Meal & Snack Ideas for
Toddlers (1-3 Years)

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Meal & Snack Ideas for Toddlers

Breakfast Ideas
Lunch Ideas
Snack Ideas
Dinner Ideas

Breakfast Ideas

Turkey sausage, clementines, and cereal

1 small clementine, peeled

¼ cup toasted oat cereal

2 turkey sausage links, cooked and cut up

½ cup milk

Mini pancakes with peanut butter, blueberries, and chopped strawberries

¼ cup strawberries, quartered ¼ cup blueberries

2 small pancakes

1 Tbsp peanut butter, drizzled or spread thinly on pancakes

½ cup milk

Whole wheat English muffin with cheese, scrambled egg, and tomatoes

3 grape tomatoes, quartered

½ whole wheat English muffin, toasted and sandwiched with
1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg, scrambled

½ cup milk

Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas

½ banana, sliced

1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted

1 Tbsp peanut butter, spread thinly on toast

½ cup milk

Lunch Ideas

Zucchini Fritters and diced fruit

½ cup diced fruit

Zucchini Fritters

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Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients1 large zucchini, grated

¼ cup shredded cheese (American, Cheddar, Mozzarella, or a blend)

1 egg

¼ cup bread crumbs

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Black pepper and garlic powder

Cooking spray or olive oil

Instructions

Grate zucchini and squeeze the zucchini in paper towels to remove the excess water. Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Form a heaping tablespoon from the mixture into 8 patties. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add patties and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve.

Fruit Pizzas and salad

Fruit Pizzas
on 2 halves of an English muffin

small salad with light dressing

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Fruit Pizza

Ingredients1 English muffin, whole wheat (1 slice of whole wheat bread works too!)

2 Tbsp Greek yogurt

¼ cup strawberries, sliced

¼ cup red grapes, quartered

¼ cup mandarin oranges, canned, drained

Instructions

TOAST the English muffin until golden brown. SPREAD Greek yogurt on toasted muffin. ARRANGE strawberries, grapes and orange slices on top of the Greek yogurt. SLICE into quarters.

Tomato and Spinach Pizza and pineapple

½ cup chopped pineapple

1 slice Tomato and Spinach Pizza

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Tomato and Spinach Pizza

Ingredients1 whole wheat tortilla

¼ cup tomato sauce

5 to 6 cherry red tomatoes, halved

¼ cup spinach, shredded

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ tsp parmesan cheese

Oregano and garlic powder to season

Instructions

Spray pan with cooking spray and heat on low. When warm, place a whole wheat tortilla in the pan and spread 2 Tbsp of tomato or marinara sauce on the tortilla. Add shredded cheese, shredded spinach, and chopped tomatoes on top of the tortilla. Sprinkle with basil, onion powder, and garlic powder and cover. Allow to cook for about 1 minute, or until cheese melts. The tortilla should be crisp, but not burnt. Scoop out of pan to cool. Slice and serve.

Snack Ideas

Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bar

1 Easy Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bar

½ cup milk

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Easy Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients¾ cup quick or instant oats

½ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup melted coconut oil or butter (melt then let cool for a minute so it’s not piping hot when you add it to the batter.)

¼ cup creamy unsweetened almond butter (sunflower seed butter or peanut butter works, too!)

¼ cup maple syrup or honey (avoid honey for kids under age 1.)

½ cup grated carrot

½ cup blueberries (cut large berries in half)

1 egg (optional): add to make bars more cake-like than crunchy

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper so it overhangs on two sides (this will make it easier to lift the bars out once baked and cooled). Mix together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl except the blueberries. (Add the egg if using.) Stir in the blueberries gently. Press into the prepared pan so the batter is even and pressed to the edges. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and set. Cool fully. Slice into bars and serve or store.

Banana, Orange, Pineapple Smoothie

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Banana, Orange, Pineapple Smoothie

Ingredients2 cups chopped ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

½ cup peeled chopped fresh pineapple

4 peeled orange segments

1 cup low-fat milk or plain yogurt

1 cup ice

Instructions

Combine ingredients in baby food maker, food processor, or blender. Puree until smooth; best served chilled.

Strawberry Smoothie

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Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients2 cups of frozen fruit (strawberries and bananas work great)

1/3 cup milk or plain yogurt

5 ice cubes

Instructions

Place frozen fruit in a blender. Add the orange juice. Add ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Try with other fruits, 100% fruit juice, yogurt, or milk.

