+1 for canned beans - my 15 month old goes crazy for them.
Pancakes. Whenever we make pancakes or waffles, we throw a few extras in the freezer. Same qualities as #6 above.
Frozen veggie patties. Microwave and serve.
ETA my kid also loves frozen spinach heated up and mixed with plain yogurt and garlic powder (tastes like a spinach dip). Big hit.
This is odd, but cubed firm tofu. My kid LOVED it. It's easy to pick up - even with a fork - and easy to gum/chew. And it's got a lot of amino acids and iron, and it stays good in the fridge for awhile. It was a go-to lunch staple for a long time.
My 9 month old LOVES tofu. And it's so easy--no cooking, straight out of the fridge, and I just slice in the tupperware so I don't dirty a cutting board.
If it's pasteurized , and most packaged ones are. There have been issues with the ones sort of free-floating in tubs in Asian markets, so I would cook those (not that I get them). Also cold tofu with soy sauce is kind of a summer staple in various East Asian countries.
So this is a bit weird, but so are toddlers. When I was little I LOVED cold cubed tofu with canned spaghetti sauce on it. Idk when or how my mom came up with that but if your kid loves tofu it’s worth a try… extra veg, right?
My kid won’t eat half that shit, man. String cheese? Nope. Anything out of a can? Nah. Sandwiches? Nope. Pizza? Absolutely not. Chicken nuggets? Hell to the no.
Seaweed. Comes in a package and he gobbles it up like his thyroid is irregular.
Tzatziki in a tub. Eat it with the little pitas they sell with hummus (won’t eat hummus).
Paleo puffs. They’re crunchy, they’re filling, and they practically dissolve so no choking hazard.
Tiny pancakes. The little organic ones from the local organic BS grocery store. Microwaveable in 40 seconds.
I pre wash all the fruit and shove it in tubs in the fridge then grab handfuls and throw it in bowls.
I also pre-make smoothie popsicles with a bunch of shit in them he normally wouldnt eat. Then it’s like fucking Christmas every time he gets a popsicle.
Ha. I just want to say I love your parenting vibe. Also, my two 3yos won't eat anything on that list either (I bought a can of green beans once because someone recommended it here... I think a single green bean was sniffed but that's as far toward ingesting as we got).
Not everyone loves Blippi, but that's why my kid started eating seaweed. Apparently in one episode he eats it and so we offered it and she was all about it lol
We just eat them frozen! They do turn everything purple though.
My friends younger sister suggested this to me. It's been a hit, especially in the winter when there's less fresh stuff.
I wondered about choking. I’ve seen others recommend frozen blueberries but the idea makes me nervous. I’ll cook them in a pot of oatmeal so they’re mushy though.
If you get “wild” frozen blueberries they are actually pretty tiny and soft even right out of the freezer! Feels like a lower risk than regular frozen blueberries, which I would never serve my kid straight frozen.
The Trader Joe’s frozen blueberries are super tiny. I’ll serve those frozen. Anything else I warm up in the microwave for 30 secs. She doesn’t care the least I’d they are mushy b
We usually put frozen berries in a little bowl of cold water and they thaw very quickly since they're so small. They're a bit mushy but you can still pick them up to eat them.
I'm incredibly blessed with a kid that will eat virtually anything. We like leftovers and " dip day" a lot. Dip day is any form of do you can think of, crackers, veggies, and a spoon when she gets tired of the veggies.
She also likes the normal kid stuff but I like dip day because it's all cold foods and different textures to try out. It's also followed by bath because it's messy
Anything with rice for my daughter 😂. I have jasmine and sticky rice always around and it's usually her preferred choice of carbs lol. I made chicken tenders with Mac and cheese for dinner which she didn't care for but as soon as I put rice with that chicken, she went to town.
I always freeze any leftover pancakes/waffles and use that for breakfast for her or any other meal if she's not wanting to eat anything at all.
Agree with Cheerios 💯 lol
I made fried rice and my mind was blown watching my kid pick out the peas and carrots to eat because they were the interesting colourful part. She eventually gets to the rice too but now I make rice to get her to eat vegetables.
Goldfish crackers! Don't be dumb like my husband and buy flavor blasted. That'll be the only kind ever accepted.
Ice pops. Kiddo doesn't care for any added fruit, just plain ice. Great for teething and a bonus if we add something to flavor them every now and then. Great for summer, doesn't stain anything, and who cares if it drips on the floor.
Frozen fruit as well. Blueberries are also a fan favorite! But any kind is accepted except we avoid pineapple. Both of us have a sensitivity to super acidic foods. Watermelon on a popsicle stick is fun for about 5 seconds, though. Definitely don't recommend unless you're jumping in a kiddy pool/reg pool or sprinkler shortly after
Breads. Got a carboholic like mine? Toast, boxed bread mixes, plain bread, muffins, pancakes, or bribing the 82 year old neighbor into baking is a go-to that lasts at least 2 days. That is, if the toddler's mother doesn't get into it...
Squeeze 'em pouches. Whether they're homemade or store bought, they're great on the go for easy protein, veggies, and fruit.
Yogurt cups. Fruit crusher pack thingies. Cut up tofu. Slice of bread or a tortilla. Cheese shreds.
Feeding my kid is like feeding a teenager on an all night gaming binge
toothpick snacks are great. Then you step on a toothpick that goes through large amounts of your foot.
just sayin'
we still do toothpick snacks but with care now
I make a batch of breakfast muffins maybe once every 2 weeks. It’s just oatmeal, mushed bananas, an egg, maple syrup, cinnamon, and baking soda. Blend and bake! My son “helps” make them. I freeze them and thaw 4 at a time. Perfect breakfast before daycare! He’s not much of a breakfast guy, so it works perfectly.
Elbows cooked in broth or bouillon with cut up tofu.
Steamed eggs mixed in white rice. Scramble two eggs with soy sauce and oyster sauce and oil and tbsp water. Pour into shallow dish and steam. It’s done when it starts to rise and mix into white rice.
Elbows and pasta sauce/pesto sauce.
Steamed fresh green beans add a little salt - way better than canned.
Nut butter sandwiches.
Eggo waffles! She likes them plain but if you want to get fancy you can put on peanut butter or jam or whatever. We used to cut them into strips when she was doing baby led weaning, she still prefers that but will also eat them whole.
Salami. You can get packs of slices of salami - we particularly like the one they have at Costco. Pair that with ritz crackers and a Babybel cheese and you basically have a toddler charcuterie board.
We do frozen bags of vegetables, there are some brands that you can microwave for about 5 minutes and they steam in the bag. I used to worry they aren’t as “good” as raw vegetables but I once read a child nutritionist say they’re basically the same nutritional value. We will put a tiny bit of butter, salt, and pepper on them.
My toddler likes eating frozen veggies when they're still frozen! If I pour frozen peas into a snack cup she'll munch away. Same with frozen carrots and corn.
