Any good ideas for toddlers for lunch?

Question

I am giving my two toddlers chicken nuggets and some hot chips (home made). Then they have a tub each of fresh chopped fruit salad. They have this nearly every day but don't complain... but I'm getting bored and want to make something more creative!! Any inspiring ideas from Mom's out there?

Answer 1

My two toddler ages 1 and 3 eat chopped up ham, thawed frozen peas, chopped hot dogs, fruit cocktail, fresh fruit.. rice and beans.. peanut butter and jelly (3 yr. old)...

I give them basically what we eat I just cut it up really small...Pea sized pieces especially for my 1 yr. old... My 3 yr. old loves baked beans, and pulled pork sandwiches on biscuits. Also, my 3 yr. old likes apples cut into rings spread with peanut butter and topped with rainsin.. I give my 1 yr. old diatini noodles and I mix it with a little spagetti sauce and baby food... Sometimes it makes a mess, but they eat it...!

Answer 2

Make sure at every meal you have something from each food group. you need a meat, starch, fruit and veggie. So, have pb &j, (bread is your starch, pb is your meat ) have fresh fruit and some peas or corn (something they can pick up.)
They have those gerber meals that have like ravioli and green beans. Add a fruit and you have a whole meal. Kids will eat anything as long as you present it in a positive manner, not making eating a big deal. if they don't eat what is offered or only eat part, do not offer something else. What is served is what there is to eat. nothing else. Make sure snacks are healthy too! Banana, raisons, pretzels.
kids love to eat as long as they can do it. Make sure everything is bite size and not a choking hazard! Good luck!

Answer 3

This is what my kids (ages 2 and 3) usually have:

Triangle shaped pb&j (sandwhich cut in half)
1/4 cup dry cereal (honey cheerios or mini-wheats)
3 small cheese cubes
fresh cut up fruit with yogurt
milk

*sometimes substitute pb&j with grilled cheese sandwhich and serve it with ham bites instead of cubed cheese.

Answer 4

My daughter loves different pasta creations- its great to use veggie garden pastas (tri-color spirals etc) since she loves the different colors and can easily feed them to herself and then add different cheeses and/or meat and some steamed veggies. Its hot, realtively quick and can utilize leftovers from last nite's dinner.
You can also get creative with lunch meats - making little rolls with cheese that they can pick up and add some side sliced veggies like cucumbers or grape tomatoes.
Omlettes or scrambled eggs also give you another way to give you kids protein and you can add a variety of diced veggies- its hot and quick too.

Answer 5

My son's loved this little recipe they "invented" themselves. Peanut butter on a soft tortilla shell. Then roll it up. They called it peanut butter roll up and if they got bored with just PB they added other things, jelly, raisins, bananas, thin sliced apples, whatever. It's great becuase it is portable for the little tykes on the move!

Answer 6

"Octopus" Hotdogs. Leaving about an inch at the top of a hotdog, cut the bottom into quarters (4s) then cut the quarters in half, giving you 8 "legs" for your octopus. You can microwave them or boil them to make the legs curl up.

Answer 7

Maybe a vegetable?

Also my kids like guacamole, I take it easy on the cilantro and onion though. Also you could add whole wheat flour and flax to your chips.

Answer 8

turkey &/or ham on whole wheat bread with a little mayo. Cut it into triangles. (could also try cucumber on the sandwich)

PBJ

Answer 9

Pb &J ,veg.beef soup and frozen juice pops