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Looking for healthy and easy dinner toddler meals the whole family can eat?

My toddler twins are 2 1/2 and have big appetites lately, so they need to be eating what we’re eating.  It actually makes me eat healthier because I want to make sure they are eating healthy at meals.  Here are some dinner toddler meals that are healthy, tasty, and the family can enjoy!

See if these toddler dinners will work for your family!

Mix and match with whatever vegetable or fruit you have on hand for these meals.

Here is a list of Dinner Toddler Meal Ideas the whole family can eat:

• Organic Chicken
• Baked potato
  • We had baked potatoes for dinner and I cut theirs up small and added butter.
• Cucumbers
• Salad 
  • I made a salad with spinach, carrots, cheese, sunflower seeds, and sliced apples.  They liked eating it after I put a little bit of ranch dressing on it (because that’s how I was eating mine).

• Cooked pasta with butter with shredded rotisserie chicken (pre-cooked)
• I added in a bag of frozen mixed vegetables while the pasta was still cooking
• Topped with parmesan cheese

• Black bean and cheese burrito (also good with refried beans)
  • I added black beans and cheese on a tortilla heated it up in the microwave for about 45 seconds. 
• Chips and homemade salsa
  • My boys love salsa and dipping their chips.  You may want to crush chips up small or omit if your toddler is not chewing solids well.
• Avocado

• Tuna Casserole
  • This tuna casserole a quick and easy recipe I found online that just used cream of mushroom, tuna, cheese, and pasta. You could premake this and put it in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
• Avocado
  • Avocados are full of good fat so I serve them a lot, plus my twins love them.

Related: Toddler Meal Ideas for Lunch

• Chicken Teriyaki (a frozen bag with sauce included from Trader Joe’s)
• Jasmine Rice
• Broccoli
• Unsweetened coconut chips (I got these from Trader Joe’s)

Related: Sandwich Ideas for Kids and Toddlers

• Chicken 
• Sweet potato 
• Carrots

I put all of this in the crockpot with a little bit of Pink Himalayan Salt and was ready 6 hours later.  It’s so easy!

I do this a lot with my meat and veggies.  No prep!

• Salmon 
  • Salmon is great for getting Omega 3’s.  I also supplement with this Cod Liver Oil (it’s good for brain development – always consult your pediatrician before using).  The kind I use is for kids 1 year and up. 
  • I used frozen wild-caught salmon and just put a little lemon slice and pink Himalayan salt on it when I cooked it.  I try to cook fish at least once a week for my kids.
• Pasta
  • I used Annie’s Organic Parmesan Pasta mix.
• Sweet potato and roasted Brussel sprouts
  • This was my toddlers’ first introduction to Brussel sprouts so I served just a tiny amount with a familiar food.  They tried a little bit but I will definitely be serving it more often so they get used to it!   The sweet potato was leftover from the previous night. 

• Mashed Potatoes
• Roast
• Veggie Mix (carrots, corn, green beans)

The meat and vegetables were put in the crockpot with a seasoning mix in the morning and ready by dinner time.

• Ham (I bought this pre-cooked so it was fast to heat up)
• Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Garden salad (just a pre-mixed bag and I added in cucumbers and tomatoes)

• Bagel Pizzas (my toddlers helped make these)
• Sliced pears
• Steamed broccoli (frozen)

• Organic chicken tenders
• Brown Rice
• Roasted Brocolli

A very simple dinner for your toddler and the family!  You can sub the rice with any whole grain you have on hand.  I like to use 90-second microwave rice when I’m in a hurry.

• Butternut Squash and Annie’s Mac and Cheese (I added 1 cup of butternut squash to the mac and cheese while it was cooking)
• Mini Bell Pepper
• Frozen Wild Blueberries (from Trader Joe’s)

Here are more easy meal ideas for toddlers and the whole family:

• Spaghetti with whole wheat pasta served with dinosaur meatballs

• Breakfast for dinner: eggs, pancakes or french toast, sausage, and avocado

• Canned Soup or homemade.  I make my twins this quick and healthy homemade soup.

• English Muffin Pizzas or Bagel Pizzas– toppings such as pepperoni, olives, tomatoes.  Have your toddler help make these.

• Sausage and beans with veggies (slice sausage lengthwise 4 times and lots the other way).

• Buddha Bowl – Brown Rice or Quinoa, beans or tofu, vegetables, dressing

• Taco Salad – Taco meat, chips, avocado, beans,  tomato, lettuce, olives, cheese, sour cream

• Grass-Fed Hot Dog – cut up very small as they are the top choking hazard in young children

• Grilled Cheese on whole wheat bread

• Mini Tortilla Pizzas

• Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with whole wheat pasta

• Pulled Pork Sliders – You can put the pulled pork on rolls and they are the perfect toddler size

• Cheese Quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla

• Tuna Melt – Just tuna and mayonnaise mixed put on your choice of bread.  Top with cheese and broil for about 5 minutes in the oven.

Vegetable Sides for your toddler dinner meals:

I usually steam vegetables for my twins since it makes them really soft and it’s quick.  I don’t add any salt to their veggies, sometimes just a little butter.

Buying frozen veggies will cut out some of the prep since they’re pre-chopped and you can just use what you need so less goes to waste. 

Here’s a list of veggies I use often:

• Brocolli
• Carrots
• Beets
• Cauliflower
• Sweet potato/yams
• Squash (Acorn, butternut, spaghetti)
• Peas
• Green beans
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Bell Peppers 
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Onion
• Pumpkin (bought frozen-pre chopped)

Related:  How to Get Your Toddler To Eat and Like Vegetables

Other Healthy and Easy Sides For Toddlers:

• Beans 
• Brown Rice or Wild Rice
• Quinoa 
• Potatoes
• Lentils
• Salad (homemade or storebought)
• Crushed chips and smashed avocado

Tips I use for Toddler Dinner Meals:

I don’t serve a dessert for my toddlers.  Once in a while, we will have a treat after dinner. Sometimes I will put fruit on their plate along with their meal or these healthy toddler yogurt pops.

I usually always try to include carbs, protein, healthy fats and vegetables in their meals. 

Carbs aren’t just pasta and bread, they also include things like beans and lentils, starchy veggies like potatoes and peas, fruit, and whole grains.

Healthy fats I like to use often are grass-fed butter, coconut oil, avocados (or avocado oil), and olive oil.

I love crockpot meals for my toddlers and family because I can just put the ingredients in and it’s ready by dinner time.  Crockpots are nice for roasts, chicken, turkey breasts, and fresh vegetables.  I usually just add a little bit of Pink Himalayan salt.

I hope this list of toddler dinner ideas will give you inspiration and ideas for your toddler meals!  What do you do for your toddler’s dinner meals?

Looking for more toddler food ideas?  Try these!

Quick and Healthy Toddler Breakfast Ideas

Quick and Healthy Toddler Snack Ideas

Healthy Toddler Finger Foods

What My Toddlers Ate For Breakfast This Week