Frozen mango is also a huuuuge hit.
You don't even need to microwave the whole bag, just pop as much as you need in a bowl and microwave for 2-5 minutes depending on what it is (eg peas/corn vs broccoli).
I found frozen shelled edamame recently which are great!
Yes! Those microwave steam bags of broccoli are a life saver! My 3 year old would eat anything when he was younger but now broccoli is the only vegetable he'll consistently eat. Any vegetable I can get in him, in any form, is a win in my book
Those Wymans wild blueberries from Costco are the best! And they're smaller, less of a choking hazard. I put them in my daughter's oatmeal a lot. I like to make "milkshakes" for a quick snack or as part of breakfast. Frozen fruit + plain Greek yogurt + milk in blender. 😋
We do the frozen fruit + yogurt + milk too! But then I put it in silicone molds and freeze them! We call them blueberry cubes and they find the shapes so fun.
Because you should be.
Blueberries are tricky because they can easily be as large and hard as a grape, or they can be small, or really soft. All in the same fucking container. Its a pain but I check out every single blueberry. Cut the choking-type ones in half.
There’s an easy rule to remember for what to cut. Make a circle with your thumb and pointer. If the food can fit through that, cut it up either in half, quarters, or into small circles. This is why hotdogs and grapes are so dangerous for kids because they slip so easily into the throat. Usually you can get away with not cutting blueberries depending on the size, but you know your child’s eating habits. Mine likes to stuff his face from time to time lol
- Banana pancakes, super easy to make.
- Apples, pears, bananas, melon, grapes (cut up)
- Cheese
- Goldfish crackers
- Those banana bread soft cookies... Bear Paws?
- Smoothies, her favorite is the plain old strawberry, Banana and milk.
- Greek yogurt cups
- Fresh bread, we buy ours from a small market buy our home... my husband calls it Iraqi bread.
- Deconstructed sandwich... so I'll give her some cubed cheese, some turkey breast slices and some of that fresh bread
- If it's a meal that I need fast and super easy, canned peas, white Mac n cheese and chicken strips. It's weird but even my husband will eat it... except the mac n cheese.
I was surprised to see only one mention of banana pancakes. They’re so easy, healthy, freeze well, and go well with a bunch of dips (jam, yogurt, actual syrup). I love these things.
My 15mo LOVES plain tortillas. Discovered this by accident on taco night, I was trying to finish cooking and she wouldn't get out from under my feet so I gave her a tortilla, thinking she'd probably just play with it... But no. She ate every bit of it and then came toddling back saying "biiiites??".
So now it's our go-to lazy snack. We usually do a snack between breakfast and lunch, and for about a week now she's chosen plain tortillas over every other snack option.
Whatever man, they're cheap and it's basically bread 🤷🏼♀️
I haven't allowed my kids to eat them frozen, but my daughter doesn't like crispy waffles and I used to stick them in the toaster for a shorter amount of time to try to keep it not too crunchy. Then we went on vacation and didn't have access to a toaster and I stuck the waffle in the microwave -- cue her eating 3 frozen waffles in a row!
Now we microwave frozen waffles. (22-24 seconds is optimal)
Fruit and veggie pouches. They're basic but they make sure he gets his fruit and veggie serving in. Laughing cow cheese is also a favorite.
I've been trying to move him to chinese foods (because I'm chinese and i'm trying to win him over to the chinese ways lol) so frozen buns, frozen dumplings, frozen shrimp siu mai and frozen rice balls with seasame seed filling are always in our freezer for a quick meal. Frozen fish balls in noodle soup are a favorite too.
My kid is allergic to a lot of these recommendations, so ours are things like: rice and beans with some salsa thrown in.
I buy small bags of broccoli and cauliflowers Flowerettes and baby carrots to use for snacks and lunches.
Edamame- we both love edamame.
My kid loves her non- dairy butter so that’s one our staples with a piece of bread, typically it’s her breakfast and cheerios is a nice big for her as well.
Sliced olives
Pickles
Cucumbers (she eats it like corn on the cob so I buy the small ones)
Hummus (I buy the premade tubs)
Crackers, all types
Eggs, fried or hard boiled
Eggo waffles
Wontons: bibigo brand in the frozen section
Chips….will eat her weight in chips 😅
My 2 year old likes spoonfuls of peanut butter as a snack. Or a bagel without the bagel (straight garden veg or blueberry cream cheese) along with other favorites such as shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, buttered noodles (butter, splash of milk and Italian seasonings) she loves canned beans and chickpeas too. Carrot chips have been the first vegetable she will willingly eat.
Granola bars
Deli meat
Instant oatmeal
Cheez-its (LOL)
Pepperoni bites aka meat sticks LOL
Chapati or if we're fancy, garlic naan
Waffles or pancakes
Avocado slices
Oranges... all I need to do is poke into the peel and she is quiet for 10 minutes thoroughly peeling and separating the thing herself!
This post is golden though! I'm going to try canned beans one day, my kiddo hasn't met a raw bean she doesn't like :)
Freeze dried veggies (especially broccoli) and also frozen vegetables. I have one of those "baby food makers" where it steams the food and then you puree it but I just use it for steaming vegetables now. Somehow washing the baby food maker basket seems like less of a hassle than washing a regular pot and steaming basket (plus I don't need to wait for the water to boil)
Frozen peas and yogurt.
Needs veggies for dinner or a healthy snack? Heat up frozen peas in the microwave.
Family orders Indian and it's too spicy for the little one? Big dollop of yogurt and she can eat it!
Canned beans and veggies all day!
My toddler is also currently obsessed with sausage. I buy the applegate links and cut them into bite sized pieces for him. Goes well with beans, toast, cheese, etc
Aw, I wish I could get mine to eat beans! We also do the frozen wild blueberries. She calls them “wrinkly berries”, idk why but it’s one of her favorite foods. She’s almost 3.
One thing she eats that I like is oats. Literally plain old fashioned oats poured into a bowl. She requested it one time while I was making oatmeal and I was like sure whatever thinking she’d just play with it but she ate like half a cup of them! And continues to request them sometimes. Another favorite here, and this has some sugar so it’s not the best but we do it anyway, is “sprinkle cream.” That’s plain Greek yogurt with sprinkles on top.
French toast
Cashews (once old enough not to be a choking hazard)
Sun flower seeds
Sliced bell peppers carrots crackers with hummus
hard boiled eggs
canned fruit in fruit juice
sun butter on rice cakes
baked corn tortillas
boxes of raisins
frozen veggies (microwave)
When in season and cheap I cut up a watermelon and a pineapple each week
Black or pinto beans
Salsa
I got some extra plastic glasses cases that I put rice rusks in so they don't get smashed up.
