A WEEK OF VEGETARIAN TODDLER MEALS
Feeding a tiny human is no easy feat & can quickly become a source of stress in parenting. I have had several questions come into my head multiple times a day—is he eating enough? Is he eating too much? Is he eating the right foods? Is he trying enough different things? And so on. Since I too am a vegetarian my husband & I have made the decision, with support from our pediatrician, to also feed our toddler a vegetarian diet.
I am by no means a doctor or dietician but I am a mom who, like every other mom, is trying my best & aspiring to prepare wholesome, delicious & healthy meals for my baby. Since I learn by seeing what others do & since this topic is one of the most requested by my audience I have partnered with Whole Foods Market to share a week’s worth of meals & snacks that are both vegetarian & toddler friendly plus they include easy ways to add more wholesome ingredients to favorite foods.
My goals for feeding my toddler are that:
eating is a positive, enjoyable & enriching part of his daily experiences
meals are a balance of items I know he loves or will love, new opportunities to try things, & items I know he is still learning to like
meals are filling yet I am also responding to & respecting cues that he his full or done with his meal
meals include fresh fruit & vegetables, proteins, fiber & healthy fats as often as possible
Here is an at-a-glance overview of what my toddler eats in a week. Below that are the recipes & methods used when preparing some of these items (items in bold font can be found with a more detailed recipe & method below). For several of these items I make multiple portions at once, so I can feed him two or three times over the week with it- items like the burrito bowl, pancakes, overnight oats & yogurt make for particularly great leftovers.
As a vegetarian for almost 10 years, Whole Food’s Market is where we find many of our staples, especially for meat alternatives & organic produce. All ingredients & items here cane be found at Whole Foods Market.
Please keep in mind, my baby is 17-months-old & doesn’t have any known allergies. Always consult your pediatrician’s guidance on what to feed your baby & when.
DAY ONE
Breakfast: overnight oats topped with banana
Snack: berry smoothie with spinach
Lunch: spinach & quinoa quesadilla with a side of black beans, organic veggies & toddler guacamole
Snack: 365 Organic Honey Graham Cracker
Dinner: Quorn Chik’n Nuggets (meatless chicken nuggets) & Veggie Fries: All Natural Carrot and Potato Fries
DAY TWO
Breakfast: apple cinnamon chia yogurt
Snack: 365 Veggie Chips, sliced organic bell pepper & Whole Foods Original Hummus
Lunch: Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burger
Snack: organic blueberries & raspberries
Dinner: cauliflower rice burrito bowl with toddler guacamole
DAY THREE
Breakfast: flax meal banana pancakes
Snack: Made Good Mixed Berry Granola Bar
Lunch: grilled cheese on multigrain bread with a side of 365 Tomato Bisque Soup for dipping & sautéed asparagus
Snack: 365 Veggie Chips, sliced organic bell pepper & Whole Foods Original Hummus
Dinner: Field Roast Miniature Vegan Corndogs, Veggie Fries: All Natural Carrot and Potato Fries & organic pear slices
DAY FOUR
Breakfast: overnight oats topped with blueberries
Snack: 365 Organic Honey Graham Cracker
Lunch: Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burger
Snack: banana
Dinner: spinach & quinoa quesadilla with a side of black beans, organic veggies & toddler guacamole
DAY FIVE
Breakfast: flax meal banana pancakes
Snack: berry smoothie with spinach
Lunch: cauliflower rice burrito bowl with toddler guacamole
Snack: Made Good Mixed Berry Granola Bar
Dinner: Quorn Chik’n Nuggets (meatless chicken nuggets) & roasted sweet potato
RECIPES & METHODS
OVERNIGHT OATS:
Ingredients:
· ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
· ½ cup almond milk
· 1 Tbsp chia seed
· 2 Tbsp 365 organic creamy unsweetened & no salt peanut butter
· (optional) 1 Tbsp coconut oil
· (optional) 1 Tbsp honey, coconut sugar or pure maple syrup
Method: combine all ingredients in a mason jar or food storage container, secure lid & shake (get your kiddo involved if they are old enough, shaking is fun!). Place in refrigerator overnight. In the morning pour desired amount into a microwave safe bowl & heat until warm (it doesn’t take long). If the consistency is too dry, add a little more almond milk. Top with fruit to add something extra, we love banana and berries. You can also enjoy the oats cold in the warmer months.
