Easy Lunch Ideas For Mama and Baby

Meal prepping with a newborn? What’s that?

Preparing healthy, beautiful lunches with a cranky toddler? How?

Don’t worry - preparing easy and healthy lunches that are nutritious both for mothers and for their little ones is simple! In fact, it’s so simple, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for meals that only contain three ingredients! It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

These ideas for three-ingredient lunches are inspired by the creators at Greatist. (www.greatist.com)

Lunch Idea #1: Avocado and Kale Salad (from furtherfood.com)

This is a simple salad but packed with nutrients. The avocado makes this salad more filling than it would seem. It is a great choice for a light lunch and is super portable!

What you’ll need: 1 bunch of kale, ½ ripe avocado, ¼ cup lemon juice, salt, and pepper (to taste)

Coat the kale with avocado and lemon juice, and gently massage the mixture into the leaves. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes so that the acid from the lemon breaks down the hearty kale leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Optional toppings include sliced apple, sliced bell pepper, slivered almonds, carrot ribbons, shredded cheese.

How to adapt for little ones:

It’s not easy to get kids to love salad, but you can serve the ingredients separately and see how they react to it! For beginning eaters, make a puree using kale and avocado. You can add fruits to the mixture to cut the bitterness of the kale. For older eaters and experienced toddlers, you can serve this salad with croutons, shredded cheese, chunks of chicken, or other ingredients they already enjoy. You can also grab a low-carb wrap and serve the salad as a wrap or burrito instead!

Lunch Idea #2: Creamy Tomato Shells

Everyone loves pasta! How do you make it a little healthier? By substituting cheese with nuts like cashews.

What you’ll need: 1lb pasta (shells are a great option for kids), 1 jar of pasta sauce, 2 cups of cashews, ½ cup of water, garlic and herbs (to taste)

Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Add the pasta sauce. In a blender, blend the cashews with water until very smooth. Add garlic and salt to taste. Once it resembles a “cream,” add to the pasta and pasta sauce and warm. You can top with any meat or vegetables you’d like!

How to adapt for little ones:

Pasta is a great beginning food because most babies and toddlers love the taste! Using pasta-like shells can help develop fine motor skills as your little one learns to pick up individual pieces. This recipe is great for babies with a dairy sensitivity because the nuts are a substitute for cheese or cream. This is also an easy way to expose your little one to an allergen (nuts) in a baby-safe way, pureed into a sauce! Never serve raw, whole nuts to young children as they present a choking hazard.

Lunch Idea #3: Avocado and Tuna Salad (from deliciousbydre.com)

This recipe is delicious, healthy, and quick - it only takes a few minutes to pull together! Skip the unhealthy mayonnaise, and substitute avocado instead for a healthy twist. You can serve this tuna salad on a wrap, whole wheat bread, or even in the hollowed-out avocado skin itself!

What you’ll need: ¼ large ripe avocado, 1 packet of low sodium albacore tuna, salt, and pepper to taste

Using a fork, mash the tuna until it has an even consistency. Add the avocado and mash until smooth. Add a little salt and pepper, and you’re all set!

How to adapt for little ones:
Contrary to some outdated opinions, babies and toddlers can eat seafood, including tuna, as long as it is in moderation. Tuna is a fish known to contain mercury - so be carefully monitoring how much you incorporate into your little one’s diet. Kids can have fish after age 6 months, under a pediatrician’s guidance. In fact, many allergists and doctors are encouraging parents to introduce allergens much earlier than previously recommended.

You can serve this recipe as-is for experienced eaters. For beginning eaters, you can make an avocado puree, or simply serve avocado slices to your little one. Avocado is a nutritious beginning food!

Lunch Idea #4: Homemade Pizza Rolls (from bevcooks.com)

Pizza rolls are so delicious, but let’s face it, the store-bought variety is filled with tons of yucky ingredients. These are simple to make, portable, and perfect for your kids’ school or daycare lunches!

What you’ll need: 2 large tortillas, ½ cup pizza sauce, string cheese (sliced) or cheddar slices, dried thyme (just a pinch or two)

Using a pizza cutter, slice the tortillas into even strips. Spread some pizza sauce lightly along each strip. Top with some cheese and sprinkle with the dried thyme. Roll each slice carefully, and bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes.

How to adapt for little ones:

A beginning eater may just want some pieces of cheese to try. Slice the cheese into strips and not rounded pieces (these pose a choking hazard). You can also cut the tortilla into bite-sized pieces for your little one to explore, A more experienced eater will have no problem eating these as the recipes states! They are snack-sized and perfect for on-the-go adventures!

Lunch Idea #5: Mushroom Rice Pilaf (from savynaturalista.com)

You don’t need meat to make a substantial meal. The meaty texture of mushrooms makes them a great vegetarian replacement in a dish. This meal is easy, healthy, and hearty.

What you’ll need: ½ tbsp olive oil, 1 small onion (diced), 6 large mushrooms (chopped), ¼ cup brown rice, 1 ⅔ cups vegetable broth, salt and pepper (to taste)

Cook the onions with the olive oil in a saucepan. Add mushrooms, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and cover with a lid. Cook on low heat for 25-50 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

How to adapt for little ones:

If your baby or toddler is at the age where they can eat solid foods, this recipe is one they’ll enjoy! You can serve per the recipe’s instructions, or you can serve the ingredients separately on a plate. Chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces to prevent choking. You can also add extra broth and serve the recipe more like a soup to toddlers. If your baby is just beginning to eat, this recipe could be mashed up or blended to make serving even easier.

Follow these easy, simple recipes to make lunchtime less stressful for you and your little ones! These meals are easy to prepare ahead of time as well if you enjoy “meal prepping.” These ideas are nutritious ideas for both mamas and little ones. Enjoying a healthy meal with your little one can create a memory that lasts a lifetime.

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Parenting is awesome. Sleep is overrated. Every day is an adventure.