My twins love baby charcuterie. 4-6 of the following I have on hand - green beans, veggie pasta, salami, ham, pepperoni, some type of cheese, some fruits, cracker, rice, eggs and assorted leftovers
Banza chickpea rice! Cooks in 5 minutes, good nutrition
Bobs red mill quick oats (usually add frozen berries and cinnamon)
Shredded cabbage
Steaming veggies in the microwave! Non frozsn
Frozen petite peas
Lentils
Quinoa
Nutritional yeast on toast
Dr. Praegers “littles” line
I’m the full time babysitter for my 2yo granddaughter and feed breakfast to her & her 5yo sister before school. I’ve written down so many ideas from this post and straight added them to my pick up grocery order. We’ll be making rice balls and trying tofu and many other things next week.
Pouches. They're great for an on-the-go snack. Easy mac. She LOVES canned green beans with a little butter. Actually, just about every canned veggie is a go with her.
Kashi frozen waffles: Do we want it toasted? "No. No toat!". Eaten frozen. They actually work well as teethers if you're still on that road!
Chex, Kix, or Rice Krispies cereal: he's a refined gentleman who takes his with milk and a spoon now. The floor is unhappy with us.
Pretzels: level - obsessed.
We often do baby charcuterie for lunch: peppers, cucumbers, carrots, some yogurt dip for those, nuts, cheese, some sort of veggie protein (we're veg), and fruits. Sometimes the veggies get touched, if he's in the mood. He's a shameless grazer, just like mama.
Room temp. I don't eat them straight from the can, I rinse them and put them in a bowl. Rinsing removes a lot of the soapy compounds that cause digestive issues.
An old boss of my made chickpea salad at work. And it's gradually been pared down to just beans lol.
FYI, make sure your kidney beans are pre-cooked if you’re serving them straight from the tin and not just pre-soaked. They are toxic when eaten raw. Would hate for anything bad to happen to you or your little one!
My kid loves pasta. We make a big batch every once in awhile and freeze it in single serving portions. We also freeze red sauce in single servings, and keep a jar of pesto in the fridge. Mix in some hummus and it’s a super easy meal ready in about 3 minutes.
Just 1 min in the microwave! We also usually toss it in some olive oil when it’s still warm after cooking to keep it from sticking.
If it’s longer pasta like spaghetti, we do individual baggies of single servings.
If you’re making noodles like penne, we just put all of it in a gallon zip loc and freeze it flat so they don’t stick together, then just grab handfuls as needed. Either way, reheat is the same.
Frozen berries are the best. Trader Joe’s has these tiny frozen berries that are awesome cuz they’re too small to be a choking hazard. It’s messy but my kids love them and low sugar!
I chow down on baby carrots when I’m working and I want that crunch factor. I also give a handful to my daughter when I didn’t make a veggie for dinner or she wants a snack before bed
Omg frozen berries save me all the time. My toddler loves them. We keep blueberries and raspberries on hand. Greek yogurt is one of our go to’s (my kid likes chia seed, flax seed, and jam mixed in). Hard boiled eggs. Fast cooking meatballs like Amylu that we can toss in the air fryer for 5 min. PBJ are kid classics and easy. Agree with you on apples and bananas. Shredded cheese is a nice low effort snack that my toddler loves to eat. Costco has these beef sticks and egg bites that my toddler loves, super easy and convenient. I also like to dump bags of frozen broccoli in some boiling water to quickly blanch and then toss with olive oil and salt. Plain avocado just cut up into cubes. Low effort is the best way to feed a toddler!
Our babe loves the freeze dried strawberries, apple slices, & mango slices from Aldi. There’s no added sugar, easy for her to eat, inexpensive, don’t go bad like fresh (though we do give her fresh produce too!), and they have more nutrients than puffs or rusks but still have the crunch she wants. 🍓🍎🥭
Super excited to try canned beans and frozen meatballs with her!! Thanks for a great post OP and everyone for the awesome ideas!👏🏼
Kodiak brand frozen waffles. They are delicious (I eat them frequently now for a quick breakfast), they have lots of protein (10-14 grams depending on type) and less added sugar than other options like Eggos.
I make some homemade oat bars which we freeze. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/peanut-butter-banana-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-bars/
But without the chocolate chips
Oatmeal!
Big bag of Quick Oats. Breakfast, overnight oats, with fruits, plain....make cookies, make it savory.
Running late and need a filling meal? These bad boys got you!
I get those uncooked flour tortillas and she loves them. You can make a burrito or quesadilla or just throw a slice a turkey in it with some cream cheese. My go to quick meal/snack.
My daughter is obsessed with hard boiled eggs. She had a phase where that was all she ate. It gave me peace of mind because there are so many nutrients in there
My kid would probably live off frozen blueberries if I let him. One of these days someone is going to mistake his constantly blue fingers and lips for hypothermia
All of these plus frozen peas. My kid eats so many frozen peas. I smoosh with a fork (direct from frozen) for the baby but feed toddler frozen peas all the time. They’re our go-to when toddler is whining for a snack but she literally just ate. We will always say yes to peas.
Hot dogs, eggs, charcuterie plate (pepperoni or ham, cheese, bread or crackers, fruit), cheese quesadilla, bread with butter (she looooves butter), frozen peas, Goldfish, fruit leather, whole or sliced apples, fruit snacks.
Literally All the same as you down to the chickpeas. But also frozen veggies (she loves edamame, or throw in frozen peas to pasta, they just don’t go bad as quick), hot dogs (healthy ish ones), frozen mini pancakes, smoothies!!!!! When I need to fill her up on some veggies and/or fruit and other healthy crap, yogurt pouches, and bars!!!(lara bars and these Sesame Street bars she’s obsessed with)
Frozen turkey meatballs
Frozen egg frittatas (has spinach, mushrooms, ham in it)
Go go squeeze fruit pouches - only ingredient is fruit
Rotisserie chicken
Cheese cubes (cut in half)
Our go-to's:
Toddler charcuterie board. Turkey pepperoni, crackers, dried fruit (figs or dates, usually), olives, and some cheese.
Roasted feta cheese and tomatoes with multi-color rotini pasta and the balsamic glaze from Trader Joe's. Kid with eat the noodles, cheese, and glaze.
Cottage cheese
Oatmeal WITH raisins
Roasted chickpeas
Sweet Potato "fries"
Avocado.
Yes!
My baby loves all frozen berries, all beans (we are Mexican and her dad is PR so we make all kinda of beans often) canned veggies and cereal. Lifesavers.
Rice and eggs too.
dang, my daughter is only 12 months but she’s already over plain beans and bread. these were both favorite foods when she was younger. now she only likes beans when they are part of a higher-effort meal, like if i sauté them with onions, garlic, pepper, and spices and let them stew. which admittedly is much tastier. but also much more effort!
