Looking for healthy toddler meals to feed your kid? Here are 40 ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner to help inspire you if you’re stuck in a rut!
(Originally published October 2016)
Hi Friends!
When my oldest (who is now 6) was a toddler, I took SO many photos of his toddler food. So many more than I take of my third kid’s plate as a two-year-old š As I started sharing them, people constantly asked me for more healthy toddler meals so I started saving the photos and rounding them up into large posts like this.
Food for toddlers can be tricky and I’m hopeful that posts like this help inspire some parents who might be stuck in a mealtime rut!
Food For Toddlers
These are some of the actual meals and snacks for toddlers that I fed my oldest as a two-year-old.
Did he always clean his plate? No.
Did he always eat the fruit? Yes.
Was he fairly willing to try pretty much anything I put on his plate? Yes…which makes me happy, even if he spits it right back out.
Sure I could easily feed him the same few things every day….and sometimes I do fall into that rut because it’s easy…but I do my best to feed him a variety of real, whole foods.
If you’re interested, these are our favorite plates and they’re from Re-Play Recycled. (Affiliate link) And if you want to know more about my feeding philosophy, you can read Why My Toddler Doesn’t Always Eat What I Eat.
If you have kids that are a little older and you need lunch box ideas, I have a whole guide- A Month of Easy Packed Lunch Ideas For Kids to help you out!
Here are some healthy recipes for toddlers:
Cornbread + Spanish Rice + Mexican Chicken Skillet
Peaches + Sheet Pan Pork Chops w/ Sweet Potatoes & Apples
Sweet Potato + TortelliniĀ +Apples + Chicken Sausage
Sweet Potatoes + Peas + Cajun Meatloaf + Hummus
Siggis 4% Vanilla Yogurt + Blueberries + Barely Banana Protein Pancakes w/ smashed berries
Apples + Avocado + Annie’s Organic mac & cheese + peas
Sweet Potato + Tortellini + Blueberries + Avocado Toast + Chicken Sausage
Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Grain Toast w/ butter + MandarinĀ Oranges+ Scrambled Eggs
Maple Hill Creamery Plain Full Fat Yogurt + Peaches + Aussie Bite (sold at Costco or on amazon) + Turkey
Avocado + Pears + Barely Banana Protein Pancakes w/ smashed berries
Mediterranean Skillet Chicken PastaĀ w/ ketchup + Homemade Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce
Cottage Cheese + Grapes + Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffles
Yogurt + Blueberries + Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar
Pears + Peas + Chicken & Black Bean Quesadilla
Pears + Yogurt + PB Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Tortellini w/ pasta sauce + Grapes + Egg Waffle
Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffle w/ peanut butter + Blueberries + Turkey
Grapes + Cottage Cheese + PB & J Toast
Sweet Potato + Pears + Tuna Quinoa Cake w/ ketchup
Strawberries + Avocado Toast + Pulled Pork with hummus
Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Grain Toast + Strawberries + Fried Egg
Baked Beans + Mac & Cheese + Pulled Pork (our fav takeout meal)
Pears + Roasted Squash w/ cottage cheese + Pork & Hummus
Mandarin oranges + plain SiggisĀ 4% yogurt + sausage + Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar
Applesauce + Sweet Potato + Lasagna
Pears + GF Pumpkin Yogurt Bar + Pork
Baked Beans + Apple Sauce + Tuna Quinoa Cake
Red pepper strips + Apple + Turkey, Cheese & Hummus Roll-up
Pumpkin Energy Ball + Cucumber + French Toast Waffle (dip bread in egg/milk batter and put on waffle iron)
Peaches + Steamed Mixed Veggies + Rotisserie Chicken & Tortellini w/ marinara
Polenta + Pears + Brown Sugar Roasted Squash + Grilled Chicken
Peanut Butter Toast + Prunes + Slow Cooker Creamy Pumpkin Chicken
Chicken Tortellini (Costco) + Steamed Veggies + Rotisserie Chicken
Plain yogurt + peaches + banana bread muffin
Grapes + Sweet Potatoes + Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Strawberries + Mac and Cheese + Turkey
Peas + Edamame with hummus + Turkey and Avocado Grilled Cheese
PB & J Toast + Avocado + Turkey
CottageĀ Cheese + Pumpkin Muffin + Hard Boiled Egg
Pasta + Corn + Crockpot Meatballs
See any ideas that inspired you? Be sure to pin this post to inspire others as well!
