Welcome To
Toddler Menu
I find that I’m always looking for ideas and inspiration when it comes to my Toddler.
On this page you’ll find my go-to’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals!
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Halloween Themed Lunch
Who hasn’t heard the phrase, “picky eater”? Well, I sure have. My oldest has gone from eating anything and everything, to only eating a few of his favourite “safe options”. This can be quite normal, and is a phase a lot of toddlers enter into.
Don’t worry parents/caregivers! Keep pushing through it. Be positive and offer new foods with foods that your littles love together. I always offer my oldest fruits and veggies on his plate. Even if children simply touch the food you wish them to eat, count that as a win!!
My advice to you: take any sandwich – turkey and cheese, ham and swiss, pb and jelly, and use cookie cutters or cookie presses to peak their interests!
Rise & Shine Pancakes
Toddlers love to eat with their hands. So I tried smaller pancakes and boy are they a hit!
I call them “Rise and Shine” pancakes because I always add bright, fresh fruit on the side to brighten up my toddler’s day!
Scrambled Eggs Secret
I have a secret to share: I don’t use anything but eggs for this recipe! No butter, no milk. Just a pinch of salt if you prefer to add some!
If you remove the eggs from the heat source every 30 seconds or so and stir them constantly the entire time, you end up with some pretty creamy eggs!
Salmon Cakes
One thing that I’ve been making for both of my guys since they were about ten months old are fresh salmon cakes. It’s a simple and great way to sneak in protein, veggies, and what my grandmother thought was the magic ingredient, garlic (immune boosting especially for the winter)!
-> Recipe: Poach a good chunk of salmon. Once it’s cooked, add fresh garlic, minced carrots, finely diced onions, an egg, grated parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and a little bit of fresh parsley! Bake in the oven @ 350 Degrees F until golden brown.
***Joey always choked on food when he was younger so I usually had to mash up the salmon cakes (as you can see above). Cut them up into pieces or feed depending on the growth and development of your little ones!
Turkey Meatballs & Polenta
If you want to try something leaner, try ground turkey in your recipes!
When I cook for my kids, I usually cook for all of us and offer them what we eat too. This lowers your chances of picky eaters as well!
Try this combination instead of the usual pasta and meatball combo (which also works well in this house). Just sub your ground beef for ground turkey and bake (not fry).
Lasagna & Broccoli
Don’t be afraid of lasagnas and other pastas that you can bake in the oven. A lasagna is pretty much just layers of cooked lasagna noodles, tomato sauce and cooked beef or turkey, and then cheese! Practice small lasagnas with small children as you won’t need as much (unless you’d like a piece too).
I started off small with my pasta casserole dishes and my husband enjoys eating them as well!
I always try to pair off a heavier dish like this with a bright green veggie to aid with digestion.
Larger Salmon Cakes & Cauliflower Rice
Once my kids were old enough to eat the salmon cakes without cutting them into smaller pieces, I experimented with different sides. If you cook cauliflower rice just right, you’ll see your kids trying something that’s really healthy for them!
When I’m in a pinch, I buy frozen organic cauliflower rice at the grocery store.
I start by pan-frying some onions with a small amount of olive oil, then garlic, some diced or minced carrots, and then add the rice (& season with salt).
Pasta "a la everything"
Right before Joey moved to his picky stage, this was his favourite thing to eat.
You may look at this and think, “That’s a lot of stuff in there”. My mom thought so too. Then she ate a bite…and another. If my mom admitted that this was pretty yummy, then I will make a believer out of you too!
The ingredients are simple:
- Mini Farfalle that I was able to find in my supermarket.
Here’s another one of my secrets. Cook the teeny tiny bowties in chicken or veggie stock!
-> If I feel like my kids aren’t getting enough nutrients in, I’ll cook their pasta or rice in stock. It also adds a ton of flavour!
- Once your pasta is cooked and drained, add back into your pot. Add in a small piece of cooked salmon, a spoon of cream cheese (I use organic if on hand), cooked broccoli, and mix together in your pot.
Need more greens? Add in some cooked peas! I swear it tastes delicious!
Baked Chicken Nuggets
I often get asked for “McDonald’s Chicken” in our home. Instead of ordering fast food, I like to make my little guy my own version of fried chicken nuggets.
Recipe:
- Make a breadcrumb mixture in a big enough bowl/dish with breadcrumbs, garlic powder, a pinch of salt, parmesan cheese, and fresh or dried parsley
(I like to keep it simple). - Roll your cut up pieces of chicken/turkey breast in the mixture.
- Place the pieces on a cookie sheet. I like to drizzle some olive oil on top of the chicken before it gets placed in the oven.
- Cook for 20+ minutes (depending on the size of your pieces) at 350 Degrees F