https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:17:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716591 Mon, 27 Mar 2017 06:57:57 +0000 Bluebonnet 2716591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Check out weelicious.com - toddler friendly recipes the whole family will enjoy. When my kids were eating seperate meals, I'd double or triple weelicios recipes to stock my freezer. Some of our favorite recipes include blank bean cakes, cottage cheese pancakes, turkey meatloaf bites, chicken Mac and cheese bites, and spinach ricotta bites. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716302 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 20:39:44 +0000 Anagram 2716302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We also make a fair amount of rice as a side and I used to steam and rice cauliflower, but now I just buy the frozen riced cauliflower and I add that to the rice. So I sometimes do a quick stir-fry with rice/riced cauliflower, so even if my kids avoid the veggies in the stir fry, they are getting the cauliflower. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716301 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 20:38:11 +0000 Anagram 2716301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never do actual cooking on weeknights--I mean, not real cooking. I generally "prepare". My go-tos are rotisserie chicken (my kids LOVE all the dark meat, and I pick the white meat off to make in something for me and DH, like a chicken curry), salmon, shrimp or scallops, fish sticks, aidell's meatballs, and beef brisket. Then I use a lot of frozen steamer veggies, the trays of steamer potatos you can buy, or my local supermarket has pre-cut fresh sweet potatos in fry shape, so I buy those and make home made sweet potato fries without having to wash/peel/chop sweet potatoes. I steam broccoli 2-3 nights a week. I rarely take more than 15 minutes to make a meal. I broil salmon in abut 10 minutes. I made pasta 1x a week but always do half jarred sauce/half butternut squash puree so it's healthier. Little night time hacks like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716240 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 17:22:35 +0000 Dahlia 2716240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD loves chili as well as lentils in any form - soup, in the crockpot with coconut milk and sweet potatoes - so I will often make a big batch of those and freeze them in tiny tupperware. Pot roast, minestrone soup, and BBQ crockpot chicken are other make aheads I will freeze, or I will buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it and freeze it. </p> <p>Other things we use for quick meals are:<br /> - quesadillas<br /> - baked beans<br /> - sausages<br /> - frozen chicken fingers<br /> - eggs </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716209 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 15:41:05 +0000 Boogs 2716209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: I have, which isn't bad. Otherwise I'll buy it at the store. Their store brand is good and so it Cedar's. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716205 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 15:23:53 +0000 travellingbee 2716205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: do you make your owns tzatziki sauce? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716199 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 14:51:22 +0000 cookiemomster 2716199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mainly just following because my kid eats none of the things so I need ideas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716097 Sat, 25 Mar 2017 06:38:17 +0000 looch 2716097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't belong in here because my problem eater won't touch anything but, I often wondered about pork tenderloin. It's really easy to cook up if you cut medallions, or you can slow cook it to get it to shred...I am just not sure if the flavor is too strong...but it could be an option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716066 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 22:48:28 +0000 elljay 2716066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the great ideas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716015 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 19:27:56 +0000 MrsADS 2716015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following. My 19mo is very picky and would not eat a lot of the stuff posted here. Our favorite super-fast meal is Annie's alphabet soup - not much protein, but some veggies at least. I drain most of the broth and give him the pasta and veggies. He loves it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2716014 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 19:23:53 +0000 newlypregnantlady 2716014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My morning sickness go-to for my toddler was 3-4 frozen, cooked, peeled shrimp, and a bunch of frozen veggies. I basically put both in a bowl and microwave them, then add a couple dashes of aminos or vinaigrette. Sometimes I'd serve it with a piece of buttered toast. </p> <p>Not glamorous but it took me two minutes and I knew she was getting plenty of protein and veggies. It has gotten me through some rough nights! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715988 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 18:15:44 +0000 PixieStix 2715988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lasagna, Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice with veggies), Taco Soup (fixin's on the side: cheese, sour cream tortilla chips, etc), nachos, quesadillas, asian stir frys, chicken pot pie or chicken and biscuits (basically chicken pot pie filling with drop biscuits on top), quiche or frittata. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715979 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 17:49:39 +0000 Boogs 2715979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pasta<br /> Tacos<br /> Greek chicken (I serve with tzatziki to dip) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715975 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 17:39:20 +0000 dc yoga bee 2715975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following. Toddler meals are really like my adult meals :silly: . We are currently doing stuffed clams I picked up from Harris teeter, shrimp poppers, and green beans. I try to do easy components with one thing I know she likes. I also second having bananas on hand at all Times. And we are impatiently waiting for watermelon season to begin! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715883 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:56:52 +0000 MrsSRS 2715883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think if you have 2 or 3 proteins, veggies, and fruits you can just rotate throughout the week. And add some crackers or cheese or rinsed off black beans if it's a really hungry night.<br /> So I'd pick 2 or 3 that my kids enjoy, like</p> <p>Salmon-flaked<br /> Chicken thighs-diced<br /> Meatballs -quartered<br /> Mild Italian sausage - quartered and then diced<br /> Scrambled or hardboiled eggs<br /> Falafel<br /> Ground turkey with taco seasoning</p> <p>Broccoli - steamed<br /> Cucumbers<br /> Peas - frozen<br /> Asparagus-sauteed<br /> Brussel sprouts - steamed<br /> Sweet potatoes - diced and roasted<br /> Avocado</p> <p>Berries<br /> Mandarin oranges<br /> Watermelon - pre cut up<br /> Banana<br /> Applesauce </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715881 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:51:25 +0000 psw27 2715881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I make up a batch of pasta or macaroni and cheese that LO will eat throughout the week. We also do a lot of frozen proteins that I can heat up in the microwave/oven (frozen fish filets, meatballs, chicken nuggets, etc.) Then I add a veggie or fruit option. My LO also really enjoys eggs for dinner, so I will make him scrambled eggs with cheese pretty often as his protein. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715880 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:51:03 +0000 gingerbebe 2715880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I meal plan but I also always have components for a meal on the fly.</p> <p>We keep rotisserie chicken, Aidell's organic meatballs, turkey pepperoni, Canadian bacon, chicken sausage, and chicken/fish nuggets on hand for quick protein.</p> <p>Veg is either raw baby carrots and cucumber slices or frozen veg - peas and carrots, mixed veggies, corn - that we can nuke real fast.</p> <p>Starches are multigrain rice that we always have on hand and some small pasta I boil and toss in olive oil and keep in the fridge. Or peanut butter crackers.</p> <p>Lots of fruit - clementines, grapes, berries, and bananas are fast. </p> <p>We usually do a soup for dinner once a week, like Italian meatball or chicken and rice that's a great all in one meal. </p> <p>I can make a quick pasta dish with the components above. This week we had pasta with meatballs in red sauce with frozen peas thrown in, for instance.</p> <p>When I make taco fixings I usually make double. So I freeze shredded chicken or ground beef, rice, and beans. I can easily mix up everything with some frozen corn into a taco bowl of sorts. Then I serve it to my kid with milk salsa and chips or a tortilla. </p> <p>Once a week I make savory rice pancakes with leftovers. We always have some kind of leftover rice so I mix 1 cup of rice (white, Spanish, brown, fried, whatever, even quinoa) with 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of cheese, and whatever meat and veg we have laying around. I usually chop up some leftover meat and throw in frozen spinach and what not. Then we pan fry it and dip in ketchup. They freeze great and are good for lunch too. This week I made them with the taco night leftovers and spinach.</p> <p>I make a chicken and rice casserole - long grain rice, cream of chicken soup (I make a homemade version usually), chicken, lots of veggies (celery, onion, carrot, shredded zucchini, peas, corn, green beans) and that is also a great all in one meal. </p> <p>I often make a 3-egg omelet when I'm making eggs, cool it, and cut it up into cubes for the fridge. I can nuke it and serve with toast, ketchup, and fruit for a fast meal. I like putting some chopped ham and spinach in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715876 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:40:08 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2715876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pasta stored with a little liquid so it doesn't dry out. Reheat with Alfredo or Pesto or red spaghetti sauce. Or serve cold and toss with a little Greek dressing. Store meatballs or sausage and cut, reheat what you need each night. LO eats off the same frozen veggies pack for 4 nights. The only new thing I have to chop up are fresh tomatos and berries, but sometimes mandarin oranges do the trick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715869 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:23:37 +0000 schubr03 2715869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any pasta with meat and veggies. Store sauce separately and then reheat.</p> <p>Grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and baked potatoes </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715863 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:19:37 +0000 alphagam84 2715863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I make a large batch of cuban style black beans and those freeze well. I do those with white rice (easily made ahead) and half of an avocado. Great meal! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-ahead-toddler-dinners#post-2715860 Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:16:12 +0000 elljay 2715860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any ideas for toddler-friendly dinners I can make ahead early in the week? Because of our crazy schedules, I feed my 18mo a separate dinner on weeknights and then cook for myself and DH after DS goes to bed. We've been doing Home Chef recently, which is a huge help to me since I cook every night, but it's portioned for two and doesn't generate leftovers (also, it's a lot of things my DS won't really eat). </p> <p>My ideas so far:<br /> Meatloaf and a big batch of roasted veggies<br /> Chili with lots of veggies</p> <p>I basically need something I can make ahead and heat up in 5-10 mins when we get home - I get home with him around 6 and his bedtime is at 7, so our schedule is really tight. </p>