10 Fast, Tasty & Nutritious Toddler Dinner Ideas

Looking for toddler dinner ideas you can rustle up with a bottle in one hand and a basket of laundry in the other?! Mama, we’ve got you covered!

Trying to come up with toddler dinner ideas alongside the 101 other things on your to-do list?

Looking for something healthy but simple to make — and that they might actually eat?!

Mama, we hear you!

And we’ve got ten adaptable toddler dinner ideas to make mealtimes a breeze.

In this article: 📝

Toddler dinner ideas made simple

Somedays, making a coffee feels impossible, let alone a nutritious meal for your toddler.

Here are some tips to take the stress out of dinnertime.

Plan ahead if you can

If you’ve managed to find a quieter moment — congratulations!

Using it for meal planning and simple prep will make life easier when things get frantic.

Cook double batches

If you’re cooking, make the effort count!

Making a double batch means you can put the rest in the freezer for another time.

Use the same recipes for adults and toddlers

Ok, you might want to zing up the adult portions with spicier sauce or extra veg.

But using the same basic recipe means you don’t have to come up with a whole different meal.

Keep things easy for your little one

If they’re struggling with a spoon, serve up something they can pick up.

And if they prefer every ingredient separate rather than mixed together — that’s ok too.

If they don’t like it, don’t sweat it

What they love one day, they go off the next.

It’s all part of the toddler learning experience.

That meal they won’t touch today could be the flavor of the month tomorrow.

So try to relax and stay flexible.

(We know — easier said than done when you’ve just spent time preparing a meal amidst the millions of other things you need to do. Sigh. If you need support through this, your Peanut community is there for you.)

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What should I make my toddler for dinner?

Here are some simple toddler dinner ideas that don’t require much time or prep.

1. Veggie pasta

Making a big batch of pasta sauce you can use for multiple meals is a great time saver. 🍝

Fry veggies like onion, garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots to soften them up, then add tinned tomatoes.

If you want, you can add the cooked pasta in advance too.

You could even opt for pasta noodles made from chickpeas or lentils – they taste just as good and are packed with more protein and fiber than traditional pasta noodles.

Keep individual portions in the fridge or freezer until needed, and serve topped with cheese for an added boost of protein. 💪

2. Deconstructed salad

Separating out salad ingredients lets your little one experience different flavors and textures. 🥗

And if they don’t like one element, there’s plenty more to tempt them.

Having a deconstructed plate and letting them mix, match, and dip their foods is often more appealing to kids than a mixed dish!

Mix salad veg like tomato, lettuce, cucumber, and avocado with proteins like turkey, chicken, or mozzarella.

If you like, you can add a salad dressing too.

3. Deconstructed BLTA

Just like salads, you can deconstruct sandwiches to make them easier for your toddler.

Serve bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado with wholemeal toast or bread for a nutritious, flavorful dinner. 🥓

4. Omelet

Omelets are fast and easy, and eggs will keep for ages in the fridge.

Add ham for protein or cheese to keep it vegetarian. 🌱

Then mix in whatever veggies they like.

Serve it cut into small pieces your toddler can pick up or scoop with a spoon.

5. Gourmet cheese and crackers

Rice cakes or wholegrain crackers are a great base for toddler dinner ideas.

Look for low-salt versions, then top with your choice of cheese and veggies. 🧀

For an added dose of yum, top with nut butter, hummus or cottage cheese.

6. Baked beans on toast

Tinned baked beans are easy-peasy, and they’re also full of fiber.

Just watch out for the sugar content — reduced sugar options are best.

Add some wholemeal toast and top with grated cheese for extra protein.

7. Simple pancakes

If you’re pressed for time, you can make a simple pancake mix with mashed banana and whisked egg.

Cook a tablespoon at a time for a quick, moist pancake.

Add in baby spinach or roast sweet potato to introduce them to new flavors.

Nutritionist tip: These are also great to top with nut butter or to make a dip of yogurt and nut butter and use the pancake strips as dippers. 🥞

There’s also the option of making a batch and reheating them too.

8. Pitta pizzas

Make a quick pizza using pitta bread as the base.

Just smear tomato puree on top and add grated cheese.

This is also a great way to smuggle in veggies if your little one is picky.

Spinach, bell peppers, and tomato all work well.

9. Avocado toast and scrambled egg

Avocado toast isn’t just for hipsters! 🥑

Mashed avocado on wholemeal bread is an easy, tasty dinner for toddlers.

Add a scrambled egg for protein.

10. Pasta salad

Mix cooked pasta with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and beets — whatever you have on hand.

Chicken, ham, or mozzarella are great for protein.

Prepare it in advance, and it will keep for several days in the fridge.

What can I make for my picky toddler?

All these toddler dinner ideas offer lots of scope for variation.

So if your little peanut is suddenly turning up their nose at cucumber, just leave it out of the salad.

If they’ve decided zucchini is dead to them, swap it for bell pepper in your pasta sauce.

Check out our top tips for navigating meal times with a picky eater.

And remember that toddlers’ preferences change — so don’t give up on certain foods.

What is a good dinner time for a 2-year-old?

A regular schedule is a great way to help your 2-year-old develop healthy eating habits.

They’ll know that food is coming, so they don’t need to get anxious or eat when they’re not really hungry.

You can also use the same approach with snacking.

Offer snacks a couple times per day at similar times and not too close to meals so that they don’t fill up on snack food before dinner.

Ideally, your toddler should eat every two to three hours.

But exactly what the schedule looks like is up to you.

If they’re having breakfast at around 7 am, lunch and snacks could take you to around 6 pm for dinner.

Is it ok for a toddler to miss dinner?

If your toddler is occasionally refusing their dinner, don’t worry.

This isn’t unusual at this age when appetites vary.

But if it’s happening often, try moving dinner time.

If your little one is too tired to eat, an earlier dinner may help.

If there’s not enough of a gap between an afternoon snack and dinner, a later meal could help them build up an appetite.

Top toddler dinner idea tip: Keep it simple

Remember, you don’t have to be Gordon Ramsay to rustle up a delicious dinner for your little one!

Keep things simple, and don’t worry if they don’t like everything you put in front of them.

Mixing things up with different ingredients needn’t mean preparing a whole new recipe.

Swapping different veg and fruit will give your little one lots of variety without driving you to distraction.

You’ve got this, mama!