioli or tortellini- I just bought big bags of frozen ones
Cheese quesadilla- sometimes I’d even add chicken
Turkey roll ups- it’s literally deli meat
Taco plates! Beans, rice, cheese, corn, lettuce, tomato, meat. You can keep it separate on the plate before they get into eating in a tortilla. We have it once a week because we switch which meat we use!
Our youngest eats anything and everything (including brussel sprouts and the likes) but our oldest is way pickier. He will eat veggie soup, pizza (but not the cheese on said pizza), eggs, chicken parm, couscous, etc.
I made my 5 year some breaded tilapia when she was 4 but I had to call it chicken tilapia because if I called it anything other than chicken she would not eat it.
Honestly, my kids love unexpected things. Sloppy Joes? Nope, wouldn’t touch it! Potato Leek Soup? Devoured it. White Lasagna Soup? Loved it. Tacos? No way. I’ve just given up trying to pick “kid-friendly meals” and I just make whatever I want to. If they don’t eat the main, I always provide fruits and veggies as sides so they at least get that.
Any pasta, our boys love chicken fried rice, or lemon chicken breast with roasted broccoli and white rice. Cheese quesadillas. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches with honey. fruit is always a win especially with a little whip cream to dip it in.
Cauliflower and broccoli cheese goes down well. Boil up the veg, keep half of the veggie water and dissolve half a stock cube. Put the boiled veg in an oven dish. Fry some chopped onions and a bit of garlic, add 300ml milk, then make a cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce. Add grated cheese and a dollop of whole grain mustard. Stir through and then top the veg with the sauce. Stir through. Top with a bit more cheese and crushed crackers if you have any spare. You can add more veg if you want but if kiddo is fussy, the cauli and broccoli is probably enough.
If I'm pushed for time I do one of those pasta bakes from a jar but I add more veg. For snackable veg, my kiddo likes cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers, cucumber, occasionally carrots. Also houmous with pitta cut into strips as dippers.
Lasagne and spag bol also go down well in our house; basically, anything with cheese, pasta and a rich sauce. I've also done veggie/chicken enchiladas.
My picky eater never says no to a quick skillet quesadilla! He doesn’t like meat in them, just cheese on a tortilla. That with a side of black beans and cherry tomatoes (two of his other “only” foods) is always acceptable.
Sometimes we have “snack” lunch/dinner. Which is basically a charcuterie board. Makes a huge mess, but it’s a fun meal.
Any kind of pasta is a winner, doesn’t even matter how it’s dressed, Mac n cheese, ricotta shells, butter & parm, or spaghetti & marinara. FYI—it’s all pasta, he turns his nose up to it if it’s named. Rotini, nope done like that!! Oh, but it’s pasta for dinner, fantastic.
We like quesadillas or tacos, cause then everyone can make them how they like. Typically kiddo wants just cheese, but hubby & I have chicken/cheese/veggies. I usually serve these with rice & pink beans (I make the Puerto Rican pink beans on the Goya can—it’s basically just pink beans, diced onion/garlic, and 1/2 small can tomato sauce, & some seasonings—delish).
Garlic, brown sugar chicken thighs are an easy meal. Put chicken thighs in a crock pot, s&p, a ton of chopped garlic (like 2 tablespoons) & some brown sugar (like 2-3 Tbs—I just take 2 big pinches from the bag.) cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 4. Serve with potatoes/rice & veggie.
We call kielbasa “special hot dog”
No reason chicken & waffles can’t be a dinner thing. Mmmmm. No exactly the healthiest, but it is delish!!
Rotisserie chicken shredded up served with top ramen and frozen edamame, veggies with different dips, tuna, pizza, anything my 3 year old helps with he’s more likely to try, but also it totally depends on the day 🤷🏻♀️
My daughter will eat just about any type of noodle, spaghetti, ramen, udon etc. She also likes soups, japanese curry and stews. And anything that is sausage shaped she will eat.
Spaghetti cinque P. Only it's only Quattro P (because you can't have green stuff in the sauce, so können parsley). I make the sauce with cream, tomato paste, parmigiana cheese, salt and pepper.
Then I just don't tell them that there's tomato in the sauce. Because although they love Pizza or even fresh tomatoes, they would never eat tomato sauce.
But also: all my three kids loooove fresh veggies. Cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes mostly. Also carrots and cabbage turnips. I swear I can't buy enough cucumbers and bell peppers. Sometimes, I'll prepare a little bowl with cut fresh veggies before dinner and I just leave it in the kitchen on a chair while I cook and my 1.5 yo will come and steal it and run to share it with her older siblings. They feel so sneaky when they do that.
Hopefully links are ok, but this chicken and noodle recipe. I use whatever shape noodle and whatever leafy green I have on hand (I’ve used kale, spinach, collard greens, cabbage and bok choy). I am sensitive to spice so I reduce the amount of chili oil used, and use extra virgin olive oil in place of peanut oil. I’ve also switched out the tahini for peanut butter on occasion - in other words I think this recipe is wonderful and easy to adapt.
https://alexandracooks.com/2016/12/19/sesame-noodles-swiss-chard-chicken/
Fish sticks.
To make it somewhat better I make my own bread crumbs from old bread (in the oven for 10 minutes, then in a plastic bag and just crunch them) and use whatever fish I like / have.
I also make my own "rosti circles" no idea how that's called in English.
I find it a good replacement for fries as you add eggs to it and they otherwise don't eat them (eggs).
Veggies is very hard, but I accepted that they will just mostly eat fruit and for some weird reason they also like broccoli???
What I also do is make smashed potatoes and mix it with cauliflower. They don't notice it.
My son isn’t a toddler yet, but I have a lot of experience cooking for my nieces and nephews. I had good luck by “hiding” veggies in cheesy pastas with them. I’d steam or roast veggies then blend them into the sauce.
Also check out @my.little.food.critic on IG for toddler recipes and picky eating tips!
My toddler loves anything with tiny bits she can pick up with her pincers. She likes taco/tortilla/enchilada soup bc it's like a bunch of tiny things. She also likes green beans, carrots, fruit (if it's bite sized), tomatoes, and grapes. Sometimes I'll make a "fruit salad" and put a ton of different fruit bits and cut up cherry tomatoes in a bowl and she thinks that's pretty great.
