16 Shortcut Toddler Meal Ideas (SO Quick!)

These quick toddler meals help you get the food onto the table fast. Plus: They’re easy and nourishing—and use everyday ingredients you probably have on hand!

Coming up with healthy toddler meal ideas after a long day—whether you work, stay home, or something in between—is a challenge. It’s often the time of day when they need our attention most, yet they also need to eat. (Did someone say hangry?)

I hope that these ideas provide inspiration on those busy nights when you’re scrambling to serve up something healthy. And that they give you permission to take shortcuts in the kitchen whenever you need to. Because feeding our toddlers is hard work, and it’s 100% okay to make it easy on yourself when necessary!

Planning Toddler Meal Ideas, Step-by-Step

1. Consider your child’s eating abilities and preferences and adjust as needed. If she’s not using a spoon with any accuracy, let her use her hands! If he prefers his meals deconstructed rather than mixed together, serve the food that way. It’s okay to be flexible!
2. Balance what you offer by including a protein (meat, dairy, nuts, or beans), a complex carb (like a whole grain or a whole grain bread product), fruit, veggies, and some healthy fat. This will help ensure your toddler is exposed to a variety of nutrients and textures.
3. Vary the protein to make the meals vegetarian or vegan as needed. Sub in gluten-free or dairy-free substitutes if there’s an intolerance in your house.
4. Adjust the produce based on what’s fresh at your store and what your kids like. 
5. Keep it simple! Serving toddler meals does not have to be complicated and little kids often enjoy foods that are very simple and straightforward.

Toddler Meal Idea #1: Mac and Cheese with Peas

Boxed mac and cheese + frozen peas

Prepare the mac and cheese according to package directions. Stir in cooked frozen peas for extra fiber and protein.

Easy Meal Idea #2: Quick Pasta with Peas

Star or alphabet pasta + peas + butter + Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package, adding frozen peas to the pot during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Serve with butter and cheese. You can also use couscous, quinoa, or rice instead of the pasta.

Toddler Meal Idea #3: Quick Pizzas

Whole-wheat pita bread (or tortillas or English muffins) + pizza sauce + shredded cheese

Cut pita into wedges and top with pizza sauce and cheese. Heat in the oven at 325 degrees F or in a pan on the stovetop just until the cheese is melted.

Kids Meal Idea #4: Hummus and Pita

Pita bread + hummus + cucumber slices + apple slices

Serve a plate of hummus and pita bread with cucumber slices and fruit as an easy assembly-only kids meal.

Easy Meal Idea #5: Cheesy Veggie Toast

Toast + shredded cheese + cooked frozen veggies

Top toast with shredded cheese, thawed frozen peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or corn, and microwave for 10 seconds to melt. You could also simply serve the veggies alongside cheesy toast as a quick toddler meal.

Kids Meal Idea #6: Smoothie and Muffin

Smoothie + muffin

Make a toddler smoothie and pair with a store bought or homemade muffin for kids as a quick toddler meal idea.

Easy Meal Idea #7: Apple Pancakes

Pancake mix + ½ cup grated (drained) apple + nut butter

Add the grated apple to your favorite pancake batter (add 1 teaspoon cinnamon if it doesn’t have any) and cook as directed. Serve pancakes smeared with nut butter or a little honey. Toddlers (and big kids) love breakfast for dinner!

Toddler Meal Idea #8: Pasta with Jarred Tomato Sauce

Pasta + jarred marinara sauce + Parmesan 

Use your favorite pasta (or try Banza garbanzo bean pasta for extra iron) and jarred tomato sauce like Rao’s for a simple and satisfying meal.

Kids Meal Idea #9: Shortcut Fried Rice

Fully cooked rice + frozen peas + scrambled eggs + soy sauce

Scramble an egg, stir in ¼ cup peas and ¼ cup of rice, and drizzle with reduced-sodium soy sauce. Serve a fruit on the side like cut-up cherries or melon.

Toddler Meal Idea #10: Fruit and Yogurt Dip

Low sugar vanilla yogurt (like from Siggis) + almond butter + sliced fruit + graham crackers

Stir together nut butter and honey to make a dip. Serve with sliced apple or pear, squash or cucumbers, and graham crackers. We love this sort of breakfast-for-dinner as a super quick toddler dinner!

Toddler Meal Idea #11: Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Tortilla + cheese + beans

Add cheese and beans to one side of a tortilla. Warm in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, fold the empty side of the tortilla over and press slightly. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes to finish. You can also warm this in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add fruit on the side.

Kids Meal Idea #12: Veggie Grilled Cheese

Whole grain bread + cheese + roasted mashed sweet potato

Spread the sweet potato on one side of the bread. Add cheese to the other. Prepare normally for a comforting and veggie-packed sandwich. You can also try omitting the sweet potato and adding snipped spinach or kale instead.(Or even omitting the cheese and just using mashed sweet potato!)

Toddler Meal Idea #13: Deluxe Cheese and Crackers

Whole grain crackers or snap pea crisps + sliced cheese + assortment of sliced veggies and fruit + beans

Assemble a toddler-friendly snack plate that’s a simple assortment of the food groups. You can serve it on a regular plate or in a fun silicone muffin tin!

Toddler Meal Idea #14: Easy Spinach Pancakes

Eggs + spinach + banana
Blend the ingredients together and pour into small pancakes. They’re so moist and sweet—and easy to make as a quick toddler meal idea.

Shortcut Meal Idea #15: Cereal and Fruit

Cereal + milk + fruit

It took me a while to feel okay about serving cereal for dinner but now we do it regularly and the kids love it! And it’s nice for me too since it’s so easy. (Find my favorite kids cereals.) P.S. We also love doing toddler smoothies for dinner!

Easy Meal Idea #16: Banana “Sushi”

Tortilla + nut/seed butter + banana

Spread nut or seed butter onto a soft tortilla, add a ripe banana, and roll up. Serve or slice into spirals as a fun toddler meal.

Related Recipes

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Pasta

Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Simple Mac and Cheese

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If you have other quick toddler meals ideas that is a favorite in your house, please add it below! I’d love to hear what your kids are loving these days!

This post was first published April 2018.