Turning Mealtimes into Adventures: Home Meal Prep Ideas for Toddlers

If your children are still very young, you are likely to spend a fair amount of time preparing their meals. Meal planning can be a lifesaver for parents of toddlers. It helps you stay organised, avoid last-minute stress and ensure your child is getting the nutrition they need. By planning meals in advance, you can also involve your child in the process, making mealtimes more enjoyable for both of you and allowing you to spend quality time with your child.¹

Additionally, meal prepping together can help address picky eating habits in toddlers. When children are involved in the preparation of their food, they're more likely to be interested in trying new dishes. It's a great way to introduce them to different flavours and textures while fostering a positive attitude towards mealtimes.

Research also suggests that children tend to eat more food when they get the opportunity to prepare it themselves.² If your toddler is old enough, you can start getting them involved in age-appropriate food prep tasks for their own meals such as assembling their own bento boxes or measuring ingredients for you. Unsure about how to start or where to find a meal plan that’s right for your toddler? Check out these 3 fun and nutritious homemade meal prep options for your child’s next mealtime:

1. Bento boxes

Bento boxes help to add variety to your child’s meals. If possible, get your child involved by letting them choose the vegetables or fruits they want. This will increase the odds of them actually consuming what's in the bento box. Bento boxes typically have some variation of the main food groups cooked or presented together in an appealing way. Below are some versatile staples that you can stock up on at home or prepare beforehand to add to your child’s bento box:³

Carbohydrates - Fried or steamed rice, bread, pasta, potatoes/sweet potatoes, noodles, rice noodles, pita bread, wraps, crackers, rice cakes, muesli, oats.

Main - Lean meats, fish, seafood, hard-boiled egg/omelettes, peanut butter.

Sides - Portions of vegetable dishes, mushrooms, tofu, egg or salads.

Fillers - Opt for simple but colourful ingredients like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, lettuce or shaved cabbage with some dressing, or blanched vegetables cut into slices or strips. You can also supplement their dairy intake by adding grated cheese to cooked vegetables or adding a cheese stick to your child’s meal.

Fruits - Cut fruit like orange slices, watermelon, kiwi and bananas into cut shapes or easy-to-hold sticks, wedges or slices. You can also opt to add a handful of blueberries, grapes or other smaller fruit. Combining one of each category in your bento box will help you to assemble a nutritionally balanced meal. When meal prepping for your toddler, try to select foods with bold colours and let your child “eat the rainbow”!^3,4 Here’s a bento box suggestion that’s easy enough to prepare together with your child:

Steps to Assemble Your Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bento Box

Instead of meal prepping everything from start to finish on your own, why not get your toddler involved in the process by asking them to help decorate their own bento box? There are many bento box tools and accessories such as cookie cutters to help shape ingredients that are kid-friendly. Plus, your child will enjoy unleashing their creativity on their tasty masterpiece!

2. Smoothies

If you’re a parent who often wonders how to sneak in more vegetables into your toddler’s meals, it’s time to include smoothies into your meal plan! While eating vegetables and fruits whole is something we highly recommend, some children can simply be picky eaters who will turn up their nose at anything that looks like a vegetable or fruit. If that’s the case then veggie and fruit smoothies can be a great option as it will somewhat taste like a milkshake. Smoothies are a great way to supplement your toddler’s meals with extra veggies and they’re also really easy to plan and prep in advance. Here are some great combinations you can try:^5,6

Smoothies Recipes:

1. Apple, cucumber and yoghurt - Apples offer fibre and vitamin C, and cucumbers provide vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants.^7,8 Yoghurt helps add protein, calcium, vitamin B12 (riboflavin), potassium and magnesium to the mix.⁹
2. Avocado, spinach, berries and yoghurt or milk - Avocados are a healthy source of fat, providing fibre, vitamins C, E and K, folate, potassium and magnesium.¹⁰ Berries are packed with nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fibre and prebiotics.¹¹ Spinach is rich in iron, folate, vitamin K and antioxidants. Milk and yoghurt provide protein, calcium and other essential nutrients.¹²
3. Watermelon and strawberries - Watermelon and strawberries are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, C and K, potassium, magnesium, fibre and antioxidants.^13,14 
4. Banana, berries, peanut butter and milk - Bananas provide potassium, vitamin B6 and C, magnesium, fibre and natural sweetness.¹⁵ Berries offer a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Peanut butter adds a creamy texture, protein and healthy fats.¹⁶ Milk provides calcium, protein and other essential nutrients in addition to help keep the consistency less thick.¹²
5. Beetroot, apple, carrot and yoghurt - Beetroot is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals like folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin C.¹⁷ Apples offer fibre and vitamin C. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, converted into vitamin A in the body.¹⁸ Yoghurt provides protein, calcium and other essential nutrients.
6. Banana, baby spinach, cocoa powder, nut butter and milk - Bananas provide potassium, fibre and natural sweetness. Baby spinach is a good source of iron, folate, vitamin K and antioxidants. Cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavour and is a source of antioxidants.¹⁹ Nut butter provides protein, healthy fats and a creamy texture while the milk provides calcium, protein and other essential nutrients.
7. Avocado, strawberries and beetroot - Avocados provide healthy fats and fibre. Strawberries offer antioxidants and vitamins. Beetroot is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. 
8. Avocado, mango, sweet potato and coconut milk - Avocados add healthy fats and fibre. Mango provides vitamins, minerals and natural sweetness.²⁰ Sweet potato is a good source of fibre and vitamins.²¹ Coconut milk contains manganese, phosphorus, iron and magnesium.²² Plus, it adds a creamy texture and a touch of savoury sweetness.
9. Beetroot, orange and frozen berries - Beetroot is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Oranges are rich in vitamin C. Frozen berries offer a variety of nutrients depending on what kind you use. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which give them their vibrant colour. Strawberries are packed with vitamin C, potassium and fibre. They are also a good source of antioxidants.
10. Frozen mango and spinach - Mangoes provide vitamin A and C, and spinach is rich in iron, folate, vitamin K and antioxidants.

Steps to Assemble Your Fruit and Veggie Smoothie

Involve your toddler in the meal prep process by letting them help with choosing the vegetables and fruit, measuring the ingredients together and taste testing the smoothie. This is a fun and exciting step that will make them feel like a real chef.

• Choose your milkshake base - Use milk or yoghurt or both.
• Select your preferred fruit and/or vegetable combination.
• Optional - Add more protein, fibre or healthy fats such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, oats or avocado.
• Blend the smoothie well, ensuring you scrape down the sides of the blender regularly for a smoother consistency.
• Add more milk (or water) if it is too thick, or use yoghurt instead of milk if you added a fruit with a lot of liquid, like orange. Use half milk and half yoghurt for a creamier texture.
• Serve in a bowl or cup, and sprinkle some granola or a favourite cereal if preferred. If your child refuses to drink it, you can also opt to freeze the smoothies into popsicles!

Remember to avoid overloading the smoothies with excessive ingredients as overdoing it can result in an unpleasant, thick consistency.⁵

If your toddler regularly consumes milk at breakfast, consider incorporating smoothies into their routine on some days.⁵ You can even use their usual milk formula in the smoothie recipe to ensure the consistency is liquid enough for sipping through a straw, reusable pouch or sippy cup. This can be a beneficial way to introduce a variety of nutrients and flavours while satisfying their appetite.

3. Meals on a stick

In addition to frozen smoothies, here are two options for meals on a stick.

Breakfast popsicles²³

All that’s in these breakfast popsicles is yoghurt and thinly sliced fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and kiwi! You could explore other fruits such as mango, pineapple, peaches and raspberries.

Steps to Assemble Your Breakfast Popsicle

Add a little yoghurt to the popsicle mould and slide fruit slices down the sides if you want them to be visible. Add more yoghurt and more fruit until the mould is full. Alternatively, you can chop the fruits into small pieces, combine it with the yoghurt, and then pour into the moulds and freeze. Remove the mould and serve with granola if desired.