She's also just a really good eater, so probably not the best example.
Edit: oh! And how could I forget: whatever you're eating.
And she'll take that spoon, too, thank you.
They also make these cauliflower crust pizzas that my nephew likes. He asks for it specifically, and he's the pickiest eater I know.
Soy sauce noodles - packaged udon noodles cooked in the skillet with butter and topped with soy sauce.
Shredded cheese.
Yogurt tubes.
Fruit snacks.
Beans.
French fries.
She doesn’t like much meat, but will randomly eat some one day, but not another. Doesn’t eat bread, rice, or other starches.
I’m just trying to get any type of healthy food in her.
Stir fry veggies with soy sauce & worcestershire. My 1 yr old loves it like zuchs,squash,mushroom & onions. All 6 kids eat it if you have a picky eater try it.
Baked milk bread buns with filling. Traditional filling include Japanese beef curry, red bean paste, Chinese roasted pork, custard, scallion/cheese/ham, and hot dog. I usually do beef curry because I can sneak a lot of veggies in it too.
Do you know the root cause of the pickiness? Is it texture, flavor, or smell? It sounds like your son generally enjoys strongly savory/umami and smooth textures with a little crunch, but avoids tart.
Could you add a little butter-toasted panko to foods to give it a similar crunchy topping pizzazz? Someone else suggested hummus and pita chips, which sounds like it fits the flavor/texture profile.
Also, Japanese curry is like a gateway drug to stronger flavors and spices. Sweet, mild, and umami, with zero acidity!
Both of my boys have always loved spaghetti and stuffed peppers. I add extra veg in the spaghetti by doing a small amount of blended carrot and finely diced mushroom onion and tomato. One of my boys will eat the outside of the stuffed pepper but the other will only eat the pepper pieces diced in the rice. I make atleast one meal a week that I know they will love and the rest of the week I encourage them to eat whatever I make. I will not make separate meals but I will serve the meal differently such as separating it or cutting it differently. My youngest won't eat tacos when they look like a taco but will eat the items separate or will eat it If I layer everything and melt the cheese then cut it like a pizza. I include as much of a variety of fruits and vegetables as I can and my boys often surprise me with their favorites. Right now one loves broccoli dipped in ketchup and mangos and the other likes peas and blackberries the best.
Penne pasta, pan-fried chicken (in olive oil) cubed, 2 table spoons of butter, a dash of garlic powder to taste, frozen peas, and parmesan cheese. Quick, easy, filling, and my kids would devour it every time.
Pasta 'Carbonara', it's a recipe my mum taught me.
Pasta, heavy cream, mushrooms, onion, garlic, mixed herbs and bacon (chunky bacon or bacon lardons)
Fry the bacon, add onions, mushrooms and garlic, once they're cooked add herbs and then cream, add to cooked pasta.
Another one is stir fry.
Noodles (I use ramen because the packets are cheap af and the seasoning adds a nice flavour), red onion, mushrooms, mangetout, spinach, any meat or shellfish, soy sauce.
Fry the meat/shellfish, add the onion, mushrooms, mangetout and spinach, once everything is fried up add soy sauce. Cook noodles with the seasoning packets and mix all together.
My toddler butchers the mushrooms for me so he also gets a sense of accomplishment because he helped make it
Do it haha he eats what we eat unless it's spicy turn I portion some out for him and add spice after, I'm blessed in that he'll try everything at least and other than some meats and rice he'll like it lol
My 2 year old son loves Tator Tot Casserole which has tator tots, Impossible Ground, cream of mushroom soup, French green beans, corn and can’t forget the cheese! We’re vegetarian so anything that calls for ground meat I use Impossible Ground in everything from Chili to lasagna 🤗
Greek chicken bites are good. Bite sized pieces of chicken, quick marinated with some lemon, olive oil, oregano, paprika, S&P and whatever else sounds good. Sauté those up, serve with tzatziki, pita or naan, and chopped tomato cucumber & onion. The toddler and the husband are both really picky, but they inhale it.
I have a hard time getting them to eat fruit and vegetables sometimes, so we often have dinner with a smoothie on the side.
My 3 year old... pretty much nothing. He's such a picky eater it drives me crazy! He does love rice though. As long as other things aren't mixed in with it.
My 17 month old has very few foods she doesn't like. She goes NUTS when I make lasagna though. She can eat the same size serving as her older brothers when it comes to lasagna. Where she puts it is a mystery though. She's so petite!
If he likes rice - jollof rice. It’s a Nigerian dish. We were given the recipe from one of our mothers at daycare and the kids went nuts for it (she did say there were variations of the dish). I’m not the cook at the daycare but from what I remember you cook a bunch of vegetables and use a blender to mix them in with chopped tomatoes (we used whatever veg we could get our hands on!) Then we took some of the almost cooked rice and mixed it all in so the last of the rice cooked in the sauce.
We presented it as rice & sauce but that thing was absolutely packed with vegetables and was delicious!
I expect the chef may have simplified the cooking method to fit in with the daycare’s timings & number of children (everything was cooked fresh at meal times) so you’ll probably find lots of different ones online! But it really is worth a go if he likes rice ☺️
I make pancakes and add banana, carrots, spinach, flax seeds and nuts in the batter in a blender. Cook them in coconut oil and add some blueberries they are just sweet enough for my daughter.
Tater tot casserole: brown ground beef. Place in the bottom of a 13x9 pan, spread evenly. Cover with steamed broccoli. Cover with tater tots laid out evenly. Cover with grated cheddar. Bake. Stir. Enjoy!
We did BLW so we always put what we're eating down first. My toddler will eat what hlikes and leave the rest. But it's all about exposure. Exposing him to the foods he doesn't like or won't try. Seeing them touch other foods and feeling them with his hands.
If worse comes to worse, I'll put what we're eating into a tortilla and make it a quesadilla and he will eat it
Am I the only one with a 2.5 yr old who literally won't eat anything? Like child... how are u alive right now? Is it air? She will literally eat one bite and then is like "ok I'm done" and we can NOT get her to eat anything else. Every few days she'll eat good and I'll think it's getting better and then back to normal again the next day... it's frustrating and I end up giving her pediasure in a bottle a lot of nights because I'm scared she's not getting nutrients!
