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Toddler Dinner Recipes...help!!!
Hi girls, Long time no post for me. I have the day off so I'm going to try to respond and cathc up with everyone. But on a side note i need some help. I'm trying to find different, simple things I can make my son for dinner. We have become somewhat reliant (and lazy) and most nights he ends up eating mac & cheese or spaghetti & meatballs. He is not a pickey eater, but he does have his days where he will eat everything and others where he won't. I'd hate to make this whole huge meal for him and he eat nothing of it. I checked out wholesometoddlerfood.com but they dont have many recipes there. Anyone have something delish they make that the kiddies love?!?
-j
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Re: Toddler Dinner Recipes...help!!!
i made meatloaf from the jessical seinfeld cookbook and abby loved it!!
Last night I made chicken cooked in bbq sauce, corn pease and carrots and mashed potatoes with garlic (and i added some cream cheese to the mashed potatoes) and I gave abby a serving, I just shredded the chicken and mixed it wtih the potatoes (she HATES any type of meat) and she gobbled it up!
Try just giving him whatever you guys are eating! That's the advice I've been given here
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
This!
My kids generally eat what we all eat. They don't like everything I make but I always atleast try to have 2 items that both kids like with each meal. Some of our favorites are:
meatloaf, baked ziti (very easy to freeze), baked chicken, grilled chicken, chicken sauteed in mojo (do you see a trend) homemade pizza, grilled burgers/hotdogs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, pork chops, tacos/burritos
Sides: mashed potatoes, rice, beans, fettuccini, mac & cheese, steamed veggies, grilled veggies
I work f/t so I do alot of prep work on Sunday and alot of times I will get it ready (ie marinating or in the crock pot or cooking the meat ahead of time) in the mornings when im making lunches. And some weeks are better than others.
I also always throw a fruit on their plates too..
I have a problem with this too. My husband and I eat different food for dinner. He usually makes a bowl of pasta and I have a weight watchers tv dinner. I *hate* cooking. I am not good at it. Whenever i spend time trying to make food for Zachary he ends up not liking it, and then I get very angry because I have wasted so much time and wasted food/money. So I feed him baby food or chicken nuggets.
I haven't even tried meatballs. Do you have too cut the spaghetti into shorter strands? I'd be worried he would choke! lol Do you give him spaghetti & meatballs with sauce??
Also... confession: I hate messy babies, I am actually physically repulsed by the thought of a baby with sauce/food all over its face. I know... I am weird. ughhhhh
My Blog: SIREN.ORG!
OMG me too. I thought it would change when I had my own child. Nope. Still grosses me out. Maybe it will change when she starts solids? I totally understand that getting messy is part of a baby learning to eat, but I really get repulsed when I see babies with food all over their faces ::hangs head in shame::
Jackie, I've tried that meatloaf recipe that Steph posted and it's delicious. Does Juju like french fries? Maybe you can make him a baked potato mashed up with a little bit of butter? That's pretty bland and probably something he would like for sure. Whoever mentioned picadillo was also a good idea. That with white rice or with mashed potatoes or a baked potato would be good.
Karen - they can't choke on a strand of spaghetti - they can gag, but not choke. They can only choke on something that can block the windpipe which spaghetti most certainly can't
I do cut the strands though because she eats it quicker, but if I'm out at a restaurant, a long strand of spaghetti or 2 can be super entertaining for her and keeps her occupied!!!
We don't eat together either. As much as I want to, it just usually doesn't work. DH and I are both late eaters. He gets home from work around 6:30 or 6:45. Alexis usually eats at 6:45 or 7 and he doesn't want to walk in and sit down to eat. I also am not usually hungry at that time, so we tend to eat around 9 , after she's asleep. We do every once in while eat together and its nice and something that I hope we can do more of in the future once I figure out how!!
Anyway, back to the question. Definitely get Jessica Seinfeld book Deceptively Delicious, I think its on sale on Amazon, there are some great ideas in there. Things that work for Alexis (she is not picky at all): meatloaf, chicken breast, chicken nuggets, sloppy joes, tacos, pasta, fish, grilled cheese.
I always give her a veggie - steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn, peas, tomatoes are all popular. And fruit for dessert.
Jackie, I have this book and you are more than welcomed to borrow it whenever you want!
Thank girls. Jen- I def will borrow that book, next family function bring it to me
. He has eaten arroz con picadillo and arroz con huevo and alot of other things, but we dont cook these things every day. There are times we are so tired or just not in the mood to cook that we'll eat something frozen but juju won't...those are the nights I need help with. He loooves rice so I try to make that as much as I can. With the spaghetti I do cut it into smaller peices but like Leanna said one long strand can keep him busy for a while. Im going to make that meatloaf recipe with some mashed potatoes for tonight and see how that goes. Thanks again!
-j
Jackie, you can always cook a larger pot, and freeze the leftovers that way you always have... so if you don't feel like cooking one day, or you know you are ordering in, then you just defrost in the AM, and he always has his food.
I know it is easier said than done, but worth a try. Oh, and eggs are the easiest thing to make! That should be your go-to meal. LOL
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
chicken nuggets and hot dogs!! lol make sure they have low/no nitrites and watch the sodium content... those things can be FILLED with salt!