Some days, feeding yourself the right midday meal can be a challenge. Making lunch for a probably-picky growing toddler who needs the right nutrients and might have dietary restrictions, too (and even if they don’t, might attend a school where certain foods are banned)? Downright daunting.
It doesn’t need to be. Toddlers — children who are between 12 and 35 months — can eat most whole foods that adults can eat, just in modified, safe-to-chew textures. Here's what parents need to know when making their toddler's lunch.
Tips for making healthy lunches for toddlers
- Keep portion sizes in mind. A toddler's tummy is still tiny, notes Julie Stefanski, R.DN., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “A serving size for a toddler is only about 25 percent to 50 percent of an adult portion,” she says.
- Don't be deterred by picky eating. Just because a child doesn’t try a food the first (or third) time they see it doesn’t mean they won't eventually like it. “It may take 15 times for a toddler to see a new food before they even try it,” says Stefanski. “Even if they don’t try it, you’ve met the goal of exposing them to the new food.”
- Alternate foods. Another strategy to combat picky eating is alternating foods to expose kids to more variety. For example, if your toddler is into sandwiches, alternate the bread between whole-wheat bread, whole-grain English muffins, whole-wheat pita and whole-wheat wraps, then alternate spreads between cream cheese, nut or seed butter, avocado and hummus.
- Frozen produce is your friend. Only have a few minutes to whip up a lunch for your little one? “Using frozen produce will save busy parents lots of time, since it is prepped and ready to cook, and is just as nutritious as fresh produce found in the produce aisle,” says pediatric dietitian Nicole Silber, R.D. Canned beans, vegetables and fish can also make lunch prep a breeze.
- Avoid unsafe and unhealthy foods. Foods toddlers should steer clear of include those with added sugar and any possible choking hazards; the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding popcorn, hot dogs (unless cut into small pieces), sticky peanut butter, marshmallows, raw carrots or celery and any round shapes like whole cherry tomatoes, whole grapes, seeds or hard candies for this reason. Foods like meat, raw fruits or vegetables and potatoes should always be cut up into small, bite-sized pieces, no larger than one-half inch.
Best healthy toddler lunch ideas
Try these lunch box ideas from Stefanski, Silber and Sophia DeSantis of the blog Veggies Don’t Bite.
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Best toddler lunch ideas for day care
Check with your child’s day care manager to see if you need to avoid certain food allergens (the most common are dairy, wheat, fish, shellfish, eggs, soy, peanuts and tree nuts), but unless your child has a true allergy, the AAP does not recommend limiting these foods.
- Lentil and veggie stir fry. Sauté lentils and dice veggies the night before and serve with brown rice.
- Whole wheat pita with black bean dip and sweet potato fries.
- Yogurt, fruit and sliced avocado.
- Whole wheat bread with unsweetened sunflower seed butter and mashed banana on top. Serve with a side of veggies or chickpeas.
- Cheese-and-bean quesadilla with chopped spinach and a side of apple slices. Sauté frozen spinach and black beans, then top on a whole wheat tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Cut the tortilla into little triangle sandwiches for easy eating.
Best toddler lunch box ideas for preschool or school
- Mashed black bean and avocado roll-ups with celery and ranch, banana nut butter stacks and 1/4 cup pretzels.
- Pita pizzas with zucchini and thinly sliced cucumber, quartered strawberries and 1/4 cup trail mix.
- Avocado sandwich, halved grapes, whole-grain crackers and small pieces of your favorite cheese.
- Turkey meatballs (chopped into pieces), 1/4 cup chopped pear, 1/4 cup well-cooked green beans and 1/4 cup of cereal O's.
- Shredded chicken, 1/4 cup brown rice, 1/4 cup cooked asparagus tips, whole-grain animal crackers and 1/4 cup chopped canned apricots.
Best lunch ideas for picky toddlers
- 1 small whole grain homemade muffin that has been ripped into pieces, 1/2 cup Greek whole milk yogurt, 1/4 cup strawberry halves and 1/4 cup canned carrot coins.
- 1/2 sunflower seed butter sandwich, 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup Greek whole milk yogurt.
- Whole-grain crackers with nut butter, 1/4 cup canned unsweetened pineapple and 1/2 cup cottage cheese.
- Whole-wheat mini bagel with a string cheese and carrot chips.
- Whole-wheat pasta with olive oil paired with a fruit- and veggie-based smoothie.
- Yogurt with fruit and whole wheat crackers.
- Tuna fish with mayo, guacamole and whole-grain pita for dipping.
- Brown rice cakes with guacamole spread and shredded mozzarella cheese and diced tomatoes sprinkled on top.
Best easy lunch ideas for toddlers
- 1 sliced hard boiled egg, 1/4 cup canned green beans, 1 ounce whole-grain crackers and 1/4 cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons kidney beans, 1/4 cup chopped avocado, 1 small whole grain homemade muffin ripped into pieces and 1/4 cup peach cubes
- 2 tablespoons chickpeas, 1/4 cup mandarin oranges, 1 ounce of whole-grain crackers and 1/4 cup sliced beets
- Chopped grilled or breaded chicken cubes, 1/4 cup cherry tomato quarters, 1 string cheese cut into chunks and 1/4 cup blueberries
- Chopped grilled or breaded chicken strips with applesauce to dip (a great replacement for ketchup!) with cooked sweet potato fries
- Chopped soft pork loin cubes, 1/4 cup frozen peas (allowed to thaw in lunch), 1/4 cup roasted sweet potato cubes and 1/4 cup honeydew melon pieces
- Single serving of a hummus or guacamole pack with whole-wheat pita
- Canned salmon sandwich on whole-wheat bread with mayonnaise (cut into quarters for easy eating) and cooked frozen sweet potato fries
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