Reminder: The plates are from Re-Play Recycled. (aff link)
If this post was helpful and you’re looking for even more ideas, I’ve got more posts just like this! Check them out here:
- A Month of Toddler Meals
- 50+ Toddler Meal Ideas
- 50 Healthy Toddler Meals
- 50 Quick Toddler Meal Ideas
You might also like:
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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Honestly it’s like you read my mind! haha I was looking on Pinterest last night for exactly this!
I know nothing about feeding children so I will pass this along! #dogmom
You’ve mentioned that your child doesn’t always clean up his plate. If he doesn’t, do you give him something else to eat? To me, it looks like you’re portioning doesn’t look like you are giving him enough. Or is that really how much a toddler eats? I like the fact that you’re giving him variety of foods though.
My kids are so picky. Most of the time they only eat one kind of food at mealtime. It’s either mac n’ cheese only, fries only, or rice n’ beans only. Fruits would be later on for snack. Meats are very rare in their meals. ( I am not vegetarian. They just don’t like it). I’d like to try how you prepare your kid’s meals.
no, if he doesn’t clean his plate he just waits for the next meal or snack
I think your portions are perfect! They say when children first become toddlers their appetite will decrease and this seems like such a reasonable amount of food. You can’t force your children to eat more than they want.
Are you making your own baked beans or do you have brand that you recommend? I’m going through this post for some inspiration š Thank you!
I’m working on a homemade recipe but not having much luck. We always get them from the takeout bbq place ad he loves them but i haven’t been able to get him to eat the ones i make at home yet. Gonna keep trying!
Hi Lindsay,
My little man is a very picky eater. Or maybe it’s me? We eat slot of chicken. One because it’s cheap and two because I don’t like a lot of beef, but we will eat it… Anyways I feel like my child just keeps playing with his food and isn’t eating it. Could be I’m not making it interesting enough for him… I feel like I have ran out of ideas.
Hi Lindsay! I really like this post! I was wondering where did you buy those plates? Thanks!
i buy them on amazon. They’re made by re-play
Thank you so much for these toddler plate ideas! My little one is 13 months with 4 teeth (2 top and 2 bottom). She’s refusing to eat pureed foods now, but is super picky with solids. She won’t eat meat or vegetables. She just wants fruit and cheese. I’ve decided that I’m going to make these toddler plates for her from now on. If she doesn’t eat them right away, I’ll try again an hour later. Ideally, when she’s hungry and she knows there are no other options, I’m praying she will be willing to try new foods and (hopefully) like them!
good luck! mine would eat just fruit and cheese too if i let him!
Thanks so much for this list!!
Very useful guide. I can see I’ve been expecting my toddler to eat too much maybe that’s why he isn’t eating well.
Love your posts on Healthy Toddler Meals. Gives me lots of ideas since I struggle with my 18 month oldŹ»s menu. Can I ask, what kind of sausage do you have in your meals?
most of them are just the Meijer brand chicken sausage. I try to find the lowest sodium versions i can.
Hello, Lindsay. My son is 2 and I am trying to feed him healthy meals and snacks. What bothers me is that everything is packaged and canned. In your opinion is there much difference healthwise between unsweetened fruit cups and whole fruit or home-baked bread and store-bought bread? Frozen vegetables vs fresh ones? Lunch meat? I can go on and on. Thank you!
for things like canned or packaged fruit i look for varieties canned in juice only with no added sugar. For bread I look for minimal ingredients, lower sodium and higher in fiber and protein. for lunch meat I look for minimal ingredients and lower sodium. I think frozen veggies are a great option and can often be more nutritious than fresh ones that have been sitting for a while!