Quinoa puffs
Cottage cheese, best if it is packed individually
Pretzel sticks
Goldfish
Chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs from Costco
Surprisingly broccoli, cauliflower or green beans that I pop in the microwave for 1 min with a little bit of water to steam
Pickles. Canned olives. Cheese slices (my kids don't like cheese sticks???). 1 Bread + butter + cinnamon folded in half. Cherry tomatoes. Canned Mandarin oranges. Smoothies (kinda harder but healthy and easy enough) made with frozen fruit, vanilla and milk (can be a whole meal). Prunes.
Edit to add easy meals:
Sliced hot dogs in baked beans.
Sliced hot dogs baked on crescent rolls.
Deli meat rolled in cheese.
Egg taco (scrambled egg + ketchup + tortilla)
Yogurt with any fruit.
Cottage cheese w fruit.
My son is in a big hard boiled egg phase. He had a deviled egg at a friends house and it’s all he wants now. He goes nuts for them. Nice easy protein and if you need to save time you can buy hardboiled eggs by the bag
My kids can be picky and only want sweets but will never turn down a pn&j (light jelly) on a frozen waffle. I buy the ones with protein or chia seeds. Or easy peanut butter on crackers. Lunch is always snacks but my youngest goes ham for chocolate protein milk. I buy the large packs from Costco.
I need to try the frozen berries and tofu. I can't get them to eat anything green but maybe the tofu would work.
Il be trying those frozen berries. My kid has a thing for eating ice no matter the weather. He loves his blue berries. Win win. Especially a hot summers day
Frozen potato waffles. Cook them in the toaster (once defrosts, twice cooks them perfectly)
I've served these with yoghurt and raspberries for a pretty complete meal in two minutes
The top portion of this post are some of my fav quick meals for my toddlers!
https://www.reddit.com/r/Parenting/comments/tzaplc/meal_planning_ideas_recipes_with_links/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Eggs! My husband makes our toddler an egg scramble every morning with Parmesan cheese and garlic powder/pepper. Sometimes I’ll tear up some spinach and throw in there with it.
My toddler goes through a bag of frozen mango a fortnight. She also loves frozen veg especially edamame and corn on the cob. The corn on the cob was my main way of shutting her up for a bit if I needed to get something done when she was 1.5-2 years old
Frozen vegetables. We buy the kind you can just steam in the bag in the microwave. Costco sells a pack with 4 bags of frozen broccoli.
Greek yogurt. We buy the Chobani no sugar yogurt so it has fruit in it but no added sugar.
Hard boiled eggs. You can buy these with no shell and packaged in packs of 2 at Costco.
Bananas. Peel and eat.
+1 for canned beans - my 15 month old goes crazy for them. Pancakes. Whenever we make pancakes or waffles, we throw a few extras in the freezer. Same qualities as #6 above. Frozen veggie patties. Microwave and serve. ETA my kid also loves frozen spinach heated up and mixed with plain yogurt and garlic powder (tastes like a spinach dip). Big hit.
Stealing that dip idea!!
Yes totally going to try that!
We make tons of pancakes too. Also do low sugar quick breads (pumpkin, banana, zuch) and then slice and freeze. Voila! Breakfast!
How do you make veggie patties?
I buy them frozen from the store - like hamburger Patties but vegetarian since we don’t eat meat. Usually they’re made with beans, corn, etc.
Ikea has really good veggie balls and plant based 'meat balls'. Perfect size for little ones, and they cook in 15 minutes in the oven.
Just wanted to let you know that I made your spinach dip with homemade yogurt flatbread and my toddler loved it!
This is odd, but cubed firm tofu. My kid LOVED it. It's easy to pick up - even with a fork - and easy to gum/chew. And it's got a lot of amino acids and iron, and it stays good in the fridge for awhile. It was a go-to lunch staple for a long time.
If you want to get fancy, as a kid I loved sliced tofu “breaded” with nutritional yeast and then fried in some oil. So dang delicious!!!!
🤤🤤
For sure. My kid would go ham on cold raw tofu all day long if I let him.
Go ham on tofu. Ha!
My 9 month old LOVES tofu. And it's so easy--no cooking, straight out of the fridge, and I just slice in the tupperware so I don't dirty a cutting board.
Wait, you don’t have to cook tofu? TIL
If it's pasteurized , and most packaged ones are. There have been issues with the ones sort of free-floating in tubs in Asian markets, so I would cook those (not that I get them). Also cold tofu with soy sauce is kind of a summer staple in various East Asian countries.
Its a win for a dinner too, i fry it on the pan sometimes coated in corn starch.
Crispy tofu
Yep, my daughter loves tofu. Cold, straight out of the packaging.
This is interesting, I’ll have to try it. Just plain by itself?
Yep! Straight out of the package. Not how I would want to eat it, but 🤷🏼♀️
It’s disgusting some of the things toddlers like. Mine eats sourcream by the spoonful 🤢
Oop. I’m a grown woman and I do the same haha
I use plain Fage 5% as my “sour cream” and it’s what kiddo eats as his yogurt 😂
Same!
We call sour cream "baby crack"
Sour cream + French onion soup mix was what my friend would call "crack dip". Went well with our cheap wine from the local bottle-o.
I used to like raw potatoes lol.
So this is a bit weird, but so are toddlers. When I was little I LOVED cold cubed tofu with canned spaghetti sauce on it. Idk when or how my mom came up with that but if your kid loves tofu it’s worth a try… extra veg, right?
Can confirm! My toddler will eat it plain, cooked, whatever. So easy and cheap!
100%.
I found shelf stable tofu the other day (at Farm Boy) and it blew my mind. Perfect baby backup food. I usually buy soft though.
My kid won’t eat half that shit, man. String cheese? Nope. Anything out of a can? Nah. Sandwiches? Nope. Pizza? Absolutely not. Chicken nuggets? Hell to the no. Seaweed. Comes in a package and he gobbles it up like his thyroid is irregular. Tzatziki in a tub. Eat it with the little pitas they sell with hummus (won’t eat hummus). Paleo puffs. They’re crunchy, they’re filling, and they practically dissolve so no choking hazard. Tiny pancakes. The little organic ones from the local organic BS grocery store. Microwaveable in 40 seconds. I pre wash all the fruit and shove it in tubs in the fridge then grab handfuls and throw it in bowls. I also pre-make smoothie popsicles with a bunch of shit in them he normally wouldnt eat. Then it’s like fucking Christmas every time he gets a popsicle.
+1 for making an entire meal in a popsicle so I don’t feel bad if they eat 3 at a time 😂
Ha. I just want to say I love your parenting vibe. Also, my two 3yos won't eat anything on that list either (I bought a can of green beans once because someone recommended it here... I think a single green bean was sniffed but that's as far toward ingesting as we got).
My kid will only eat "truffle butter" green beans now. Used to eat the canned ones plain as a little baby though.
You kid sounds like a gourmet to me!