Dinner Ideas

Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers and green beans

½ cup cooked peas, broccoli or green beans

Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers

1 cup milk

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Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers

Ingredients2 (6.5 oz) cans tuna OR 1 can salmon, drained and flaked

1 potato boiled, peeled and mashed

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp dried parsley

½ tsp dried thyme

Dash salt and pepper (to taste)

1 cup breadcrumbs (or cracker crumbs, or instant oatmeal)

Lemon juice (for drizzle)

Optional: ½ tsp dried cayenne pepper, 1-2 stalks dill (finely chopped) OR sweet relish, sliced fresh lemon or tomato (for topping)

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the fish, mashed potato, onions, parsley, dill, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Mash everything together, tasting the mixture and adding seasoning as desired. Form the mixture into patties. Pour the breadcrumbs onto a plate; dip each patty into the breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the patty on each side until crisp. Drain on paper towels or paper bags. Squeeze lemon juice over each fish burger and serve on bun if desired.

Mac ‘N’ Cheese and mixed vegetables

½ cup cooked mixed vegetables

whole grain Macaroni ’N’ Cheese

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Quick & Easy Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Ingredients1 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni

2 Tbsp margarine or butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup fat-free milk

1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Over low heat, add cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Add macaroni and mix gently. Stir over low heat until mixture is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, top with a sprinkle of grated cheese before serving.

Author: SD WIC.org

Bean Tostada, rice, and diced zucchini

½ cup diced zucchini, cooked

½ cup whole grain rice, cooked

Easy Cheesy Bean Tostada

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Easy Cheesy Bean Tostada

Ingredients1 can refried beans, fat-free, low-sodium

Corn tortilla

Cheddar cheese, reduced-fat, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Spread beans on each corn tortilla. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the beans on each tortilla. Place on ungreased sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Optional: serve with diced tomatoes and sour cream.

Meal & Snack Ideas for Toddlers (1-3 Years)

Breakfast Ideas

Turkey sausage, clementines, and cereal

1 small clementine, peeled

¼ cup toasted oat cereal

2 turkey sausage links, cooked and cut up

½ cup milk

Mini pancakes with peanut butter, blueberries, and chopped strawberries

¼ cup strawberries, quartered ¼ cup blueberries

2 small pancakes

1 Tbsp peanut butter, drizzled or spread thinly on pancakes

½ cup milk

Whole wheat English muffin with cheese, scrambled egg, and tomatoes

3 grape tomatoes, quartered

½ whole wheat English muffin, toasted and sandwiched with 1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg, scrambled

½ cup milk

Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas

½ banana, sliced

1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted

1 Tbsp peanut butter, spread thinly on toast

½ cup milk

Lunch Ideas

Zucchini Fritters and diced fruit

½ cup diced fruit

Zucchini Fritters

water

Zucchini Fritters

Fruit Pizzas and salad

Fruit Pizzas on 2 halves of an English muffin

small salad with light dressing

water

Fruit Pizza

Tomato and Spinach Pizza and pineapple

½ cup chopped pineapple

1 slice Tomato and Spinach Pizza

water

Tomato and Spinach Pizza

Snack Ideas

Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bar

1 Easy Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bar

½ cup milk

Easy Blueberry and Carrot Oatmeal Bars

Banana, Orange, Pineapple Smoothie

Banana, Orange, Pineapple Smoothie

Banana, Orange, Pineapple Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Dinner Ideas

Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers and green beans

½ cup cooked peas, broccoli or green beans

Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers

1 cup milk

Tuna (or Salmon) Burgers

Mac ‘N’ Cheese and mixed vegetables

½ cup cooked mixed vegetables

whole grain Macaroni ’N’ Cheese

water

Quick & Easy Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Bean Tostada, rice, and diced zucchini

½ cup diced zucchini, cooked

½ cup whole grain rice, cooked

Easy Cheesy Bean Tostada

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Easy Cheesy Bean Tostada

Beef or bean taco

½ cup diced tomatoes

½ cup shredded lettuce

1 corn tortilla

¼ cup shredded cheese

½ cup beef (or beans)

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Meal & Snack Ideas for
Toddlers (1-3 Years)

½ whole wheat English muffin, toasted and sandwiched with
1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

Fruit Pizzas
on 2 halves of an English muffin