Toddler recipes: 3 ingredient, quick and easy recipes for kid food. Includes 3 ingredient banana pancakes, easy salmon sticks, a quinoa blend for stirring into almost anything, and a easy vegetable snack! See my Baby Food section for more toddler recipes!
Camille is coming up on 22 months old, and I’ve really enjoyed feeding her. I knew before she was born that eating healthy food was going to be a priority for me as a Mom. I’m one of those people that doesn’t feel good unless I eat well, and I can only imagine someone that shares my genes might be the same way.
I’m going to get controversial on you, right off the bat. I hate ‘kid food.’ I do not buy food marketed towards children. Every time I’m at Target and I see another piece of junk food with a ‘Finding Dory’ character printed on the front, I curse under my breath (and then steer my cart to the wine aisle).
It can be hard to feed your kid real food. When in doubt, think back to your grandma’s time…what did they give their kids for snacks? (Steamed green beans + hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese + homemade applesauce, cheese cubes + fruit, peanut butter on homemade bread with a glass of milk—in case you needed help on that one). Grandmas are an incredible resource as you raise babies, and not just for snack ideas.
I describe ‘kid food’ as everything they sell to Moms from the moment babies turn 3-4 months old. My personal object of deep hatred is baby puffs. What in the heck are those? Empty calories? I can think of dozens of better real food options to give your kid than a puff of air with vague grain components sprinkled with vitamin dust (the vitamins that were removed during the grain discombobulation, no doubt). During ‘puff time’ I gave Camille quartered blueberries and steamed carrot pieces instead. If you love baby puffs because they’re shelf-stable, can I recommend freeze-dried fruit instead? It’s literally one ingredient (fruit!). When Camille was little, I always kept freeze-dried strawberries, a banana, an avocado, and Ezekiel bread cubes in my diaper bag).
Side note: don’t get me started on baby yogurt. Camille has only ever had plain, whole milk yogurt. As she’s gotten older, I’ve added fruit on occasion, but if you never buy them sugar-drench yogurt, they never develop a taste for it. And then you don’t have to pay $5 for 6 thimbles of sugar/ yogurt with Dory printed on label while I pay the same amount for a 32-ounce tub of plain yogurt.
Don’t you even talk about “fish crackers” around me. I’m serious; don't do it.
I’m an intense Mama, clearly. I know my approach to feeding Camille is extreme. You don’t have to be as extreme as me. In fact, you probably shouldn’t. You should probably relax and let your kid have a freakin’ donut every now and then. (For the record, Camille has had exactly ¼ of a donut in her life, but I gave her milk and strawberries beforehand to minimize the amount she would eat).
While I love these toddler recipes, I don’t recommend obsessing over everything that your kid eats like I do. My husband rolls his eyes at me, and I know he thinks I’m being annoying. A few months ago, he took Camille to visit his family for a weekend while I stayed home, and I’m still worried that he let her eat horrible things. I didn’t ask, and he didn’t tell. I’m just praying fast food wasn’t involved. It’s not good to be as overly concerned as I am. But we can meet in the middle with easy, 3-ingredient REAL FOOD toddler recipes!
I’ve got an easy 3-ingredient recipe for every time of the day, plus variations, too. If you have ideas to add, please leave me comments below! I’m always looking for new ideas! I want to hear your easy toddler recipes, too!
Toddler recipes for Breakfast:
Easy banana pancakes = 1 banana + 1 egg + ¼ cup flour
While I make breakfast, Camille sips on whole milk or homemade almond milk (which I make as a treat for myself, but somehow the baby ends up drinking the majority of it). These 3-ingredient pancakes are her favorite. Even when she’s had a big dinner with dessert the night before, she will still scarf down one of these pancakes.
My large banana measured ⅓ cup smashed, my eggs are size large, and my flour is whole wheat. I’ve also used oat flour (grind up rolled oats in the blender), and I’ve also added cinnamon and vanilla. Tiny diced walnuts would be good here, too, and it would up the banana bread flavor quotient. Next time, I’m going to add tiny frozen blueberries!
This recipe makes 4 kid-sized pancakes. Camille eats one and I freeze the rest, but feel free to scale up the recipe as needed and pack your freezer! Cook them like regular pancakes on a buttered griddle. Serve with more butter and maple syrup.
Toddler recipes for Lunch:
Salmon fish sticks = strips of salmon + 1 egg + panko breadcrumbs
Four days a week, Camille goes to daycare for 3 hours each day. While she’s there, she eats lunch with the other kids and socializes. (This is when I get most of my work done, especially photography, as tripods and children do not mix).
