Toddler Lunch Ideas

It can be easy to lose inspiration when these little ankle biters are hungry day in and day out several times a day! Here are some ideas to rejuvenate your toddler lunches! 

I recommend that at least 3 or 4 food groups are offered at mealtimes. One should always be a fruit or veggie. Since I want to expose my little guy to both cooked and raw veggies, I’ve fallen into the habit of serving raw veggies at lunch and cooked veggies at supper. It’s just a little shortcut I’ve given my brain so that it doesn’t have to think as hard! 

Note that the amount of food on these plates aren’t prescriptions for how much a toddler should eat. Kids should be given a range of healthy food, and allowed to eat as much or as little as they need. I try to offer a small amount of each food so that my toddler isn’t overwhelmed with food on his plate. I have refills close by and he knows he just has to ask (politely!) for more and I’ll oblige. 

• Cooked chicken
• Cheese
• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)

• Tofu
• Cheddar cheese
• Whole grain crackers
• Pickles
• Yellow peppers
• Cucumbers

• Lentil garlic cheese toast
• Cucumbers
• Celery sticks with nut butter

• Leftover farmer sausage and rice dinner
• Cheese
• Red peppers
• Cucumber

• Sun-dried tomato and tuna salad sandwich
• Yellow peppers

• Cucumber and ranch cottage cheese open faced sandwich
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)
• Cheese curds

• Turkey pepperoni cut into bite-sized pieces
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)
• Whole grain crackers
• Couscous salad with garden veggies

• PB and honey sandwich on sourdough flax bread
• Carrots (grate raw carrots for young children to reduce the risk of choking)

• Panini grilled cheese sandwich
• Cucumber slices
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)

• Whole grain quesadilla with cheddar cheese, guacamole and chipotle salsa for dipping
• Snap peas

• Whole grain wrap with cream cheese and cottage cheese
• Sliced cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)

• Leftover whole grain pasta with spaghetti sauce
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise to prevent choking in young children)