Great ideas! I have seven toddlers in my daycare home and struggle to have variety-I tend to find something they all like and use it to death! Also, I LOVE, LOVE ,LOVE the Re-Play site!!! I got right on Amazon and ordered 8 plates & bowls in 8 different colors, and as soon as they arrived and I saw how awesome they are, I ordered 8 tumblers to match them! My kids are so excited about them, too!
This article taught me the importance of exposing my firstborn to a variety of foods. She is a great eater and requests whatever I have. Thank you for the encouragement and guidance when meal prepping for my first child. You were really helpful as she transistioned from breast milk to solids. She’s now a healthy, adventurous, 2-year-old eater.
This is a great list of ideas. However, do you have a link to go with the ones that have a recipe?
the ones that have recipes are hyperlinked in green! if i link it earlier in the post and then repeat it, sometimes i don’t like it a second time!
Very useful guide. I can see Iāve been expecting my toddler to eat too much maybe thatās why he isnāt eating well.
Iām sorry but these meals look and seem utterly unappetising! For one thing they are mostly beige, when it is well known that eating the rainbow is not only nutritionally superior but more stimulating to the senses and salivary glands. There are lots of processed foods in these descriptions including sausages which arenāt considered healthy by anyone. Iām confused that as a nutritionist you would endorse this approach. I have so many questions: Why are the sweet portions served up with the savoury? And why in these compartment plates? Is that how your adult family members eat as well?
My toddler is two and a half and eats everything we eat – from fresh pasta with homemade spinach sauce and asparagus to spaghetti with homemade meatballs, baked salmon and potatoes to mushroom risotto and Lo Mein.
Why are you preparing two separate meals for the adults and children in the home?
Thanks for your concern. This is just a sampling of meals. My kids eat plenty of rainbow colored foods throughout the day. I believe sausages are fine for an occasional food. I also don’t believe there’s any reason to separate sweet and savory foods. They can be served at the same time at the same meal. Compartment plates are a choice. You don’t have to use them for your family. Glad to hear your toddler is eating so well! As far as separate meals, i’ve written several posts about how I used food prep to make it easy to throw together quick meals during the week and in our house, we don’t all eat the same thing at each meal. It works for us, but I never said anyone else needed to do it the same way.
Ugh, why are you so negative? I was having a good time looking at these samples and reading the comments until yours popped it. I can feel your evil through the text. Please leave this nice lady alone, who put her time into sharing easy meals a toddler can try. Some kids are more picky than others. I make homemade pasta for my baby and she will eat risotto, but she’ll squirm at strawberries and some others foods. It’s different for every kid, take what works, leave we what doesn’t.
Lindsay, excellent work here āĀ so many helpful ideas in one post! Hadn’t even considered pulled pork, and it is easy to make in the background overnight.
Tara ā it’s a great big world out there with all sorts of people ā single parents working multiple jobs, parents with disabilities, etc. Not everyone can avoid “processed” foods all the time. Take that negative energy and convert it into something helpful, you’re adding nothing to the conversation as is.
I have to agree with the other person. I was enjoying reading through the post and comments until I read your comment. You wouldnāt say that to her face. Why be so mean to someone who is trying to be so helpful? If you donāt agree, move on and keep searching for something that meets your needs. I found this post very helpful. I appreciate the time and effort it took put this post together. Just imagine all the pictures she had to remember to take.
Very useful guide. I can see Iāve been expecting my toddler to eat too much maybe thatās why he isnāt eating well.
I found this post very helpful. Thank you so much for giving me ideas. My twins just started eating table foods very recently and I was really struggling to figure out ideas. They are 15 months old and are already exhibiting some pickiness so for me just trying different foods to see what they like and what they don’t is a plus. So far my boys love fruit so much they’d probably eat only fruit at every meal. This gives me some options.