Author Topic: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old  (Read 2792 times)

dreamer8887

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Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« on: June 22, 2017, 10:50:31 AM »
Hello,

Baby girl is turning 1 in July, and is firmly on three meals/two snacks a day. I would love to hear your ideas for easy, healthy, frugal snack ideas (she usually eats whatever we're eating for meals) - I'm trying to put together a list, because currently I'm far too likely to throw a few chicken nuggets her way (quick, easy, cheap-ish but definitely not a habit I want her getting into) when I'm tired and she's hungry.

Oh and I also want her to try lots of different flavors while she's little! And she's off the mush and enjoys feeding herself finger-food.

So far we've tried:

- cheese quesadillas (shredded cheese + flour tortilla) with "guacamole" (just mushed up avocado)
- home-made zucchini fritters (she's eating one now and loving it - just used an egg, zucchini, panko and cilantro)
- "drop scones" (that's what we called them growing up - like mini pancakes you make ahead of time) cooked with some frozen berries
- peanut butter or Vegemite on bread

(in addition to just fruit/veggies of course). I'd love your ideas of things I can make ahead and just pull out of the fridge/freezer when she's hungry. I haven't done much research but I'm guessing that buying things like cheese sticks and fruit pouches is going to be less cost-effective than doing some batch cooking every couple weeks?

kanga1622

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2017, 11:08:35 AM »
Homemade waffles tend to freeze well and then you just pop them in the toaster to reheat. My kids like peanut butter on top rather than syrup
String cheese is a big favorite at our house
Pretzels or dry cereal is also a bit hit
Homemade granola or granola bars are nice
Chex mix
Fruit leather (great for out and about trips)
Raisins or dried cranberries
Crackers with sliced cheese (buy a block and slice it yourself into rectangles or sticks)

ixtap

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2017, 11:16:36 AM »
I once knew some kids who loved frozen veg, straight from the freezer. Especially corn.

MrsDinero

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2017, 11:23:48 AM »
anything they like to eat.

For snacks our toddler will eat:

- fruit (fresh, frozen, canned, cut up or whole)
- cheese
- the tops of broccoli (only the tops)
- canned black beans
- chickpeas roasted in olive oil with salt and pepper
- homemade energy bites (dates, fruit, hemp hearts, coconut, cocoa powder)
- yogurt
- cottage cheese
- baby food (in a bowl with a spoon)
- hard boiled eggs
- leftover chicken from dinner
- roasted sweet potatoes

We usually try to give her leftovers rather than making new meals each time.  Her tastes change by the hour, so she might LOVE something one day, then scream at it the next day.  When she started using a spoon successfully she wanted nothing but pureed baby food for her snack.  We would dump it in a bowl and she would eat it with her spoon, usually while only wearing a diaper. 

Vindicated

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2017, 11:47:53 AM »
Lots of great ideas here!  I'm going to have to steal some.

Our little guy is a bit older, but he's been eating much of the same stuff since around 1 y/o.

 - Cheese sticks
 - Yogurt
 - Apple sauce
 - Cereal Bars (Earth's Best - Sunny Days)
 - Fruit (Mainly apples sliced, blue berries, strawberries, bananas, and tangerines)
 - Bread with peanut butter spread
 - Veggies (Mainly Broccoli, peas, corn... green beans and carrots are a harder sell)

Once your DD gets a bit older, she'll be eating whatever you're eating.  That's the best, because it encourages us eat healthier too!

MrsDinero

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2017, 11:54:59 AM »
Lots of great ideas here!  I'm going to have to steal some.

Our little guy is a bit older, but he's been eating much of the same stuff since around 1 y/o.

 - Cheese sticks
 - Yogurt
 - Apple sauce
 - Cereal Bars (Earth's Best - Sunny Days)
 - Fruit (Mainly apples sliced, blue berries, strawberries, bananas, and tangerines)
 - Bread with peanut butter spread
 - Veggies (Mainly Broccoli, peas, corn... green beans and carrots are a harder sell)

Once your DD gets a bit older, she'll be eating whatever you're eating.  That's the best, because it encourages us eat healthier too!

boil the carrots until soft and sprinkle with cinnamon. That works for us.

Vindicated

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2017, 11:59:19 AM »
Lots of great ideas here!  I'm going to have to steal some.

Our little guy is a bit older, but he's been eating much of the same stuff since around 1 y/o.

 - Cheese sticks
 - Yogurt
 - Apple sauce
 - Cereal Bars (Earth's Best - Sunny Days)
 - Fruit (Mainly apples sliced, blue berries, strawberries, bananas, and tangerines)
 - Bread with peanut butter spread
 - Veggies (Mainly Broccoli, peas, corn... green beans and carrots are a harder sell)

Once your DD gets a bit older, she'll be eating whatever you're eating.  That's the best, because it encourages us eat healthier too!

boil the carrots until soft and sprinkle with cinnamon. That works for us.

That worked for a while when he was around 12-15 months old, but he seems to have grown tired of it.  Cinnamon is making a come back in recent weeks though, as a topping to his apple sauce!

meatface

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Re: Snack and meal ideas - what to feed my 1 year old
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2017, 01:13:53 PM »
  • Avocado
  • Peanut butter (natural, of course)
  • Beets (keep frozen and just heat up at snack time)
  • Peas (keep frozen and just heat up at snack time)
  • Oatmeal (keep frozen and just heat up at snack time)

I highly recommend making stuff ahead of time and aliquoting in these things.