Gone are the days of rice cereal, purees and mashes. Enter: toddler meals! It can be a relief to leave behind the hours spent steaming and processing fruits and vegetables for your little one. Instead, your child can join in with many family meals with little fuss. But just like all of us, finding the time and inspiration to cook up a family feast night after night can be a challenge. Here are great ideas for toddler-friendly food you can cook up in double or triple batches, and freeze in single or family-size portions. These are perfect for those evenings you’re just too tired to cook, or times when you’d like to enjoy something spicy or unsuitable for little hands and tummies, and need an alternative toddler meal to serve up instead.
Pie fillings, pasta sauces and stews. Take your favourite recipe for chicken and leek or beef pie, Bolognese sauce or goulash, and double the ingredients. Freeze the leftovers in pouches or ice cube trays, then serve another night in mini pot pies, pasta bakes, or spooned over baked jacket potatoes or rice. (Bolognese is especially versatile – use it to make tacos and jaffles, or as the sauce on homemade pizza.)
Soup. It freezes well, and is so easy to defrost and get on the table in a flash. Be sure to serve with toast soldiers for dipping, or store in reusable pouches for a meal on the go.
Meatballs, rissoles and burger patties. Make a big batch of these, and freeze individually wrapped for easy thawing. Use to make burgers or serve with vegies. Mini rissoles are great for toddler “tasting plates” of meat, bread, cheese, vegies and dipping sauces – let them nibble on a bit of this and a bit to get a well-rounded meal.
Falafel, and salmon or vegie patties. Prepare, cook and freeze for dinner another night. They also make a nice change to ordinary sandwiches at lunch time.
Homemade chicken or fish strips. These are very simple to master. Simple cut chicken breast or firm white fish fillets into bite-size pieces. In three separate bowls, place plain flour (seasoned with salt and pepper, if you like), eggwash (whole eggs with a dash of milk) and packaged breadcrumbs. Dip chicken or fish into each bowl to coat first in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Bake until golden and crispy on the outside, and tender but cooked through on the inside. Freeze in batches for next time.
Sweet and savoury muffins. These are great for lunch boxes and morning or afternoon tea. Use a mini muffin pan for the ideal-sized snack for smaller appetites, then wrap individually and freeze.