Meal Planning for a 12 Month Old

You can make so many pasta dishes with veggies in it so it is healthy. You can add beans, lentils, they are very good for you. Also, switch to whole wheat pasta that's all we eat after a while you can't tell the difference. Have you tried grilled cheese sandwiches cut up tiny of course. Shoprite sells spinach nuggets if she is looking for more finger type foods. Trader Joes has a great selection of healthy foods. She probably wants to feed herself and that is always a challenge. I would give french toast, or pancakes, or cinnamon toast. You can use applesauce for dipping verses pancake syrup to keep it healthy. I find that kids love to dip. So ranch dressing for veggies, and ketchup are great for dipping. Give her utensils also while she is trying to pick up the food you may get the opportunity to shove something in. Good luck and remember their appetite will slow down at times so don't be upset. When she is hungry she will eat. Children will not let themselves starve. Good luck

Why not try giving her more natural and easy to digest foods? Fresh fruit, vegetables, guacamole. Pasta is nutritionally dead and 12 month old needs good nutrients to grow. Fresh fruits and veggies are tasty and seldom rejected.

Please don't get her started with all kinds of "flavored" prepackaged foods that are full of MSG and other additives!

My 10-month old loves eggs and cheese. She'll also eat avacado, potato salad (or mashed), ravioli, strawberries, tiny pieces of hotdogs, breakfast sausage, pancakes, waffles, and tiny pieces of ham steak.

My daughter NEVER ate baby food. She would always eat Yo Baby yogurt though, and for awhile that was almost all she ate. Then it was just yogurt and also loves pasta and I used Barilla Plus. It has more protein etc. and is a bit healthier. Also you can try tortellini, that has cheese and you can get veggie varieties too. Now the she is she is 18 1/2 months eats a lot more. Patience seems to be the key!

Good luck!

My baby girl is almost 14 months old and we've been feeding her 'real' food for quite a few months -- she grew out of baby food long ago. She hasn't quite mastered the fork or spoon, so we try to give her things that are easy to pick up and eat.

I always try to give her veggies, fruits and then some protein and carbs. The easiest way to do this is giving her canned no-salt veggies (green beans, peas and carrots are favorites), canned or fresh fruit (mandarin oranges, pears or peaches canned, or blueberries/strawberries/watermelon/melon/bananas fresh), and then some meat and/or cheese (sausage/hot dogs/shredded pork/lunchmeat are some favs....or eggs for protein if I don't have meat....and she also loves PB&J sandwiches!), and then some carbohydrates (pasta (plain or with sauce), potatoes, bread/toast). And, we always give her a drink beforehand of whole milk mixed with yogurt. Breakfast is a bit less with some breakfast type food (waffles/eggs/french toast/crepes) and some fruit.

You might also want to try to give her whatever you are eating. If you're eating well, then she'll be all set! We don't eat the best sometimes, so hence the "menu" above.

Hope this helps. Our girl is a good eater and like I said, just try to make the meals balanced.

here are some ideas:
first check out weelicious.com, they have tons of easy, healthy toddler receipies.
you can make her stews: spinach and rice, zucchini and rice, potatoes and ground meat (of your choice), roasted veggies, ratatoulie (or other all veggie stew), lasagna, various fritattas or other omlettes where you can be creative with the summer veggies on the market. you can give her those for lunch or dinner.
muffins (sweet or salty like cornbread, cheese, etc).
these are things that the whole family can eat too, so you are not just cooking for her. I always take 1 - 2 portions of whatever I cook and put them in the freezer for days when i haven't cooked anything.
give her lots of fruits too. on hot summer days, my daughter sometimes just doesn't feel like eating cooked food, but will gladly have just fruits for dinner.
if she has teeth, get some good bread, and make her cheese sandwiches with tomatoes or cukes, those are always a big hit for us.
hope this helps.
Good luck!