These quick toddler meals help you get the food onto the table fast. Plus: They’re easy and nourishing—and use everyday ingredients you probably have on hand!

shortcut toddler meals in grid of 6.

Coming up with healthy toddler meal ideas after a long day—whether you work, stay home, or something in between—is a challenge. It’s often the time of day when they need our attention most, yet they also need to eat. (Did someone say hangry?)

I hope that these ideas provide inspiration on those busy nights when you’re scrambling to serve up something healthy. And that they give you permission to take shortcuts in the kitchen whenever you need to. Because feeding our toddlers is hard work, and it’s 100% okay to make it easy on yourself when necessary!

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Planning Toddler Meal Ideas, Step-by-Step

  1. Consider your child’s eating abilities and preferences and adjust as needed. If she’s not using a spoon with any accuracy, let her use her hands! If he prefers his meals deconstructed rather than mixed together, serve the food that way. It’s okay to be flexible!
  2. Balance what you offer by including a protein (meat, dairy, nuts, or beans), a complex carb (like a whole grain or a whole grain bread product), fruit, veggies, and some healthy fat. This will help ensure your toddler is exposed to a variety of nutrients and textures.
  3. Vary the protein to make the meals vegetarian or vegan as needed. Sub in gluten-free or dairy-free substitutes if there’s an intolerance in your house.
  4. Adjust the produce based on what’s fresh at your store and what your kids like. 
  5. Keep it simple! Serving toddler meals does not have to be complicated and little kids often enjoy foods that are very simple and straightforward.
mac-and-cheese-with-peas-in-pink-bowl

Toddler Meal Idea #1: Mac and Cheese with Peas

Boxed mac and cheese + frozen peas

Prepare the mac and cheese according to package directions. Stir in cooked frozen peas for extra fiber and protein.

Easy Meal Idea #2: Quick Pasta with Peas

Star or alphabet pasta + peas + butter + Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package, adding frozen peas to the pot during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Serve with butter and cheese. You can also use couscous, quinoa, or rice instead of the pasta.

english muffin pizza with clementine

Toddler Meal Idea #3: Quick Pizzas

Whole-wheat pita bread (or tortillas or English muffins) + pizza sauce + shredded cheese

Cut pita into wedges and top with pizza sauce and cheese. Heat in the oven at 325 degrees F or in a pan on the stovetop just until the cheese is melted.

hummus-and-pita-on-pooh-bear-plate

Kids Meal Idea #4: Hummus and Pita

Pita bread + hummus + cucumber slices + apple slices

Serve a plate of hummus and pita bread with cucumber slices and fruit as an easy assembly-only kids meal.

toddler meal idea cheesy veggie toast with bell peppers on pink plate

Easy Meal Idea #5: Cheesy Veggie Toast

Toast + shredded cheese + cooked frozen veggies

Top toast with shredded cheese, thawed frozen peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or corn, and microwave for 10 seconds to melt. You could also simply serve the veggies alongside cheesy toast as a quick toddler meal.

Kids Meal Idea #6: Smoothie and Muffin

Smoothie + muffin

Make a toddler smoothie and pair with a store bought or homemade muffin for kids as a quick toddler meal idea.

toddler meal idea pancakes for breakfast on glass plate with apple cubes

Easy Meal Idea #7: Apple Pancakes

Pancake mix + ½ cup grated (drained) apple + nut butter

Add the grated apple to your favorite pancake batter (add 1 teaspoon cinnamon if it doesn’t have any) and cook as directed. Serve pancakes smeared with nut butter or a little honey. Toddlers (and big kids) love breakfast for dinner!

easy marinara sauce with extra veggies
Toddler Meal Idea #8: Pasta with Jarred Tomato Sauce

Pasta + jarred marinara sauce + Parmesan 

Use your favorite pasta (or try Banza garbanzo bean pasta for extra iron) and jarred tomato sauce like Rao’s for a simple and satisfying meal.

easy-fried-rice-with-cherries

Kids Meal Idea #9: Shortcut Fried Rice

Fully cooked rice + frozen peas + scrambled eggs + soy sauce

Scramble an egg, stir in ¼ cup peas and ¼ cup of rice, and drizzle with reduced-sodium soy sauce. Serve a fruit on the side like cut-up cherries or melon.

