What evening meals are suitable for 2 year old children?

Answer 1

My daughter (18 mo) eats the same as me, but without any salt. I use the Annabel Karmel cookbook which has lots of great recipes and much of her stuff is suitable for adult meals too. Her website has tonnes of great recipes. www.annabelkarmel.com


Its a great idea to try and cook healthily for the whole family and feed your child the same stuff - if anything it at least means that you won't get overly stressed about whether or not they eat it all because you won't have cooked it just for them. I also believe that if they see you eating the same thing as them, they're less likely to kick up a fuss about eating what you give them.

Answer 2

My 2 year old eats the same meals as everyone else, so I suppose it depends on what you're feeding everyone else! I'd avoid over spicy food, unless that is the kind of food he is used to but by 2 there should be a huge variety.

It also depends what time he goes to bed. Personally speaking, I know I find it hard to sleep if I try going to bed after a night out when I've had a late meal. It lies for a long time, so maybe think about how heavy/light you want that meal to be.

There are some good books out there with good ideas.
A couple I have used over the years are

The New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal planner by Annabel Karmel

Babies and Toddlers Good food by The Australian Woman's Weekly Cookbooks (This is available in the UK. There's a huge range of books by them . It has recipes that include the family)

Hope this is of some help to you.

Answer 3

small portions, mashed potatoes, macaroni, chicken, well cooked veggies such as carrot sticks or string beans. Apple sauce or thin slices of apple, banana, water melon or peach cubes. Keep the food colorful, soft and manageable for small hands. Give small portions that don't overwhelm. Offer a variety of food you eat, but in finger food sizes. Try and keep salt and sugar to a minimum. If you serve cookies, try graham crackers with a tiny bit of peanut butter and raisins.

Two year olds are curious and picky- be sure to put an old plastic tablecloth under the highchair -food is sure to be thrown around.

Answer 4

the same as what you eat less the salt

children of this age should have meat and two veg at one meal a day. Either lunch or evening meal. Though evening meal can sit heavily on their stomachs, which isn't a good idea if they are in bed by 7.30.

Alternatively, try pasta with a sauce, cheese on toast with red/yellow peppers as finger food etc.

Answer 5

My daughter is 2 & I have 10 month old twins aswell. I have been finding it difficult to know what to cook for her tea as she is a fussy eater so we got into the same old routine of fish fingers, beans & smiley faces or pasta with a sauce, all things I knew she would eat. The twins will eat pretty much whatever I give them so a couple of days ago I made chicken with broccoli & carrots in a cheese sauce & decided to try it with my eldest & she actually ate it!

One chicken breast (boil for 10 mins in chicken stock)
50g broccoli florets
50g carrots
2tbsp flour
40g chedder cheese
250ml milk
butter

Boil or steam the broccoli & carrots until tender then make the cheese sauce by melting butter, adding flour, then stir in milk gradually until all lumps have gone then boil until it has thickened. Take from the heat & stir in the cheese until it has melted. Add the veg & chicken & serve.

Last night all 3 had a chicken in tomato sauce but I pureed it for the twins. You can add rice or pasta to this one

1 small onion
1/2 red pepper
225g chicken breast
450ml passata (tomato puree)
chicken stock in 100ml boiling water
1tbsp garlic puree
1tsp caster sugar

Saute onion, pepper for 5 mins, add the chicken & seal it, add the passata, chicken stock, garlic puree & sugar. Cook uncovered for 15 mins & serve with rice or pasta!

Both recipes go down a treat with my daughter & they are really yummy, so you can eat it aswell, it's not just for the kids!

Answer 6

What do you eat? If you're having steak or chicken and a veggie and a potato, why expect the kid to eat something else? Give them smaller portions of exactly what you're eating. (Besides, many kids at that age want to do everything like mom & dad or older siblings.) Make sure there's some lean protein (chicken, beef, fish, whatever), at least two veggies (or a fruit and a veggie or 2 fruits, whatever the kid prefers) and some milk. (whole milk preferably.)

Answer 7

I try to get our tot to eat what we eat generally, from spag bol to Sunday roasts. Sometimes he gets fussy and won't eat anything on the plate, so I give him ten minutes while I get out the mini hand-blender, add a bit of gravy and whizz the whole meal to a soup, he'll eat anything if it can be scooped up with some toast!

Answer 8

Anything that you would eat, Nothing too spicy though. My son loved pasta and pesto, risotto, any kind, it was a good way for me to hide vegetables!. I also make a hidden veg sauce, throw in what ever vegetables you have and a tin of tomato, some mixed herbs and garlic. cook for 20 mins and then blend! Give them a wide variety, it may stop them being fussy when they are older.

Answer 9

It depends upon what they have for lunch. If they have a cooked lunch then a snack eg sandwich, toast, scrambled egg, baked beans. Mine love home-made pancakes! They can eat the same as you would give at lunchtime. I try to make sure they have enough so they don't wake at night. Something fairly plain not too heavy.

Answer 10

A 2 year old can pretty much eat whatever the rest of the family is eating for dinner.