My two and a half year old daughter is starting to not like the choices for lunch. We do the staples like hot dogs, ravioli, lunch meat, mac n cheese, PB & J, chicken nuggets, etc. When we have left overs, I do give her those especially when she likes what we had. What are some other things that you moms make for lunch. It's hard because I just make something for her so don't want to make a big amount of food. She does eat a veggie almost every lunch and fruit with every lunch. She also tends to eat earlier than me because I am usually busy with baby during her lunch so we eat separate things.
One lunch that was always a hit when my kids were little (and super easy) is cut up summer sausage, cheese slices, crackers and apples.
Hi S., This is an idea that might help a little. If she is 2, then eating out of a Barbie bowl (Disney? Sesame Street?) cup and bowl might make eating a little more cool. Crazy straws are fun too. How about an inexpensive placemat?? Also a nanny favorite: construct a daily chart and give a star on the day that she eats well with a popcycle as a prize. It doesn't have to be expensive. Kids love rewards and prizes and praise when they please mom by eating a good lunch. Maybe start her with smaller portions. Also, cutting sugar from her diet will spark the natural craving for things like apples an other non-sugary foods.
Our daughter is almost 2. She loves pizza. I will use a piece of pita bread or flat bread, spread it with a little pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, or just plain tomato sauce. You can let your daughter choose what topping to put on. I have used small pieces of cooked chicken, browned hamburger, little pieces of ham, black olives, chopped tomatoes, small pieces of green pepper, cheese, etc. Bake it in the oven just until the cheese melts.
Our daughter also like quesadillas. I put cheese, black beans, chicken, and tomatoes on a tortilla and heat it in the frying pan just until the cheese melts.
Your daughter is probably old enough now that she can "help" you make her lunch. If she helps that might make it more exciting to eat it too!
my boys like cheese a lot. i buy some that are in the shape of mickey mouse heads cuz it saves me time cutting it up and it isn't anymore expensive. my boys also love sweet potatoes. i cut them up into cubes and boil them for 8 or 9 minutes. for your older child she might prefer sweet potato fries. I hear a lot of parents rave about them!
i also used to babysit 4 year old triplets and there mother made them bowtie pasta with a little butter and parmasan cheese on it. they loved that!
My daughter loves avacado ..sometimes I serve it with black beans mixed with a little salsa. She'll eat any kind of bean, so those are in regular rotation at our house. We also do ham, cheese, and crackers with some fruit.
You could make English Muffin Pizzas. Just use an English Muffin for the crust. They are very good. My mom used to make me PB&J sandwiches using leftover pancakes as the bread.
I feed 2 kids at lunch both are 14 months old, one mine and one on loan (lol) I buy tons of frozen veggies when they are on sale then i boil the whole bag i take out the kids portions and save the rest in the fridge for my husband and I's dinner. it saves on dinner prep and makes sure that my husband and i are eating right too. pancakes and waffles are good too if you make them ahead and freeze or fridge them it makes for quick prep. individual pizza might be good too (quick biscuit dough is just flour, baking powder, dash of salt and milk, bake for 5 mins at 400 take out and top before baking the rest of the way) you can top the pizza with anything. i cook a roast or steak in the crock pot then keep it in the fridge and freezer so i can pull it out and reheat it quick.
You could try a salad with chicken and veggies on top, tomato soup & crackers, quesodillas with some kind of meat and cheese and salsa, stir fry meat and veggies- I make a small stir fry just for my son...and brown rice if I have the time but mostly I skip the rice because it takes so long, egg sandwich made with toast, cheerios for lunch, mac and cheese with broccoli mixed in, 1/2 baked potato [no butter] topped with a little cheese and broccoli, ...it is actually hard to think of things! Especially healthy things. That's all I've got. I look forward to seeing the other responses too!
