# (another) toddler meal ideas



## Piscesmama (Mar 27, 2003)

Hi everyone. I'm new, but I've been lurking for months. I've already made use of lots of the ideas/recipes on this board. I hope you all can help me. I'm really needing some new ideas for my daughter's meals. She's 17 months old and still nursing lots. I work four days a week and she's with her grandparents while I work.

I need ideas especially for lunches to send with her. I'm really hoping for things I can cook lots of and freeze and then pull out small amounts as needed.

Until recently she was eating lots of different things (except veggies!), but she has gotten to a point where she's refusing nearly everything. On the other hand when you find something she likes she'll eat lots of it. She eats a really good breakfast everyday (hot cereal and fruit). So it's lunch and dinner that are a struggle.

She seems to be on a texture kick. She likes kind of pasty, saucy things, but nothing she really has to chew up. For the last week she's survived on cottage cheese and (I'm ashamed to admit...) gerber graduates meals like mac&cheese, chicken and broccoli w/cheese sauce, etc. I keep offering her other, healthier stuff, but she spits it out. I'd love to have some recipes to duplicate healthier versions of the gerber meals.

She won't (ever) eat: peanut butter, sandwiches of any kind, or identifiable veggies. We do eat meat, but I'm all for vegetarian menu ideas. Also, her father and I are both lactose intolerant, so I limit her dairy. She seems fine when I cook with cheese and she does eat it alone sometime (and loves it). I've recently let her have lactose reduced cottage cheese because she really likes it. She drinks soy milk and water, but only in small amounts, mostly she still getting her liquids from breatmilk. She used to be really fond of veggie burgers, but seems to be getting burnt out on them.

I'm really sorry this message is so long. Hopefully you all will have some ideas for me. Thanks


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## Marlena (Jul 19, 2002)

Try a standard lasagne, with meat or without. You can use more ricotta than mozzarella, and keep the cheese light. You may (maybe maybe) be able to sneak in some spinach, in addition to the tomato sauce. It freezes wonderfully, too - just cut into portion-size bits, wrap well so it's airtight, put in sealed bags, and freeze.


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## amnesiac (Dec 28, 2001)

When my kids were little, sweet potatoes were always a favorite. Sometimes I'd cut them up like thick french fries, toss in a little olive oil & sprinkle cinnamon, then bake until tender. Another favorite was to peel & slice them into circles about 1/2 inch thick & coat with graham cracker crumbs then bake. I guess I didn't do mushy stuff so much...mostly finger friendly foods.

I used to have a cookbook called Baby Eats! I liked it because a lot of the recipes were so easy. There are some quick & easy sauce recipes that you could mix with whatever--like the cheese one you could add to some minced chicken & broccoli. Anyhow, you can find a used one for $1 at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...431853-5475844

A friend of mine used to mix cottage cheese with broccoli for her dd. Those tomato type sauces like Marlena's lasagne suggestion are nice if kids like them because you can puree stuff like carrots or spinach or squash & they don't notice so much.


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## Clarity (Nov 19, 2001)

DD really like black beans and rice. Falafel, too. with cottage cheese, or sour cream.


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## Marlena (Jul 19, 2002)

Oh yeah! Beans are fabulous kid food. In addition to the black beans and rice Clarity mentioned, try chili, gently-spiced Indian lentils, and gently-spiced Cajun red beans and rice, among others.


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## Piscesmama (Mar 27, 2003)

Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to try to do a lasagna. She would prabably go for that. She hit and miss w/tomato sauce. She likes a lentil and spinach dal I make, but she's getting tired of it. I really need recipes. If anyone has any I'd appreciate it. I've given her other beans here and there and she's never been wild for them.

Again, thanks for the ideas. Keep em coming!


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

A lunch that never fails in our house is Quick Cheesy Rice (this recipe is also in my book Simply Natural Baby Food). I mix warm brown rice with shredded cheese and olive oil. Sort of a healthier mac and cheese idea. Sometimes, I cook the rice with minced carrots, kale, broccoli, or whatever I have on hand and most kids don't mind them if they don't have to chew them. To send out, you could put the rice, cheese, oil in dish and they could heat it just enough to melt the cheese.

If your daughter likes soft things, she might like tofu. My oldest loves diced tofu plain for lunch, or mashed with pasta or rice or even on a baked potato.

You could also do the same with cottage cheese, mix it with leftover pasta, rice or potatoes.

Another favorite of ours is mashed garbanzo's and avocado. Season to taste.

For tips for getting your child to eat veggies, check out this link
8 ways to get your family to eat veggies


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## Piscesmama (Mar 27, 2003)

Thanks Cathe! I just purchased my first ever bag of brown rice and I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. The cheesy rice will definately be a lunch this week. Also, I bought your book last week from Amazon, I'm anxiously awaiting all the fab recipes. I've been trying the ones you've posted here and loved them all so far. I'm slowly trying to get us healthier.


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