We all know that toddlers can be so finicky. One day they love blueberry yogurt, the next they are making art by spitting it all over the dining room wall. Seriously! We moms just can’t catch a break.
In my experience, the best way to keep my walls clean and my toddlers fed is to mix it up a little. But really, who has time to make 100 different meals. So when I say mix it up, I mean I take our staple meals and give them a twist. Keeping those little monsters guessing is the key. What concoction of mac and cheese will be on my plate today? Where will mom hide all the veggies? (Honestly, I was blessed with kids who love veggies. But I always try to pack more in where ever I can.) I keep those kiddos on their toes and they enjoy eating, almost like it’s a game.
I love food! So bringing the joy of eating, while teaching my kids to be healthy, is something I am very passionate about. When I say healthy, I do mean healthy-ish. We all do our best, but I have to admit, Annie’s Mac and Cheese is one of my top five toddler meals with a twist.
Basically you can add a twist to any meal your kids already like. That’s what I did. Here are five of my toddlers’ favorite meals with a few twist options.
At lunchtime, I do try to incorporate a starch (preferably whole grain) + protein + veggie + dairy (a glass of milk).
1. Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese Casserole with ham and veggies.
I use Annie’s organic Mac and Cheese
- Add cut up meat- ham, kielbasa, chicken sausage, shredded chicken, tuna
- Add frozen veggies- I add the veggies right to the noodles as I am boiling them. Peas and broccoli are a favorite in my house.
- Or do both at the meat and veggies to the Mac and Cheese and it’s a regular old casserole! 😉
2. Peanut Butter and Jelly (Sandwich?)
Peanut butter is a staple in our house. I think my kids would smear it on just about anything!
Elliana snacking on a plain toasted muesli round.
- Toast a muesli round and put a thin layer of peanut butter on that (open face). My kids all love snacking on these with or without the peanut butter.
- Cut an apple into slices. Then add a dollop of peanut butter for dipping. Who doesn’t love dipping! Boston is a green apple fanatic.
3. Lunch Wrap
You can use any type of wrap, we prefer whole wheat, sprout, or spinach wraps.
Sprouted wrap with cream cheese, turkey, and avocado.
- Smear wrap with hummus or garden veggie cream cheese. Then layer meat (lunch meat, shredded chicken, tuna), cheese (we used shredded), and veggies (cucumbers, peppers, spinach, shredded carrots, anything). Roll the wrap and cut it in half or into pinwheels.
- Mix together an avocado, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and any type of shredded meat. Add a few dashes of lemon pepper and a dash of salt. Generously spread the mixture on the wrap. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Roll the wrap and cut it into pinwheels.
- Meat wrap- Lunch meat smeared with hummus and sprinkles with cheese then rolled up. Or turn it inside out and put a piece or two of lunch meat inside a slice of cheese. Fold and eat!
- Lettuce wrap- Take one leaf of Romain lettuce and smear it with hummus then layer in whatever your toddler might like. We usually do meat (lunch meat, shredded chicken, tuna), cheese (we used shredded), and veggies.
4. Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese quesadilla with avocado and salsa.
Yum! A good old grilled cheese sandwich. Who doesn’t love that? And adding a little flare to something already so good never hurts.
- Add avocado or pesto and or tomatoes to your sandwich before grilling.
- Instead of a grilled cheese sandwich, grill it up on a whole wheat wrap, making it a quesadilla. If you are feeling really frisky with this one add in some sauteed peppers or broccoli for a little veggie kick. I always serve these with salsa and avocado slices.
5. Smorgasbords
Lunch Smorgasbord with rolled up deli turkey, fresh-cut veggies, pretzel thins with hummus and laughing cow cheese.
These may be the most fun because they can be anything. Here are a few of our favorites.
- Leftover smorgasbord. This is when we just take out all of our leftovers and everyone chooses their own meal, or meal combos.
- Cheese and cracker smorgasbord. I set out a platter of different cheeses (string cheese, cheddar block cheese cubed, spreadable cheese), different meats (summer sausage, lunch meat, cut up sausages), crackers/pretzel thins, and veggies (carrots, celery, cucumbers, peppers). Everyone gets to snack on what they want.
Goldfish are a staple in our pantry, but it is nice to have a few other go to snacks and meals for my hungry bunch. What do your toddlers like to eat?