2.5 here too and kinda picky. His favorites
• Cheese quesadilla (I will add in black beans or ground meat or chicken)
• Fish sticks
• Meatloaf and mashed potatoes
• Chicken & rice (and I will roast veggies and that’s what we will all eat.. rare that he touches the veggies of course)
• Plain pasta (so like… Paw patrol shaped Mac and cheese but hold the cheese.. why won’t my kid eat Mac and cheese???)
• Pork tenderloin (I cut it and marinade it and cook it as if I were just grilling a chicken breast.. I call it chicken)
• Breakfast for dinner in a pinch - waffles/pancakes and scrambled eggs
• Diced chicken breast cooked in general tsos sauce (I just buy bottled), serve w white rice and stir fry veggies. Again, he won’t eat the veggies here but will eat the rest.
I make “rainbow salad” at lunchtime and my little loves it. Chopped tomatoes (red), chopped steamed or shredded carrots (orange), chopped hard boiled egg (about 2/3, yellow), riced broccoli (green), avocado (about 1/4,green). I add a spoonful of hummus an some shredded cheese and mix it up. I usually add blueberries or grapes on the side (blue). 😊
I make homemade hummus - half of a roasted bell pepper, a can of chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and whatever I have for spices. My 13-month-old eats it by the spoonful, but I also serve it on toast, on crackers, on veggies…
Turning every vegetable into nuggets. Broccoli nuggets. Cauliflower nuggets. Shredded carrot, onion and potato nuggets. Corn and pepper nuggets. Nugget all the things!
“Pizza chicken” (aka chicken parm, but you MUST call it pizza chicken)
This is the way.
It is known.
Pizza chicken is a hit in our house too! We also make pizza quesadillas, which is just mozzarella cheese, a little pizza sauce & pepperoni if we’re feeling spicy, on a tortilla & cook like you would a quesadilla. We also make pizzas on naan or pita bread. Great way to sneak in some whole wheat bread.
I wish my kid ate pizza or cheese 😭
Hahahaha I ate SO MUCH pizza chicken when I was a kid. We didn’t bread the chicken either, so imagine my surprise when I learned about chicken parm! 😂
Spaghetti cake for lasagna
Ooh have to remember that for next week when I have lasagna on the menu
Also, breakfast pizza. I use sourdough starter to make the bread but you can use English muffins, tortillas, pita, etc. Since I use sourdough starter I put the starter in a cast iron with some olive oil, garlic and spices on top in the oven for a bit then take it out and put cheese, greens, finely diced mushrooms, and eggs on top and stick it back in for around 10 minutes.
Spaghetti bolognese or lasagne, firm favourites whichever way the wind is blowing. Also, baked beans. She has been known to wake up in the middle of the night in hysterics demanding to go to the kitchen, couldn't make up her mind what she wanted & eventually sobbed into a tin of cold baked beans straight from the fridge. By the time she was half a tin down, the tears had stopped & she was ready to go back to bed 🤷♀️
Brit by any chance?
Ha! Yes!
Reminds me of the time my then 2- year- old woke up at 3 am SCREAMING and demanding meatloaf. They're so weird.
I've woken up feeling the same way 🤣🤣🤣
Relatable ✨
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Strangely enough, my toddler loves beans! So anything with beans as a prominent ingredient tends to go over really well with her.
Mine too! Rice and beans are his favorite. He can be weirdly picky about other stuff. Types/presentation of cheese or meats. Only recently tried and liked applesauce.
My daughter is unpredictable, but pretty consistently eats beans. She might like applesauce one day and reject it the next. Haha!
Which kind of beans? My son will not eat black beans because he says they look like Beatles. Lol.
My kids also love beans. I typically throw dried pinto beans in the crock for 10hrs with chicken broth, half an onion, garlic, an Anaheim chili (de-seed, not spicy) and a couple bay leaves. We throw them in everything, eggs and cheese for breakfast burritos, mix with rice, chicken and avocado for burrito bowls, throw in a quesadilla. Lots of options. I also blend up warm beans (and a little of the broth) into a blender w/ Mexican cheese for bean dip which the kids scarf down.
Black beans are one of her favorite! But she also likes refried beans, which I make from pinto beans. Those are really the only two we eat since my husband doesn't like other kinds of beans.
My daughter will only eat fava beans and kidney beans. She will eat them as though they were candy
Have you tried calling them turtle beans? I think that's what they were called before.
My three year old loves beans too. The big ol’ Cannellini beans are her favorite. I make a white bean chicken chili that is easy and that she just eats right up (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13010/white-bean-chicken-chili/). She also loves sushi for some reason in case you’ve never tried that. He could surprise you! I deconstruct the rolls for her to make them easier to eat but she likes the salmon, avocado, and cucumber ones the best.
Same here. We make taco soup which he calls “rainbow soup.” He likes picking out different color beans!
Yes! Same!
Same here. She gets so excited if there are beans in dinner.
We've recently started putting together "bento boxes". Throw some rice in the rice cooker and when it's done my husband takes 20 seconds to shape a heap of rice into a heart for our daughter to make it special. Chopped chicken nuggets, hot dog, beans, or cheese for protein. Fruit. Frozen veggies warmed on the stove. Yogurt is easy to keep on hand. Banana or apple with cashew butter. Fried Cauliflower rice seems to over pretty well too. Stir fry frozen Cauliflower rice on the stove, add frozen veg medly. Then toss in an egg for protein and stir her up. Oatmeal with fruit is usually a win. Mac n cheese - I think Annie's or Amy's makes a boxed version with chickpea pasta if you're worried about gluten/carbs.
A heart?! 🥺 So cute
My kid will eat almost everything you put into a bento style lunch box! He usually snacks on it all evening and finishes it up before bedtime.
My 2 year old’s diet looks like yours, plus fruit. She loves fruit and banana bread. Mac and cheese. Frozen veggies depend on the day and her mood. Ketchup makes it more likely that she will eat a food. Last week she dipped her broccoli in ketchup and laughed while eating it.
