Well, it’s happened. My baby girl is a toddler. She stands around like she thinks she’s an adult or something, and I guess it’s time to start giving her real meals…like with food and stuff. I’d check with your doctor first, but according to mine, my girl (13 months) is ready to try anything. She’s been eating solids and feeding herself for some time now, but now her nutrition is completely based on what I give her. No more formula to rely on, so what do I feed her? If you are as clueless as me with this whole “what to feed a toddler,” here are some tips to help.
- Transition from purees. Slowly start mixing in small and soft chunks of fruits/veggies in the purees to get your kiddo used to the texture. Keep incorporating more of the solids as your child is progressing and eventually weans off of the purees altogether. You can also give your baby the occasional baby snack (fruit puffs, yogurt melts, etc.) so they can work with eating the solids and feeding themselves.
- Get educated on any food allergies. We tested each of the main allergens (dairy, eggs, peanut butter, shellfish, fish, soy, etc.) on our baby to make sure we knew what she may be sensitive to. Since she’s in daycare, I usually did it on a Friday so I could monitor her all weekend (I was really nervous about food allergies).
- Don’t stress. If you’re stressed out about transitioning, don’t feel pressured. If your baby is not taking to solids, don’t worry. Everyone moves at their own pace, and fortunately, there’s formula/breast milk to supplement until you get there.
- Don’t stress. Don’t make the meals overly complicated. Make meals that work for your family that you can also give your baby. Don’t feel obligated to make her a separate meal unless there are special diet restrictions.
- Don’t stress. You’re doing great, mama.
Here are some examples of meals I feed my tiny human throughout the day, and what you can take as ideas for what to feed your own toddler:
Toddler Breakfast Ideas
For breakfast, I usually give my girl some fruit with scrambled eggs (and shredded cheddar cheese if I have it). I also add these awesome pre-made whole wheat pancakes (similar here) to keep things quick and easy since I’m usually a tired and sleepy mama in the mornings.
Toddler Lunch Ideas
For lunch, I like to give her some cut-up meat, a veggie, and a starch. Here I have avocado, chicken (I tossed the chicken breasts in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and baked in the oven), and Caprese pasta (cooked rotini pasta mixed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and some pesto).
Toddler Snack Ideas
For a snack, I usually give my girl some fruit (cut-up strawberries, cuties with the skin removed, or blueberries, etc).
Toddler Dinner Ideas
For dinner, I chopped up the rest of the avocado to eat with oyster crackers and turkey chili with shredded cheddar cheese. The recipe is here.
I hope you’re feeling more confident about making food for your kiddos! The best part about it is I find that I also eat healthier since I’m more aware and selective about what I’m giving my girl to eat. Keep this experience stress-free (and when your kiddos are a little older, you can have them help you prepare their meals!). You’ve got it, super mom!