I’ve been making these salmon fish sticks a lot lately, and she loves them! After dipping each salmon strip in egg and then panko, place on a greased baking sheet, bake at 400 for 9-12 minutes (cut into one to ensure they're done).
When I’m feeling fancy, I do half breadcrumbs, half Parmesan cheese. And the day I took these photos, I had some extra fresh thyme, so I stirred that in, too. Camille is in a serious dunking phase (she says ‘dip dip dip’ while she dunks her food into sauces), and so I pack a little container of cheater’s aioli (¼ cup mayo + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard + ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika). Ooh, that was a bonus 3-ingredient recipe for ya!
Toddler recipes for Snacktime:
Snack bowl = 5 cherry tomatoes + ¼ of an avocado + sea salt
I have weird feelings about snacks for kids. When we go to the playground, I notice other kids eating almost constantly. I wonder if they eat their food at mealtime? Camille’s snacking has always been limited, and therefore she’s always eaten her meals, so I’m not going to mess with it. The one exception is when she wakes up from her afternoon nap. We eat dinner pretty late in our house (after 7pm), so when she wakes between 4:30 and 5:00, she needs a little something to eat. I try to limit her to fruits and vegetables that don’t fill her up too much so that she's hungry for dinner.
Camille has been convinced that tomatoes are grapes. I blame this on last summer’s incredible tomato crop. I took her to the farmer’s market one morning, and her eyes fell upon a display of colorful cherry tomatoes in blue cartons. She demanded them (and who am I to get in the way of a child demanding vegetables?) I bought 3 cartons, and they were gone in a few days. She’s been very into tomatoes ever since.
When my avocados aren’t ripe, I use black beans (I cook several pounds of black beans at a time and freeze them; if I pull them out in the morning to pack her snack, they defrost perfectly by the afternoon). Sometimes I substitute cucumbers instead of tomatoes. I buy the tiny Persian cucumbers, and Camille eats them like apples.
Toddler recipes for Dinnertime:
Healthy mix = 2 cups quinoa + ¾ cup red lentils + 4 cups chicken broth
I was in camp ‘kids eat what adults eat’ before I even had kids. If you know how busy I am, you know that cooking a separate dinner for a kid was never an option for me. I try to keep Camille in mind when planning our meals and include something she loves at every meal. I’m also a firm believer in continuing to serve something even if a kid says they don’t like it.
Camille is a bit too young for the ‘take two bites/ try everything on your plate’ rule, but when she’s a bit older, I will be employing that strategy. She’s also too young for bribery (trust me, I’ve tried). But it’s okay, because there’s really only one thing she refuses to eat: red meat. I’m definitely concerned about lack of iron in her diet, so I give her plenty of black beans, raisins, and spinach in her smoothies). Our favorite source of iron is lentils.
Speaking of lentils, my amazing blog friend Kelly (who has a child that eats very well!) wrote another cookbook, Superfood Weeknight Meals: Healthy, Delicious Dinners Ready in 30 Minutes or Less, and I was so eager to get my hands on it! I absolutely loved her first book, and this is another extension of Kelly’s brilliant mind when it comes to nutrition. The premise of the book is incorporating 10 superfoods into your diet in exciting new ways: avocados, lentils, sweet potatoes, quinoa, almonds, eggs, spinach, citrus, olive oil, and cauliflower. All of her recipes are ready in 30 minutes or less, too! I mean, really, Kelly couldn’t make it easier for us to eat healthier (and deliciously!).
I’ve made at least a dozen things from the book, and loved it all (especially the broccoli cheddar soup, buffalo-ranch lentil burgers, and the green goddess quesadillas), but my favorite thing about this book is her genius strategy for cooking a pot quinoa-lentil blend and incorporating it into meals throughout the week. She stirs it into burgers, wraps, soups, smoothies, even fruit cobbler! If you have a bowl of quinoa-lentil blend in your fridge ready to go, you’ll find all kinds of ways to use it throughout the week! If we make it to the end of the week with just a mere ½ cup portion leftover, I always make one of Kelly’s grain bowls with coconut-almond sauce (exactly as delicious as it sounds!).
To make it, combine the quinoa, lentils and chicken broth (you can also sub water, especially if you think you'll be using it in sweet recipes). Stir everything together, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Partially cover the pan and steam for 20 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.
So, grab Kelly’s book, and these 3 ingredients to make a pot of goodness you’ll use all week!
And leave me comments and tips below on how to get kids to eat healthier, more adventurous meals. I love learning from other Moms.
(We'll be back to regularly scheduled dessert for two recipes soon! Love you!)
Andrea says
Love this! I tried the pancakes this morning and they were delish! Thank you for sharing such yummy healthy baby and toddler recipes. I'm lucky that my little guy is right around Camille's age so you share all these recipes at perfect times for us! Keep up the great work as always Christina.
