Toddler Meals | Week 2

I started a new series this month all about Toddler Meals. As many of you already know, I absolutely love to cook [and eat!] and I hope to instill that same passion in Olivia -- to make healthy, balanced choices that are both nutritionally dense and full of flavor! This series is centered around offering moms like me Mindful Meals for Playful Kids. In each post I offer three meals -- essentially breakfast, lunch & dinner and one easy snack. I focus on keeping it simple but also providing the nutrition a growing toddler needs!

|| Week 1 Available Here ||

breakfast || hard boiled egg, [gf] banana muffin & diced avocado

+ Hard boiled eggs are such a great addition to your toddler's breakfast and even make a great midday snack. On Sundays I usually boil a dozen eggs and keep them in the fridge for the week ahead. Both Dustin and I eat them for snacks with S+P and Olivia loves them as well. It's great to be able to offer [egg] protein in a way other than scrambled! Banana muffins are a treat for Olivia and we don't make them very often, but every once in awhile her breakfast includes one. You could swap out your child's favorite baked treat or simply offer toast with banana slices and honey on top! +

the how to ||

      » hard boil eggs [in a medium stockpot, bring cold water to a boil, add eggs, turn heat to medium, simmer for 10 minutes], remove pot from heat, drain water and give the eggs a few good shakes in the pan to crack them through; immediately pour into ice water bath and let cool; the water will seep under shell cracks and make peeling super easy; store in airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days

      » slice a ripe avocado in half and remove pit; scoop out each side with a spoon and dice into age-appropriate pieces

      » make your favorite muffins using a muffin mix according to instructions || our go-to mix here

lunch || strawberries, sweet potato "spaghetti," grilled chicken & black beans

+ Making meals for toddlers should not only be about offering nutritious foods but also making it fun. One way I do this is by making sweet potato "spaghetti" that Olivia loves to feed herself and twirl on a fork. If your child is not able to eat something like this, just prepare sweet potatoes by peeling, cubing and steaming. Beans are a great addition to any meal because they amp up the protein and are so easy for little fingers to pick up +

the how to ||

      » Rinse and dice fresh strawberries [or any fruit that is in season!]

     »  Peel whole sweet potato by hand; using a spiralizer, spiralize the sweet potato to make sweet potato "spaghetti" // Steam about 3 minutes until tender but not mushy

     »  Grill chicken using a grill pan or outdoor grill and cut into age appropriate pieces

     »  Open a can of black beans, rinse well and serve! Easy, right?

snack || nut butter banana moons 
+ I used peanut butter in these because Olivia loves it, but you can sub any type of nut butter than your child likes. Almond butter and cashew butter would both be delicious with bananas! This is a great snack that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes and only requires two things: a banana and nut butter. Be sure your child is at an appropriate age to consume nut butters; we avoided peanuts & peanut butter until Olivia reached one year +

the how to ||

     » Slice a ripe banana into 1/2 inch slices

     » Spread a small dollop of nut butter onto half of the slices and top with the other half

     » Cut each set of slices into half moons or into quarters depending on your child's age

     

dinner || steamed peas, fresh raspberries & baked wild sockeye salmon

+ Olivia eats a lot of salmon, not only because we eat a lot of salmon but also because she loves it. You can swap out any fresh wild-caught fish that your baby likes, or even do baked chicken or turkey in place of salmon. Sockeye, though, is full of flavor and super tender. It flakes easily into bite sized pieces that Olivia can pick up and feed herself. Peas are another meal staple I always keep on hand because they can be purchased frozen and steamed within minutes for a quick healthy side +

the how to ||

     » Steam petite green peas in stockpot for 3-4 minutes or until tender; remove from pot, let cool slightly and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days

     » Rinse any fresh berries you have on hand and cut if necessary

     »  Bake wild caught salmon [on a baking sheet lined with foil] at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes depending on oven and fillet thickness; be sure to remove any bones before baking; let cool slightly and flake into age-appropriate sized pieces; I top it with a little butter or coconut oil before serving

I'd love to know what questions you have about feeding your toddler and what more you would like to see as part of this series! Next week I'll have three more meals and a snack as well as a recap of my favorite feeding products!