These Toddler Meal Ideas are simple, healthy toddler food ideas. Use these easy toddler meals to introduce new foods, help picky eaters and make mom life easier.
*Originally published in 2016*
Hi friends!
If you’re looking for toddler dinner ideas, you’re in the right place. They also work for breakfast, lunches and snacks! I’ve been sharing easy toddler meals since my oldest was 18 months old and I have quite a collection of toddler plate photos. These easy toddler meals are geared toward kids ages 1-4.
If you’re looking for more ideas, check out:
- 100 Healthy Toddler Meals (another large roundup post)
- 50+ Toddler Meal Ideas (PDF Download)
- A Month Of Easy Packed Lunches (Ebook)
Important note because someone always asks- the plates are from Re-Play Recycled. (affiliate link) They’re our favorite. I also love their cups and bowls.
Looking for toddler dinner ideas?
First, let’s cover a few points on feeding toddlers:
How much should my toddler eat?
I try to judge how my kids are eating by looking at the big picture. If they don’t eat one meal, they’ve likely either eaten well at 1 or 2 of the other meals, or had a few too many snacks that day. And if they haven’t, then they’ve usually eaten fairly well the day before or will the day after.
What should I feed my toddler?
When kids are toddlers, one of the most important things you can do is offer variety. Check out the plates below but I encourage you to sub other fruits and veggies based on what’s in season, things they have or haven’t tried yet, child preference, chewing ability, etc.
I try to offer several healthy fat sources during the day because it’s so important for brain development. That can include things like avocado, eggs, full fat dairy, nut and seed butters, fatty fish like salmon, foods cooked in oil like avocado oil and more!
What to give my toddler for lunch
This post is just meant to give ideas. All kids eat different amounts and varieties. No my kids don’t eat everything I serve them 🙂 I share these roundups not because I think you should be giving your kids these exact meals…but because I hope that perhaps they’ll give you some inspiration or spark some new ideas! Maybe you’ll just see a few components of a few meals and think “hey! I’ve never tried serving that to my kid”. I consider that a win.
Toddler won’t eat veggies?
Like all kids, mine have favorite foods so there are some repeats of meals and specific brand products in these photos. Like most people, we have our favorite brands. I’ll try to mention some of them in the first picture they show up in. Similarly, if the recipes are on my blog, I’ll link to them!
If your toddler doesn’t eat the vegetables and other foods you serve, the most important thing you can do is keep offering them. Here are some kid-friendly vegetable recipes. Kids need repeated exposures, especially to things like vegetables, so get creative and keep offering them. Try different shapes and forms- raw, cooked, steamed, sauteed, roasted, hot, cold, blended and more!
What should I not feed my toddler?
Avoid choking hazards under age 4. I cover choking hazards and toddler snack ideas in this post. Also keep an eye on added sugar and sodium levels in the foods you’re giving them.
Does my toddler need a multivitamin?
My friend and fellow RD Kacie wrote a great post all about the best multivitamins for toddlers. As always, we are dietitains but not YOUR child’s dietitian. If you have concerns, speak to their doctor or consult with a Registered Dietitian.