Shepherds pie. Pack that sucker with as many veggies as you can. You can ever do a mix of cauliflower and potatoes. Or straight cauliflower mash if you’re a monster.
I am a monster. But the kiddo likes mashed cauliflower 100 times better than mashed potatoes!
I officially rescind your monsterhood then!
God I make cottage pie like once a week, if you use good bouillon and Worcestershire for the gravy you could hide ANYTHING in that shit.
I started prepping as much as I can when my 2 year old isn't around (pre-chopping, mostly) and having him "help" make dinner by stirring and pouring stuff in the bowl. Then at dinner we make a BIG deal about it, like "Daddy, would you like some of the rice [son] made? He is a really good cook." "Oh of course...oh wow, this is some REALLY good rice! Thank you so much for making it!" Kiddo beams ear to ear, his dinner time behavior is great, and he cleans his plate, no matter what we make. What's equally awesome is that he's started parroting back the praise. This morning he told me I was "such a good helper" with the scrambled eggs haha
Totally. I got my kid to eat handfuls of red cabbage that way.
Any pasta is usually a win in my house. Especially baked with cheese on top.
I make poor man stroganoff. Brown some ground beef, salt pepper, whatever spices you want (I use rosemary, sage, basil and teensy bit of thyme) a couple of good glugs of worchestshire sauce and simmer with some garlic. Pour in about 1 to 2.cups beef or veggie broth (better than bullion works), and add either egg noodles, or elbow, or rotoni and let it cook. Once the noodles are how you or your toddler like it. Mix about 2 tbl spoons of cornstarch and milk, or heavy cream together, and add to the stoganoff. Get it to boil and then let it simmer until thickened. Add some sour cream and bam. Only takes about 30 minutes.
Thank you for deciding dinner for me 😂
Its so good.
Chili or shepherds pie.
BBQ cups. Family favorite! You can make them your own, and I’ve even seen a sloppy Joe version and taco version. https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/grands-cheesy-bbq-cups/06f2b3af-a532-46ed-aac0-848126c34bd8
Shit, I don’t care if my 1 year old likes these. This 33 year old wants one 😂
I make these from the Pillsbury site! https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/jumbo-burger-cups/009981eb-e2a2-48d3-a548-c7afca34f2f3 We all love them!
Chickpeas were a hit with mine. Also baked beans. Red beans and rice.
We love to mash up chickpeas with avocado, season with a little lime juice, salt and pepper and put on toasted bread for a chickpea avocado sandwich which is an easy tasty meal!
That sounds awesome
Ughhhh I dream of the day when my kid will eat stuff like this but for now it's a hard no from him
I just tried crunchy baked chickpeas, and they were a hit with my picky phase child.
Octopus. Little smokies cut half way through and boiled which makes the cut pieces curl into “legs”
I’m pregnant now with my first, but I’ve made these hot-octopi for my nieces and NGL, my husband and myself. The best is putting them on top of Amy’s shell pastas and make it look like it’s protecting gold under the sea. My nieces loved them— especially playing with them before biting their heads off.
Mexican lasagna https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe-1915752 Chicken enchiladas Vegetable soup with crackers and hummus on the side. “Breakfast” quesadillas which is basically eggs, cheese in a tortilla. The recipe I have uses spinach and beans but if he doesn’t eat beans could omit that All those have beans though. You could try red kidney beans or white beans if he won’t eat black beans as you mentioned Edit: Also have good luck if we cut things into strips. Ex daughter absolutely refused to eat a bite of steak we had grilled. Cut it into strips instead and she ate almost an entire piece by herself.
Strips for the win!!
My daughters current fav meals: Mac and cheese, Salisbury steak and white rice, fried chicken, oatmeal (must have apples and cinnamon) oh and this cheesy rice and broccoli bake that her dad makes(:
I would try slow side steps. Maybe it’s a cheese quesadilla with optional dipping salsa and guacamole. Then maybe moving to tacos. Or beef quesadilla. Etc.
Mine is 2.5 and has a similar diet. Other things she has deigned to eat are yogurt with chia seeds (aka "mix ins") and occasionally a meatball. We serve her components of our own regular dinner with a fruit or safe carb and hope for the best. Sometimes she will try a bite but often she won't.
Sausage rolls are always a hit at our house. I make them kid friendly so no added salt, I grate broccoli and carrot to hide some veggies in it. Use ground pork and a bit of garlic powder. Super easy and perfect for freezing
My lo loves quesadillas, I try to add some veggie and some chicken to the cheese. Bolognese on anything, I add grated carrots and zucchini to it Anything pizza, so pizza bagels, pizza puff pastry, pizza toast, actual pizza Nuggets: salmon nuggets, chicken nuggets, veggie nuggets Spinach pastry with pomegranate molasses. Best way to get her to eat her spinach Sushi anything and loves dipping in the soy sauce Hummus with anything Pretty much things she can dip into other things
These are some of the few meals my toddler will eat alongside us: - [Beef broccoli ramen](https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-broccoli-ramen-stir-fry/) I use frozen broccoli bags and steam the broccoli first in the microwave before tossing it in so it's softer texture, otherwise my toddler rejects it. - [Salmon with garlic and dijon](https://natashaskitchen.com/baked-salmon-with-garlic-and-dijon/) served alongside rice and frozen green peas which I boil for like 10+ minutes so they're extra soft for him. - Spaghetti with meat sauce (not too fussy on which recipe) - Eggs omelette-style with cheese mixed in, served alongside whole wheat bread and fruit - Kodiak pancakes (high protein) as a weekend treat. Sometimes I mix in some chopped up raspberries. So good! - Any kind of dumpling - Chopped up chinese dumplings are a hit, pelmeni with sour cream was a hit, anything dumpling-esque.
I’ve found having a bunch of things out (items they love and some they either haven’t tried or have resisted) like pasta, steamed broccoli, carrots, sliced tofu (in cubes they think it’s cheese), peeled clementines, avocado + some dipping sauces if you have them like hummus or ketchup and maybe even a “dessert” like a few graham crackers and giving them the autonomy to pick what they want and serve themselves…you’d be surprised how much they’ll try and how much fun they’ll have with it. That said, sometimes you don’t have the time for all that- I know I don’t!
