Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers

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Do you need healthy and easy lunch ideas for your toddler(s)?  I try making my twin toddlers healthy and nutritious meals, with minimal sugar and minimally processed foods, that are also realistic.

These healthy lunch ideas for toddlers and kids can all be packed the night before, so they are ready to go in the morning!  It will definitely help make the morning run a bit smoother (at least for me anyway).  

To-go lunches can be easy, quick, and healthy!  And they can easily include foods your toddler likes.  You can sub out the fruits, pasta, and veggies in this list for the kind you have at home.  All of these food ideas are meant to give you inspiration and ideas for your toddler and kid lunches!

Even if your child doesn’t go to day-care or school, these easy lunch ideas for toddlers are great for when you are on-the-go, or eat them at home.  We take our lunches to parks, the zoo, basically whenever we will be out of the house during the day.  It’s healthier and more cost-effective for me to pack my own toddlers’ lunch.

Here is a list of Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers (and kids!):

• 1/2 Avocado
  • Avocados are full of good fat and good for babies and toddlers developing brains.  Avocado is a favorite food for my twins.
• 1 Cheese Stick
• Uncured Deli Ham
  • Minimally processed and no preservatives
• Peanut Butter, Honey and Oat Ball
  • I used raw honey, rolled oats, and Valencia peanut butter.  Make sure your child is over 1-year-old if giving any honey (I waited until my twins were almost 2-years-old to give any honey).  You could sub the peanut butter for almond butter or sunflower butter (or a different kind) if you don’t want to use it or if your child has a peanut allergy.
  • You can pre-make these and store them in the fridge.  They only take about 10 minutes to make.

• 1/2 Avocado
• Black Beans (canned) and Sliced Olives
  • Make sure to slice olives up well as they could pose a choking hazard to toddlers and young kids if given whole.
• Cheese Quesadilla
• Tangerine Slices

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• Organic Whole Grain Pasta, mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, and peas), butter, and parmesan cheese.
  • I heated this up (in a separate container) before I put it in their stainless steel thermos.
• Tangerine Slices
• Cheese Stick
• Organic Grahams
  • These have honey in them so make sure your child is over 1-year-old before feeding to them.

• Hard-Boiled Egg – I love these silicone cups (affiliate link) to put my toddlers’ food in.  They are easy to wash and fit in their lunch container nicely.  And you can use them for baking muffins or cupcakes!
• Oatmeal Muffin – With no refined sugar.  Most muffins freeze well so you can make a big batch and freeze.  They will thaw if you pack it the night before in your toddler’s lunch.
• Red Grapes – Make sure to slice grapes up well.  Whole grapes are a big choking hazard for toddlers and young children.
• Steamed Brocolli – My twins really like broccoli – it’s a favorite food – and they even eat it cold.  Read this blog post if you want to know how I get them to love eating vegetables.

Related:  Healthy Avocado Muffins for Toddlers and Kids

• Turkey and Cheddar Cheese Sandwich on Organic Whole Grain Bread
• Raisins and Sliced Dates – Make sure to slice dates up well as they could pose a choking hazard
• 1/2 Sliced Avocado

• Almond butter and homemade jam sandwich 
• Cucumbers
• Fresh blueberries and blackberries (slice or smash if they are really large)

Tips for Packing An On-The-Go Lunch For Your Toddler:

I usually pack lunches the night before and put them in the refrigerator.

In the morning, I’m too busy with other things, like making breakfast and getting kids dressed, and it’s just one more thing to add to my do-to-list.

If you have an older child in school and stay home with your toddlers, just make them lunch at the same time you are making school lunches.  You will already have a lunch ready for your toddler – if you stay home or go out.

Here are some ideas of quick and healthy breakfasts that we usually eat on busy mornings, for making getting out of the door easier and quicker.

Containers are Great for Portion Sizing

Lunch containers help me with portion sizes and packing a variety of foods (but not too much).  Although I do use bags when I have no dishes clean and ready.

The stainless steel one I use is nice and compact, yet it holds a lot of food for a toddler.  It’s easy to clean and I find myself using fewer plastic bags with it because it’s only one dish to wash, as opposed to using several dishes for to-go containers.  It’s a little spendy but it’s sturdy and will last several years.  I plan on using this same container when they go to elementary school. This is the one I use (affiliate link).

I also like this glass water bottle for my kids’ beverages.  Glass is nice because it cleans well and I can see what’s in it and how much -it’s also eco-friendly.  The glass water bottle (affiliate link) in the picture I’ve had since my 10-year-old was 3!  So it’s well worth the investment and gets tons of use. I also put smoothies in it for them.  A standard bottle nipple even fits on it – if your toddler drinks from a bottle (mine are still weaning – a slow process).

I add in an ice pack (the morning of), utensils, and napkin and it’s ready to go!

Add a Fun Note To Your Toddlers Easy and Healthy Lunch

I love putting notes in my kids’ lunches.

It’s good for toddlers and kids seeing the text, with a positive and nice saying on it – even though they aren’t reading yet!  Knowing what words and letters look like is a very important skill and one of the first steps to reading.  Try drawing pictures for your toddler so it has more meaning and they can understand it better.  The note may brighten their day and make them smile!

Related:

Toddler Dinners The Whole Family Can Eat

35 Quick and Healthy Toddler Snack Ideas

Quick and Healthy Toddler Snack Ideas

Quick and Healthy Toddler Breakfast Ideas for The Week

What are your Easy and Healthy Toddler Lunch Ideas?