My son has just turned 4 and my daughter is 14 months old. I am trying to come up with more lunch ideas for them that they both can eat..instead of making two different lunches for them every day. Also I am trying to think of more snack ideas that are quick and healthy.
My 13 month old eats hard boiled eggs, fruit, raw vegetables especially peppers, olives, cheese, cucumbers, tomato, potatoes, mac and cheese, burgers, hummus, pizza, steak, chicken, bagels, spinach, carmelized onion, craisins, raisins, dried apricots, stuffed peppers, burritos, basically everything except soup. The older one is sadly a picky eater. Fred them both the same stuff. It shouldn't be a problem.
F. B.
My 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 these are just a few things I give them.
1.Thin slice turkey, string cheese, crackers and orange slices.
2. Black bean and cheese quesadillas. (Easy for you to make and easy for them to hold since the cheese holds it all together) or whatever veggies they like in there. Apple slices.
3. Thin sliced ham& green beans.
4. Mac n cheese with ground beef. Side of peas.
These are a few of my kids favorite lunches. They are always super quick and easy lunches for mamas. I always have boiled eggs in the fridge as well because they love those any time of the day.
I don't recall making really different food for my kids once they were over 1 year old. They had enough teeth to eat many table foods with no or slight modifications. Other than like steak and things that you normally don't give a 14 month old (like peanuts), what would other barriers be to eating whatever you fix them? Even a sandwich can be broken down for a toddler into manageable bites. Are you just looking for different idea? Or are there certain foods they don't like? Are you pressed for time or do you like to serve leftovers? What have you been serving your 4 yr old up until now that wouldn't work with your 14 mo old?
I would just make them the same thing you are making yourself. That is what I did with my daughter and she is the best eater. Just cut things up small for the 14 month old. Soup, sandwiches, pasta, salad, lasagne, wraps, grilled cheese, pita bread and hummus, egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad, a burrito, chinese food, indian food (the mild dishes), fruit salad. Whatever you like to eat! I would make my daughter whatever I was making for myself. When she was the age of your youngest I would give her teeny pieces. If it was a veggie that was too hard I would boil it first or give leave it out. My daughter is 7 now and eats pretty much everything...and just generally enjoys mealtimes.
I agree that they should be eating the same things, just cut up the stuff really small for your daughter. Kids don't really need teeth, their jaws are strong. I also think that at 14 months they still eat anything and everything, but at 4 maybe not. I used a lot of frozen veggies for the baby years and just warmed a few up at a time, my kids loved it! Freeze dried fruits are also good, my kids loved strawberries.
Other ideas...eggs (scrambled or hard boiled), lunch meat, hot dogs, hummus, cottage cheese, cheese cubes, pb&j, etc.
Same lunch. His bites should be about 3/4 inch and hers should be about 1/4 inch. Cut hers up more.
Once they could chew (teeth) they ate whatever we ate, just ground up or by your daughter's age, cut into small enough pieces.
How about - fresh fruit, cheese, eggs, yogurt, healthy muffins, etc. for snacks.
