Transitioning from baby to toddler can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to preparing three meals a day plus snacks while managing everything else on your plate. Fortunately, Sarah, our seasoned older sister, offers a comprehensive toddler meal plan that simplifies this process.
Meet Ethan, our eighteen-month-old junior taste tester here at The Woks of Life. His enthusiastic “Mo’!” has become the benchmark for recipe quality in our household.
At The Woks of Life, we recently discovered that Sarah meticulously plans every meal for the upcoming week—three meals a day for herself, her husband, and Ethan, the newest addition to our family.
The rest of us—Bill, Judy, and Kaitlin—were astounded by the level of detail and organization required for such an endeavor, and we felt compelled to share it with all of you!
In this article, we’ll present a sample meal plan crafted by Sarah, a relatively new mother who has thoroughly researched introducing solid foods. Plus, she brings the added advantage of being a seasoned food blogger and a New York Times bestselling cookbook author!
Feel free to share this with a mom you know, or simply enjoy the delightful images of tiny toddler hands enjoying a variety of foods.
Now, let’s hear from Sarah:
Greetings from the Front Lines of First-time Motherhood
As a new mom and avid researcher, I transitioned from being apprehensive about starting solids to feeling confident and diving into meal planning for my toddler with enthusiasm.
However, that enthusiasm quickly waned.
Before having a baby, I enjoyed a comfortable nine hours of sleep each night (the perks of working for yourself!). Nowadays, I’m lucky to get seven. I used to have time for a lovely lunch spread, but now I find myself juggling a toddler while my once-planned breakfast toast grows cold in the toaster.
I love cooking so much that I made it my profession, but after a year of motherhood, cooking became the last thing I wanted to do.
To add to my existential dread, several friends have recently had babies and have started asking for kid-friendly recipes!
I realized it was time to get serious about meal planning. Each week, I dedicate time to plan seven days’ worth of meals and snacks for Ethan, my husband, and myself. This approach has significantly reduced my stress—I always have what I need on hand and can adjust my plans as necessary (for instance, if we have leftovers or decide to order takeout).
This way, I don’t have to think; I just execute!
How It Works: 3 Meals + 1 Snack a Day, A 7-Day Meal Plan
Every weekend, I spend about an hour meal planning and creating a shopping list for the week. If you don’t mind having the same meals on rotation, it shouldn’t take long. However, I prefer variety.
My personal philosophy, which has become widely accepted, is to feed toddlers what we eat (as long as it’s developmentally appropriate—Solid Starts offers excellent guides for serving different foods at various ages). I don’t prepare separate meals for Ethan, so they need to be appealing and nutritious enough to entice an increasingly picky toddler.
The recipes I select each week typically include:
- Nutritious options with a good balance of protein, fiber, and vegetables
- Filling dishes
- Comfort food
- Quick and easy recipes
- Foods I know Ethan will likely enjoy that are suitable for his age (we’ve temporarily set aside spicy dishes).
I often repurpose dinner leftovers for lunch the next day, which means I’m primarily “cooking” at breakfast (usually a quick meal) and dinner.
This toddler meal plan features a mix of recipes from various authors, cooks, and food bloggers I admire, alongside some of our tried-and-true recipes from The Woks of Life!
What I Fed My Toddler This Week:
Monday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
This is a standard breakfast option that Ethan adores. I prepare it weekly, alternating between apples and pears (the latter works wonders if he’s a bit constipated).
I peel an apple, cut wedges from the core, and simmer them in a small pot with one cup of water until soft. Then, I stir in ⅓ cup of quick oats and cook for five minutes. I may add more water or a splash of milk if needed, but I usually keep the texture thick so it stays on the spoon when Ethan scoops it. I mix in two teaspoons of flaxseed meal, one tablespoon of nut butter (I alternate between almond, peanut, and pecan butter for variety), and a dash of cinnamon.
This is a simple recipe I adapted for Ethan after enjoying it myself during my postpartum period!
Lunch: Mushroom Barley Soup
I started with Tori Avey’s fantastic recipe, which utilizes dried shiitake mushrooms for added flavor. Instead of boiling them as suggested, I soak them in a bowl of water overnight or in hot water for two hours prior to cooking. I finely chop all the ingredients using a food processor (making it easier for Ethan to eat), add finely chopped Tuscan kale for extra veggies, and cook everything in one pot instead of three.
