Does anyone have suggestions for quick & easy toddler meals?

Question

I'm returning to work full-time and I'm not the best cook, I tend to burn everything. I'm looking for suggestions on healthy meals that are easy to prepare and have ready for supper when I get home for my daughter (age 1) and me. Receipes would also be appreciated. Anything for a slow cooker, I have one but don't use it.

Please no smart comments, only serious answers. Thanks.

Answer 1

Lots of healthy foods require no cooking at all; things like apples and applesauce, other fresh fruits, tomatoes, lettuce for salads. There are all kinds of great salads that make a meal in a dish,, and you can add deli meats to them. I like to make a bunch of hard boiled eggs in advance too, and then you can use them is lots of ways.
Foods that do need to be prepared and cooked can often be made on one day and then frozen, so that all you have to do is to heat them up the next time.
Fried rice dishes are quick and easy. you can find recipes for fried rice dishes at cooks.com (and lots of other recipes too, if you type in wht kind you want.)
Soups in the winter time can also be made in larger quantities to last for more than one day, as they can be frozen too.
I'm into sandwiches lately. All kinds,, with meats and lettuce, and tomatoes, and olives, and, cheese, and pickles.

I could type in lots of recipes and take up a lot of space, but I'd rather give you links to good sites with lots of recipes:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_quick_easy

http://www.epicurious.com/

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html

http://www.cooking.com/recipes/rehome.asp

http://www.cooks.com/

bon appetite! buen provecho!

Answer 2

To help wait for supper: munch on veggies (match size for her if it's hard ones like carrots) and minced or dice an onion and slowly cook it. The smell of the onion makes us believe the meal is coming soon :-) With the onion you can add any kind of protein you like: fish, chicken, beef... and even a can of legumes! A portion of protein is usually the size of a deck of card for you and about a ping pong ball for her so it should fit easily in the pan. If you can, do a double-batch to save some for another day. Once the meat is almost cooked, add some shredded or diced cabbage, carrots, celery or any other veggie you like about two cups or two medium size. Add some herbs like cilantro or basil, a trick is to smell the herb an see if it goes well with what you're cooking. You can serve as is or with rice or noodles. The quickest supper my daughters always enjoyed is pasta (follow the instructions!) and once drained you add some spaghetti sauce. I use the new kinds sold in glass jars and I don't reheat them since I don't rinse the noodles. Rinse the noodles and drain them well tough if you make more then for one meal and plan on putting some in the fridge or freezer! For slow cooker recipes I would go to allrecipes.com Deli meat should be avoided when possible because it contains high level of salt and nitrites and it costs too much!

Answer 3

I think you got some really good answers I don't have anything to add food wise
Cowpuncher Casserole
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
6 to 8 ounces bacon, diced
1 ½ pounds ground chuck
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can red kidney beans
6 medium potatoes, chopped
1 can tomato soup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Lightly spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
Fry or microwave bacon until lightly browned.
Drain on paper towels. If using skillet discard bacon drippings.
Brown beef and onion.
In a separate bowl combine with beans, potatoes and soup.
Transfer to slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours.
Stir in mustard and Worcestershire sauce before serving
you can also check out second hand book stores for slow cooker recipe books, they are wonderful to have. That way you do not have to sit and type out recipes or lose your favorite recipe card. I use post-it notes as a bookmark on my favorite recipe pages if I need to write a reminder to myself about the recipe it helps too especially when your like me and forget things easily. Good Luck! Sorry If I wasn't much help!

Answer 4

My kids are big on any kind of pasta. I always freeze the leftovers. Works well for heating up last minute. I throw a whole chicken in the crock pot so it cooks all day long. My kids love it and the meat is so tender. Get a small roast put in some baby carrots, potatoes, onion if you wish. With the left over roast you could make barbecue beef. Freeze it for another night. I make my kids mini pizza's. You can use anything...I cook hamburger in the microwave it's hard to burn it in there. Or use ham and pizza. My kids love it. I hope I helped!

Answer 5

This can be made ahead and refrigerated (or frozen in freezer/oven safe containers). Put into the oven (thawed if necessary) when you get home:

Chicken Rice Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken (cut to bite size for your 12 mth old)
3 cups cooked rice
2 cups cooked broccoli (approx)
2 cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup mayonaise
salt
pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Mix soup, mayonaise, salt and pepper together.

In casserole dish, layer 1/2 of the chicken, then 1/2 the broccoli, then 1/2 of the sauce, then 1/2 of the rice... Repeat.

Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for at least 45 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

May be prepared ahead - keep refridgerated until ready to bake. Make take longer to bake if prepared ahead and stored in fridge.

.

Answer 6

There are lot of things that are easy and fast to cook. I am a big fan of the fast one step things. Like fish and chips. Put on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Or even chicken breast fillets. you can pop in the oven and set the timer and ding its done. Plus the Side kicks are good, they only take about 15 min to cook and most of them are flavoured just right for kids and very picky adults. So I would have to say try the box foods, like Hamburger helper and so on. You can always cook better meal on the weekend when you have more time.

Answer 7

My daughter (now almost 3) loves the Easy Mac and Cheese. Hot dogs are also an option. But in your question you mentioned healthy... so feeding that to the little tyke all the time might not produce the best eating habits.
Fresh fruits and steamed veggies are good, any type of soft meat like hamburger is ok, chicken and steak type things are hard for them to chew at that age, cut them in small bites, almost shredded worked best for us. Noodles with sauce, and rice is good.

Answer 8

It's a difficult time for you and I know, the last thing you need to hear is 'that it will get better'...I had an extremely difficult time when i returned to work....I would suggest writting down the things that your toddler loves to eat....ie: cubes of cheese...any veggies that is easy for her to eat....fruit...she might soon be ready for some micro pasta...in a pinch....it's pretty easy for her to prepare ahead of time, but I'm more concerned about yourself....Perhaps you could login to a crockpot site and print out some recipes....try a few out ahead of time and freeze them...a few portions at a time...this might ease your mind for the first few days of going back to work....If you're really worried about it, just be sure you have some sandwich meat,wholegrain breads, and some fruit on hand and you'll be fine....it will get easier...as i'm sure you've heard....best of luck to you, and don't worry too much, you will both be just fine.

Answer 9

Cube up some round streak or chuck roast...(or pork roast, or any meat you like) toss in a small bag of baby carrots, maybe a little diced celery and onion, and a few peeled potatoes. Salt and pepper really good, add a few seasons like garlic, and/or parsley, teriyaki, (or what every you like) let cook all day. Dump it in on a serving platter, use your juices for a little brown gravy & walla. The meat will be very tender, so you can just cut up some really small for your daughter.

Answer 10

I use instant mashed potatoes a lot, or instant rice.
Scrambled eggs are a healthy and quick dinner idea, not just for breakfast. (paired with a veggie and fruit, of course, or even with toast and jelly) You can also add cheese or ham.
Any pasta only takes 10 or 15 minutes to cook, you can serve with spaghetti sauce, beef gravy, or anything else you can think of. Even plain, with some microwaved veggies added.
Canned ravioli (I get the micro size for my daughter) with a piece of fruit and bread and butter or some crackers.