30 Meal Ideas for a 1-year-old

Every once in a while my team and I put together a resource that I am especially proud of– this simple round up is definitely one of those times.

As straight-forward sounding as this list is, Kaley has really done an incredible job of rounding up 30 recipes that are as healthy as they are varied and (most-importantly) uber kid-friendly.

Reading through Kaley’s list I got so excited to try each and every one, and not only for my 1 1/2 year old, but for my 5-year-old and 7-year-old too!

I think you’re going to want to bookmark this one and share it with your friends– ASAP.

Psst…

Wanna a free cheat sheet of the meals to stick on your fridge??

Let me start by saying that 95% of the time, my baby eats what the rest of the family is eating. It has been this way since she was about 9 months old.

Unless we are eating something that we haven’t introduced to her yet (i.e. shellfish) or something super spicy (i.e. Thai curry), we all eat the same thing. We will just cut everything up nice and small for her, and on her plate, it goes.

I have found that this is the easiest and quickest way to ensure that baby’s palate matches that of the rest of the family, and it discourages picky eating. Plus it makes my life a lot easier, since I am only preparing one meal for everyone.

However, if we are eating something that she can’t eat, or she is eating earlier than the rest of the family, I will usually turn to number one, below, which is a muffin tin meal.

You basically fill each little cup of the muffin tin with a different food cut into little pieces. Think cut up fruits and veggies, tiny crackers, plain pasta, cubes of cheese, etc. I love this because it is so easy to throw together random things from the fridge, and my baby loves it because she likes all the choices.

My six year old still asks for muffin tin meals all the time, so this is something that you can keep in your back pocket for those nights that you need to get the kids fed, fast!

Below you will find my top 30 dinner ideas for a one year old. Many can be made ahead, frozen, and then used in muffin meals too.

They all also work equally well for lunches and snacks. And these recipes aren’t just for babies. Your whole family will love most things on this list!

I always add cut up fruits and veggies to whatever I serve baby, and try to stick with what is organic and in season. But I like to keep frozen peas and a few other basics on hand for those times when I couldn’t get to the store.

One Final Note: The Best Food Bowls for Toddlers

If you haven’t yet found the perfect bowl to put all this great toddler food in yet, I highly recommend checking out this stackable set of BPA-free suction bottomed bowls.

Sooo helpful if you’re not so into your toddler’s favorite new game of throwing their dishes on the ground. Plus, they even have lids for easy storage in the fridge!

Ok, on to the list…