Toddler Snacks & Lunch Ideas
Toddler Snacks & Lunch Ideas
Getting your toddler to eat can be hard, I know from experience. As soon as I started putting a little more effort into making their meals more kid-friendly I noticed a huge difference in their willingness to try new foods. That was HUGE for me. My biggest concern was getting more protein and vegetables into their diets.
- Some things that I did that helped:
- * MAKE IT FUN *
- Make their food into cute shapes and characters:
- Turkey rice cakes, reindeer protein bites, pumpkin grilled cheese, apple turkeys etc.
- Allow the kids to use kid-safe food cutters to cut shapes out of vegetables, fruit and pancakes.
- Use a dip and arrange a variety of colorful vegetables around it along with crackers and pretzels which are safe foods.
- My kids love to dip things and they love bright colors. Thankfully vegetables are a range of beautiful colors that we can play into.
Below are some food and snack ideas that I have made for my kids that have been a huge hit and I hope are for yours too!
Kitchen Gadgets and Accessories to make meal time approachable and fun
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Homemade Yogurt Drinks
We have gone through so many yogurt packets for our kids over the years and would sometimes eat through two 4 packs within a day! I got sick of how much sugar was in some of them and how expensive others were. I was inspired by Yummy Toddler Food to make my own yogurt drink which allows you to control the ingredients and it couldn’t be easier. It is so simple and you can make them into whatever your kids favorite flavors are! There are only 4 ingredients and you can store extra in the fridge for up to 5 days, however mine never lasts that long.
What You'll Need
INGREDIENTS
- Yogurt: Greek or Plain
- Fruit: Frozen or Fresh
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Unthaw frozen fruit in the microwave if using.
- Blend 2 cups of fruit until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of yogurt, 2-3 Tbsp of maple syrup and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Blend again until smooth.
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I personally love to store the yogurt drink in a mason jar because they are glass. And my kids (and I) love their reusable squeezey pouch to serve the yogurt to them which also makes them great for on the go and lunch boxes! They are so handy and you can really put anything in them, that is a smooth puree consistency, such as homemade baby foods and applesauce. They are also really easy to clean and dishwasher safe!
Thanksgiving Themed Snacks & Lunches
Turkey Rice Cake
INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Rice Cake
2 Mini Rice Cakes
1 Carrot
1 Celery Stick
Peanut Butter
Candy Corn
Googley Eyes
Sprinkles (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread Peanut butter over the large rice cake. Sandwich the mini rice cakes together with peanut butter and place on top of the large rice cake to make the head.
- Adhere the eyes and candy corn nose with PB.
- Arrange carrot and celery sticks for the tail, gobbler and legs.
- Decorate with sprinkles (optional)
INGREDIENTS:
Two slices of bread
Two slices of cheese
1/2 of an Apple, sliced into wedges
1 marshmallow (head)
Sliced veggies or pretzel sticks (legs)
Sliced veggies or candy corn (nose)
Candy Googley Eyes
Pumpkin Grilled Cheese & Turkey Apple
INSTRUCTIONS for the PUMPKIN GRILLED CHEESE:
- Sandwich the cheese between the bread and use a pumpkin cookie cutter to to cut out a pumpkin shape.
- Use a spoon, to create lines in the pumpkin, by pressing down with the edge.
- Butter and toast the sandwich on both sides.
INSTRUCTIONS for the TURKEY APPLE:
- Arrange the apple slices like feathers and fan them out.
- Use a toothpick to stick the marshmallow into the middle apple slice.
- Use icing, marshmallow fluff or peanut butter to adhere the candy eyes, candy corn nose and gobbler made from any vegetable you have in the fridge or a pretzle.
Pilgrim Hats
INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate cookie or Reese’s PB Cups
Rolo or Mini Reese’s PB Cups
Yellow Icing
M&Ms
GREAT ACTIVITY FOR TODDLERS!
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Swirl a little icing on the bottom of the Rolo or mini Reese’s PB cup and place it in the middle of the chocolate cookie or Reese’s PB Cut.
- Squirt a line of icing around the hat and stick an M&M on as the buckle.