Need ideas on what to feed my young toddler for dinner??

Question

MY SON TURNED 1 IN AUGUST AND 8 TEETH 4 UP AND 4 DOWN. HE WAS EATING THOSE GERBER GRADUATE MEALS AND LOVED THEM BUT I HAD TO GO AND GIVE HIM A HOT DOG NOW NO MORE GRADUATE MEALS, HE JUST SPITS IT OUT AND MAKES A FACE. WHAT ELSE CAN I TRY.....I MADE CHICKEN NUGGETS TONITE BUT THAT WASN'T SUCH A GREAT HIT AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. PLEASE MIND YOU, I AM A SINGLE WORKING MOM W/NOT A LOT OF TIME FOR PREPARATION W/MEALS!

Answer 1

Egg noodles with cream of chicken soup and toss in a few hidden vegetables like peas or small carrots or broccoli served with applesauce or homemade pudding (the kind you buy and add milk to to). Other sides my daughter likes that are cheap could be: yogurt, fruit cups, frozen yogurt (they think it is ice cream but it's good for them), vegetables with cheese melted on them, whole grain rice, and whole grain noodles. All are on the healthier side but kids like them. Just a few ideas! Also visit kraft.com and they have a lot of quick healthy meals. you can subscribe to a free magazine that has lots of great ideas in it. Rachel Rey also has 30 minute meals and the magazine is really cheap for a subscription. Hope this helps!!

Answer 2

I always thougt that Gerber are really good for the mothers but not for the babies because they get used to de texture of those meals and never to normal food and flavors. Perhaps a good idea would be to start adding normal food to the Gerber and do it little by little increasing each time the amount of other meals and reducing the amount of Gerber so your child could get used to other textures and flavors and enjoy them. My opinion is that it is better for babies to give them even meals we do not enjoy and so they will not suffer when they grow up and also have better nutrition. I tried what I am suggesting you with my nefew some years ago and it took me no more than a week to make him used to other food than Gerber. The meals you can offer him could be simple as chiken or tuna salad, fish or chiken salad or nugets but this last is better to leave them soft. You can also give him pasta with bites of burger meat or meat loaf , lentils, beans, etc withjam, etc. Good luck

Answer 3

rice cooked soft like a pudding, i added a little baby milk and some a little sugar for my daughter cause she wasn't a big milk drinker.

mashed potatoes with some cheese melted in it. lots of veggies and fruits. if he is anything like my kids he won't eat much meat outside of hotdogs but you can maybe try sausage or those toddler viena sausages. my kids loved those. whole grain crackers and toast with cheese if he likes cheese. yougurt and lots of vanilla wafers lol

he can probably eat most anything you eat if it's cut small enough and not dangerous. i'd stay clear of anything round or hard that he can choke on and peanut butter and stuff that could lead to allergies but almost everything else you can get into him is ok. what they told me is that at that age even if you can only get him to eat a tablespoon of 2-3 different foods at a time that is enough because he doesn't need much food for his age anyway. I'd ask your pediatrician if you are having real concern or he really isn't eating enough cause he may need vitamin suplements.

Answer 4

Feed him whatever YOU'RE having only cut it up into smaller pieces. Alot of times they don't like something because of the texuture. Just offer it, and if he doesn't eat it don't force it. When he gets hungry enough he will eat. Also, you can prepare meals on the weekends and store them in your freezer. That eliminates alot of the meal preperation time during the week.

Answer 5

Hi just try to find what he will eat I do understand that time is not a factor but you have to make time if he will eat hot dogs then try hamburger try regular chicken and not nuggets try fruit or veggies try him on things from your plate just to see if he will eat it if he does then go for it after awhile you will be cooking with gas and he will be eating everything.

Answer 6

when my daughter was going through that stage we would make "breakfast for dinner" nights. also if you put items in a little divided tray that makes it fun and interresting too.
we would do
scrambled eggs in one section and little toast squares in another section, apple slices in another and so on.
just make sure you don't leave him alone with any of these small foods, don't want him to choke. also there is a thing called a baby safe feeder (toys r us) and you can put grapes in it or other fruits in it and they won't choke on the food cause it is like a little mesh that the baby just kinda sucks out of it. sounds weird but is really cool. good to use while teething also. just add ice!
good luck

Answer 7

mac and cheese.

Get a food chopper from Pampered Chef....I used mine to chop everything up that we ate for our little guy. he never wanted baby meals....with two older brothers, he couldn't be bothered with them.

Also, Gerber/Heinz make the microwavable cups of spaghetti, etc. and the tray meals with finger foods in them. My youngest did love those!

Answer 8

be careful with the hot dogs they are a number 1 choker.make sure you cut them up small.have you tried grilled cheese and soups.i swear i thought my daughter was gona turn into a peanutbutter and jelly sandwitch when she was that age.plus it doesn't have to be "supper food"cherrios are great build their dexterity picking them up.spagettios ravioli,stew,chicken and dumplins.you mmay just have to make it more bite size for him.salsaburry steak anything he can gum up.feed him what your eating.my mom fussed at me cause my baby girl beg for caggage rolls sitting in her walker and i let her have some and she loved them.as long as its to small to cause a choking hazard your all right.

Answer 9

Spaggitti is fast, easy and most kids love it, they have those frozon salsbury steaks with gavy just pop it in the microwave and open some canned friut and veggies.... my kids love that stuff even my 8 month old baby

Answer 10

dipping sauces are great to get kids to eat. Grilled cheese is a big hit with my toddler. mac n cheese, hot ham n cheese, pizza, hamburger, hamburger helper. Hope this helps.