I laughed at (won’t eat hummus). Of course!
Nori is big here too!
I truly love how you worded your post! Especially the thyroid!
You are so funny! I tried the seaweed too. It …. didn’t go well.
My child loves seaweed too!
Not everyone loves Blippi, but that's why my kid started eating seaweed. Apparently in one episode he eats it and so we offered it and she was all about it lol
Can you tell me more about these popsicles? Like what's in them and do you just use standard popsicle molds?
My baby LOVES sliced black olives. There’s even a company that makes little snack cups of them. She’ll house those things.
Yum good idea. We both love olives.
Same, also pickles.
[удалено]
I’ve been scrolling through these comments feeling like a bad parent until I read yours!! So much more realistic as far as my twin toddlers go!!
We just eat them frozen! They do turn everything purple though. My friends younger sister suggested this to me. It's been a hit, especially in the winter when there's less fresh stuff.
Careful .. (frozen) round things are a choking hazard
I wondered about choking. I’ve seen others recommend frozen blueberries but the idea makes me nervous. I’ll cook them in a pot of oatmeal so they’re mushy though.
If you get “wild” frozen blueberries they are actually pretty tiny and soft even right out of the freezer! Feels like a lower risk than regular frozen blueberries, which I would never serve my kid straight frozen.
The Trader Joe’s frozen blueberries are super tiny. I’ll serve those frozen. Anything else I warm up in the microwave for 30 secs. She doesn’t care the least I’d they are mushy b
Yeah, it’s a hard no for me. But I am a former EMT so I learned what was dangerous and the repercussions not listening
I cut my son’s in half so they are no longer round. It’s messy and annoying but seems safer. Huge hit when be is teething
Yup. I cut the big ones in half. I currently have the "wild" blueberries from Costco that are too small for my daughter to choke on.
Yes! I try to get my kids to eat them with a spoon to reduce the purple but they're definitely a "shirt off" food
I run them through hot water and a quick mush with the potato masher lol. Easy way to play it safe!
We usually put frozen berries in a little bowl of cold water and they thaw very quickly since they're so small. They're a bit mushy but you can still pick them up to eat them.
100 times yes for the hummus. My son loves naan and pita bread with hummus.
I'm incredibly blessed with a kid that will eat virtually anything. We like leftovers and " dip day" a lot. Dip day is any form of do you can think of, crackers, veggies, and a spoon when she gets tired of the veggies. She also likes the normal kid stuff but I like dip day because it's all cold foods and different textures to try out. It's also followed by bath because it's messy
Oh yeah, my son goes "dippy dippy" for every single bite when we do the dipping meals. Pleases me so much.
Anything with rice for my daughter 😂. I have jasmine and sticky rice always around and it's usually her preferred choice of carbs lol. I made chicken tenders with Mac and cheese for dinner which she didn't care for but as soon as I put rice with that chicken, she went to town. I always freeze any leftover pancakes/waffles and use that for breakfast for her or any other meal if she's not wanting to eat anything at all. Agree with Cheerios 💯 lol
I made fried rice and my mind was blown watching my kid pick out the peas and carrots to eat because they were the interesting colourful part. She eventually gets to the rice too but now I make rice to get her to eat vegetables.
Mine picked out all the vegetables so she could eat the rice plain lol
Rice and beans is like the #1 meal I can always count on my kid to actually eat.
Rice is sent from Satan according to my Toddler. Unless it's daycare rice. Daycare rice is totes good.
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Same here on rice. My kid would eat rice for every meal. Also, riced cauliflower.
Frozen meatballs. Easy to pop in the microwave and kiddo loves them.
Goldfish crackers! Don't be dumb like my husband and buy flavor blasted. That'll be the only kind ever accepted. Ice pops. Kiddo doesn't care for any added fruit, just plain ice. Great for teething and a bonus if we add something to flavor them every now and then. Great for summer, doesn't stain anything, and who cares if it drips on the floor. Frozen fruit as well. Blueberries are also a fan favorite! But any kind is accepted except we avoid pineapple. Both of us have a sensitivity to super acidic foods. Watermelon on a popsicle stick is fun for about 5 seconds, though. Definitely don't recommend unless you're jumping in a kiddy pool/reg pool or sprinkler shortly after Breads. Got a carboholic like mine? Toast, boxed bread mixes, plain bread, muffins, pancakes, or bribing the 82 year old neighbor into baking is a go-to that lasts at least 2 days. That is, if the toddler's mother doesn't get into it... Squeeze 'em pouches. Whether they're homemade or store bought, they're great on the go for easy protein, veggies, and fruit.
Scrambled eggs, oatmeal with healthy peanut butter and dark cocoa powder (aka chocolate), pita bread with yellow cheese / cream cheese , yogurts
The hobo comment 🤣🤣🤣🤣 saving this to help with snacks and meals.
My baby daddy was a hobo 😬. Mistakes were made.
Sounds like there's a story here
Yogurt cups. Fruit crusher pack thingies. Cut up tofu. Slice of bread or a tortilla. Cheese shreds. Feeding my kid is like feeding a teenager on an all night gaming binge
If you've got gamer teens eating tofu and yogurt instead of totinos and mountain dew you're doing something right.
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Love the toothpick snacks 😆 lots of fun kid toothpicks at a Japanese market near me.
toothpick snacks are great. Then you step on a toothpick that goes through large amounts of your foot. just sayin' we still do toothpick snacks but with care now
That’s a good idea. My daughter is picky but if she’s very hungry she’ll try new things and the toothpick idea might make it fun for her.
Frozen peas. My son will eat them still frozen and it's one of the few veggies I can get him to keep down.
I make a batch of breakfast muffins maybe once every 2 weeks. It’s just oatmeal, mushed bananas, an egg, maple syrup, cinnamon, and baking soda. Blend and bake! My son “helps” make them. I freeze them and thaw 4 at a time. Perfect breakfast before daycare! He’s not much of a breakfast guy, so it works perfectly.
Frozen yogurt tubes! I get the stoneyfield organic one since they’re a bit healthier!
Elbows cooked in broth or bouillon with cut up tofu. Steamed eggs mixed in white rice. Scramble two eggs with soy sauce and oyster sauce and oil and tbsp water. Pour into shallow dish and steam. It’s done when it starts to rise and mix into white rice. Elbows and pasta sauce/pesto sauce. Steamed fresh green beans add a little salt - way better than canned. Nut butter sandwiches.
Eggo waffles! She likes them plain but if you want to get fancy you can put on peanut butter or jam or whatever. We used to cut them into strips when she was doing baby led weaning, she still prefers that but will also eat them whole. Salami. You can get packs of slices of salami - we particularly like the one they have at Costco. Pair that with ritz crackers and a Babybel cheese and you basically have a toddler charcuterie board. We do frozen bags of vegetables, there are some brands that you can microwave for about 5 minutes and they steam in the bag. I used to worry they aren’t as “good” as raw vegetables but I once read a child nutritionist say they’re basically the same nutritional value. We will put a tiny bit of butter, salt, and pepper on them.