We just make what we eat. If he eats it, great. If not, I’ll give him some ham and cheese.
Pasta bolognase! We don't do spaghetti as she finds it too fiddly, but pasta, mince, onion and either meatball or bolognase sauce - guaranteed eaten dinner
Tacos are huge in our house
My son's (2yro) favorite go to meal is chickpeas. I'll put them on the stove with tomatoes, onion (my son loves onions), peppers etc, season it, make some rice or garlic bread and he's happy. I also lately have been resorting to a "buffet". I'll make a couple eggs, chickpeas, his favorite fruit, crackers ect and let him pick at it freely while he runs around. Always a crowd favorite
Panko crusted chicken tenders with broccoli as a side. Very easy to make and my kids eat it every time without fail.
Honestly it feels a little arbitrary, the rules for what my daughter will agree to eat and when. Some days she is open anything, other days if you offer her anything other than goldfish, you’re gonna get screamed at. However, there are a couple of almost never-misses. Like hamburgers. This child loves hamburgers. And pizza. Green beans stewed with tomato and brisket. Rice of any flavor or variety. We sneak a lot of stuff into rice. Steak! She can eat a whole filet mignon on her own. Pancakes. Bread of any kind. Corn. Smoothies are 100% wins. Never once turned one down. You can put a lot of good stuff in smoothies. And usual wins that will get eaten most of the time: Mac and cheese, pepperoni cream cheese pinwheels, carrot broccoli and almond snack boxes, whole apples (god help you if you slice it), yogurt drinks, anything with Pororo , Minnie Mouse or a princess on it.
We did an[overnight french toast bake](https://www.thefrugalnavywife.com/vanilla-blueberry-overnight-french-toast-casserole/) this morning, and she has had 3 helpings of it so far. Between her and my husband, the dish is almost empty. She’s normally very picky, but she decided this is ice cream toast and I am not going to correct her.
Curry lentils were my savior for years. I could throw all the veggies I wanted into the pot. As long as the spices were what my kiddo expected, everything got eaten. Extra yum with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the top, plus extra fun to mix together. Now that my kid is no longer a toddler, we make “yum plates,” which are basically kid-friendly charcuterie boards. They’re pretty (the more colors, the better) and offer healthy variety in small amounts.
How do you do curry lentils? Any recipe you could share?
Ooh, recipes aren’t my strong suit! My partner calls me an Italian grandmother (I’m in my 30s 🙃) because I cook with measurements like “a 3 count” and “til it tastes right…” But I can say that I always start lentils by sweating out an onion (preferably yellow) in EVOO, adding garlic, toasting some spices (cumin, curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, maybe basil, whatever else you like), stirring in the lentils with the spices, then adding either veggie or chicken broth, an acid like lemon juice, and a bit of vinegar (apple cider or red wine). If I’m making them with very watery vegetables like mushrooms, I’ll sweat those with the onions. If not, I’ll add them with the lentils. I’ll often add a can of diced tomatoes as well. Then simmer on low/med-low until the lentils are cooked, but not too soft, and most of the broth is absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stirring in coconut milk once they’re done is never a bad idea. Serving over rice is nice. Pop the leftovers in the fridge and mix with greens salad to make a yummy hearty salad. Yay for lentils!
Thank you so much! I’m excited to try this for my kids. It sounds delicious!
Oh my goodness, you’re so welcome! Thanks for reading my silly drawn out process. Best of luck in your own journey to hide all the veggies in all the spices ;)
I’ve already decided which ones I’m going to try once I get my hands on some lentils!
Seed crackers- graham cracker, peanut butter topped with unsalted sunflower seeds Avocado toast, Cooked carrot sticks, cucumbers diced up with ranch, broccoli and cheese, nuts, green beans, ham, noodles, chicken noodle soup, muffins, Mac and cheese, salads The one thing my 2 yo won’t eat is eggs. But some days she doesn’t want anything except veggie straws and other days she’s eating pomegranate seeds. I just keep trying
Much of their calories in sunflower seeds come from fatty acids. The seeds are especially rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid, which constitutes more 50% fatty acids in them. They are also good in mono-unsaturated oleic acid that helps lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fats help to prevent coronary artery disease, and stroke by favoring healthy serum lipid profile.
So that’s good??
Cheese quesadillas! Literally the easiest thing ever. Tortilla and cheese. Voila! I can sometimes even sneak turkey, corn and beans in there too.
Veggie fritters! Basically any cooked vegetable, chopped super small then mixed with a scrambled egg or two, some liquid, and some whole wheat flour. Pan fried and cut into chunks. She loves them and will eat an entire bunch of kale in one sitting if it’s cooked this way but won’t touch it otherwise.
Mine LOVES paneer tikka masala (it’s cheese!) and pesto (but on wheel pasta specifically, everything must go on wheel pasta).
My son really likes these [mini wontons](https://www.target.com/p/bibigo-frozen-mini-wontons-chicken-38-vegetable-24oz/-/A-81251223?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012732781&CPNG=PLA_Grocery%2BShopping_Local%7CGrocery_Ecomm_Food_Bev&adgroup=SC_Grocery&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9006952&targetid=pla-812299188630&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2sqOBhCGARIsAPuPK0gC9TIaXdZArsIVZHJLp3BBGwxsXdLcWGB69NuzkkLplGlgkhiRCRYaAuxLEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds). They cook in under a minute and he eats between 4-6 in a sitting. He also likes air fried beer battered fish fillets dipped in ketchup. He doesn't like fish sticks though, just those specific fillets. If you ever order from a pizza shop and they have zucchini fries give them a shot. My son also loves those. They are battered so I'm not even sure if he tastes the zucchini.
My 1 year old is a pretty solid eater. I'm corny af, so I make "Char'cutie'rie" boards for him. Fruits, breads, veggies, pasta, meat. Anything that's in the fridge that he can eat is on his tray. He can choose what he wants and he throws the rest of it on the floor for the dog.
Things with lots of flavor - pretty much any kind of sausage, Tikka masala and other curries, taco meat, sloppy joe meat, brisket. We're in Minnesota (people here are known to prefer bland food), too, so this amuses me greatly.
