15+ Easy Mommy & Me Toddler Meals

Hi friends!

I just love being able to chat with you more during the week now. Skyler just went down for a nap, so I’m taking the opportunity to type up a post that I hope you enjoy reading.

This is obviously aimed at those who take care of little ones, but it can also serve as inspiration for ridiculously easy meals that take minimal time to prepare. This can be for one, two, or however many you’d like to cook for. For the specifics of this post, however, here’s a look at what Skyler and I’s meals tend to be when it’s just the two of us. This happens quite often, as Scott used to work at nights and now travels a lot for his business.

You can find so much more on this subject on my Instagram stories. There’s a highlight there called “Baby Eats” and it’s pretty full. I take a lot more pictures and videos to share what we’re eating in real time there, and here is a snapshot of the meals that I remembered to save on my camera roll, too. Now onto the eats!

Scott and I have a strategy and goal to help Skyler be open to most foods. I was a picky eater growing up, and, looking back, I missed out on so much. I also didn’t make it easy on my parents when all I wanted for dinner was spaghetti on repeat.

That said, Skyler has been a great eater since we started introducing him to solid foods. It’s rare that I cook meals just for him, unless we’re having something that might upset his more sensitive stomach like an extra spicy dish. He likes pretty much all foods, once he gives them a chance, and has eaten and loved a wide variety of foods from lobster bisque to burrito bowls.

He has his moments of being picky, as he is a toddler and they are anything but predictable. But, here’s a look into some of the meals that I cook him on the regular to keep his mind and palate open as much as possible.

And here are a few more than fifteen easy ideas that both you and your little can eat together!

Breakfast

• avocado toast – I love mine with whole wheat toast smeared in avocado and topped in tomato slices and Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoning.

• big fruit bowl – apples, oranges, banana, berries, or whatever you have.
• breakfast plate – eggs, chicken or turkey sausage, Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods hash potatoes, fruit (sometimes I will add spinach and cheese to the eggs).

• mini pancakes – topped in peanut butter or applesauce.
• mini waffles – dipped in yogurt and topped in fruit.
• oatmeal – topped in fruit, sometimes I’ll add a scoop of peanut butter.

Lunch

• grilled cheese – so many variations here. We both love it dipped in tomato soup, or served with sides. I also tend to make these on days where I’d like to have a big salad that wouldn’t interest him. I’ll steal a some of the grilled cheese sandwich and give him some of the veggies on my salad. Most of the salads that I make solo are salad kits from Trader Joe’s, and I’ll add things like avocado, tomatoes, and fruit.

• peanut butter and jelly – the old go-to. I love pairing it with applesauce, cottage cheese or regular cheese, and fruit.
• pizza bites and veggies – because it’s all about balance, right?

• rice bowls – all freezer staples here like mixed vegetables thrown into a bowl with chicken sausage and rice. I also like to buy fried rice kits and add extra veggies and/or protein to it on the stovetop.

Dinner

• meatloaf dinner – this one is actually from a local diner, but I make the same at home all the time. My favorite meatloaf is the pre-made turkey meatloaf from Trader Joe’s. It comes drenched in a marinara sauce and is really good.
• meatballs and veggies – we love meatballs around here. Standard beef, turkey, chicken, whatever. I always keep a stash of them in the freezer, I top them in some type of sauce, and usually pair them with a starch and veggies, or sometimes something like a cheesy rice, risotto, or pasta.

• pork or chicken dinner – I buy a lot of pre-cooked dinner meats from Trader Joe’s. It’s not expensive at all and makes getting dinner ready a breeze. All you have to slice and heat it up! Here’s a pork tenderloin with a side of freezer asparagus risotto that I added broccoli to (both from TJ’s) and tomato slices. I also like to buy pulled chicken or beef barbecue, meatloafs, and more.

• ravioli – I can’t believe I don’t have a picture of this one because I make it constantly. You can find variations of different combinations in videos on my Instagram highlights. My favorite way to make ravioli for the family is with Trader Joe’s veggie raviolis (butternut squash, cauliflower, mushroom, etc.) and adding extras to the marinara sauce. See below!
• spaghetti – I try to sneak vegetables into the standard noodles and marinara whenever possible. I also usually add a protein like ground turkey or Italian sausage. Pictured below is tomatoes added into the sauce and peas added in the next day with leftovers to make it a little different.

• stir fry meals – these are so easy. Simply get a stir fry kit, either from the freezer section or in the chopped vegetable section (my preference), and add some extras. Here are a few varieties with chicken, rice, noodles, and garbanzo beans for an extra protein kick. I tend to remove the onions and peppers for Skyler and always cut everything up smaller for him to eat.

• veggie pastas – all you need for this one is some type of noodle, your favorite veggies, and a cheese, butter, or olive oil for sauce. So easy!

Looking back at this round up, there is so much that I didn’t picture and share with you in this category. I’ll try to put more of an effort into documenting the good ones. Let me know if you like seeing posts like these, and I’ll put more together in the future if there’s an interest.

And with that my hungry toddler is up and ready for eating and playing!

Thanks for checking in today, and I’ll see you back here on Friday for a new round of Friday Favorites.

Happy Hump Day!