Need Some Meal Ideas for 19 Month Old

Updated on February 13, 2008
A.G. asks from Yorkville, IL
5 answers

My daughter is a really good eater, and usually has breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner every day. We do pretty well with breakfast foods and snack foods, but my problem is with lunch and dinner. I always provide a fruit and veggie serving with lunch and dinner, but it's the "main course" so to speak that I have trouble with.

My daughter does not like beef or anything cooked with beef or flavored with beef (or pork). My husband is allergic to poultry, so I don't prepare chicken or turkey very often. Lately, we've been feeding her grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, rice or pasta (spaghetti O's, ravioli) for her main item. She doesn't like soups, potatoes or pizza. I tried fish sticks and corn dogs, and she wouldn't eat them.

Any suggestions on lunch and dinner items? If you all could list some things that you feed your toddlers, maybe that will give me some ideas. Thanks for your help!

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K.S.

answers from Chicago on

Not always the best option, but it helped me get my little man eating meat. Turkey cheese hotdogs or cheese hotdogs. For some reason he started with them and now eats about all meats. Also try putting ham in her mac and cheese. I know that processed hotdogs are not always the best, but it can be a great way to encourage more meat eating. The only other advice I have is just wait she will eventually eat the meat and soon you can give her peanutbutter!

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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

Chicken breast cut baby bite sized, chicken nuggets, Kosher hot dogs, griller sausages, thick sliced ham cut baby bite sized, thick sliced turkey cut baby bite sized (usually only at thanksgiving), smoked sausage cut to about coin sized then cut in half.

A frozen bag of chicken breasts might work well. You can take only one out cook it for her. Also chicken nuggets come in large bags, take out a few and store the rest. Minimize the risk of your husband being exposed to it.

You might also want to look for some vegetarian cook books, they might have some good things in there since it seems she's not fond of meat.

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J.D.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.
I am lucky my daughter will eat anything. Have you tried putting ham in her grilled cheese? The previous poster had a great idea to look into vegaterian foods that would give her a complete meal. maybe even get her some lunchables. and dont forget if she likes what she eating for breakfast why not at dinner?
Good luck

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J.

answers from Chicago on

My kids didn't eat meat at that age, really. They both liked cured meats (bacon, ham, hot dogs) but that isn't a great choice for every day with all of the salt and nitrates.

Here are a few meat-free things my extremely picky 4 yo likes.

Refried beans with spanish-type rice or corn tortillas (you can buy vegetarian and/or low-fat beans)

Also, I sometimes make the kids their own little dipping cup of refried beans and melted cheese and let them dip tortilla chips - usually served on a busy night with cold carrots and cucumbers.

Spaghetti-type casserole made with sausage-substitute veggie crumbles (about 1/3 of a 12-oz package for 1 package pasta), whole-wheat rotini, mixed veggies, jarred spaghetti sauce, and low-fat mozzerella

Fried-rice type dish with brown rice, assorted veggies, scrambled egg, soy sauce, and oyster sauce (you can also add tofu cubes)

Both my kids will also eat a dish made with white beans and parmesan couscous mix from a box, but that might be just my weird children. Basically, cook sweet potatoes & onions in a pan until soft - add cannelloni beans (and some raisins if you like) and enough water to make the couscous mix, bring to a boil, add couscous & box seasonings. Sprinkle servings with feta if desired (it was an invention with what I had in the house, what can I say).

You might also flip through one of the cookbooks for sneaking veggies into other foods, like The Sneaky Chef. She has purees of beans and veggies that you add to other foods.

One last thought - if you look up nutritional requirements for children, you'll be reassured at how easy it is to get enough protein when you start to read the labels. Even plain spaghetti has some protein in it, which surprised me.

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T.H.

answers from Terre Haute on

This is what I have done for my children at that age. I have a 15 month old right now.

Breakfast

scrambled eggs and times I add a little cheese and mushrooms (chopped small)

cheerio's dry or with a little milk (if I feed it to her)

sauage links cut up small

mixed fruit or any type of fruit chopped small enough that she won't choke on any of it.

pancakes (my daughter loves this with fruit on the side pancakes don't have to have butter or syrup on them)

Lunch / Dinner

We eat a lot of Chicken and Fish but since your husband is allergic I don't suggest to cook chicken or fish for you daughter to often. but the chicken nuggets and fish sticks are nice also.

warm up a can of mixed veggies

hot dogs cut up small

smokey links sauages (these are good anytime of the day they come in different flavors and it is a good snack)

lil' smokeys also

lunch meats as long as they are cut into small pieces

yogurt (lunch or breakfast)

in the baby aisle at stores they have the what I call the "toddler lunchables" they have lunch meals and dinner meals. they also have different snacks in this area of the store also.

mac and cheese

rice and little sauage pieces

steam frozen veggies

mashed potatoes

cottage cheese

green beans are my daughters favorite and they are easy to pick

hamburger helper meals are nice also. tuna helper meals

Spaghetti we use the elbow noodles though

the canned meals are not that bad either spaghetti o's ect.

peas

stir fry dinners my kids love them I let them cook long enough so the veggies were not as crisp for the kids.

I also bake a lot of my meat and put roast in my crock pot so the meat will be tender enough for the children.

I am one I let my children eat a lot of veggies and fruits they also love to have eggs and breakfast foods for dinner.

I just hope that some of these ideas helped you.

good luck

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