yogurt dip on plate with strawberries

Toddler Meal Idea #10: Fruit and Yogurt Dip

Low sugar vanilla yogurt (like from Siggis) + almond butter + sliced fruit + graham crackers

Stir together nut butter and honey to make a dip. Serve with sliced apple or pear, squash or cucumbers, and graham crackers. We love this sort of breakfast-for-dinner as a super quick toddler dinner!

cut up vegetarian quesadillas for kids on plate

Toddler Meal Idea #11: Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Tortilla + cheese + beans

Add cheese and beans to one side of a tortilla. Warm in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, fold the empty side of the tortilla over and press slightly. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes to finish. You can also warm this in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add fruit on the side.

veggie-grilled-cheese-on-plate

Kids Meal Idea #12: Veggie Grilled Cheese

Whole grain bread + cheese + roasted mashed sweet potato

Spread the sweet potato on one side of the bread. Add cheese to the other. Prepare normally for a comforting and veggie-packed sandwich. You can also try omitting the sweet potato and adding snipped spinach or kale instead.(Or even omitting the cheese and just using mashed sweet potato!)

Toddler Meal Idea #13: Deluxe Cheese and Crackers

Whole grain crackers or snap pea crisps + sliced cheese + assortment of sliced veggies and fruit + beans

Assemble a toddler-friendly snack plate that’s a simple assortment of the food groups. You can serve it on a regular plate or in a fun silicone muffin tin!

2-ingredient-spinach-pancakes-on-fork

Toddler Meal Idea #14: Easy Spinach Pancakes

Eggs + spinach + banana
Blend the ingredients together and pour into small pancakes. They’re so moist and sweet—and easy to make as a quick toddler meal idea.

cereal-in-teal-bowl-with-canned-fruit

Shortcut Meal Idea #15: Cereal and Fruit

Cereal + milk + fruit

It took me a while to feel okay about serving cereal for dinner but now we do it regularly and the kids love it! And it’s nice for me too since it’s so easy. (Find my favorite kids cereals.) P.S. We also love doing toddler smoothies for dinner!

banana-sushi-on-white-plate

Easy Meal Idea #16: Banana “Sushi”

Tortilla + nut/seed butter + banana

Spread nut or seed butter onto a soft tortilla, add a ripe banana, and roll up. Serve or slice into spirals as a fun toddler meal.

If you have other quick toddler meals ideas that is a favorite in your house, please add it below! I’d love to hear what your kids are loving these days!

This post was first published April 2018.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We like to mix in cottage cheese into mac & cheese to 1) cool it down & 2) add in some protein! We also like doing the premade tortellini and cooking up ring bologna to serve together. A “charcuterie” plate lol or girl dinner HAHA. Toddler loves both of these. Also, love all your recipes and your content!

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Gosh I love your content. It’s so pragmatic and actually helpful for a tired mom of a 2 and 4 year old :). So many toddler feeding resources are ridiculous and unrealistic and make us feel like we’re failing by feeding our kids a pb&j with grapes for supper when there is nothing wrong with that!!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I was googling easy recipes for my toddler to eat after I get off work and this is this best list I’ve seen! Easy, simple, and things that my daughter can help me make too. Thank you!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars

    My 2 year old likes shredded chicken mixed with hummus or guacamole. Add veggie fingers (thinly sliced raw veggies) or frozen peas on the side with fruit as dessert and you have a meal. She’ll eat pretty much anything if she has a dipping sauce: steak sauce, bbq sauce, salad dressing… It all works.

    Reply

  9. My 3yr old doesn’t like meat, and I’ve been looking for meal ideas. This is awesome, it is all food she’ll enjoy. Thank you!!

    Reply

  10. Great post! I love the sectioned plate!

    I looked through your "Mealtime Gear" post, but didn’t see it included.

    Do you happen to know what brand it is?

    Reply

    2. 5 stars
      Hello. I have read a few times that sectioning your kiddos food can long term teach them that foods shouldn’t touch, or go together. I call them “plate turners”, instead of just eating their food all together. I purposely put all my daughters food together and touching. Just an idea.

      Reply

  13. My latest go-to for my daughter is a piece of toast + finely diced leftover chicken (small enough for some in each bite) + a deli-sized slice of cheese + microwaved together for 15 seconds. The cheese holds on to the chicken and makes it sort of like an open-faced melt. Since my daughter needs a little extra fat, I sometimes butter the toast before adding the chicken and cheese. It’s always a winner!

    Reply