Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

I'm looking for meal ideas for my 1-year-old. I feel like we're stuck in a rut (as am I, or I'd just give her what I'm eating). What do your kids eat for lunch and dinner?

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

DD is a very poor eater so just because I introduce all these foods, does not mean she eats them or takes more than 2 bites of them

Depending on what I offer her for lunch I try not to repeat for dinner so it can be any of the following:

yogurt
steamed veggies - peas, corn, string beans, carrots
avocado
black beans
chick peas
hummus
cheese
turkey
ham
liverwurst
chicken
meatballs
pasta with veggies
pasta with meat sauce
veggie burgers
hamburgers
kielbasi
sausage
crackers
*I want to try and introduce a fillet fish this weekend

I will also give some pureed foods if she is not eating the finger foods well that day

cut up watermelon, cantelope, grapes, bananas ect....

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Thanks for responding. Do you ever feel like you're giving her just a series of unrelated foods instead of a meal? I think that's my issue, which I suppose isn't that big a deal if all of the foods are good for her and she's eating them.

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Honestly whatever we have for dinner, they get unless it has something spicy in it or allergy related.

Lunch- Yogurts, grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit cups, soups, you name it, they eat it.

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Some of DS' favorties at that age:
Shephards Pie
Ravioli
Pasta with peas and parmesean
Dr. Pragers's spinach potato pancakes
Hummus
Grilled cheese
Meatloaf
Meatballs

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

For lunch I still give her veggies (baby food) and then cut up strawberries or bananas. I then give her cheerios, puffs, or rice cakes. At snack time she has a yogurt.
For dinner we give her whatever we are eating..chicken, veggies, pasta etc

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

I give DS whatever I am eating and I usually cook with him in mind. I cook when I have the energy/time and always make extra. Tonight we had corn salad and meatloaf bites. Usually I also make a bunch of breaded chicken and hard boiled eggs to keep in the fridge. So I do a protein and add a quick veggie and/or a sweet potato. I just made these roasted carrot coins and have some leftover so I know it will be a good add in. Sometimes he gets "meals" and sometimes it is just a smorgasbord of stuff.

HTH

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Posted by MamaLeen

I give DS whatever I am eating and I usually cook with him in mind. I cook when I have the energy/time and always make extra. Tonight we had corn salad and meatloaf bites. Usually I also make a bunch of breaded chicken and hard boiled eggs to keep in the fridge. So I do a protein and add a quick veggie and/or a sweet potato. I just made these roasted carrot coins and have some leftover so I know it will be a good add in. Sometimes he gets "meals" and sometimes it is just a smorgasbord of stuff.

HTH

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

I always give him a fruit with lunch and a veggie with dinner, so the following things would be accompanied by that:

Lunch: cream cheese and jelly, sunbutter and jelly, turkey and cheese sandwich, grilled cheese, yogurt, turkey and cheese rolled up with a little mayo, veggie burger, egg and cheese quesadilla

Dinner: pasta with a little grated cheese and sauce, turkey meatballs or meatloaf, grilled chicken quesadilla, turkey chili, chicken dredged in italian dressing, dipped in breadcrumbs and rolled up with american cheese and baked in the oven, potato and egg fritata, rice and beans

Basically, anything we're eating. I always try to do a protein and a starch and either a fruit or veggie.

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

I usually give what we're eating for dinner, but when thats not good for them I have lots of special stuff for them on hand.

I make a lot of meatballs or patties ahead of time, and keep a bunch frozen. I can defrost 1-2 in the morning and microwave -quick and easy for dinner. I make 3 different meats; ground turkey, ground chicken, and ground beef. I make them like a regular meatball recipe and sometimes add shredded cheese too.

Along with that they eat a Dr Pragers spinach, brocolli, or potato pancake. Or steamed or boiled veggie. They LOVE steamed carrots and they love corn.

If I'm feeling lazy I will give them a veggie babyfood with their meat.

I also keep some of the gerber ravioli meals in my diaper bag. They are great in emergencies when I am stuck out somewhere and they love them (though probably not the healthiest).

For lunch they will have yogurt + real fruit cut up (or even baby food fruit mixed into yogurt). They love cut up cheese. They also love omlettes so if they don't have one for breakfast they can have for lunch - they love spinach and cheese omlette.

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

another thing I make is homemade mac and cheese. freeze it in small tins. So one batch makes like 6 tins and feeds all the kids (and I have 3 kids)

I can take one out and bake (frozen) and tases so fresh and yummy!

Message edited 7/7/2011 10:23:00 PM.

Re: Lunch & dinner for 1-year-olds

Before DS started to have major issues with food, he was eating turkey, chicken, shepards pie, boiled potatoes, baked potatoes, steamed carrots and peas, rice, pasta with sauce or baby food, french fries, pancakes, waffles, yogurt, dippy eggs with toast. His favorite was chicken and rice with peas and carrots... It was easier to feed him at one year then it is now at 20 months.. If he didn't have a milk protein and soy allergy, I would have introduced more foods to him..