I told myself that when my children were old enough to eat any food that was not a puree, they would eat what my husband and I ate. I just chuckled while I was writing that by the way. Every once in a while, all stars align and the 4 of us share a meal besides pizza. Sometimes, 3/4 of us even eat the same stuff! But more often than not, my kids get a meal and my husband and I eat something else.
I used to struggle with that concept. I felt like a failure if I made something else for them. I tried to force them to eat the same food, only to have them refuse it, cry, not want to it at all, and then have to feed them something else later anyway.
So, I decided to focus on creating a system to feed my children as easily and healthy as possible. I figured they will eventually be older and then have to eat what I give them or lose their tablet privileges or something. This switch has been so liberating and it makes dinner much more pleasant!
My template for their dinner is a protein, a carb, and a fruit or veggie. If you have toddlers, you are definitely aware that they could eat their weight of one thing for several days or even weeks and then completely change their mind. This is why I used this template that can be easily adapted to whatever food du jour is their preferred choice, instead of set planned meals.
I try to keep it healthy but also toddler friendly. Sure, mac and cheese and chicken nuggets are not the healthies things one can eat, but they certainly have a place in the rotation. Keeping it well balanced and encouraging children to stay active is key!
Below is a list of options that are super quick and can be made in minutes while the table is being set.
Protein: chicken nuggets (baked, and if you nuke them, it’s even faster!), Earth’s Best mini meat balls (cook in microwave), turkey sausage patties (stove top or toaster oven), slices of pepperoni or turkey pepperoni, turkey slices.
Carbs: brown rice (Uncle Ben’s 90 second pouches are the best!!!), cous-cous (5 minutes on the stove), pasta of any kind (I make a big batch once a week, you can use whole wheat pasta), mac and cheese (the single serve are 3.5 minutes in microwave), whole wheat tortillas.
Fruits/veggies: cucumbers, berries, watermelon, clementine, grapes, cherries (I only mentioned things my kids like but maybe your children like tomatoes, carrots, bananas, etc). Apple sauce can also be used!
If we eat pizza, baked cheesy pasta, or breaded beef/chicken (milanesa) and sweet potatoes, we all eat the same thing. Otherwise, they get their plates with three partitions in them with their food pyramid inspired plates!
Pro tip: if there is any food your child loves that can be made in advance, do it! Make a bunch of whatever type of protein or carbs they like and chop up the veggies or fruits in advance. This way, you can serve or heat and serve right away.
We only do water for dinner and try to make that the last drink of the day. My husband loves dessert, which means our kids get “last course” often but during summer, I can get away with 30 calorie popsicles. It does help maintain some calmness during dinner and forces them to finish their meal when we promise them “last course”, instead of a bunch of maniacs running around. And that is nice.
