Finding lunch ideas for a one year old can be challenging. They have graduated from purees but are hesitant to try some food from your plate. Finding lunch ideas for a toddler is a balancing act.
Some lunch ideas for a 1 year old include veggie tots, turkey and spinach wraps, pasta with sauce, sun butter and banana sandwiches, and chicken nuggets. Keep reading to learn more ideas for lunch for a 1 year old.
We make sure our children’s meals have a fruit or veggie included. I Will discuss some on-the-go options as well as a cool meal delivery service that lets your tot try new foods.
On The Go Lunch for A 1 Year Old
When our oldest was 1 year old he was in daycare and there was no option to warm up food. So we had to pack a lunch that could be stored in the fridge or kept warm in a thermos. For now I will talk about cold options and will get into more details about warm foods a little later
Sandwiches and Wraps are the easiest to eat on the go. They are a lunch time classic that has withstood the test of time. My son has done well with the addition of veggies to his sandwiches or wraps. Chopped Spinach and Shredded carrots have been welcomed additions to his sandwiches and wraps.
For a 1 year old it is a good idea to cut sandwiches in to four and roll wraps into pinwheels. This Makes it easier for little fingers to grab.
My son prefers his lunch on wraps but any of these ideas work on a sandwich or a wrap.Some ideas for sandwichichs and wraps:
- Favorite nut butter or sun butter with Banana
- Turkey and Spinach
- Ham, Cheese and Tomato
- Chicken Salad
- Greek Yogurt with Frozen berries
Some portable fruits and veggies to pack with lunch are:
- Cucumbers slices
- Celery
- Carrot Sticks
- Apple Slices
- Banana
- Pears
If your feeling fancy you could try putting together a hummus plate. Cut some pita bread into triangles, add dippable veggies like carrots and celery sticks. If we have grapes we let him have those too.
We bought an isosteel thermos to keep food warm when we want to send a hot lunch. Keep reading to see some warm.
Warm Lunch Options for 1 Year Olds
Warm options are great if you are enjoying lunch at home. On daycare days you can back them up in an insulated thermos and send them off to daycare to enjoy.
- Nuggets
- Veggie Tots
- Alphabet Soup
- Quesadilla
- Pizza w/ Spinach
- Baked Sweet Potato
- Spanikopita
- Empanadas
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Healthy Meal Delivery Option for 1 Year Olds
Experimenting with toddler meals
A friend of mine introduced me to little spoons recently it is a great option to experiment with toddler meals without burning out in the kitchen. I would hop on pinterest excited to try a new healthy kid friendly recipe. A lot of these recipes require a significant amount of preparation. When he refused to eat them I felt defeated.
I was very excited to find little spoon. They have a variety of kid friendly healthy option that can be used for lunches. I signed up for the toddler plates, this will allow me to introduce a number of options. Saves me some time. Once I learn what types of foods he enjoys, I will be more than happy to try to make them at home.
Some Menu Options at the time of writting this post include:
- Southwest Chicken Fajita Bowls
- Turkey Kale Sliders
- Millet Poppers
- Turkey Rice Balls.
- Gluten Free Cauliflower Gnocchi
Little Spoon has a variety of options . I am an affiliate for Little Spoon, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. To see the most recent promotions and menu options, visit Little Spoon
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Tips, Tricks and Tools for 1 Year Old Lunches
When you can sit down an eat lunch with your 1 year old. I know it is easier said than done. I try to attend to other chores in the kitchen while my son is eating. This backfired when he got older, and let to picky eating. He didn’t see what I was having for lunch, and became to expect separate meals for lunch. With one kid this was not a huge deal, but when my family continued to grow, this became a huge problem.
Plates, Place Mats, and Spoon
Around 1 year old, you may or may not be using bibs to protect your little ones clothes. Our favorite bibs are the silicone ones wiI use silicone place mats to protect my tablecloths.