Banana pops²⁴

These are great as a snack or as part of breakfast. All you need are:

• 2 bananas (makes 4 pops). You can try this with other fruits such as strawberries, pineapple and so on
• Your preferred yoghurt
• Granola or crushed cookies
• Add-ons: Chocolate chips, shredded coconut, cinnamon sugar, raisins
• Popsicle sticks or silverware to insert in the bananas

Steps Assemble Your Banana Pops

Pour granola into a shallow dish or plate. Peel the bananas, cut in half, and insert popsicle sticks. Dip into the yoghurt (or coat with a knife), then roll into granola and add-ons. Place on a parchment or wax-lined tray and freeze. Keep uneaten pops in the freezer!

Some children may be pickier than others, making the task of helping them to get all the required nutrients from their diet and gain weight healthily more challenging. With that in mind, it's important to make their relationship with food a positive one through leading by example and letting them explore new foods at their own pace.

If you're still concerned about ensuring that your child receives all the necessary nutrients for optimal growth and development, continue to incorporate a trusted milk formula like Friso^® Gold to help support their dietary needs. Let's explore how Friso^® Gold can help to support another crucial aspect of their development: a protected digestive system and natural body defences.

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DHA, AA, Omega 3 & 6 - To fuel learning growth. DHA is important for optimal visual and cognitive development.²⁵ AA is recognised for its key role for optimal health, cognition and development during foetal and early childhood.²⁶ Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are important for normal development of the brain, nervous system, sensory organs and intelligence.²⁷

Calcium, Protein, Vitamin & Minerals - Muscle and bone growth. Calcium helps in the normal growth and development of bones and teeth. Protein is essential for your child’s growth, maintenance and repair for the body.²⁸ Vitamins and minerals are vital for growth and metabolism.²⁹

2'-FL, GOS, Nucleotides, HN019 & Bifido Lactis - Helps absorb key nutrients & build natural body defences. GOS are prebiotics that can help with constipation and more.³⁰ Nucleotides can promote a protected gastrointestinal and immunological growth in young children.³¹ Bifido Lactis is important for diarrhoea prevention as well as gut maturation.³² 2'-FL, also known as 2′-fucosyllactose, acts as a prebiotic, selectively nourishing the beneficial bacteria in a child's developing gut microbiome.^33,34 This targeted nourishment is essential for supporting the proper maturation of a child's natural body defences and digestive system during their early years.^35,36,37,38

Every parent wants the best for their child, but balancing work, household chores, and childcare can be challenging. Having a meal plan in place for your toddler can help reduce stress and save time. Once you know what you're serving for the day or week, meal prepping becomes easier and more efficient. This is a great way to stay organised and bond with your toddler. Building a positive relationship between your child and food is essential, so help your child get ready for new foodie adventures by nourishing them from the inside out with Friso^® Gold today. You may request a sample: Try free 1-day trial pack or 50% off for 6 days-trial pack.

References

1. https://www.cordonbleu.edu/news/four-reasons-encourage-kids-cook/en
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6768385/
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4. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus/story/2023/want-your-child-to-eat-more-veggies-talk-to-them-about-eating-the-rainbow
5. https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/toddler-smoothies-with-hidden-veggies/
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24. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/20/breakfast-banana-pops/
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28. https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/2020/07/the-importance-of-protein-for-childrens-growth/#:~:text=Protein%20is%20essential%20for%20your,vitamin%20D%2C%20calcium%20and%20selenium.
29. Singh, Harinder & Marjina, & Singh, Amandeep & Sharma, Deepak & Singh, Gurmeet. (2020). Role of Mineral and Vitamin for Children and Pregnant Women. 19. 107-115.
30. Fanaro S, Boehm G, Garssen J, Knol J, Mosca F, Stahl B, Vigi V. Galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides as prebiotics in milk formulas: a review. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 2005 Oct;94(449):22-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb02150.x. PMID: 16214761.
31. https://www.einmilk.com/benefits-of-nucleotides-for-children/
32. https://doi.org/10.4137/CMPed.S33096
33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116142/
34. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30241407/
35. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6629589/
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