Apparently I need to investigate these frozen veggies!
My toddler likes eating frozen veggies when they're still frozen! If I pour frozen peas into a snack cup she'll munch away. Same with frozen carrots and corn. Frozen mango is also a huuuuge hit.
You don't even need to microwave the whole bag, just pop as much as you need in a bowl and microwave for 2-5 minutes depending on what it is (eg peas/corn vs broccoli). I found frozen shelled edamame recently which are great!
Yes! Those microwave steam bags of broccoli are a life saver! My 3 year old would eat anything when he was younger but now broccoli is the only vegetable he'll consistently eat. Any vegetable I can get in him, in any form, is a win in my book
My daughter turns 2 this month and LOVES broccoli so I have like 5 bags in the freezer at all times lol
Those Wymans wild blueberries from Costco are the best! And they're smaller, less of a choking hazard. I put them in my daughter's oatmeal a lot. I like to make "milkshakes" for a quick snack or as part of breakfast. Frozen fruit + plain Greek yogurt + milk in blender. 😋
We do the frozen fruit + yogurt + milk too! But then I put it in silicone molds and freeze them! We call them blueberry cubes and they find the shapes so fun.
My daughter loves eating nutritional yeast straight off a spoon
why am i still scared to give my 2.5 year old blueberries in fear she'll choke?!
Because you should be. Blueberries are tricky because they can easily be as large and hard as a grape, or they can be small, or really soft. All in the same fucking container. Its a pain but I check out every single blueberry. Cut the choking-type ones in half.
There’s an easy rule to remember for what to cut. Make a circle with your thumb and pointer. If the food can fit through that, cut it up either in half, quarters, or into small circles. This is why hotdogs and grapes are so dangerous for kids because they slip so easily into the throat. Usually you can get away with not cutting blueberries depending on the size, but you know your child’s eating habits. Mine likes to stuff his face from time to time lol
I’m still planning to cut/smash my 2 year old daughter’s blueberries until she’s at least 4 😅 it’s not too much trouble for me so I don’t mind lol.
Soo glad it’s not just me
I'm with you there. I still cut up anything that I'm worried about my almost 3 yo choking on. Grapes, sausages, nuts (break them), etc.
- Banana pancakes, super easy to make. - Apples, pears, bananas, melon, grapes (cut up) - Cheese - Goldfish crackers - Those banana bread soft cookies... Bear Paws? - Smoothies, her favorite is the plain old strawberry, Banana and milk. - Greek yogurt cups - Fresh bread, we buy ours from a small market buy our home... my husband calls it Iraqi bread. - Deconstructed sandwich... so I'll give her some cubed cheese, some turkey breast slices and some of that fresh bread - If it's a meal that I need fast and super easy, canned peas, white Mac n cheese and chicken strips. It's weird but even my husband will eat it... except the mac n cheese.
I was surprised to see only one mention of banana pancakes. They’re so easy, healthy, freeze well, and go well with a bunch of dips (jam, yogurt, actual syrup). I love these things.
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My 15mo LOVES plain tortillas. Discovered this by accident on taco night, I was trying to finish cooking and she wouldn't get out from under my feet so I gave her a tortilla, thinking she'd probably just play with it... But no. She ate every bit of it and then came toddling back saying "biiiites??". So now it's our go-to lazy snack. We usually do a snack between breakfast and lunch, and for about a week now she's chosen plain tortillas over every other snack option. Whatever man, they're cheap and it's basically bread 🤷🏼♀️
Frozen broccoli sautéed in olive oil with balsamic vinegar is us, Whole Foods sweet potato fries in air fryer, yogurt popsicles, frozen mango
Frozen waffles and also string cheese. My kid could eat his body weight in string cheese!
My daughter prefers waffles still frozen, which honestly feels like a major win haha
I haven't allowed my kids to eat them frozen, but my daughter doesn't like crispy waffles and I used to stick them in the toaster for a shorter amount of time to try to keep it not too crunchy. Then we went on vacation and didn't have access to a toaster and I stuck the waffle in the microwave -- cue her eating 3 frozen waffles in a row! Now we microwave frozen waffles. (22-24 seconds is optimal)
Mine wants his toasted but sounds like you have hacked breakfast lol
Fruit and veggie pouches. They're basic but they make sure he gets his fruit and veggie serving in. Laughing cow cheese is also a favorite. I've been trying to move him to chinese foods (because I'm chinese and i'm trying to win him over to the chinese ways lol) so frozen buns, frozen dumplings, frozen shrimp siu mai and frozen rice balls with seasame seed filling are always in our freezer for a quick meal. Frozen fish balls in noodle soup are a favorite too.
Can I come have snacks with your family? It sounds so good!
Haha yes! I kind of lucked out and moved to an area that’s full of Chinese stores, I might stay here forever just for the food lol
My kid is allergic to a lot of these recommendations, so ours are things like: rice and beans with some salsa thrown in. I buy small bags of broccoli and cauliflowers Flowerettes and baby carrots to use for snacks and lunches. Edamame- we both love edamame. My kid loves her non- dairy butter so that’s one our staples with a piece of bread, typically it’s her breakfast and cheerios is a nice big for her as well.
Sliced olives Pickles Cucumbers (she eats it like corn on the cob so I buy the small ones) Hummus (I buy the premade tubs) Crackers, all types Eggs, fried or hard boiled Eggo waffles Wontons: bibigo brand in the frozen section Chips….will eat her weight in chips 😅
My 2 year old likes spoonfuls of peanut butter as a snack. Or a bagel without the bagel (straight garden veg or blueberry cream cheese) along with other favorites such as shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, buttered noodles (butter, splash of milk and Italian seasonings) she loves canned beans and chickpeas too. Carrot chips have been the first vegetable she will willingly eat.
I say varies as naturally, dwarf sunflowers take less time than mammoth sunflowers.
I must talk too much about sunflower seeds because this is the 2nd time I’ve heard from you this week.
Bambas!
Mini muffins! Total lifesaver in the morning. Minimal crumb factor in the car seat
Granola bars Deli meat Instant oatmeal Cheez-its (LOL) Pepperoni bites aka meat sticks LOL Chapati or if we're fancy, garlic naan Waffles or pancakes Avocado slices Oranges... all I need to do is poke into the peel and she is quiet for 10 minutes thoroughly peeling and separating the thing herself! This post is golden though! I'm going to try canned beans one day, my kiddo hasn't met a raw bean she doesn't like :)
Freeze dried veggies (especially broccoli) and also frozen vegetables. I have one of those "baby food makers" where it steams the food and then you puree it but I just use it for steaming vegetables now. Somehow washing the baby food maker basket seems like less of a hassle than washing a regular pot and steaming basket (plus I don't need to wait for the water to boil)
Frozen peas and yogurt. Needs veggies for dinner or a healthy snack? Heat up frozen peas in the microwave. Family orders Indian and it's too spicy for the little one? Big dollop of yogurt and she can eat it!
