Toddler Lunch Ideas: Quick, Easy, & Kid-Friendly
Let’s chat about lunch! Of all the meals, it can be a tricky one.
It may be eaten while you’re on-the-go, or after you get home from morning activities with a tired and hungry toddler. Or maybe it just sneaks up on you, and you need to prepare something fast. You want to feed your toddler something nutritious and filling, but you don’t want to cook a gourmet meal.
Our Registered Dietitian, Kim, joined me to create this blog post full of great toddler lunch ideas for you!
Tips for a Successful Lunch with Toddlers
Try to limit snacking between breakfast and lunch.
We want your toddler to be genuinely hungry for lunch! This helps tremendously with feeding picky toddlers because they are more likely to eat what is served if they are hungry. (See this blog post about serving a healthy breakfast that will set your toddler up for a great morning.)
Serve a well-balanced lunch.
Aim to prepare a lunch rich in protein and fiber with a good mix of carbs and healthy fats, too. This combo will help your little ones have stable energy until their next meal. It will also keep them full so they’re not asking for a snack 20 minutes after eating.
Keep it simple!
Healthy, nourishing meals for toddlers don’t have to be hard or complicated. The key is to offer high quality, nutrient-dense food to get the most bang for your buck with every bite.
All of our lunch ideas below are a good source of protein and fiber, balanced with carbs and healthy fats. They are simple yet a bit more creative than a PB&J.
Fast Lunch Ideas for Toddlers
This is healthy “fast food” that you can get on a plate in 5-10 minutes. While it’s fast, it doesn’t compromise on nutrition.
Here are three of our healthy toddler lunches that require little to no prep:
1. The Snack Plate
Hummus + cucumber/carrot sticks + fresh fruit + uncured salami + cheese
Hardboiled egg (pre-prepared) + avocado chunks + olives + crackers + fresh fruit
Wild caught smoked salmon + cream cheese + cucumber slices + fresh fruit
2. The Roll-Up
Nitrate-free ham or turkey rolled up with cheese and hummus + Cucumber Tomato Salad + Fresh Fruit
* Chop cucumbers and tomatoes into chunks and sprinkle with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil
3. Canned Fish
Wild/sustainably-caught canned tuna, salmon, or sardines + cheese + fruit + sliced bell pepper
Canned oysters and clams are incredibly nutrient-dense and a great food to keep in the lunch rotation. If you need a little help with getting your little one to accept it, try chopping the shellfish very small and mixing with sour cream or yogurt.
Meal Prep Lunch Ideas for Toddlers
Try spending a few extra minutes prepping these recipes one day to have lunch ready to go for the week. They are packed with protein and high in iron and fiber.
1. Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken
⅓ cup grapes, quartered
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
⅓-½ cup plain Greek yogurt or mayo (adjust amount based on how creamy you like it)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, or chives
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. If your little one is not a fan of grapes or celery they can be left out.
Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Serve with sliced apples and whole wheat bread or crackers
2. Egg Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
4 hardboiled eggs
3-4 Tbsp/spoonfuls of Greek yogurt or mayo
2 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins: chopped fresh dill, parsley or chives, finely chopped celery or red onion
Directions:
Put all ingredients into a bowl
Mash together with the back of a fork until mixed and creamy.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Serve with whole wheat bread or crackers, fresh fruit, and veggie sticks
3. Seafood Dip
Ingredients:
1 can of wild-caught fish (sardines, salmon, tuna or mackerel)
2 spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Directions:
Take a can of wild-caught fish, drain the juices, and put the fish in a bowl.
Add a couple spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream and 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard and mix/mash with the fish until you reach your desired consistency. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Optional: add chopped fresh herbs such as dill or parsley, and/or finely chopped pickles.
Serve with crackers, sliced apples, and veggie sticks for dipping
4. Soup
Don’t forget about soup for lunch! Make a big pot of your toddler’s favorite soup at the beginning of the week and eat it for lunch all week.
Serve with fresh fruit, whole wheat crackers, or another whole foods like veggie strips, cheese, etc.!
Mixing Up Your Lunch Routine
Hopefully these recipes will help mix up your lunch routine! Just like with breakfast, you don’t have to serve a new lunch every day of the week.
Having a few meals in rotation for a few weeks to a month can be a helpful way to simplify meal prep. This way you can stock up on the ingredients you need for those meals and put them together easily.
When building your lunch “menu,” consider which fruits and veggies are in season. Think about whether you need meals that are more packable or if you’re eating at home most of the week. These considerations can help when brainstorming what to prep!
Don’t forget about leftovers when thinking about lunch ideas! Intentionally make some extra portions of your dinner and save the leftovers to make tomorrow’s lunch simple.
Kids’ Bento Boxes for Lunch On-The-Go
Many times, we end up eating lunch on-the-go. This is where bento boxes come in handy.
A bento lunch box can help organize your toddler’s lunch. A different way of serving lunch can help make the meal more exciting and fun for your little one!
These are the best bento boxes for kids that make meals on-the-go easier.
Lalo’s Stainless Steel Bento Box
I love these plastic-free bento boxes so much. They are great quality and made with stainless steel and silicone.
They keep foods cold in the cooler so much longer. Also, they are huge! You can fit so much food into these bentos.
My code “EATPLAYSAY” saves 10%
We love this simple silicone bento box. It’s easy to travel with and the lids shuts tight.
The three sections make it perfect for aiming for a combination of fat, protein, and carbs.
While it’s not my first choice because it’s plastic, this is still a very functional bento box for kids!
It seals really well when you close it, making it leak-proof. It also keeps foods totally separated. We love that it comes with a built-in ice pack!
Looking for more?
If you’re looking for more ideas for feeding toddlers, be sure to read our Toddler Breakfast Ideas. Our Registered Dietitian has great ideas for starting the morning with a well-balanced meal!
