Meal Ideas

For the most part, my lo's will eat whatever I give them. My DS is more of a veggie, fruit, toast and yogurt kind of guy and even though my DD likes those things, she would probably eat a grilled cheese sandwich, turkey sandwich or cheese cubes at every meal if I let her. (I try to keep sandwiches healthy with whole wheat bread, sharp cheddar, and nitrate free lunch meat) So I'm looking for some meal suggestions. For dinner, we do spaghetti, chicken casserole, grilled cheeses, orzo pasta, cut-up chicken with peas or green beans, maybe veggie burgers if they are starving and not being picky, mashed potatoes and things like that. During the day they eat (pretty much whole wheat everything)toast, waffles, mini bagels cut up, raisins, pears, pineapple, peaches, yobaby, cut up cheese, biscuits, graham crackers, peas, green beans, cheerios, muffins, bananas, 2% cottage cheese, oatmeal (DD doesn't like it), grits, scrambled eggs with cheese are hit or miss, no sugar added applesauce, etc. I just try to rotate these things during the week.

Some days I feel like their meals are all "finger foods" and it gets repetitive. I do continue to offer foods though until I know for sure they don't like something. Which is why DD will now eat peas - I offered those to her probably 15 times before she gave in. Like yesterday at lunch they had raisins, peas, toast I think and some yogurt. They were full when we were done and ate everything happily. I usually try to do a protein/dairy, grain, veggie and fruit at each meal. They get about 12-14 ounces of milk a day if I had to guess but lots of dairy foods too. They only drink whole milk and water from sippies - no juice. So all in all I feel like they are on track as far as being toddlers goes and making the table foods transition, but I guess my questions are:

*Does it look like they are getting enough variety compared to maybe what your 13 month olds were/are eating?
*Any ideas for quick meals - something I haven't thought of that's easy? What are your always-a-winner fallbacks?
*Finally peanut butter...they've never had it. When did y'all start giving peanut butter? I'd like to try it because I think they'd both like a pb & j and a great new source of protein, but I'm kind of afraid to. No pb/peanut allergies on either side of the family.

TIA - just wondering how are menus look compared to others out there!

 

I don't have any great ideas... ours meals are similar to yours... I do a lot of whole wheat pasta and am lazy and just sprinkle it with shredded cheese or parmesan cheese... (no mess red sauce!!), and they eat most all the veggies as finger foods, just steamed with no seasonings...

yes, peanut butter is a great source of protein, you could also try almond butter, I think that's less allergenic if you're scared to do peanut butter. I tried peanut butter this summer, and it made their diapers runny... I need to try again, its not like its a hives allergy thankfully.

another spread you might try, is hummus - its basically garbanzo (chick peas) beans pureed w/tahini and some other seasonings... I made it a few weeks ago and mine gobbled it up.

I also have made cheese/nut balls (meat free meatballs!) w/a sweet & sour sauce, they loved those too. and ours like pizza.

And of course ours LOVE anything that comes off of our forks! it could be the exact same thing on their plate, but its so much better off of our fork! ugh!

i can't wait to read any other suggestions, cause I feel like I'm in a rut.

 

*Does it look like they are getting enough variety compared to maybe what your 13 month olds were/are eating?

When my boys were 13 months old they had about the same amount of variety. We always tried giving them new stuff to try and like you, it sometimes took 10-15 times before they would eat it. I know that my boys get tired of the same thing over and over, so changing it up is always something to think about.

*Any ideas for quick meals - something I haven't thought of that's easy? What are your always-a-winner fallbacks?

Our biggest fall backs are quesadillas, I can easily melt cheese and add some veggies and they are happy to eat them almost all the time, pita pockets with cheese and veggies or cream cheese and fruit, and hummus with pitas or pita chips. They love being able to dip in the hummus and we dip a lot of other stuff too, yogurt, cream cheese, different dressings, pesto, guac etc.
My boys still (at 19 months) eat mostly finger food. It is easier for them and for me and most of their favorites fall into the finger food variety. We try to be consistent in offering things they can use a spoon or fork with (yogurt, pastsas etc) but even then they often end up using their hands anyway.

* When did y'all start giving peanut butter?