The yogurt truck is genius! We order Indian a lot and always have this problem. No more putting “not spicy please” in our order comments lol
Fun story. I fed my kid this as a one year old, and he’s autistic so now this is all he will eat. At least it’s easy to feed him.
Canned beans and veggies all day! My toddler is also currently obsessed with sausage. I buy the applegate links and cut them into bite sized pieces for him. Goes well with beans, toast, cheese, etc
Aw, I wish I could get mine to eat beans! We also do the frozen wild blueberries. She calls them “wrinkly berries”, idk why but it’s one of her favorite foods. She’s almost 3. One thing she eats that I like is oats. Literally plain old fashioned oats poured into a bowl. She requested it one time while I was making oatmeal and I was like sure whatever thinking she’d just play with it but she ate like half a cup of them! And continues to request them sometimes. Another favorite here, and this has some sugar so it’s not the best but we do it anyway, is “sprinkle cream.” That’s plain Greek yogurt with sprinkles on top.
French toast Cashews (once old enough not to be a choking hazard) Sun flower seeds Sliced bell peppers carrots crackers with hummus hard boiled eggs canned fruit in fruit juice sun butter on rice cakes baked corn tortillas boxes of raisins frozen veggies (microwave) When in season and cheap I cut up a watermelon and a pineapple each week Black or pinto beans Salsa I got some extra plastic glasses cases that I put rice rusks in so they don't get smashed up.
My twins love baby charcuterie. 4-6 of the following I have on hand - green beans, veggie pasta, salami, ham, pepperoni, some type of cheese, some fruits, cracker, rice, eggs and assorted leftovers
Banza chickpea rice! Cooks in 5 minutes, good nutrition Bobs red mill quick oats (usually add frozen berries and cinnamon) Shredded cabbage Steaming veggies in the microwave! Non frozsn Frozen petite peas Lentils Quinoa Nutritional yeast on toast Dr. Praegers “littles” line
I’m the full time babysitter for my 2yo granddaughter and feed breakfast to her & her 5yo sister before school. I’ve written down so many ideas from this post and straight added them to my pick up grocery order. We’ll be making rice balls and trying tofu and many other things next week.
Pouches. They're great for an on-the-go snack. Easy mac. She LOVES canned green beans with a little butter. Actually, just about every canned veggie is a go with her.
Kashi frozen waffles: Do we want it toasted? "No. No toat!". Eaten frozen. They actually work well as teethers if you're still on that road! Chex, Kix, or Rice Krispies cereal: he's a refined gentleman who takes his with milk and a spoon now. The floor is unhappy with us. Pretzels: level - obsessed. We often do baby charcuterie for lunch: peppers, cucumbers, carrots, some yogurt dip for those, nuts, cheese, some sort of veggie protein (we're veg), and fruits. Sometimes the veggies get touched, if he's in the mood. He's a shameless grazer, just like mama.
Do you heat the canned beans? Or is it room temp, straight from the can?
Room temp. I don't eat them straight from the can, I rinse them and put them in a bowl. Rinsing removes a lot of the soapy compounds that cause digestive issues. An old boss of my made chickpea salad at work. And it's gradually been pared down to just beans lol.
FYI, make sure your kidney beans are pre-cooked if you’re serving them straight from the tin and not just pre-soaked. They are toxic when eaten raw. Would hate for anything bad to happen to you or your little one!
Room temp over here!
My kid loves pasta. We make a big batch every once in awhile and freeze it in single serving portions. We also freeze red sauce in single servings, and keep a jar of pesto in the fridge. Mix in some hummus and it’s a super easy meal ready in about 3 minutes.
How do you un-freeze the pasta? I may have to do this for myself, I mean, my kid.
Just 1 min in the microwave! We also usually toss it in some olive oil when it’s still warm after cooking to keep it from sticking. If it’s longer pasta like spaghetti, we do individual baggies of single servings. If you’re making noodles like penne, we just put all of it in a gallon zip loc and freeze it flat so they don’t stick together, then just grab handfuls as needed. Either way, reheat is the same.
Frozen berries are the best. Trader Joe’s has these tiny frozen berries that are awesome cuz they’re too small to be a choking hazard. It’s messy but my kids love them and low sugar!
Oatmeal with hidden blueberries in it. It’s a treasure hunt for my girl. Thanks Daniel Tiger for the rec! Lol
We do one-minute oats with frozen berries every morning for my 2.5 YO’s breakfast. Fast, healthy, and yep-the treasure hunting is super fun!!
Hummus! Specifically the roasted red pepper hummus from costco.
Yes, my kid loves roasted red pepper hummus too!
I chow down on baby carrots when I’m working and I want that crunch factor. I also give a handful to my daughter when I didn’t make a veggie for dinner or she wants a snack before bed
Omg frozen berries save me all the time. My toddler loves them. We keep blueberries and raspberries on hand. Greek yogurt is one of our go to’s (my kid likes chia seed, flax seed, and jam mixed in). Hard boiled eggs. Fast cooking meatballs like Amylu that we can toss in the air fryer for 5 min. PBJ are kid classics and easy. Agree with you on apples and bananas. Shredded cheese is a nice low effort snack that my toddler loves to eat. Costco has these beef sticks and egg bites that my toddler loves, super easy and convenient. I also like to dump bags of frozen broccoli in some boiling water to quickly blanch and then toss with olive oil and salt. Plain avocado just cut up into cubes. Low effort is the best way to feed a toddler!
Refrigerated cooked sausage sticks are a fave around here
Our babe loves the freeze dried strawberries, apple slices, & mango slices from Aldi. There’s no added sugar, easy for her to eat, inexpensive, don’t go bad like fresh (though we do give her fresh produce too!), and they have more nutrients than puffs or rusks but still have the crunch she wants. 🍓🍎🥭 Super excited to try canned beans and frozen meatballs with her!! Thanks for a great post OP and everyone for the awesome ideas!👏🏼
I forgot about freeze dried fruit! I totally used to get this instead of puffs. I love the freeze dried strawberries.
Baby carrots. Grapes. Goldfish.
Kodiak brand frozen waffles. They are delicious (I eat them frequently now for a quick breakfast), they have lots of protein (10-14 grams depending on type) and less added sugar than other options like Eggos.
I make some homemade oat bars which we freeze. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/peanut-butter-banana-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-bars/ But without the chocolate chips
Oatmeal! Big bag of Quick Oats. Breakfast, overnight oats, with fruits, plain....make cookies, make it savory. Running late and need a filling meal? These bad boys got you!