Here are some meals my oldest ate at ages 1 & 2
Easy Toddler Meals
- Avocado toast on Dave’s Killer Bread, strawberries & Honey Smoked Fish Company Salmon
- Strawberries, Chocolate Pea Cookie, Plainville Organic Turkey (from Costco), Strawberry PB Oatmeal
- Steamed veggies, Barilla protein+ spaghetti, Crockpot Meatballs
- Simple Mills Crackers with Sabra hummus, roasted sweet potatoes, baked chicken, taste of kale, bacon and goat cheese stuffed chicken, bbq sauce
- Corn, Dr. Praegers Spinach Littles, avocado toast
- Cucumber and hummus, HB eggs (from Costco), leftover hot dog from dinner out (I don’t buy hot dogs but both my kids eat them at restaurants)
- Barbara’s Cinnamon puffins, raspberries, waffle french toast peanut butter sandwich (just regular french toast cooked on a waffle iron with peanut butter in between)
- Grapes, Giovani Rana spinach and cheese tortellini, roasted cauliflower, Meijer Brand chicken sausage
Easy Toddler Lunches
- Steel cut oats made with cashew milk, peanut butter, cinnamon and vanilla and blueberries, peppers with ranch, roasted potatoes, bite of a salmon burger
- Sweet potato bite, blueberries, pepperoni and cheese rollup
- Pasta with red sauce, avocado toast, raisins, pulled pork with bbq sauce
- Blueberries, roasted sweet potato, avocado, pepperoni, farro
- Blueberries, roasted carrots, hard boiled egg, peanut butter toast
- HB egg, Broccoli Littles, Made in Nature Tart Cherry Figgy Pops, turkey and avocado roll-up
- Sunchips, Broccoli Littles, Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks (added shredded carrots), blueberries
- Peas, Lotus Foods ramen, shredded chicken with bbq sauce
Easy Meals For Toddlers
- Figgy pop, Triscuits with hummus, turkey stuffed with pepperoni and cheese
- Honey roasted peanuts, snap peas, pears, avocado toast
- Almond Butter Chicken and zoodles skillet (chicken and veggies separated), pear and pasta with red sauce
- Avocado toast, microwaved sweet potato, Egg Waffle
- Rice, roasted green beans, Instant Pot Asian Chicken
- Corn, Simple Mills crackers with hummus, french toast waffles
- Grapes, Egg Wrap, buttered noodles
- Pretzels with hummus, blackberries, PB & Banana Sandwich
- Banana Oat Bar, roasted sweet potatoes, pizza meatball (coming soon)
- Grapes, Pumpkin Yogurt Bar (made dairy free by subbing pea milk for yogurt, and I added hemp seeds), avocado, homemade chicken and noodles
- Carrots with ranch, crackers and hummus, bacon, Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Strawberries, Dr. Praeger’s Broccoli Littles, Kid Fresh Foods Chicken Meatballs
- Carrots with ranch, roasted sweet potatoes, chicken and black bean quesadilla
- Grapes, Pumpkin Yogurt Bar, PB Chocolate Cauliflower Oatmeal
- Crackers and hummus, cottage cheese and eggs
- Sweet potatoes, banana, pizza meatballs
Toddler Meals for Picky Eaters
- Blackberries, sweet potatoes, chicken and hummus naan pizza
- Sweet Potato Protein Cookie, Turkey, hummus and cheese rollup
- Maple Bacon Roasted Carrots, apples, waffle french toast
- Roasted carrots, strawberries, Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Waffle Mix, pork tenderloin
- Pears, rice, chicken fried rice
- Crackers and hummus, raspberries, pb&J
- Grapes, Lemon Energy Ball (with blueberries added)
- Hummus and pepperoni naan pizza
- Roasted sweet potatoes, steamed green beans, Kid Fresh Foods Chicken Meatballs
- Graham Cracker, strawberries, scrambled eggs with peas and chicken sausage
- Carrots and ranch, Coconut Oil Banana Muffin, Chicken Marsala
- Pineapple, Trail mix, Turkey
- Clementine, Kodiak Cakes pancakes with blueberries, hotdog
- Sweet potato, pears, lasagna
- Crackers and hummus, potatoes, turkey and avocado rollup, Outshine Popsicle
- Sweet potatoes, Love Grown Sea Stars, turkey, apple
- Smoked Salmon, strawberries, tortellini, Coconut Oil Banana Muffin
- Pear, Siggi’s 4% yogurt, crockpot pot roast, rigatoni
- Annie’s mac and cheese, peas, Freezer Chicken Tenders