We tried peanut butter for the first time at about 11 months unintentionally. The boys were given peanut butter cookies while they were at church with my parents since my mom didn't realize they hadn't had it before. They ended up being fine and we slowly started intorducing it to their diet. They love peanut butter on toast and bagels and will eat a PB&J sandwich. They probably get it a few times a week. We did not have any peanut allergies in either of our families and there are very few food allergies so it worked out well for us. My original plan had been to wait until about 18 months.

 

Fish
is easy..I never use to cook it before the lo's but now I buy the big tray and keep it frozen when I need something quick.
I buy the telapia fish, put in the pan with a little of olive oil for about 5 min on each side along with cut up onions and peppers if I have anything along with some rice or pasta and they get the left over for dinner.

Chicken- frozen veggies (carrots, peas, etc) mixed in with condensed mushroom can and a breast of chicken, bake it the oven
for about 45 min and you have food for a few days (I freeze a lot)

The new veggies they like (and I don't) and beets- boiled them for a while--45 min or so) but they last in the refrigerator
up to 2 weeks.

I love to get other ideas as well

the frozen veggies burgers from morning star are my fall back.

 

Someone else mentioned hummus, which my pair love. And chick peas (which is what hummus is made from). I haven't tried other beans yet but I just bought a few different kinds and will try them soon. I also make a casserole with rice, condensed milk, cream of mushroom soup, grated cheese, and whatever veggie I have in the house (broccoli, spinach, beans, etc all work well). It's thick enough that they can eat it with their fingers and they gobble it up. Another dish is blueberry pancakes. Often for breakfast, but sometimes for dinner.
It's nice to know my kids are eating pretty much the same thing as others.
Michele

 

I also agree with adding fish if you want to add something new, other then that, it looks like your menu has a lot of variety for that age and looks similar to what my kids ate at 13 months.
A quick fall back meal at that age was waffles, grilled cheese or scrambled eggs
We started peanut butter at 12 months, initially they were not sure about it but after a couple of tries, they really enjoy it.

Good luck!

 

Thanks everyone! I love hummus and would love it if the babies would it too, I'll have to try that. I like the blueberry pancake idea and since DH will be home this weekend, I think we're going to give the lo's their first pb & j sandwich this weekend. I'm not brave enough to try it on my own at 9 months pregnant in case someone had a reaction and I had to get one or both to the er! Thanks again for the ideas everyone.

 

I think their menu sounds really good and nicely varied for that age. :good:

We gave peanut butter just after 12 months, and thankfully had no reactions. I would make sure you have some liquid Benadryl on hand and research the appropriate dose beforehand just in case. Another mom posted here a few days ago about how her son had a reaction to his first taste of PB, and had some good suggestions about what to do if this ever happens.

I have to admit that our quick, sure-fire fallback is hot dogs! :blush: We try not to give them more than twice a week, but they LOVE those suckers! :ibiggrin: Home-made pizza is always a hit (with DH and I as well).

 

sadly i have very picky eaters....(sigh), but one thing that i did not see mentioned, although i wouldnt say is healthy for them but my boys will eat it are french fries. They also eat fish sticks...they love banana's and other fruits, some veggies still iffy with them, but we introduce them all the time...they have waffles, and pancakes, and i just bought some french toast sticks, i try to think of other breakfast finger foods for them other than giving them oatmeal all the time...

 

All Homemade:
Mac 'n' cheese

Chicken Pot Pie (SUPER easy, just take frozen pie shell, frozen mixed veggis, a cream sauce, cubed chicken, put it all in the crust, cover it with a refridgerated crust, pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and done)

Meatloaf (I always had some shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, puree'd carrots, etc.. )

Pork Chops (Either grilled or I like using that shake 'n' bake stuff)

Fish Sticks (my kids LOVE them, when I need something in a pinch)

Pasta Primavera (they LOVED this, even with the seasoning)

Spanikopita (It's a Greek spinach pie made with Feta cheese, spinach and Phyllo dough)


At that age pretty much everything I gave them was made into finger foods. We would always give them utensils, but of course they didn't get used.... So I just cut/chop everything up so it' easy to grab with little hands.


Snacks sound good. We always rotated with the yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese cubes (or sticks) graham crackers, applesauce, various fruits.

We do give ours juice, but it's either the Motts for Tots, or this new Organic one that's also 50/50 juice/water. A lot of times I'll water it down even more too so they basically get flavored water.