Making a quick, easy, and healthy lunch for your little one just got so much easier! These 12 Toddler Lunch Ideasare fun and balanced meals that will be devoured by your toddler in no time at all!
We’re going to make these quick, easy, and healthy toddler lunches with a little help from Beech-Nut, my favorite brand of store-bought baby food!
Kids at this age are notorious for being picky eaters and they’re also great at changing their minds 3 seconds before you put their plate down in front of them.
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Sometimes they’ll devour their entire plate in 3-seconds flat only to ask for another snack an hour later. Other times they’ll take one itsy-bitsy bite of food and declare they are full.
So, when it comes to toddler lunches, I aim for quick and easy options made with a variety of healthy foods to meet their nutritional needs. When I’m brainstorming toddler lunch ideas I always include:
And because I am not above sneaking in some extra bonus veggies when I can get away with it, I partnered with my favorite store-bought baby food, Beech-Nut, to help pack these lunches with even more fruits and veggies. These #momhacks are totally easy and your little one will never know the difference.
Healthy Toddler Lunch Ideas (quick And Easy!)
Left: Chopped pieces of roasted chicken, black beans, and shredded cheddar cheese; chopped blackberries; warmed peas with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of cumin. For dessert, a Beech-Nut Coldpuree pouch of pear & apricot puree.
To make Sushi Sandwich Rolls: place a piece of bread (I used whole wheat) onto a cutting board. Flatten the bread with your hand or a rolling pin as flat as you can get it without tearing holes into the bread. Cut off the crusts and trim bread into a rectangle.Spread roughly 1 teaspoon whipped cream cheese onto the bread and then layer 1 teaspoon of just banana, carrot & cranberry puree (or your favorite jam) on top. Place the bread on the cutting board and starting with the short end, tightly roll the bread up into a sushi roll. Cut into equal pieces and serve.
To make Hidden Veggies Grilled Cheese –take 2 pieces of whole wheat bread and spread butter on one side of each piece (the outside) and then spread roughly 1 teaspoon of just spinach, zucchini and peas on the other side (the inside) of each piece of bread. Layer 1-2 pieces of sliced cheddar cheese on top of the bread with the puree on it and lay the other piece of bread with the puree side towards the cheese. Grill sandwich in a medium skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes, flip and heat for 3 more minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is brown. Let cool slightly, cut into slices and serve. The green puree almost completely disappears into the bread, so kids will never know it was there.
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Right: Chopped turkey meatballs with citrusy sweet potato dip; chopped steamed broccoli with sea salt;chopped strawberries; and a banana, cherry & beet smoothie.
To make the Citrusy Sweet Potato Dip –stir together 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise) and 2 teaspoons of sweet potato, orange & pineapple puree until well incorporated.
To make Banana, Cherry & Beet Smoothie – add the contents of 1 banana, cherry & beet coldpuree pouch, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of ice, 1/4 cup of almond milk (or milk of choice) and 1 teaspoon of honey (optional) into a blender and blend for 1 minute or until smooth. Makes 1 toddler smoothie.
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To make Carrot Hummus – in a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup plain hummus and 2 tablespoons just carrot puree until will incorporated. Here is my favorite homemade carrot hummus recipe.
To make Surprise Peanut Butter Banana Quesadilla – spread 2 teaspoons of natural peanut butter (almond butter or seed butter also works) onto half of a medium flour tortilla. Slice half of banana and place the slices evenly on top of the peanut butter. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of just apple & blackberry puree (or favorite jam) over the bananas and peanut butter. Fold the tortilla in half and cook in a medium skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, flip and cook for 3 more minutes or until brown on both sides.
To make Cream Cheese Fruit Crackers – spread whipped cream cheese on top of your toddler’s favorite crackers. Dollop a teaspoon of banana, blueberry & avocado coldpuree pouch (or your favorite jam) on top and serve. You can keep the rest of the pouch for a healthy snack later on in the day.
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Right: Butternut squash mac and cheese + peas, apple ring with cinnamon and orange sections. I used this veggie cutter to cut the flower into the apple.
To make Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese + Peas – prepare the noodles from a normal size box of mac & cheese (this is our favorite brand). Follow the instructions for making the cheese sauce except only use half of the package of cheese powder and instead add in 2 heaping tablespoons of just butternut squash puree. I sprinkle the leftover cheese powder onto homemade popcorn for a fun mom snack:). Stir in the noodles and 1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas and serve. Wanna make it homemade?Here is my very popular recipe for homemade Butternut Squash ‘Mac & Cheese’.
To make Mango Rice with Edamame – In a small skillet over medium/low heat, whisk together 2 tablespoons just mango puree, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and a pinch of garlic powder. Add in 2 cups of cooked rice and 1/2 cup shelled edamame and stir until everything is incorporated. Feel free to add in some leftover chopped eggs into this recipe for a more authentic fried rice dish.Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. Fast Tip – I always keep a bag of frozen pre-cooked rice in my freezer for fast meals like this one.
Easy & Healthy Toddler Lunch Ideas
To make Pumpkin Yogurt – spoon some Greek yogurt into a small bowl or section of the plate. Place a cookie cutter (any shape works here) into the yogurt and gently press down. Spoon in just pumpkin puree and push around the puree until the entire cookie cutter shape is covered. Gently remove the cutter.Any puree or jam will also work in this recipe (recipe for easiest homemade jam can be found here).
Left: Healthy lunchable cheese and crackers, just pear puree with a pinch of nutmeg and chopped honeydew melon. I used this veggie cutter to cut out the cheese and meat.
DID YOU TRY ONE OF THESE HEALTHY TODDLER LUNCH IDEAS? I WANT TO SEE YOUR YUMMY CREATIONS! SNAP A PIC AND SHARE IT HERE ON PINTEREST.
Toddler Lunch Ideas Your Kid Will Love
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Beech-Nut Baby Food, but 100% of the opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Baby FoodE!
Here are 12 easy lunch recipes for toddlers! This recipe for a quick 2-minute veggie-loaded carrot hummus which is great served as a dip, spread onto a sandwich or wrap.Here are some quick lunch ideas for 1 to 3 year olds that are easy to eat and packed with nutrition! Enjoy at home or pack for school.
This is a fun time for food adventuring. Your toddler is becoming a more proficient eater and is able to handle a wide variety of foods and textures.
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However, you may be concerned that your child isn't eating as much as they once did when they were a baby. But don't be alarmed. Their growth rate drops significantly during this time and so a decrease in food intake is normal.
On the other hand, it’s possible your child may be hungrier than before. This too, is normal. Remember every child is different.
If your baby is growing, following theirunique growth curve, and happy, then they are eating the amount of food that’s RIGHT for them, even if it’s less or more than the recommendations or what you think they need to be eating.
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All this to say, use the meal ideas I'm providing to gain inspiration and have fun making them your own by taking into consideration your child's appetite, chewing abilities, food preferences, and allergies.
I highly encourage you to continue focusing on offering a variety of flavors and textures, even if your toddler is starting to display fussy eating behaviors.
I remember when I first started packing lunches for my one year old, I felt really confused and overwhelmed. I hope these tips are helpful!
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It depends on your child! Notice eating trends. If you're finding that more food returns home than is actually eaten, then try packing less.
While my son seems to prefer seeing abundance, your child might get really overwhelmed by seeing a lot of food. In that case, seeing smaller portions may actually encourage them to eat more.
Also, consider their eating habits. If they normally eat ½ of a sandwich at home, don't pack a full-size one. If they don't like to see too many choices, then keep things simple.
Toddler Meal Ideas For Lunch
Ask the teacher if they could repack what your child doesn't eat. This will allow you to
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