As you’ve probably discovered, feeding a  toddler is a whole different world than feeding a baby..but thankfully there are lots of simple ways to make it enjoyable for everyone!

These Toddler Meal Ideas are simple, healthy and easy to assemble. Use these ideas to introduce your toddlers to new foods, help picky eaters and make meals more enjoyable for everyone.

BREAKFAST RECIPES

1. Easy Scrambled Eggs

Eggs are very nutritious and protein-rich food. It’s very easy to cook and if your kid is an egg lover than its a bonus all around.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs – Salt – Pepper- 1tbsp Olive oil or Butter or Ghee

Directions:

In bowl whisk eggs, salt, and pepper and a tbsp of water. Heat the oil or melt the butter in a pan, add the eggs and start stirring with a rubber spatula for 2-3 minutes. Finally, you can even add some shredded cheese to it.

2. Banana Pancakes

Two Ingredient, easy and yummy banana pancakes.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs – 1 ripe Banana

Directions:

Heat a pan and add some oil.

Blend the eggs and banana until very smooth. Pour the banana mixture into the pan using a large spoon and cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook another minute. Serve warm.

3. Cinnamon French Toast Stick

Tasty cinnamon – French toast sticks you can dip, dunk, and enjoy! A fun way to spice things up for breakfast!

Ingredients:

White/Brown bread – eggs – ¼ cup milk  – ¼ cup brown sugar – a pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat a large pan spray with cooking oil or butter.
2. Cut bread into strips. In a wide bowl whisk together eggs and milk. In another bowl combine cinnamon and sugar and stir to combine. Dip sliced bread into egg mixture, turning to coat.
3. Next, dip egg-coated bread sticks into cinnamon sugar mixture and toss to coat. Place breadsticks onto preheated pan and cook 1-2 minutes, then turn and cook other side 1-2 minutes until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining toast sticks. Serve warm.

4. Snack Plate

Snack plates are a great option for snack time, dinner, AND breakfast. Include a low-sugar dry cereal or crackers, some protein in the form of cheese, cottage cheese, or an egg, and fruit. So easy and variable! (Sprinkles optional.)

LUNCH IDEAS

Easy Rice Recipes :

Rice has nutritive qualities that makes it a mom’s favorite healthy cooking ingredient. It is easy to prepare and you can load it with all vegetables, even the one’s your kids plainly refuse to eat !

Best of all, it can be served as a complete meal or with an accompaniment. When it comes to rice recipes, there’s no limit to creativity, flavors, and ideas with which you can cook to tempt your kids taste buds.

Some Example :

• Steamed rice with Chicken / any meat
• Steamed rice with mixed vegetables (steamed with salt & pepper)
• Egg fried rice
• Curd rice
• Sambar rice
• Rasam

Rava Kichadi

South Indian Rava Kichadi with vegetables. This is a great lunch or even dinner recipe. It’s easy and healthy.

Ingredients:

Rava – 1 onion – ginger/garlic chopped – vegetables chopped (carrots, beans , peas) , curry leaves – coriander leaves.

Directions:

1. Dry Roast the Rava and keep it aside.
2. Chop the vegetables and pound together the ginger and garlic coarsely and keep.
3. Heat the pan add oil or ghee add – mustard seeds, ural dhal and curry leaves and ginger/garlic.
4. After a minute add the vegetables and add water (for 1 cup of rava add 2 cups of water )
5. When the vegetables are soft and cooked add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.
6. Now add the rava and keep stirring at the same time.
7. After 2-3 minutes add a tsp of ghee and coriander leaves. Serve warm.

DINNER IDEAS

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock – 1 onion – 1 tomato – 1 green chilly – 1 chopped garlic – chicken without bone – curry leaves – coriander leaves – vegetables of your choice – salt&pepper.

Directions:

1. In a pressure cooker add the chopped chicken with a glass of water.
2. Add the chopped vegetables, garlic piece, curry leaves, chopped onion, tomato and chilly.
3. With a 1/2 tbsp of salt and pepper.
4. Cook it in a medium flame for 3-4 whistle.
5. Once the stream goes down add the coriander leaves and serve warm.

Variations with Soup:

You can always try new recipes of your choice. If your kid is a soup lover like mine then you can change the ingredients and serve it as dinner or lunch.

For Example,

• Chichen Soup with cooked noodles
• Soup with plain Vegetables
• Cooked Pasta and chicken soup

All these recipes are filling to the tummy and healthy too.

Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Sometimes, plain is beautiful especially when it comes to cooking for kids!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups cooked macaroni – 1 cup grated processed cheese – 2 tbsp butter – 1 tbsp plain flour (maida, optional) – 1 cup milk – salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste – 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the plain flour and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
2. Add the milk, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the salt, pepper, and cheese, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
4. Add the macaroni, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the bread crumbs, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till brown in color. Keep aside.
6. Spread the macaroni in a baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over it.
7. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Serve warm.

A cheesy Vegetable Pasta recipe

Ingredients:

2 cheese slices, torn into pieces – chopped vegetables – 1 1/2 cups cooked penne – 1 tbsp butter – 1/2 cup milk – salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the vegetables with a cup of water and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
2. Add the penne, milk, salt, pepper, and cheese slices, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
3. Serve warm.
4. You can add chicken pieces if desired.

These are some examples of recipes for your picky toddlers. You can always go creative and try your own recipes according to your kid’s taste buds.

Hope you all like it. Thank you so much for reading it.

-lovedbymercybivin