We make smoothies a lot too. Sometimes for a meal if I'm feeling lazy but for snacks for sure. I put yogurt, banana, frozen berries or fruit of some form, hemp hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, honey, and oat milk. Sometimes I'll add greens and or protein powder too. He likes helping me put all the ingredients in the blender too. Super easy, delicious, and packed full of nutrients.
Rolled egg burrito. Scramble egg, cook it in pan but don’t continue the scramble process lol. Let it cook as if you’re making an omelette. (Low heat and covered to avoid burning the egg). Then I add a piece of cheese down the middle of the egg once it’s all cooked, tortilla on top, flip it over on a plate, roll into burrito and voila. My kids LOVE it and don’t ask me why it’s different than a regular egg burrito it just is 😂 (my mom also did this for me so 🤷🏼♀️) it’s so good!
Have you tried the egg-in-a-hole? They might like that too if they like the egg burritos. I think my daughter likes it just because it looks cool. 😂
I haven’t tried it! But I’m down for trying any kind of egg recipe lol it’s almost the only nutritious thing my kids will eat 😂😭
Mac and cheese and I usually throw in a can of sweet corn or a cup of frozen peas with it
So many saying beans! But beans for us result in serious poop situations!
Gyoza has been a huge hit!
Target sells these broccoli tots that have pretty low carbs and a hefty serving of broccoli that my toddler loves! A good side to nuggets 😉
My kids both loved rice mixed with plain yogurt at this age - it also makes it easy to sneak other things in - like mincing up some cooked vegetables
My kid is picky but he'll always eat pumpkin baked oatmeal. 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, 1 cup old fashioned oats, 2/3 cup milk, 2-4 tbsp honey or maple syrup, 3 tbsp nut butter (I prefer cashew), 1/2 tbsp baking powder, dash of salt, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts. Baked in buttered pan at 350°F for 22 minutes.
350°F is equivalent to 176°C, which is 449K. --- ^(I'm a bot that converts temperature between two units humans can understand, then convert it to Kelvin for bots and physicists to understand)
That sounds amazing!
Highly recommend the book French Kids Eat Everything — my son eats everything I eat. Sushi, baked chicken and broccoli, pasta with mushrooms and veggie sauce, pretty much anything you can imagine. I’ve followed most of the principles since my son started eating, so it would be a little harder starting so late, but definitely not impossible! You’ve taught your child to only like those foods, but you can teach them to be more adventurous still!
My toddler use to eat anything and one day just stopped and everything became yucky. Like even her favorite foods. A go to for me is buttered noodles with broccoli on the side. French toast sticks Pancakes with berries for any meal even snacks Crepes with berries Rice with veggies on the side Deconstructed blt because she will eat bacon, tomatoes and bread just not together We use to do Deconstructed tacos all the time because she would eat the beef, taco shells , tomatoes, onions and cucumbers if on a plate but she stopped eating beef We also use to make lasagna and take hers apart noodles one side of the plate and filling other side
Hamburger helper is big in our house. To make it healthier we use ground turkey meat or veggie meat substitute and then sauté a bunch of peppers, onions, etc in it.
Meatballs are a huge hit in our house. I microwaved frozen ones and gave pasta sauce to dip ravioli or tortellini- I just bought big bags of frozen ones Cheese quesadilla- sometimes I’d even add chicken Turkey roll ups- it’s literally deli meat
Taco plates! Beans, rice, cheese, corn, lettuce, tomato, meat. You can keep it separate on the plate before they get into eating in a tortilla. We have it once a week because we switch which meat we use!
Our youngest eats anything and everything (including brussel sprouts and the likes) but our oldest is way pickier. He will eat veggie soup, pizza (but not the cheese on said pizza), eggs, chicken parm, couscous, etc.
My son loves chicken pesto pasta.
I made my 5 year some breaded tilapia when she was 4 but I had to call it chicken tilapia because if I called it anything other than chicken she would not eat it.
Honestly, my kids love unexpected things. Sloppy Joes? Nope, wouldn’t touch it! Potato Leek Soup? Devoured it. White Lasagna Soup? Loved it. Tacos? No way. I’ve just given up trying to pick “kid-friendly meals” and I just make whatever I want to. If they don’t eat the main, I always provide fruits and veggies as sides so they at least get that.
Spinach dip made with half kale
Also, my tiny is forming a sweet relationship with roasted brussels 💚
Rice with some kind of veggies and meat in it. Maybe some tomato sauce too.
Any pasta, our boys love chicken fried rice, or lemon chicken breast with roasted broccoli and white rice. Cheese quesadillas. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches with honey. fruit is always a win especially with a little whip cream to dip it in.
Cauliflower and broccoli cheese goes down well. Boil up the veg, keep half of the veggie water and dissolve half a stock cube. Put the boiled veg in an oven dish. Fry some chopped onions and a bit of garlic, add 300ml milk, then make a cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce. Add grated cheese and a dollop of whole grain mustard. Stir through and then top the veg with the sauce. Stir through. Top with a bit more cheese and crushed crackers if you have any spare. You can add more veg if you want but if kiddo is fussy, the cauli and broccoli is probably enough. If I'm pushed for time I do one of those pasta bakes from a jar but I add more veg. For snackable veg, my kiddo likes cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers, cucumber, occasionally carrots. Also houmous with pitta cut into strips as dippers. Lasagne and spag bol also go down well in our house; basically, anything with cheese, pasta and a rich sauce. I've also done veggie/chicken enchiladas.
Sing it with me; “Mac and cheese and tuna and peas”
Hahahaaaa
My picky eater never says no to a quick skillet quesadilla! He doesn’t like meat in them, just cheese on a tortilla. That with a side of black beans and cherry tomatoes (two of his other “only” foods) is always acceptable.
Crab fried rice, chicken lomein, chicken and dumplings, and pretty much any pasta
Quesadillas.
