What Should I Feed My Toddler For Lunch?

Confession. Lola’s first taste of food was when she was five and a half months old and she snatched pulled pork off of Michael’s plate. She shoved it in her mouth and hasn’t looked back.

She could not be bothered with rice cereal. She went through a season where she loved oatmeal but only if it had cinnamon and cream in it.

She’s a smart girl.

She never really liked baby food either- she turned up her nose to the homemade and store bought variety. She’d rather have whatever it is we’re eating. If we’re eating something, she wants it. Even if she’s just had her own dinner.

We often joke that she’s like a dog. She come all the way across the room to beg for whatever it is we’ve got on her plate.

There isn’t too much she doesn’t love. She’s had kalmata olives, salmon, spicy Indian food, and pad thai. The other day she clawed her way through a samosa like her life depended on it.

I struggle with lunch ideas for Lola. She eats what we eat at dinner time, but lunch is tricky for us. She takes a long range mid day nap and I eat (in peace, holla!) while she’s sleeping.

In an effort not to feed her graham crackers and applesauce everyday, I’ve come up with this road map to follow: protein, dairy, vegetable, fruit.

 The combinations are endless, but I really needed a formula. I’m a list girl. I like to make check marks.

We typically have all of the following foods in our home. I’ve been picking one thing from each category. It’s been super simple, which is just what I need!

[Tweet “The no brainer toddler lunch guide- simple ideas that will knock your socks off! “]

Protein: Chicken and turkey slices, ground beef, meatballs, home made chicken nuggets

Dairy: Greek yogurt, string cheese, cheddar cheese, milk

Vegetables: Shredded carrots, broccoli, frozen mixed vegetables (current favorite), peas

Fruit: Cut apple slices, melon, strawberries, frozen blueberries (current favorite), bananas, cut grapes

When Mom Made reached out to us to see if we’d like to review some of their products, I knew my little foodie would be up for it.

Mom Made sent us coupons to try out a few of their products. I choose the turkey meatball bites because they are so versatile. They stand alone to as a protein but can also be used as an ingredient in a dinner dish (spaghetti and meatballs or Swedish meatballs over potatoes are two of our faves).

They heat up in the microwave quickly and don’t contain any junk. They are all natural and made with turkey raised without antibiotics.  I love that I can pronounce all of the ingredients.

Ingredients: Turkey raised without antibiotics, Breadcrumbs (unbleached wheat flour,salt and yeast), Celery,Onions, Water, Non fat milk, Contains less than 2% of the following: Seasoning (spices, sea salt), Sunflower lecithin. Contains Wheat and Milk.

This lunch contained frozen mixed vegetables, cut string cheese, sliced apples, and Mom Made Turkey Meatballs. I know it seems a bit funny, but Lola loves frozen fruit and vegetables. I’m pretty sure that it has to do with the fact that she’s teething.

For the record, she really enjoyed the meatballs. She had at least one in her hand and and one in her mouth almost the whole time she ate.

You can find Mom Made products in most traditional grocery stores. While they are all natural and organic, I found them in the traditional frozen food section (not the specialty organic section).