- Curry roasted sweet potatoes, naan, chicken curry
- Bare apple chips with peanut butter, PB Chia Crackers, oatmeal with berries
- Carrots and ranch, Rice Krispie treat, meatballs
- Crackers and hummus, dates with peanut butter, Kid Fresh Foods chicken nuggets
- Crackers and hummus, pears, Green Smoothie Pancakes
- Naan with hummus, Lemon Energy Ball, tuna cake, strawberries
- Blueberries + Maple Hill Full Fat Plain Yogurt + Oatmeal w/ apples, pb & pumpkin seeds
- Kiwi + Sweet potato with Annie’s Organic ketchup + pulled pork
- Nectarine + Sweet Potato+ Avocado Chicken Burger with Sabra Original hummus
- Blueberries + Maple Hill Full Fat Plain Yogurt + Dave’s Killer Bread (21 Grain) + Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter
- Strawberries + Cucumber with hummus + Chicken & Black Bean Quesadilla
- Strawberries + Peanut Butter Toast + Meijer brand Spinach & Mozzarella Chicken Sausage
- Watermelon + Roasted Potatoes with ketchup + Avocado Chicken Burger
- Avocado + Hard Boiled Egg + Strawberries + Turkey
- Frozen Peas + Nectarine + Turmeric Yogurt Chicken with ketchup
- Grandma’s mac and cheese + Blueberries + Cabbage Roll
- Hard Boiled Egg + PB Banana Chia Pudding + Avocado Toast
- Avocado + Cheese + Simple Mills Crackers + Turkey + Hummus
- Avocado + Blueberries + Costco Cheese Tortellini + Pesto
- Plum + Chicken Parmesan with zoodles
- Raspberries + Daisy Cottage Cheese + Balsamic Chicken Caprese Pasta with marinara
- Watermelon + Pesto Tortellini + Turmeric Chicken + Hummus and crackers
- Hard boiled egg + Blueberries + Sweet Potato Bite + PB Banana Chia Pudding
- Sweet Potato + Raspberries + Roasted Chicken + Holy Guacamole Guac + Garden of Eatin’ Chips
- Grapes + Frozen Peas + BBQ Ribs
- Watermelon + Corn + King Crab + Steak
- Watermelon + pasta + cheese + ketchup + chicken
- Raspberries + Simple Mills Cheddar crackers with hummus + steak with ketchup + string cheese
- Green Beans with hummus and Italian dressing + peaches + turkey + guac & chips
- Sweet Potato + blueberries + chicken sausage + baked beans
- Blueberries + frozen peas + grilled chicken with ketchup + crackers
- Watermelon + Squash yogurt dip + meatloaf
- Butternut squash + grapes +avocado toast + turkey
- Pumpkin Yogurt Bar + cottage cheese + avocado + cheeseburger
Here are some meals my oldest ate as a 3 year old
- Peas, buttered noodles and smoked salmon
- Mashed squash, cinnamon applesauce, oatmeal with Crazy Richard’s peanut butter
- Siggi’s yogurt, cucumbers with Sabra hummus & baked oatmeal french toast sticks
- Roasted sweet potatoes, confetti cauliflower rice, hamburger with Annie’s ketchup
- Apple slices, carrots with ranch, naan pizza with mushrooms and meatballs
- Cherry tomatoes, Garden of Eatin chips with hummus, peanut butter & banana sandwich (Dave’s Killer Bread)
- Maple bacon roasted carrots, avocado, Cajun meatloaf and pears
- Simple Mills crackers with hummus, carrots with ranch, Lasagna soup
- Steamed peas, Triscuits with guac, chicken sausage and an apple
- Carrots & ranch, pears, crackers and smoked salmon
- Steamed sweet potatoes, yogurt, Kodiak cakes
- Broccoli tots, strawberries, turkey, hummus & cheese roll-up
- Spaghetti, Chocolate Butternut Squash Muffin, pulled pork with bbq sauce
- Yogurt, noodles, Instant Pot Hummus Chicken, pears
- Roasted sweet potato, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Plainville Organic Turkey, pears
- Pears, Carrots & Hummus, Quesadilla with hummus, chicken and cheese
- Spinach and cheese tortellini, roasted broccoli, crockpot meatball
- Cottage cheese, carrots, blackberries, sweet & spicy bacon wrapped chicken
- Pears, chicken pad thai, roasted sweet potatoes, egg wrap
- Cheese + ground beef quesadilla, steamed mixed veggies, pulled chicken and avocado
- Clementine, Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs, meatloaf
- Peanut Butter & Jelly, cold mixed veggies, smoked salmon
- Date with peanut butter, paprika roasted carrots, turkey and hummus sandwich
