salty sweet seasons

Lately I’ve been having a tough enough time coming up for new meal ideas for myself, but add a toddler into the mix, and I find myself opening and shutting the fridge one hundred times, magically waiting for something new to appear like a magic hat.

I could eat chicken and veggies every night for dinner, or the same wrap/salad for lunch every day, but when I forget Tanner gets bored of the same things, he reminds me by making gross faces and throwing them at me on day two or three. So much for meal prepping his food 😉 I thought I was all savvy this week, and prepped him mashed potatoes, mac n’ cheese, and chicken, and by the second day of the same thing, he looked at his high chair tray like “What the F is this AGAIN, MOM?!” Then threw it all and me and started feeding the dogs. It was then I knew I needed to sit down and map out his meals like I do for myself when I’m following my standard weekly schedule, aka The Ten Day Trim.

After hours of Pinteresting to get new lunch ideas, I sat down and made a weekly calendar for Tanner. It’s just a guide with various food options including carbs, dairy, meats, proteins, veggies, fruits, etc. It is simply a guide, and I go off of whatever I have as leftovers/in my fridge and skip around days based on what I have/have cooked. It helps me feed him a variety of items SO MUCH. He isn’t the best eater, and still isn’t a huge fan of veggies, so this helps me experiment and keep up a routine of trying new things every now and then with different meal times. He also has other things for snacks other than what’s listed, but again, just a guide to help stumped mamas who are looking to spice up their toddler’s tray life. He’s also not a very advanced eater either, so we still have to feed fully cooked veggies and softer fruits/veggies. Feel free to sub any other items per category [ie: other mains, veggies, fruits, sources of protein, etc.]

Download my Toddler Weekly Meal Plan HERE

or download a blank version HERE so you can input your own meal options based on your little one’s needs.

Tanner is still nursing, so I don’t include any milk ounces; he typically nurses in the morning, once mid-day [sometimes], before bed, and wakes up to nurse still. [ya ya ya…leave your opinions elsewhere about sleep training, please.] Our pediatrician said at this age [17 months] toddlers need 2-3 cups/day, and to nurse/give milk after meals so they eat rather than fill up on milk first. He also said nothing is off limits anymore, and he can eat almost any “adult” food besides the obvious choking hazards [hot dogs, whole grapes, raw fruits & veggies, etc.] Like all of us, each pediatrician has different advice. To each their own; follow your physician’s recommendations for you and your family.

You can also browse Pinterest for TONS of amazing, creative toddler food ideas HERE. Full time event planner turned mama and fitness guru, join over 2,100 others who follow my grab-bag Pinterest account at https://www.pinterest.com/betterweddings/. 

Again, I cannot emphasize enough that this is simply an example of what we follow as a weekly food guide, with a 17-month old nursing toddler who has no currently known food allergies [knock on wood]. Be sure to consult your pediatrician before introducing any new foods or meal patterns. I’m just a mom sharing what works for our family, not a physician or dietitian.

XO,

Shelley