BERRY SMOOTHIE:
I try to keep our smoothies pretty easy. We have a stash of frozen bananas halves in the freezer that we throw into a blender & add a handful of spinach (your toddler won't be able to taste it!), a handful of fruit (in this case, organic raspberries & blueberries), a tablespoon of chia seeds, flax seeds &/or hemp seeds & a liquid (we alternate between orange juice & almond milk). Blend away adding more liquid to reach desired consistency. You can also throw in come coconut oil or an unflavored protein powder for added nutritional value.
SPINACH & QUINOA QUESADILLA:
Ingredients:
· 1 cup 365 Mild Cheddar & Monterey Jack shredded cheese
· ½ cup cooked quinoa*
· handful of organic spinach (add more or less depending on your child preferences)
Method: Add all ingredients to a food processor & pulse until blended but not mushy. Use in place of regular shredded cheese in a quesadilla. The rest can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
*follow package instructions for cooking quinoa & use 365 Organic Vegetable Stock instead of water for added flavor
TODDLER GUACAMOLE:
Ingredients:
· 2 ripe avocados
· 1 tomato, very finely diced
· juice of ½ lime
· sea salt to taste
Method: Cut & scoop avocados into a bowl or food storage container (ensure you scoop as close to the peel as possible, this is where many of the nutrients are). Add the lime juice, diced tomato & sea salt. Mix & mash until you have reached desired consistency for your toddler. Store in the refrigerator for 3 days max, it can be frozen as well.
APPLE CINNAMON CHIA YOGURT:
I have made a few variations of this over the months as Buddy has been able to tolerate a thicker consistency. The key is using a food processor to either create applesauce (apple & water blended into a puree) or to create a finely chopped apple (which is what I do now for Buddy). I add the apple plus honey, chia seeds & cinnamon to whole fat yogurt (we like Stonyfield Organic Yogurt). Sometimes we also put creamy peanut butter in his yogurt or different fruit blends.
CAULIFLOWER RICE BURRITO BOWL:
Ingredients:
· 1 cup 365 Organic Riced Cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
· 1 tsp cumin
· ¼-1/2 tsp chile powder
· ½ tsp onion powder
· salt to taste
· ½ cup canned black beans, partially drained
· veggies: canned or frozen corn, finely diced bell pepper, finely diced onion, etc.
· 2-3 Tbsp shredded cheese or 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
· toddler guacamole
Method: Prepare the riced cauliflower per the instructions on the package & season with spices & salt. Add black beans & veggies & sauté over medium heat until all items are well combined & warmed. Remove from heat & add shredded cheese, stirring in to combine. Top with toddler guacamole.
FLAX MEAL BANANA PANCAKES
Ingredients:
· 1 ripe (or very ripe) banana
· 1 egg
· 3-4 Tbsp ground flax seed meal
· 1-2 Tbsp 365 organic creamy unsweetened & no salt peanut butter
· coconut oil for cooking
Method: Mash banana with the back of a fork in a bowl. Add the egg & stir to combine. Add the flax seed meal and peanut butter until a batter-like consistency is formed, adding more flax seed meal as needed. Heat coconut oil over medium-low heat. Pour tablespoon sized portions of batter on the skillet and cook for 1-2 minute sin each side or until cooked thoroughly. Allow time to cook and serve as is or with pure maple syrup or fruit. I also save the leftovers & reheat them in the microwave.
Disclosure: I have a partnership with Whole Foods Market and was compensated for my work, but all words and opinions are my own.