- Strawberries, yogurt, Bisquick + cottage cheese pancakes
- No Bake Chocolate Peppermint Bite, steamed green beans, Kodiak cakes with peanut butter
- Steamed sweet potatoes, Chickpea buckeye, peanut butter toast, chicken sausage
- Sweet potatoes, pears and turkey sandwich
- Pears, carrots with ranch, chicken & sweet potato chili
- Peas, mac and cheese, bbq pulled pork
- Chickpea buckeye, yogurt, cold green beans, hard boiled egg, pears
- Grapes, chips, hummus, pulled pork
- Graham crackers, banana, roasted squash and turkey
- Strawberries, Triscuits with hummus, chicken and sweet potato chili
- Applesauce (plus probiotic), hb egg, ham sandwich
- Fried egg, pears, pb&j toast
- Chocolate squash muffin, pears, Asian chicken and carrots
- Kiwi, cottage cheese, chocolate chip pancake, fried egg
- Pears, mac and cheese with sausage and peas, pb toast, tuna quinoa cake
- Strawberries, beans, pork and mac and cheese
- Pears, yogurt, egg wrap
- Fried egg, mandarin oranges, waffled french toast
- Cottage cheese, chips and hummus, bbq pulled pork
- Cottage cheese, carrots and hummus, beer braised pulled pork, crackers
- Strawberries, curry roasted sweet potatoes, pb&J and lemon broccoli
- Shells with marinara, green beans, tuna quinoa cake
- Roasted broccoli, blueberries, pulled pork, brown rice
- Corn, carrots and hummus, black bean quesadilla
- Pickle, roasted green beans, baked chicken
- Peas, sweet potato banana bite, hummus, hard boiled egg, strawberries
- Sweet potato fries, noodles with marinara, guacamole, crackers, chicken sausage
- Strawberries, girl scout cookie, mac and cheese with sausage and peas
- Strawberries, cucumbers with hummus, turkey club wrap
- Yogurt, clementine, egg wrap
- Clementine, deconstructed chicken philly sandwich
And that’s it for toddler meal ideas! I hope this post gave you some new ideas.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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I really enjoyed this post. I don’t have any kids, but…I am always looking for inspiration for my lunches. I like to prep & take my lunch to work. I find these little lunches very easy to eat while I am working and they are not complicated to prepare!
glad to hear it!
My daughter seems to be quite different. She will only eat stuff if I am also eating it. I expected her to have her own preferences but I guess she figures “If Mom is eating it, then it must be delicious!” She never asks for her dad’s food but she screams for mine. That makes it nearly impossible for me to eat anything that I cannot share with her. (She is 14 months old) She knows the sign for food and she uses it often. I am still having a hard time with ideas for her meals because she only wants what I have but since I’m pregnant again, I don’t always have ideas for my own meals that can be shared with her. (She has 8 teeth with a couple more on their way in)
I feel like I need to print all these pictures and refer to them daily. I am starting to work full time, which means I have to now pack 2 meals and 2 snacks for daycare (one of those being a “backup” food in case he doesn’t want to eat whatever I packed), which seems like an impossible task right now. I’m pinning this and will be referring to it for ideas!
Thank you for these lovely suggestions! Very helpful
how do you make your thick oatmeal?!
rolled oats, just enough milk to cover, microwave 90 seconds, stir in peanut butter and frozen fruit to help cool
These look great! I’m looking to add some variation to what we normally give our one and a half year old. Thank you for the inspiration!
Also, feel free to serve the same “meal” for two days in a row or two meals in the same day. Toddlers, in general, don’t mind and probably enjoy the same food over a few days.
It’s wild how much nonsense there is before getting to the actual content. Congratulations you’ve made another useless webpage.
Hope you’re able to find a different website that better meets your needs!