Healthy Lunch Ideas For Toddlers

Today’s post is brought to you by my friends from Chobani. Enjoy!

I struggle with what to feed Tommy. I admittedly haven’t read many books on the topic and I’m not a Pinterest mom who is going to put blueberries on toothpicks to make eyes on a peanut butter sandwich. Sorry Tommy, you don’t like blueberries and I’m not wasting my money

One of my goals for 2017 is to incorporate more family content along the health and fitness niche I’ve always written about. I want to write about things that I’m learning. These days that includes how to be a better mom and what I’m feeding my child in this ever changing world of nutrition.

Lunch Ideas That Work For Us

I’m always trying to think of new lunch ideas for Tommy. It’s hard to get creative though when your little guy only has 4 teeth. New Year’s resolutions have all of us wanting to eat better and I strive to do better for T, too.

I was giving him peanut butter sandwiches on organic whole wheat sourdough but I recently switched to almond butter. It’s more allergy friendly (still a nut though) but has more heart healthy fats*, calcium, fiber, vitamin e and iron than peanut butter.

However, if you are on a tight budget, peanut butter is still a good choice and if allergies are an issue, sunflower butter works too.

Since Tommy still only has 4 teeth, I have to cut his sandwiches up like this and often he eats them on the go in his stroller snack tray if we are out and about.

 

Tommy would live on this if I would let him. He mashes up the bread with his back gums pretty well and his saliva helps to make it mushy.

Pouches are also a staple in Tommy’s diet. I love how many options that I have that use straight up fruits and vegetables.

The Chobani Tots® Pouches are a favorite. They contain real fruit, real vegetables and whole milk Greek yogurt. They also contain 12 mg of Omega-3 DHA for brain development as well as live and active cultures for digestive health.

The Chobani Tots are specifically designed for little eaters 6-24 months. Made with only natural, non-GMO ingredients, with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. I like the Mango Spinach flavor but Tommy prefers the Banana Pumpkin. They also come in apple flavor. A 4 pack costs $4.49.

Lastly, Tommy’s lunch is usually rounded out with a little fruit. It’s often a banana with more nut butter, because it’s a cheap fruit that I won’t cry over if I have to throw it away and he will only eat it with nut butter. I also love to use frozen mango. I put a little in a container over night and it’s thawed by the afternoon and pretty soft, perfect for my little guy.

We also give him grilled cheeses or bits of whatever we are eating for lunch. This weekend at Eataly, I ordered a Panzanella salad and gave him some of the artichoke hearts, mozzarella balls and bread that came with it. Nick got the pizza and gave Tommy some of that as well. You can’t go wrong with bread and cheese. Tommy also loves the roasted veggies on my favorite Juice Press salad and anything from Dig Inn. Since he is still nursing, I’m not overly concerned about a lack of fruits or vegetables on some days.

I try to vary his diet as much as I can but it’s hard not to go back to his favorites, especially if he shuts down a new food.

These are just a few of our staples. They are easy and do not require Pinterest effort. They work not only for babies who are Tommy’s age but toddlers, preschoolers and beyond. If Tommy doesn’t get a yogurt, he has a string cheese, another favorite. If he doesn’t have mango, his favorite fruit is melon. It’s one food he likes, that I’m indifferent towards.

 

I also love the cute Lunchblox from Rubbermaid for storing Tommy’s food and bringing it with us on the go.

Got a simple lunch solution that’s nutritious for the new year? Leave your suggestion below in the comments.

*Almond butter has 25% more monounsaturated fat than peanut butter. This post is sponsored by Chobani. All thoughts and opinions are my own.