I cook all the vegetables, then add the broth, bay leaves, and barley (I use one cup instead of one and a quarter). Instead of three quarts of chicken stock, I use one quart and two quarts of water, along with one tablespoon each of Better than Bouillon chicken base and beef base!
This soup is perfect for lunch, and I often freeze the leftovers for future emergency meals. It’s a go-to when Ethan is being picky with vegetables; the finely chopped veggies blend seamlessly into the soup, and he gobbles them up with each spoonful.
Snack: Buttered Oat Bread and Cheese
Like most toddlers (and humans), Ethan loves bread. A slice of buttered toast paired with a few slices of cheese makes for an easy, no-fuss snack.
Dinner: Beef Tofu Stir-fry, Garlicky Broccoli, Quinoa Rice
This dinner consisted of a trio of Woks of Life recipes! The Beef and Tofu Stir-fry is an excellent introduction to Chinese flavors for kids, and Ethan devours it.
When the beef is finely chopped and mixed with rice and tofu, it creates a pasty texture that’s perfect for spoon practice (or scooping with hands). I chop the broccoli finely after cooking and mix it in, creating a cohesive texture that makes it easy for Ethan to eat, even with fewer teeth. Quinoa rice serves as a healthier alternative to plain white rice; it’s as simple as toasting quinoa and adding it to the rice cooker with jasmine rice.
I know many of you are concerned about salt levels. After blanching the broccoli, I set aside a few pieces for Ethan before adding the sauce, ensuring that the only salt comes from the beef and tofu dish. Additionally, I use low-sodium stock in the recipe and serve him cubes of tofu and pieces of beef while keeping the sauce light. That’s all there is to it!
Tuesday
Breakfast: Spinach & Cheese Omelet, Turkey Sausage, Clementine
I enjoy making omelets because I can cut them into small, easily grabable pieces. Eggs are also a relatively “clean” food (no splatters all over the high chair). They’re a great way to sneak in vegetables since Ethan loves eggs. While he’s becoming increasingly averse to mixed veggie omelets (with onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.), he still enjoys spinach omelets!
I’ve also started making my own breakfast sausage from scratch using my aunt’s classic breakfast sausage recipe to control the salt levels. Kaitlin jokingly calls me a traditional wife for this, but it’s so easy! Just mix ground meat with spices, form little patties, and freeze them between layers of parchment paper. This way, I can easily grab one patty at a time for Ethan’s breakfasts.
The recipe calls for ground pork, but I prefer using a combination of one pound ground pork and one pound ground turkey for a lighter option. You can also use all ground turkey (just ensure it’s dark meat, not the super lean variety). Of course, you can always buy your favorite breakfast sausage!
If Ethan is still hungry, I offer him a piece of fruit—berries, a banana, or in this case, a clementine.
Lunch: Leftover Beef & Tofu Stir Fry
I always aim to make enough dinner the night before to have leftovers for lunch, eliminating any lunch-related stress. I simply heat it up from the fridge. Lunch tends to be the most hectic meal of the day, so this method works well. Ethan is still at home during the day, but we’ll soon be starting daycare, which will require adjustments to my approach for packed lunches.
Snack: Pumpkin Bar
I tried these pumpkin bars from a site called Yummy Toddler Food, and Ethan loved them. I had made them a few weeks earlier and stored them in the freezer, so I just pulled one out and microwaved it for a quick homemade snack.
Dinner: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, Roasted Cauliflower
I decided to make air fryer chicken tenders. Surprisingly, Ethan didn’t love them—perhaps he’s not ready for crunchy textures yet! However, he did enjoy the roasted cauliflower, which was a win.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Toast, Milk
Ethan loves bananas so much that we have to be careful not to mention the word “banana” unless we’re ready to give him one. A slice of peanut butter banana toast with milk is a super easy breakfast to prepare.
If you’ve read our post on Starting Solids, you know that Ethan had a peanut allergy. After undergoing about six months of Oral Immunotherapy, he can now eat peanuts, and we need to provide him with a little bit daily to maintain that exposure. Fortunately, he enjoys it!
