What are you feeding your toddler? (xposted with Mealtime forum)

Hi Guys! Well, I'm feeling like I need some help with ideas for meals for my 16-month-old. He'll eat almost anything we put in front of him -- not every time, of course, cuz he certainly has his days of refusing to eat just about anyhting, but often. My problem is that I'm ashamed to say, yet honest, that I don't cook well. I can do five or six homemade meals well (like meatloaf, shephard's pie, a few chicken dishes), but the rest is hamburger helper, pasta & Ragu, tacos -- and alot of it has partially hydrogenated oil crap in it that I try REALLY hard not to give our son.

Here is what we currently give him almost every week: chicken nuggets, fish sticks, Yo Baby, apple sauce, Prepared Jello/Fruit (not good), Hormel Kidz Meals, Buttered Noodles, lunchmeat & crackers, oatmeal, eggs & bacon or sausage. That's about it for meal food.

So, I ask you --> What kind of meals are you making for your toddlers so that I may humbly and appreciatively try, myself.

THANK YOU!
:-)

I have a very picky 4 1/2 y.o. boy and a not-as-picky 30 month old. Here is a list of things that they will eat:

-Mighty Bites cereal (organic with less sugar in the shape of a person); good for breakfast or for on-the-go snack inside a sandwich bag.
-Pretzel sticks.
-Organic yogurt in a tube when your kid is a better able to hold it. It's fun. Danimals yogurt drink is fun, too.
-Clementine tangerines. Very sweet, small, and easy to peel for the older one.
-Bananas.
-Dried cranberries and raisins. They love to pick them up! My kid also likes to pick them out of the cranberry scones at Starbucks. Kind of messy, though.
-Grilled or pan fried salmon fillet/steak. I use a little kosher sea salt for seasoning, let it sit in the fridge for about an hour, then pan fry with a little butter. You can also squeeze fresh lemon juice on it. I serve it with rice.
-White or brown rice. Easy to cook. Couscous is even easier. Rice with soup is even better.
-Corn niblets w/ butter.
-Toast with butter and jelly or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
-The Gerber baby food pears in the recloseable plastic rectangular containers is a nice alternative to applesauce.
-Soymilk. My kids now prefer soymilk: plain, with strawberry powder or with chocolate Ovaltine. I let them use a spoon to try a put the powder in. (Just put a plate underneath.) They stir and then lick the spoon. Lots of fun for them!
-At Japanese restaurants, the kids really liked the tofu in the miso soup and ate that with rice. Just ask for a little extra tofu and hold the green onions.

Hope this helps!

Hi there. My son's name is Matt, too :-). Thanks very much for the suggestions. I love the idea of clementines. I just bought some today, actually, so we're on the same wavelength there. However, hadn't thought of dried cranberries or doing corn yet. You get so used to them at a certain stage of babyhood that you forget that when they're older -- even a little bit older -- they can do a little more. Like chew corn! Tonight I"m making corn. And I think I'm gonna try salmon, too.

Thank you very much!

Fairy

My DD likes Annie's macaroni and cheese. It's organic even though processed. I stir in some peas and/or carrots and she loves it that way.

We also do soups, she likes trying to eat it with a spoon but soups with pasta, dumplings, etc. have big pieces that are easy to pick up and eat too.

Quesadillas are a good bet - you can get natural tortillas and organic cheese, spread in some sauteed peppers and onions or shredded chicken. Cut in wedges and serve with mild salsa and/or sour cream for dipping.

My DD in general likes to dip, so anything that can be cut and dipped she will eat - steamed carrots and broccoli, waffle sticks, French toast (Trader Joe's or make your own, IMO Aunt Jemima's is gross), etc.

Good luck!

Best,
Mary