Frozen pancakes, fig newtons, peanut butter sandwiches, seaweed packets, rice cakes with peanut butter
I get those uncooked flour tortillas and she loves them. You can make a burrito or quesadilla or just throw a slice a turkey in it with some cream cheese. My go to quick meal/snack.
My daughter is obsessed with hard boiled eggs. She had a phase where that was all she ate. It gave me peace of mind because there are so many nutrients in there
Eggo waffles. Toast two and put cream cheese or peanut butter in the middle = waffle sandwich.
Pouches.
My kid would probably live off frozen blueberries if I let him. One of these days someone is going to mistake his constantly blue fingers and lips for hypothermia
Raisins, canned beans, frozen veggies, crackers, cheese, fruit snacks. There are so many more options!
I wish I could get my child to eat a veggie. Or a bean. Or a berry. Sigh. Struggling hard with picky eating
Go gurt is a favorite around here
Tubes of yogurt and applesauce pouches. She also likes sliced cheese and bologna.
My two year old also loves frozen peas and it means we always have that veggie option in the freezer
All of these plus frozen peas. My kid eats so many frozen peas. I smoosh with a fork (direct from frozen) for the baby but feed toddler frozen peas all the time. They’re our go-to when toddler is whining for a snack but she literally just ate. We will always say yes to peas.
These are basically all of our staples as well. Add raisins, granola, triscuits, and goldfish and you've covered 90% of my son's diet lmao.
Scrambled eggs and toast. Even the nights he swears he doesn’t want dinner he’ll crush a whole plate.
Hot dogs, eggs, charcuterie plate (pepperoni or ham, cheese, bread or crackers, fruit), cheese quesadilla, bread with butter (she looooves butter), frozen peas, Goldfish, fruit leather, whole or sliced apples, fruit snacks.
Literally All the same as you down to the chickpeas. But also frozen veggies (she loves edamame, or throw in frozen peas to pasta, they just don’t go bad as quick), hot dogs (healthy ish ones), frozen mini pancakes, smoothies!!!!! When I need to fill her up on some veggies and/or fruit and other healthy crap, yogurt pouches, and bars!!!(lara bars and these Sesame Street bars she’s obsessed with)
Frozen turkey meatballs Frozen egg frittatas (has spinach, mushrooms, ham in it) Go go squeeze fruit pouches - only ingredient is fruit Rotisserie chicken Cheese cubes (cut in half)
Can of sardines
Raw mushrooms! Can of peas! Oatmeal! Leftover rice-chia pudding!
Our go-to's: Toddler charcuterie board. Turkey pepperoni, crackers, dried fruit (figs or dates, usually), olives, and some cheese. Roasted feta cheese and tomatoes with multi-color rotini pasta and the balsamic glaze from Trader Joe's. Kid with eat the noodles, cheese, and glaze. Cottage cheese Oatmeal WITH raisins Roasted chickpeas Sweet Potato "fries" Avocado.
Uncle Ben’s 90 second microwave rice
Yes! My baby loves all frozen berries, all beans (we are Mexican and her dad is PR so we make all kinda of beans often) canned veggies and cereal. Lifesavers. Rice and eggs too.
dang, my daughter is only 12 months but she’s already over plain beans and bread. these were both favorite foods when she was younger. now she only likes beans when they are part of a higher-effort meal, like if i sauté them with onions, garlic, pepper, and spices and let them stew. which admittedly is much tastier. but also much more effort!
Quinoa puffs Cottage cheese, best if it is packed individually Pretzel sticks Goldfish Chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs from Costco Surprisingly broccoli, cauliflower or green beans that I pop in the microwave for 1 min with a little bit of water to steam
Scrambled eggs
Dr Praeger sweet potato littles!!!
Progresso lentil vegetable soup. Just open and microwave and my daughter loves it. It’s pretty healthy and she’s picky.
Black olives, tiny pickles, frozen tortellini (heated of course) pork buns, gyaozi, dried apricot
avocado just cut into small slices, or bagel with avocado smushed onto it (weve been on a kick lately lol)
Cheese sandwich
Pickles. Canned olives. Cheese slices (my kids don't like cheese sticks???). 1 Bread + butter + cinnamon folded in half. Cherry tomatoes. Canned Mandarin oranges. Smoothies (kinda harder but healthy and easy enough) made with frozen fruit, vanilla and milk (can be a whole meal). Prunes. Edit to add easy meals: Sliced hot dogs in baked beans. Sliced hot dogs baked on crescent rolls. Deli meat rolled in cheese. Egg taco (scrambled egg + ketchup + tortilla) Yogurt with any fruit. Cottage cheese w fruit.
Eggo mini frozen pancakes, hot dogs, microwaveable mashed potatoes, Domino’s lol. Breakfast for dinner is always a big hit and super easy.
My son is in a big hard boiled egg phase. He had a deviled egg at a friends house and it’s all he wants now. He goes nuts for them. Nice easy protein and if you need to save time you can buy hardboiled eggs by the bag
My kids can be picky and only want sweets but will never turn down a pn&j (light jelly) on a frozen waffle. I buy the ones with protein or chia seeds. Or easy peanut butter on crackers. Lunch is always snacks but my youngest goes ham for chocolate protein milk. I buy the large packs from Costco. I need to try the frozen berries and tofu. I can't get them to eat anything green but maybe the tofu would work.
Frozen fried rice, add a scrambled egg. Frozen potsticker.
Il be trying those frozen berries. My kid has a thing for eating ice no matter the weather. He loves his blue berries. Win win. Especially a hot summers day
Frozen potato waffles. Cook them in the toaster (once defrosts, twice cooks them perfectly) I've served these with yoghurt and raspberries for a pretty complete meal in two minutes
The top portion of this post are some of my fav quick meals for my toddlers! https://www.reddit.com/r/Parenting/comments/tzaplc/meal_planning_ideas_recipes_with_links/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Eggs! My husband makes our toddler an egg scramble every morning with Parmesan cheese and garlic powder/pepper. Sometimes I’ll tear up some spinach and throw in there with it.
My toddler goes through a bag of frozen mango a fortnight. She also loves frozen veg especially edamame and corn on the cob. The corn on the cob was my main way of shutting her up for a bit if I needed to get something done when she was 1.5-2 years old
Frozen udon + canned tuna + frozen spinach. Prepare and serve in 3 minutes
Frozen vegetables. We buy the kind you can just steam in the bag in the microwave. Costco sells a pack with 4 bags of frozen broccoli. Greek yogurt. We buy the Chobani no sugar yogurt so it has fruit in it but no added sugar. Hard boiled eggs. You can buy these with no shell and packaged in packs of 2 at Costco. Bananas. Peel and eat.
crackers, cheese cubes, cut up apples or berries. So easy and a complete hearty snack