Christina Lane says
I'm so glad you and your little dude liked them, Andrea! Thanks for the kind words :)
Barb says
I love this post! I am not a mom (yet!) but I hope my future kid eats as well as yours. I really admire your parenting-style - way to do what works for you!
Sues says
I love this post! I'm not a mom yet, but I imagine I'll be somewhat like you when it comes to feeding my kids :) My sister is maybe not quiteeee as extreme, but she makes almost everything she feeds her 2.5 year old boys and they are awesome eaters!! Her biggest problem is trying to convince them to put down their huge heads of broccoli so they can get some protein.
Also, I had a sudden vision of you someday having another baby and then writing a "meals for two" little ones cookbook... Just saying :)
Christina Lane says
Whoa, your sister's kids sound like my Camille! She would rather eat broccoli than any protein! Too funny! :)
Haha, maybe one day. Not so sure.... :)
Megan B says
Love love love this post. I think we might be baby/toddler food twins. I have been fearing daycare food for these exact reasons.
I will definitely be making the banana pancakes!
I actually made some homemade cheese crackers (too lazy to cut them into goldfish shapes) and they were a hit, whole wheat flour and lots of good quality cheddar.
Christina Lane says
First, those homemade cheese crackers sound SO good! I need to make them :)
Second, why are you fearing daycare? They really shouldn't feed your kid any food other than what you send from home. The biggest thing I face at daycare is that they like to do snack time at 9:30...and they give the kids cheerios and graham crackers (EYE ROLL). I pack Camille's snack and tell them she's not allowed to have the snack they serve. It turns out, she's not the only kid with those rules, and they don't have too much envy of the other kids eating cheerios and graham crackers. Honestly, cheerios don't bother me (as long as they're unsweetened), but graham crackers really do. THey're dessert and nothing else! However, I have a homemade graham cracker recipe on my site here...have you seen it? :)
Bethany says
I would love love to hear how you handle and pack your little one's snacks and lunches. My son just turned a year old and I'm always on the lookout for new lunch ideas.
Christina Lane says
Hi Bethany! So Camille doesn't snack too much. I've noticed the more she snacks, the less she eats at meals. I limit her snacks to fruits and veggies and maybe a few crackers. I get the BEST lunch ideas from my friend Michelle who writes the blog 'BabyFoodE' Her 12 healthy lunch ideas for toddlers have saved me lately! :)
Rebecca says
This post speaks to me! Though currently childless, I object to feeding my children a separate meal from my own.
My only concern is, what about when I eat food with hot peppers or things that are roasted in the oven until they have a crispy burnt-ish-tasting edge? I imagine a child would be horrified by the taste, but as an adult I don't really want to lose any of the delicious flavor in my foods.
Any thoughts? What was your technique? Or are most of your meals just not particularly spicy/strong?
Christina Lane says
So Camille is insane and loves spicy foods. To be fair, I've been letting her dip her fingers in my salsa since she was about 8 months old. I know, I'm a Texan. I've seen Mexican babies eat salsa, too. When I want to make super spicy Thai food for me and my husband, I try to do it on a night when we have other leftovers for Camille to eat. She's still going to reach for what we're eating, but after one bite, she'll go back to her non-spicy food (or ask for more of ours, haha!).
Camille loves roasted veggies! If you like them super crisp and burnt, I would just pull a scoop out of the oven about 5 minutes before they're done to give to baby. Then, baby has his soft veggies, and you have your super crispy roasted ones :)
Rebecca says
You are the best!
Susan says
Glad I came across ur post.... my son is 15 months old and I try to feed him all food I make... I stay away from many of the things that are toddler food although he does have plain Cheerios when I have exhausted a lot of other fruits for day! I def gonna try the fried fruit for snack .! Thanks for idea as I am racking my brain what to
Give him for a snack as he sometimes needs one
nancy k says
I loved reading this post. I am a former kindergarten/early child hood educator and I was constantly appalled at some of the food choices parents made for their young children. I could see so many food related illnesses in the future for so many children I taught.I am totally opposed to selling food targeted to kids via popular media/film/cartoon characters. Kids just need to eat good, nutritional, regular food...not special " children's food". I do think it is okay to expose young children to very limited amounts of sugar...teaching them via example about reasonable, responsible sugar intake in a diet.
All that said, I have ll thee ingredients for those banana pancakes and will be making them for myself tomorrow morning!
nancy k says
Oops,I forgot to say that Camille is such a cutie...that smile must melt your heart every day.
