Being the Mother of a picky eater requires hard work and creativity in the kitchen. It’s taken some time, but we’ve been able to identify some meals that Dutch enjoys. In fact, most of the meals that follow were eaten in their entirety. I’ve included some tips below that work well for us, followed by 14 Toddler Meal Ideas.
Tips:
I was tempted to categorize the following meals into Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner, but decided not to. Sometimes changing it up by serving dinner for breakfast (or vice versa) does wonders for our toddler’s tummy.
Also, you’ll notice how often we incorporate dips into his meals. We find that it makes meal time more fun for him, he eats more and even experiments with new foods. For more finger food and dip ideas, read Toddler Meals: Finger Food & Dip.
Dutch is a Vegetarian, for the most part. Most of his protein comes from non meat sources. For more on how to incorporate non meat protein sources into your toddlers diet, read Protein Packed Foods For Toddler & Mom.
Dutch is a grazer/snacker. His strongest meals are breakfast and dinner but lunch is hit and miss. I keep a grazing plate out while he plays with dry foods to minimize messes.
Lastly, I find that when I involve Dutch in the preparation/cooking process he actually eats more. I try to find ways for him to scoop, pour or stir whenever possible.
14 Toddler Meal Ideas:
Breakfast Casserole (with Ketchup for Dipping), Fruit Salad (Strawberry, Tangerine, Grape) and Avocado … Recipe: Easy Breakfast CasseroleBlueberry Eggo Waffle (with 1/2 Tsp Butter and 1/2 Tsp Maple Syrup), Banana Slices, Cheese and Sauteed All Beef Franks (with Ketchup for Dipping).Breakfast Smoothie … Recipe: Recovery Smoothie For Toddler & MomOatmeal … Our recipe can be found here: Protein Packed Foods For Toddler & MomToasted English Muffin with Avocado Spread, Cheese, Dry Cereal and Fruit Salad (Strawberry and Grape)Guacamole, Seasoned Black Beans, Blueberries, Mozzarella Cheese, Snap Peas and an Organic Fruit Bar … Recipes for Guacamole and Seasoned Black Beans can found here: Protein Packed Foods For Toddler & MomPizza Rolls (with Ranch for Dipping), Carrots and Celery (with Hummus for Dipping) and Tangerines.Black Bean Dip with Cheese, Organic Tortilla Chips and Tangerines … Recipe: Black Bean Soup With Garlic Mozzarella QuesadillasPinto Bean Soup with Grapes, Organic Fruit Bar and CheeseGrilled Avocado & Cheese Sandwich, French Fries (with Ketchup for Dipping) and an AppleVelveeta Mac & Cheese, Baked BBQ Chicken, Broccoli, Tangerines and an Organic Fruit Bar.Cheese Ravioli with Red Meat Sauce and Parmesan Cheese, Celery with Peanut Butter, Blueberries and TangerinesApple Slices with Peanut Butter, Mozzarella Cheese, Dried Blueberries, Dried Peas, Organic Fruit Bar, Ritz Crackers. This is a good example of a grazing plate, minus the PB.Eggs (with Ketchup for Dipping), Guacamole, Strawberries (with Yogurt for Dipping) and Cheese … Recipe for Eggs, Guacamole and Yogurt Dip can be found here: Toddler Meals: Finger Food & Dip.
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There you have it, 14 Toddler Meal Ideas. I hope one or two might provide you some inspiration. And I’d love to hear your thoughts. What tips, tricks and meals work well for feeding your picky toddler?
Hi, I’m Lindsay. I’m a wife, homeschool mama, yoga instructor, and photographer based on the Olympic Peninsula, in Washington State.
View all posts by Lindsay Faria
Letters To Dutch 
Wow, Dutch like veggies? Hmmm … don’t tell my daughter but, I’m a bit envious 😉 XD
Haha! It requires a lot to get Dutch to eat veggies but these meals he seems to enjoy, I am thankful for that! How old is your daughter?
She’s 8 and she’s very picky 😦
Oh I know the feeling! Any ideas to share?
None that has worked consistently so far! 🙄
Great ideas, Thank you.
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by 😊