There are a lot of things that are beautiful and wonderful about motherhood. For me, feeding my child has not been one of those things. Instead, it’s been a source of major anxiety, and I’ve been trying to find ways to make it less challenging. Seth is a pretty good eater most of the time, but even so, I’m always thinking about whether he’s eating enough, getting enough nutrients etc. One thing that I’ve been doing to make me feel better about what he’s eating is cooking. I’m fortunate that cooking for my toddler is something I have time to do. But, many of the recipes I make can be made ahead and frozen. So, even if you don’t have a lot of time on weeknights, you can still make it happen.
Let me just say, Seth doesn’t love everything I make, and your kid probably won’t either. But, that’s okay. It’s not a statement on you as a mom, or the quality of your cooking. Toddlers are finicky and unpredictable. They might love something one day, and refuse it the next. They can’t always tell us what’s going on inside their little bodies, so there could always be other factors beyond what we can see. One piece of advice: if they reject a new food, don’t immediately give up. Let them reset with some water, or a bite of something you know they like, and then try again. Seth sometimes pushes away his favorite foods one second, and then realizes what it is and can’t stop saying “more” until it’s gone. Be patient, with your kids and yourself.
Also, a couple of notes: I’m great at following a recipe, but not the most creative in the kitchen independently, and that’s totally fine. Grateful to the people who create such awesome recipes! And, make no mistake, Seth also eats plenty of mac and cheese and Dr. Praeger’s!
Breakfast:
3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes (super easy and a Seth fave!)
Blueberry Avocado Mini Muffins
Broccoli Egg Muffins
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Lunch/Dinner:
Baked Seasoned Chicken Tenders
Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Easy Cheesy Rice
Mini Chicken and Carrot Meatballs
Omelette Pizza
Pizza Pinwheels
I hope this was helpful! Let me know if you make any of these recipes for your little ones.