Lunch: Leftover Mushroom Barley Soup
Since I made a large pot of soup on Monday, we enjoyed it again for lunch today! I was relieved to have it on hand, especially since Ethan wasn’t a fan of the chicken tenders from the previous night.
Snack: Blackberries
Do all toddlers love berries? They can be pricey, so we don’t always have them, but when they’re in season, they make a fantastic snack.
Dinner: Broccoli Cheese Tortellini
I boil frozen tortellini with broccoli florets, mix it with store-bought marinara sauce, and add a dash of cream. Dinner is served!
Thursday
Breakfast: Avocado Toast, Breakfast Sausage
I can confidently say I spent the first ten years of my life without ever eating avocado. Now, I prepare avocado toast on whole wheat bread, cutting it into small squares for Ethan. More homemade breakfast sausage!
Lunch: Leftover Tortellini
Ethan has leftover tortellini for lunch, while Justin and I opt for something more lunch-like and whip up tuna sandwiches. I rummage through the pantry for potato chips—yum!
Snack: Cheese
I always keep a block of cheddar cheese in the fridge. I slice off a few pieces and cut them into thin squares for Ethan to enjoy.
Dinner: Tofu Sheet Stir-fry with Carrots, Celery, Sweet Peppers, Pork, Leftover Quinoa Rice
I love this Tofu Sheet Stir-fry and adapt my mom’s recipe to include non-spicy peppers, carrots, and celery. I finely chop everything to make it easier for Ethan to eat with a spoon, and I mix in some leftover quinoa rice from the other night. He loves it! It’s another win for building his appreciation for Chinese cuisine, but to be honest, this kid loves Chinese food above all else.
Friday
Breakfast: Banana Oat Pancakes
These banana pancakes are always a hit. I recently documented the recipe on the blog so that anyone in the family can make them. I’ve memorized the recipe, and they’re simple enough for Ethan to help with. Kaitlin gifted him a Toddler Tower for his first birthday, and he loves asking for his “towee” to watch us cook, wash fruit, and mix pancake batter.
Lunch: Leftover Tofu Sheet Stir-fry
Last night’s dinner was such a success that I confidently serve it again for lunch! Victory is sweet.
Snack: Watermelon
Dinner: Dinner with my parents!
Yippee! We don’t have to cook tonight. Sometimes, this mom just needs her mom, you know? My mom prepares a variety of vegetable-heavy stir-fries that I can easily cut up for Ethan and mix with rice (she usually makes millet rice or black rice, which Ethan enjoys!). If Ethan is visiting, she sometimes makes a scrambled egg with a dash of sesame oil.
Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Oatmeal strikes again! Breakfast is consistently the easiest meal of the day.
Lunch: Lunch out
Mom is tired, so we eat lunch at a Korean restaurant. Ethan has japchae.
Snack: Mango
Dinner: Whole Peruvian Chicken, Black Beans, Quinoa Rice, Sautéed Kale
This is one of my favorite recipes from The Woks of Life, and it’s not even Chinese! It’s incredibly delicious, and roasting a whole chicken is a simple way to provide enough protein for two dinners, plus the bonus of making chicken stock for a future meal!
Sunday
Breakfast: Banana Berry Yogurt Smoothie
One morning, Ethan sipped one of Justin’s smoothies and couldn’t get enough. Some mornings, I make him a version with frozen banana, berries, oats, yogurt, nut butter, flaxseed meal, and hemp seeds. I pour it into a silicone cup with a straw, and it’s definitely a treat!
Lunch: Wonton Egg Drop Soup
Ethan LOVES egg drop soup. It takes mere minutes to prepare. I boil some frozen wontons and chop them up, adding protein and carbs to the meal. While there aren’t many vegetables in this dish, I remind myself that it’s important to consider a toddler’s diet over the course of a week rather than day by day.
Snack: Leftover Banana Oat Pancakes
Banana oat pancakes make excellent snacks, whether enjoyed on their own or spread with nut butter. If I have some left over from breakfast a day or two earlier, they often become an afternoon snack. They also freeze well, making them a versatile option!
Dinner: Leftover Chicken, Rice & Beans