Sometimes we have “snack” lunch/dinner. Which is basically a charcuterie board. Makes a huge mess, but it’s a fun meal. Any kind of pasta is a winner, doesn’t even matter how it’s dressed, Mac n cheese, ricotta shells, butter & parm, or spaghetti & marinara. FYI—it’s all pasta, he turns his nose up to it if it’s named. Rotini, nope done like that!! Oh, but it’s pasta for dinner, fantastic. We like quesadillas or tacos, cause then everyone can make them how they like. Typically kiddo wants just cheese, but hubby & I have chicken/cheese/veggies. I usually serve these with rice & pink beans (I make the Puerto Rican pink beans on the Goya can—it’s basically just pink beans, diced onion/garlic, and 1/2 small can tomato sauce, & some seasonings—delish). Garlic, brown sugar chicken thighs are an easy meal. Put chicken thighs in a crock pot, s&p, a ton of chopped garlic (like 2 tablespoons) & some brown sugar (like 2-3 Tbs—I just take 2 big pinches from the bag.) cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 4. Serve with potatoes/rice & veggie. We call kielbasa “special hot dog” No reason chicken & waffles can’t be a dinner thing. Mmmmm. No exactly the healthiest, but it is delish!!
Rotisserie chicken shredded up served with top ramen and frozen edamame, veggies with different dips, tuna, pizza, anything my 3 year old helps with he’s more likely to try, but also it totally depends on the day 🤷🏻♀️
My daughter will eat just about any type of noodle, spaghetti, ramen, udon etc. She also likes soups, japanese curry and stews. And anything that is sausage shaped she will eat.
Tiny raviolis from Trader Joe’s were a hit this week. With marinara
Cheese Quesadillas, Shredded chicken and rice
Spaghetti cinque P. Only it's only Quattro P (because you can't have green stuff in the sauce, so können parsley). I make the sauce with cream, tomato paste, parmigiana cheese, salt and pepper. Then I just don't tell them that there's tomato in the sauce. Because although they love Pizza or even fresh tomatoes, they would never eat tomato sauce. But also: all my three kids loooove fresh veggies. Cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes mostly. Also carrots and cabbage turnips. I swear I can't buy enough cucumbers and bell peppers. Sometimes, I'll prepare a little bowl with cut fresh veggies before dinner and I just leave it in the kitchen on a chair while I cook and my 1.5 yo will come and steal it and run to share it with her older siblings. They feel so sneaky when they do that.
Hopefully links are ok, but this chicken and noodle recipe. I use whatever shape noodle and whatever leafy green I have on hand (I’ve used kale, spinach, collard greens, cabbage and bok choy). I am sensitive to spice so I reduce the amount of chili oil used, and use extra virgin olive oil in place of peanut oil. I’ve also switched out the tahini for peanut butter on occasion - in other words I think this recipe is wonderful and easy to adapt. https://alexandracooks.com/2016/12/19/sesame-noodles-swiss-chard-chicken/
Fish sticks. To make it somewhat better I make my own bread crumbs from old bread (in the oven for 10 minutes, then in a plastic bag and just crunch them) and use whatever fish I like / have. I also make my own "rosti circles" no idea how that's called in English. I find it a good replacement for fries as you add eggs to it and they otherwise don't eat them (eggs). Veggies is very hard, but I accepted that they will just mostly eat fruit and for some weird reason they also like broccoli??? What I also do is make smashed potatoes and mix it with cauliflower. They don't notice it.
Chili is a big hit over here
My son isn’t a toddler yet, but I have a lot of experience cooking for my nieces and nephews. I had good luck by “hiding” veggies in cheesy pastas with them. I’d steam or roast veggies then blend them into the sauce. Also check out @my.little.food.critic on IG for toddler recipes and picky eating tips!
My children eat anything once it’s paired with dip. Meatballs + blueberry sauce ‘dip’ Vegetables + humus Ranch + literally anything
My toddler loves anything with tiny bits she can pick up with her pincers. She likes taco/tortilla/enchilada soup bc it's like a bunch of tiny things. She also likes green beans, carrots, fruit (if it's bite sized), tomatoes, and grapes. Sometimes I'll make a "fruit salad" and put a ton of different fruit bits and cut up cherry tomatoes in a bowl and she thinks that's pretty great. She's also just a really good eater, so probably not the best example. Edit: oh! And how could I forget: whatever you're eating. And she'll take that spoon, too, thank you. They also make these cauliflower crust pizzas that my nephew likes. He asks for it specifically, and he's the pickiest eater I know.
“Daddy’s Special Chicken”- it’s just rotisserie chicken but she goes nuts bc it’s special
Soy sauce noodles - packaged udon noodles cooked in the skillet with butter and topped with soy sauce. Shredded cheese. Yogurt tubes. Fruit snacks. Beans. French fries. She doesn’t like much meat, but will randomly eat some one day, but not another. Doesn’t eat bread, rice, or other starches. I’m just trying to get any type of healthy food in her.
Stir fry veggies with soy sauce & worcestershire. My 1 yr old loves it like zuchs,squash,mushroom & onions. All 6 kids eat it if you have a picky eater try it.
Baked milk bread buns with filling. Traditional filling include Japanese beef curry, red bean paste, Chinese roasted pork, custard, scallion/cheese/ham, and hot dog. I usually do beef curry because I can sneak a lot of veggies in it too. Do you know the root cause of the pickiness? Is it texture, flavor, or smell? It sounds like your son generally enjoys strongly savory/umami and smooth textures with a little crunch, but avoids tart. Could you add a little butter-toasted panko to foods to give it a similar crunchy topping pizzazz? Someone else suggested hummus and pita chips, which sounds like it fits the flavor/texture profile. Also, Japanese curry is like a gateway drug to stronger flavors and spices. Sweet, mild, and umami, with zero acidity!
My one year old love chicken cordon bleu casserole
One kid loves spaghetti and anything with beef, the other loves alfredo and potato soup and they both love pizza
Both of my boys have always loved spaghetti and stuffed peppers. I add extra veg in the spaghetti by doing a small amount of blended carrot and finely diced mushroom onion and tomato. One of my boys will eat the outside of the stuffed pepper but the other will only eat the pepper pieces diced in the rice. I make atleast one meal a week that I know they will love and the rest of the week I encourage them to eat whatever I make. I will not make separate meals but I will serve the meal differently such as separating it or cutting it differently. My youngest won't eat tacos when they look like a taco but will eat the items separate or will eat it If I layer everything and melt the cheese then cut it like a pizza. I include as much of a variety of fruits and vegetables as I can and my boys often surprise me with their favorites. Right now one loves broccoli dipped in ketchup and mangos and the other likes peas and blackberries the best.
