Meals for 12 mo old

[cara1]

Okay, I know I've posted on this before, but I'm still confused. When I have DS on the weekends, I've pretty much cut out jarred baby foods. He usually eats some of what I'm eating. In a pinch, if I haven't cooked anything for myself yet, I'll give him a tub of Gerber graduates. During the week, he's at my MIL, who finds jarred baby food very convenient. For dinner, she usually gives him some cooked chicken, and veggies. But she can't seem to figure out what to give him for lunch. They're often out, so she likes the convenience of the jarred foods, but I feel like we should move on. I know, there is cheese, fruit, cheerios, but he gets these for snacks. Other than cooking an extra meal at dinner and sending it over the following day for lunch, does anyone have any ideas? What to kids this age eat who are in daycare? It's not like I can pack him with a sandwhich and an apple in a lunchbox... TIA...

[trumansmom]

It's hard, isn't it?

When we go out for dinner, I always take an individual size container of apple sauce or some other fruit or a small container of green beans. I figure I'll be able to get him to eat something else wherever we are, but I can feed him those to make sure I know he got something nutritious. Mac and cheese is a big hit, and at 12 months, Truman didn't care if food was cold or hot, so just sticking it in tupperware was fine. Yogurt or cottage cheese, or tofu cubed up works, too.

And if he like cooked chicken and veggies, throw those in too. I just stick stuff in an insulated bottle carrier and throw it in the diaper bag.

Good luck. Don't know if that helped or not!
Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/29/01

[twins r fun]

I do cheese, crackers, and apple sauce or canned green beans a lot when we are out. If we are at a mall, I go to the salad place and buy chicken, noodles, cheese, and fruit salad-they sell it all by the item pretty cheaply. I also give them the Gerber Ravioli when out or go to a sandwich place and order a turkey sandwich and give them parts of that.

For home, I do dinner leftovers or something I've made previously and frozen like mac and cheese, meatballs, or chicken nuggets. I also buy the Perdu chicken tenders and frozen hamburger patties and give them these if I've got the time. Turkey and cheese from the deli with bread is a nice quick one. Frozen, refrigerated, or boxed mini tortellini or mini ravioli (with no sauce) works too and only takes a few minutes to boil. Very easy (but messy) is a can of baked beans and toast. Add a fruit or vege to any of these and it's a pretty complete meal. Do you think your MIL would be willing to do any of these or does it have to be super easy like the jars? I must admit I miss those jar days sometimes!

Nicole

[egoldber]

Hmmm. Well Sarah was eating sandwiches at 12 months. She liked cream cheese sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, hummos sandwiches, soynut butter sandwiches... you get the idea. As long as you cut it up small enough, a sandwich is great. YoBaby yogurts in the small container are also small and convenient. But out eating out staples are string cheese, canned veggies and chicken. Just dice up small pieces and put it in tupperware containers. Your MIL will have to move on from jar foods someday. And someday SOON your DS will not LET her feed him!

HTH,

[LisaS]

DD hasn't wanted jarred foods since she could finger-feed herself - abt 8 months, so we've been doing lots of easy self feed foods.

I agree with Beth that sandwiches are actually a good one - and DD was eating them by 11 months - but before that, when 1/2 or 1/4 sandwich is too much to hold and bite from, I'd toast bread first so its easier to hold onto and then cut them into small shapes (w/mini cookie cutters) or sticks - doesn't really require much effort - just make a sandwich (cream cheese & jelly, or tuna fish, or hummus and cucumbers, cheese and tomato) and then cut crusts off and cut it into sticks/strips or hearts/stars - whatever cutters you have - and dump them in a baggie and you're set.

Otherwise, I actually spend a few hours once a month making foods and freezing them so I have a selection to choose from.

Pasta is very easy - I premake a meat sauce abt once a month and then freeze it in small portions. Whenever I don't have a meal prepared - I just make pasta and defrost meat sauce for it.
Or, I buy pre-washed, cut up veggies - and add that the the pasta with cheese and tomato sauce.

Chicken soup - this is great - I make it once a week and DD loves the soft flavorful veggies from it and the pieces of chicken - she eats with her hands and then she drinks the broth from a cup. This is easy to take with you and not too messy.

Baked potato w/brocoli tree-tops and cheese - That's a real easy one. YOu can often get it when you're out and can be mashed and spoon/fork fed, or pinched into easy pick-up finger portions.

Meatballs are great - I cut them in 1/4s and DD loves to pick the pieces up - these are her favorite - she practically inhales them. They are a bit messy to travel with, though. Better for eating at home. I actually make them in a sweet sauce - (tomato puree, cranberry sauce brown sugar and onions)

How about fish sticks or fish shapes or chicken nuggets? I make my own very easily - just flake fresh fish and mix w/potato and egg and roll in breadcrumbs and bake - usually pretty good. The chicken nuggets or cutlet sticks I do the same way (but don't mix w/potato). She likes to dip all of these in ketchup.

Another great baby friendly veggie that's high in protien is Edamame - japanese soy beans. DD and I go out for sushi a lot
-she eats the edamame and vegetables (as they'd be inside a roll...but without the seaweed) w/rice or salmon teryaki - sweet and sticky - she loves this too.

I follow a lot of Annabel Karmel's recipes - I find her books to be very easy and user friendly - especially the pictures are great.

Good luck.

[cara1]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. I think I definitely have some work cut out for me, don't I? Lisa, you definitely are busy in the kitchen, aren't you?

[LisaS]

I didn't mean to make it sound like I slave away in the kitchen all day -- I really don't. I just plan ahead, make sure my fridge is stocked every week and freeze tons when I do decide to cook (usually I have 1 day a month when I spend 3 hours cooking and freezing meals specifically for DD). DH is hardly ever home for dinner so I eat whatever (some nights its a bowl of cereal) and its easier for me to make real meals for DD separately that I give her for lunch - we're very relaxed about dinner. On the weekends, DD eats what we eat. I do however LOVE to cook and I also love to get creative with food presentation, so perhaps that skews my view on what is and isnt' a lot of work in the kitchen. Somehow, we always end up having dinner here after playgroup when its at my house and I've found that its much easier than you'd think to make a meal for 6 babies in 15 minutes! Anyway, feel free to ask for any recipes or other ideas. I do love all things baby-cooking related.

[colleenfs]

For breakfast, Julia has applesauce and mini frozen pancakes or regular oatmeal. Lunch is YoBaby yogurt, grilled cheese, carrots, and a few Teddy Grahams. Dinner is usually chicken, peas/green beans, and carrots. She'll eat whatever meat we have - pork, chicken, hamburger. She also loves meatballs, pasta, macaroni and cheese, frozen fish sticks - the breaded ones, not fried, mashed potatoes, and even broccoli. Hope this helps!

Colleen and Julia 1-10-02

[atlbaby]

Lisa,
Thanks for such great suggestions! I am always on the lookout for new ideas and now I have some great ones! I've tried sandwiches a number of times without any luck (she'll pick them apart and eat everything individually...) but maybe cutting them into strips or shapes might work! It would open up a whole new arena of food ideas if she would eat them! Lots of stuff to work with...thanks! :)

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01