Feeding a 1-year-old can be a challenge. Some toddlers are extremely difficult to feed, and they’ll refuse to eat anything nutritious. But what can you do about it? You need a mix of nutritious and fun foods. Something that’ll tempt your baby while being full of the necessary nutrients.
If you’re wondering what to feed a 1 year old for lunch and cannot come up with anything creative yet healthy, I’ve got you covered. Read on for a list of healthy and exciting lunch ideas that’ll keep your baby’s tummy full and your head worry-free.
What to Feed a 1 Year Old for Lunch?
To maintain the peak health of your toddler, you must provide a nutritious and diversified diet. Since lunch is the most important meal of the day, ensure you include protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. A well-incorporated mix of these will help your toddler develop and keep them full until the next meal. Veggies and fruit are a must. Try to include more veggies; if you cannot add some, go with a simple fruit.
To mix things up and make food visually appealing, include a range of colors and textures. Cut the food into fun shapes, and feeding time will become much closer to playtime.
Chicken, puree, grilled cheese, meatballs, pizza, hummus, quesadilla, avocado, cucumber, peppers, raisins, and peas are just a couple of things you can use as excellent lunch ideas. If you want a proper meal plan, keep reading.
Avocado toast
Avocado toast is something we all love. It is easy to make and a great meal you can share with your 1-year-old. Simply smash some avocado and spread it across sprouted, sourdough, or whole-grain toast. To add an extra taste, squeeze some lemon or sprinkle garlic powder, depending on your toddler’s preferences.
On the side of the dish, you can serve some cheese slices and a fruit or veggie.
Shredded chicken
Chicken is always a good idea. Whether it is fresh from the oven or you have some leftover chicken, you can easily transform it into the perfect lunch. Shred some leftover chicken, add some flavorings – a no-sugar BBQ sauce was my toddler’s favorite choice, and you’ve got a 3-minute nutritious lunch.
To complete the meal, add a veggie, or make a sandwich if that makes it more fun for your toddler.
Meatballs
Meatballs offer tons of possibilities. You can chop them, blend them, or cut them into thinner slices for some tasty sandwiches. I suggest chopping the metaballs into small pieces. You can play around with size and shape to explore what your kid likes best.
Chopped turkey meatballs go great with a citrusy sweet potato dip. Add a veggie and a fruit – broccoli and chopped strawberries are my best recommendation.
Black beans
Black beans are something you should always keep at hand. Although adults don’t give them enough credit, you’ll be surprised by how well toddlers like these. A good portion of black beans for lunch should be complemented with a serving of rice or corn, but feel free to add any other side of your choice.
You can use a fresh can of black beans to save time or serve some of the leftovers you’ve cooked from another meal.
Also read: How to Use Dr. Brown Bottle Warmer
Soup
Any homemade soup will make a great lunch for your toddler. Tomato, vegetable, or chicken soup are all excellent options for when you want to mix things up and add some liquids to your baby’s diet. The best part is that you can make them ahead, freeze them, and get them out of the fridge for a quick lunch when you don’t have time to cook something else.
Grilled cheese sticks would go great with some homemade tomato soup, but you can add any other sides you have at hand and think would be an appropriate addition.
Omelet
Omelet is where you can get creative if you are wondering what to feed a 1 year old for lunch. A typical large egg contains a great amount of energy and protein, making an omelet a great lunch idea for a 1-year-old. You can add a great range of fillings, such as chives, ham, cheese, spinach, squash, broccoli, onions, or a fun mix of all. That’ll make the omelet even tastier and more nutritious.
Muffin tin lunch
You can always go with a muffin tin lunch for extra fun at the feeding chair. Toddlers love it; it looks much more fun than eating off their regular plate. Get a colorful muffin tin, and fill each cup with something colorful and nicely cut.
You can experiment with the food you want your toddler to try, and after a while, stick to their favorite foods (if they’re nutritious enough). I recommend mixing some cheese and veggies like pepper sticks, cucumber sticks or broccoli, sliced fruit, healthy crackers, cereals, etc.
Read more: How to Cut Strawberries for Baby
Tips for Successful Feeding
At one year of age, you should stimulate your toddler to try new things and become comfortable around any kind of food. Whether it is new textures, flavors, or smells, if you can make them eat healthy now, you’ll have a much easier time in the future.
But some babies simply aren’t that interested in food. If that’s the case, you’ll need to put in some extra effort to make lunchtime more fun.
After going through our guide on what to feed a 1 year old for lunch, you have some great ideas to start with. But you must be patient. The enthusiasm for new foods can be taught; you only need patience and persistence.
Play with textures. Nobody likes to eat purees all the time, and neither will your baby. To mix things up, vary lunches between liquid and solid foods. Consider adding larger spreads of well-cooked potatoes or ripe avocados instead of blended purees and see whether that’ll change your toddler’s mind.
Let them make a mess. If making a big mess makes lunchtime more exciting for your toddler, don’t take that away from them. Let them eat at their own pace, and you can clean up the mess afterwards.
