Feeding toddlers a good lunch can be a challenge. With so much fun to be had taking a break to eat can make lunch VERY short and sweet. I have found that serving quick lunches that are easy to eat, healthy, and tasty…. that is what get the little ones filling their bellies.
I also find that timing is everything. We eat lunch BEFORE naps in our house. With naptime being at 12:00 that means lunch starts at 11:15AM so I have to be careful to stop giving snack by 10:00AM. You can read more about all that in my Toddler Schedules post. Back to lunches!
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Lunch Meat Wraps
This is a recent lunch favorite at our house. Easy, healthy, and delicious!
You will want:
- Lunch Meat (I use Oscar Myer Chicken)
- Cheese
- Hummus
I spread some hummus on the lunch meat slice, and then lay the cheese on it and wrap it up.
My kid likes to eat it like a stick of deliciousness, but you can also cut it up and use a fork!
Hummus
So I mentioned above that I use this on the Chicken wraps. It is also great for those toddlers who tend to dip and lick. Much healthier than ranch. This is a super easy and pretty nutritious dip that is totally okay to eat on its own! (if that is what your toddler is into. I know mine is).
- 1 Can Chick Peas (keep the liquid)
- 2 TBS Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 2 TBS Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
I blend all this together and add a couple tablespoons of the chick pea liquid until its a nice smooth consistency. For EXTRA smooth hummus you can actually blend the olive oil and the lemon juice alone first to “whip”. Then add the rest of the ingredients.
Open Faced Sandwiches
Another staple in the house here. We love sandwiches! I make Homemade bread about once a month, slice it up and freeze it (find my recipe here). For toddlers, a big mouthful of bread can be a lot. Which is why I typically go the open faced direction. Honestly they pull the whole sandwich apart anyway, so I find it more efficient to just start that way. Here is what I use:
- Slice of Bread
- Peanut butter/Nut Butter/Butter
- Jelly/Honey/Molasses
I do this pancake style and cut it up so they can eat with a fork. A glass of milk on the side is a must!
Noodles
Plain old. Tasty. Noodles. Vary the shapes and keep it fun! Sometimes I add sauces. You can blend up cooked veggies into you marinara sauce to sneak those into the toddler diet if needed as well.
Shells are a fun one. As are Elbows. I find the smaller noodles to be more appealing the little ones.
I also make sure that when I boil the noodles in the first place I add bullion or salt to the water. This adds a great flavor and is super easy.
Crackers and Cheese
As I mentioned above, little toddlers tend to take apart their food. So I like to start that way. Crackers and Cheese is a really easy one for a deconstructed lunch.
- Crackers (butter crackers or saltines are great)
- Cheese cut into bite-sized pieces
- Lunch Meat cut into bite-sized pieces
Just give them a few portions of each and let them have at it! Yum!
