Are your toddlers getting bored with the same kind of the lunch being packed? Do they return home with their lunch boxes that are full? Although it is understandable that in the midst of a busy schedule, it is quite different to bring about infinite variety in lunch, children need something exciting and new every now and then. Only then would they remain interested in eating. Ignoring this could lead to unhealthy eating habits in children that can cause health issues. However, there is nothing to worry, as there is a simple solution to this. All you need to do is add a little bit of creativity to your usual lunch recipes and you will see a drastic change in your children’s attitude. We have collected several easy-to-make and healthy recipes for children and here are some exciting lunch ideas for toddlers that might serve your purpose.

Image Credit : Mark Edward Atkinson

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Banana Grilled Sandwich and Peanut Butter

Ingredients Required:

• Whole Grain Bread
• Peanut Butter
• Bananas

Procedure:

1. Heat the frying pan.
2. Take 2 slices of whole grain bread and butter them slightly.
3. When the pan is sufficiently heated, place a slice of bread on it such that the butter side is down, spread the upper side peanut butter and bananas that are sliced thinly.
4. Cover this with remaining slice of bread with the buttered side up. Flip the sandwich when necessary until the bread is finely toasted.
5. Use your own creativity, you could choose other delicious fillings according to your children’s taste to obtain more variety.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Grilled Cheese Sandwich the “Traditional” Way

Ingredients required:

• 2 slices of bread
• 2 slices of whole grain bread
• Butter

Procedure

1. Heat the frying pan.
2. Slightly butter the slices of whole grain bread.
3. As the pan heats up, place one slice of bread with its buttered side on bottom and top it up with 2 slices of cheese.
4. Now, place the other slice of bread on top with buttered side above.
5. Flip the sandwich until it is well toasted.

The variety of fillings possible with this is innumerable. Meat, veggies, broccoli or just few pieces of green sliced green chilies for that spicy flavor would do the magic.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Salad with Pasta

Ingredients required:

• Tricolor pasta 1 bag (either in wheel shape or any preferable shape)
• Chopped fresh broccoli – 1 C
• Sliced black olives – ¼ C
• Julienne baby carrots- ½ C
• Thinly sliced zucchini – ½ C
• Thinly sliced red onion – ½ C
• Olive Oil – 2 T
• Parmesan Cheese to coat
• Lemon juice and black pepper

Procedure

1. Boil Pasta
2. In a pan, heat olive oil and saute all the vegetables except red onion.
3. Drain the pasta and rinse it.
4. In a large bowl combine the vegetables with parmesan cheese. Just for coating.
5. Add lemon juice and black pepper to this.
6. Add the sauted vegetables and mix well.
7. Add salad dressing of your choice and serve.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Platter of Pinwheel

Ingredients required:

• Sticks or slices of fruits and veggies
• Cheese Slices
• Chicken Breasts, Turkey or other meat slices (cooked)

Procedure

1. On a plate, place meat slices.
2. Top it up with cheese slices and roll the meat into a tube.
3. Cut the meat into separated tubes.

Now join the pinwheel slices with colorful toothpicks.

This will be totally fun for your kid to eat of the toothpick. Add a surprise to this by decorating the platter with slices of veggies and fruits.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Potato Chicken Chowder

Ingredients required:

• Cooked and diced chicken breast or boneless chicken – 1/3 C
• Cooked and cubed potato – ¼ C
• American cheese or mild cheddar, shredded- 3T
• Milk – ¼ C
• Butter – 2 tsp
• Corn, peas and carrots

Procedure

1. Mix the veggies, potato, milk, butter and chicken in a small saucepan.
2. Simmer the heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Now cheese has to be stirred in.
4. Serve Hot

Simple isn’t it? It’s impossible for your kids to love this delicious mix of delicacies.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Cheesy Melts

Ingredients required:

• Slice of bread, Flour tortilla or Open Pita
• Slices of tomato- 1
• Chicken, beef, turkey sausage, natural ham or tuna fish thinly sliced
• Cheese Slice

Procedure

1. Take the slice of bread.
2. Top it up with tomato slices and meat slices.
3. Top it up with deli style cheese.
4. Throw in some veggies for variety if you like.
5. Now heat in toaster or oven till cheese gets melted.
6. Allow it to cool before you serve.

Isn’t this a wonderful way to make the usual boring bread more interesting to suit the taste of your toddler?

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers – Nuggets and Creamed Peas

Ingredients required:

• Pease, frozen or fresh – 4 cups.
• Milk – 1 cup
• Flour – 2 tablespoons.
• Butter – 2 tablespoons.
• Pepper and salt to taste.
• Pieces of Fish, beef, pork or chicken

Procedure

1. Take a large sauce pan and melt butter in it.
2. Slowly whisking the floor, allow it to cook for one minute.
3. Add milk slowly and keep whisking in order to prevent formation of lumps.
4. Add pepper, salt and other spices according to taste.
5. Keep cooking till the sauce becomes thick.
6. Now add the meat of your choice.
7. Other vegetables could be added if you prefer.
8. Serve it with multi grain toast or alone.

It is hard for anyone to resist this wonderful mixture of tasty meat and all time favorite white sauce. Your children are sure to love this. You could also try this recipe with variation of sauce.

Other Tips and Ideas
It is not just what you cook, which works for your toddler. Its taste matters as well, when it comes to keeping your children happy, but also how colorful, exciting or fun it looks. Usually children like to flaunt. Hence, make sure you cook them flaunt worthy lunch. Try different shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Sandwiches could be way more fun when cut in different shapes. We also want to recommend The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children to give you more creativity to create your children lunch. Remember, even the slightest of variations in traditional lunch recipes could sometimes do the magic. Use all your cooking experience to add innovation to healthy lunch ideas for toddlers. This way, the lunch box would always be empty when your children come home.