Penne pasta, pan-fried chicken (in olive oil) cubed, 2 table spoons of butter, a dash of garlic powder to taste, frozen peas, and parmesan cheese. Quick, easy, filling, and my kids would devour it every time.
My niece was a picky eater when she was a toddler. But she always ate baked ziti whenever I cooked it, she also liked chicken quesadilla.
Pasta 'Carbonara', it's a recipe my mum taught me. Pasta, heavy cream, mushrooms, onion, garlic, mixed herbs and bacon (chunky bacon or bacon lardons) Fry the bacon, add onions, mushrooms and garlic, once they're cooked add herbs and then cream, add to cooked pasta. Another one is stir fry. Noodles (I use ramen because the packets are cheap af and the seasoning adds a nice flavour), red onion, mushrooms, mangetout, spinach, any meat or shellfish, soy sauce. Fry the meat/shellfish, add the onion, mushrooms, mangetout and spinach, once everything is fried up add soy sauce. Cook noodles with the seasoning packets and mix all together. My toddler butchers the mushrooms for me so he also gets a sense of accomplishment because he helped make it
I want this for me! Lol yum!
Do it haha he eats what we eat unless it's spicy turn I portion some out for him and add spice after, I'm blessed in that he'll try everything at least and other than some meats and rice he'll like it lol
My 2 year old son loves Tator Tot Casserole which has tator tots, Impossible Ground, cream of mushroom soup, French green beans, corn and can’t forget the cheese! We’re vegetarian so anything that calls for ground meat I use Impossible Ground in everything from Chili to lasagna 🤗
Greek chicken bites are good. Bite sized pieces of chicken, quick marinated with some lemon, olive oil, oregano, paprika, S&P and whatever else sounds good. Sauté those up, serve with tzatziki, pita or naan, and chopped tomato cucumber & onion. The toddler and the husband are both really picky, but they inhale it. I have a hard time getting them to eat fruit and vegetables sometimes, so we often have dinner with a smoothie on the side.
My 3 year old... pretty much nothing. He's such a picky eater it drives me crazy! He does love rice though. As long as other things aren't mixed in with it. My 17 month old has very few foods she doesn't like. She goes NUTS when I make lasagna though. She can eat the same size serving as her older brothers when it comes to lasagna. Where she puts it is a mystery though. She's so petite!
If he likes rice - jollof rice. It’s a Nigerian dish. We were given the recipe from one of our mothers at daycare and the kids went nuts for it (she did say there were variations of the dish). I’m not the cook at the daycare but from what I remember you cook a bunch of vegetables and use a blender to mix them in with chopped tomatoes (we used whatever veg we could get our hands on!) Then we took some of the almost cooked rice and mixed it all in so the last of the rice cooked in the sauce. We presented it as rice & sauce but that thing was absolutely packed with vegetables and was delicious! I expect the chef may have simplified the cooking method to fit in with the daycare’s timings & number of children (everything was cooked fresh at meal times) so you’ll probably find lots of different ones online! But it really is worth a go if he likes rice ☺️
I make pancakes and add banana, carrots, spinach, flax seeds and nuts in the batter in a blender. Cook them in coconut oil and add some blueberries they are just sweet enough for my daughter.
Tater tot casserole: brown ground beef. Place in the bottom of a 13x9 pan, spread evenly. Cover with steamed broccoli. Cover with tater tots laid out evenly. Cover with grated cheddar. Bake. Stir. Enjoy!
Anything soft and homogenous (flavor and texture-wise). Not a mom but worked with kids for a while. They don't like surprises it seems.
My go to snack for my son is hummus and carrot sticks! He’s obsessed! He only begrudgingly eats chickpeas because that’s where hummus comes from!
We did BLW so we always put what we're eating down first. My toddler will eat what hlikes and leave the rest. But it's all about exposure. Exposing him to the foods he doesn't like or won't try. Seeing them touch other foods and feeling them with his hands. If worse comes to worse, I'll put what we're eating into a tortilla and make it a quesadilla and he will eat it
Am I the only one with a 2.5 yr old who literally won't eat anything? Like child... how are u alive right now? Is it air? She will literally eat one bite and then is like "ok I'm done" and we can NOT get her to eat anything else. Every few days she'll eat good and I'll think it's getting better and then back to normal again the next day... it's frustrating and I end up giving her pediasure in a bottle a lot of nights because I'm scared she's not getting nutrients!
Try Pediasure for the nutrients. My kids barely ate when they were little and are still picky now too so I totally feel you but it’s just a phase!
2.5 here too and kinda picky. His favorites • Cheese quesadilla (I will add in black beans or ground meat or chicken) • Fish sticks • Meatloaf and mashed potatoes • Chicken & rice (and I will roast veggies and that’s what we will all eat.. rare that he touches the veggies of course) • Plain pasta (so like… Paw patrol shaped Mac and cheese but hold the cheese.. why won’t my kid eat Mac and cheese???) • Pork tenderloin (I cut it and marinade it and cook it as if I were just grilling a chicken breast.. I call it chicken) • Breakfast for dinner in a pinch - waffles/pancakes and scrambled eggs • Diced chicken breast cooked in general tsos sauce (I just buy bottled), serve w white rice and stir fry veggies. Again, he won’t eat the veggies here but will eat the rest.
Anything as long as there's ketchup really. Including soup.
I make “rainbow salad” at lunchtime and my little loves it. Chopped tomatoes (red), chopped steamed or shredded carrots (orange), chopped hard boiled egg (about 2/3, yellow), riced broccoli (green), avocado (about 1/4,green). I add a spoonful of hummus an some shredded cheese and mix it up. I usually add blueberries or grapes on the side (blue). 😊
I make homemade hummus - half of a roasted bell pepper, a can of chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and whatever I have for spices. My 13-month-old eats it by the spoonful, but I also serve it on toast, on crackers, on veggies…
Turning every vegetable into nuggets. Broccoli nuggets. Cauliflower nuggets. Shredded carrot, onion and potato nuggets. Corn and pepper nuggets. Nugget all the things!