Christina Lane says
Aww thank you so much, Nancy! Yeah, I'm hoping kids aren't living on the junk food we see all the time. Maybe it's just special occasion food? But the thing is, once they develop a taste for super salty/ super sugary food, they no longer like the food you're giving them, you know? Of course you know :)
Thanks for teaching and working with babies :) I know you made a difference <3
Kelly @ Nosh and Nourish says
Love this post. Love you, sweet momma. And esssssssspecially love lil' Camille. :) Having Babycakes was what made me start eating and cooking healthier in the first place, when I realized I was responsible for literally EVERY MORSEL of food that entered her mouth. As they grow, they definitely get more opinionated, but her love for spinach pesto and green smoothies and broccoli cheddar soup remains. She still WILL NOT eat a bite of actual avocado (which makes me sad), but then I just get more creative and add it to her pancakes or into a sauce or whatevs. :)
Christina Lane says
It's such a big responsibility, isn't it? I feel like every morsel of food is a step in her health. We joke that Camille is going to live to be 150+ years old.
I love that you still sneak in the healthy stuff. I would do the same thing. And then one day, she'll grab a bowl of guac and never look back. I know our efforts to feed our kids won't be in vain :)
Aimee says
I don't have kids (yet!) but I see myself being super particular with food too. Whenever I go grocery shopping I pass right over the commercial pantry items (ie crackers, cereal, packaged snack goodies)...so why wouldn't I do this when feeding someone else? Stay strong! Ignore the Finding Dory gummy snacks!
Christina Lane says
Right? We shop the outside of the store, no processed foods for us! Oh, gummy snacks! I thank Heaven that Camille does not even know what those are! I know it's just a matter of time before someone gives her a pouch, though. But I will not be buying them, ever!!! Or those dumb fish crackers, LOL
Amy says
Everything in moderation. Or at least the bad things. Camille is still young, and you have total control- so starting her on a diet like this is a great way to form her palate. But as she gets older and gets invited to play dates and especially kids parties where pizza, popcorn, chips, cake are all served with abandon, don't be surprised if her palate and desires change. Saltine goldfish are not the end of the world (I still love a few of them in my own soup!) it's a wonderful thing to raise a future foodie... but it's another to stress healthful so much that your child begins sneaking food behind your back to try what her friends are trying. Here's what I'm saying... good job for now... know when to pull back later.
Christina Lane says
Yeah, I definitely hear ya. It will be interesting as she ages. I feel like I can be 100% in control right now, so I will continue to be, but as she ages, I know I'll have to let her go. I was NEVER allowed sugar as a child, and look at my career choice! I'm a total sugar addict! I do let Camille eat small bites of real desserts made with real sugar on occasion. But processed food is something I won't budge on. She can have it at friend's houses and at school when she gets the rare chance, but I will not be buying it.
Julie says
Yes to all of this. You are doing such a great job feeding your beautiful girl whole, healthy foods so that she develops a palate for them at an early age. But I also agree all things in moderation so that she doesn't grow up thinking she has to sneak "bad" foods. When my daughters were in grade school/junior high, they had friends who were sisters from a family that allowed NO JUNK or NO SUGAR EVER. When we had sleepovers I would find them sneaking spoonfuls of cookie dough from behind my back when I was mixing it up....also getting up in the middle of the night all alone to eat Cheezit crackers from our pantry. As college students, my daughters have reported that these girls are totally rebelling eating nothing BUT junk food! We were a family that did probably 80/20 and though my daughters have stages of eating junk food -- they are college students!! -- they are both back to realizing how much better they feel eating good food and cooking for themselves. Your daughter definitely has the advantage over many of her peers with you as her cook/teacher/mama! :)
Christina Lane says
Whoa, what a story! I completely believe it! I still have a candy addiction at age 32 because I was never allowed sugar as a kid! I definitely give Camille bites of real dessert that I make, and she enjoys it. I will say that when I hand her a cookie, she only eats about half and then hands it back to me. It makes it easier for me to handle, heh. I made this apple cobbler/ cinnamon roll combo last night for the blog (recipe up tomorrow!), and I gave Camille a serving last night. She enjoyed it, and asked for more of the apples before bed, and I let her have it. :)
Brianna says
This is inspiring! We have been giving our almost one year old only real food since she started solids and I so appreciate reading your thoughts and feeling on the subject. These are great recipes and I look forward to trying them all with my sweet baby B. I'm planning on making her your refined sugar free cupcakes for her first birthday next week. Thank you, and I hope to see more of this! Along with all the desserts of course.
Christina Lane says
Awww yay! Thank you so much! Oh, those maple syrup cupcakes are SOOO GOOD. Even people who like 'real' cupcakes love them. The maple just brings so much flavor to the party! Enjoy :)