Today is backwards day at Works for Me Wednesday. So I ask you all, what are your ideas for (somewhat) healthy, easy to prepare toddler lunches? Matthew is not a picky eater, he likes most anything, but lately every day he wants a quesadilla for lunch. He also gets pb&j, fish sticks, grilled cheese sandwiches, and occasionally a lunchables.
Since it is usually time for Scarlett to nurse around the time I should prepare Matthew's lunch, I really need ideas that are quick (I am not one of those moms who can nurse & make lunch at the same time, I'm just not!) but I'd prefer things that are kind of good for him and if they're really inexpensive, well that's even better. What do you suggest? What do you feed your toddler for lunch?
To help other people with their questions, or to ask one of your own, head over to Rocks in My Dryer for the backwards edition of Works for Me Wednesday.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
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6 comments:
I'm the same as you. We're having quesadillas right now! I do try to put some veggie in them ususally (just dethawed frozen brocolli).
We also do pasta w/frozen veggies and olive oil w/cheese sprinkled on top. And every combo of that--black beans, hot, cold, a little bit of salad dressing, or pasta sauce. Whatever we have on hand.
But I'm bored of all that stuff, too!
Oh, I meant to say, the best thing about those pasta dishes is if you make a huge batch of it, it's just as good the next day...and the next...and the next..
I keep it pretty simple and tend to just rotate between two or three things. The kids seem to not mind. Most days it is chicken nuggets or peanut butter and honey. I keep a lot of fresh fruit on hand and will often add hunks of cheese to the plate.
I am so glad I am not the only mom who can't nurse and fix lunch at the same time!
First off I would work at getting in the habit of fixing him up a lunch plate right after breakfast. Make it up and stick in the fridge and if it is something that needs heated up, you just have to microwave it for 20-30 seconds for him to enjoy it.
The ideas you have are good ones. Things I do for my toddler are save a small portion of dinner meals for him for a lunch....cut up chicken pieces, cooked carrot sticks, 1/2 of a sloppy joe sandwich, cut up peach or pear slices, tuna mixed with a little mayo on a piece of bread, soft taco, cheese sticks, cooked noodles, hotdogs, cut up burgers, fries, homemade chicken rice soup, etc. Basically the options are endless! Just remember to cut pieces of food into 1/2" pieces.
HTH!
Also similar (with our just turned 2yr old and a 4mo old), and I don't hesitate to resort to cheese with slices of fresh apple and peanut butter -- it's a Saturday favorite!! *Ü* Good luck!!
I feel you on this one...the unending question of simple, healthy, and inexpensive lunches that are toddler friendly...
I tend to find two things and rotate them for a week or two. After a week or so (or my next grocery store trip) I come up with 2 more meals and stick to those for a while. Doing this eliminates the 11:30 question of "what will we have today?"
Right now we are on bar-b-que ham. I cook a ham (the kind packaged that is pre-cooked and already sliced..remember I'm big on convenience) cut it up and add bar-b-que sauce on top. With that I give a handful of cold green beans (i always keep a zip loc bag of green beans in the fridge. I just pour them from the can to the bag), a stick of string cheese, a handful of blueberries and yogurt for dessert.
I try to cover all the food groups in a meal and green beans have proven to be my sons favorite as well as easy and cheap. Sometimes I do fresh, but usually just canned.
We also eat chicken strips (strips of chicken rolled in Ritz crackers and baked that I cook ahead and keep in the fridge), lunch meat slices (at the deli I ask them to slice it a little thicker than sandwich slice so it's a good thickness), hamburger patties, pizza, bean burritos...the list goes on.
Like you, I have a little one to nurse, so keeping the menu limited works for me. Fruits that you can grab by the handful work best for me. We love grapes, blueberries and strawberrys.
Sorry to be so long.
If you come up with any new great suggestions please send them my way!
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