Need Some More Lunch/dinner Ideas

E.,
I know this sounds crazy, but have you tried avacados or guacamole? One of my boys will eat guac but not avacados. The other thing that works for us is the easy mac and cheese that is prepared in the microwave. Also another favorite are the barilla tortalini. I don't even put sauce on it for the boys and it is great because it travels well.

I hope some of these help! I am also always looking for differnt things to make for lunch for my boys too.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/et_sl_back_to_school/text...

Above could be a good start. The subject is mainly 'BACK TO SCHOOL' but that's OK. You should still get some ideas on kid friendly foods. I'm a Foodnetwork junkie!! Beware, you may never leave this site!

M.

Mac and Cheese is a great vehicle for getting other foods into your baby- I always add veggies like broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, etc. I like to make things from scratch to cut down on sodium and chemicals. The Laughing Cow cheese you can get in the gourmet cheese section of the grocery store makes great mac and cheese when you melt it with some milk. Also, just a side note, I noticed that some posters mentioned fish sticks and tuna. I've been told by doctors not to give babies fish (I think at least until they're 2 or 3) because of the mercury levels. Just a thought.

My son also loves quiche - you can get a good one at Trader Joe's. They're small and you just stick it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. And, although he's been offered real chicken nuggets, he actually prefers the meatless chicken nuggets that Boca and Morning Star Farms make. I really like them too. They taste just like chicken and are really crunchy.

Hi E....

I havo found a winner in "pizza's" I split an english muffin, spread on some pasta sauce, maybe add some chopped deli meat, veggies, and lots of cheese. under the grill, cut into little squares, and my son gobbles them up. I also find pasta in any shape easy. I also needed to plump up my boy a little, so would puree some veggies with butter tomake an easy sauce....avo is another favourite; either on its own or mashedon toast. A good website to check out is wholesomebabyfood.com. they have lots of good menu suggestions.

hope this helps!
L.

It seems like kids are finicky in different ways, so you may have to do some experimentation. Here's some random thoughts of easy/fast selections.

My first son loved avocado at that age (lots of healthy fat) and all cured meats and sausages (get the nitrate-free undyed kind from Whole Foods if worried about that) - ham, sausage, bacon, corned beef. A lot of salt in them, but also high in fat. He also loved mandarin oranges.

My other son liked chicken breast cut up into little pieces, and cheese and bananas. Hot dogs (cut up.) Didn't like any other fruits/veggies. They both liked chicken nuggets (or the soy version), garden burgers, macaroni and cheese. They also like frozen (not canned) cheese ravioli that's been cooked, served with parmesan cheese, no sauce. Both kids will eat broccoli with some cheddar cheese sprinkled/melted on top (can you tell we have big cheese-eaters at our house?) They both love yogurt, especially the baby stuff that's full-fat. Apple chunks dipped in peanut butter are popular. Quesadillas made with flour tortillas and mozzarella cheese, dipped in sour cream. Refried beans with cheese melted on top and sour cream. Toaster waffles. Eggs. (my kids like them all ways but if you have time, soft-boiled with toast "soldiers" for dipping makes it special.)

We got son #2 to eat more food when we cut back his milk. He could live on milk, even now - we call him the "air fern" because it's hard to catch him eating anything. Also watch out for juice - if they aren't eating food, the juice fills them up with less-healthy calories.

If you are trying to make sure he gets the nutrients he needs, maybe try some Pediasure with his milk or the Carnation Instant Breakfasts.

I know for our son he goes through phases of eating everything and then nothing. Here are some things we've given him...avacados, eggplant parmesan, steamed broccoli/cauliflower (make it mushy), lots and lots of yogurt and throw some cheerios in there to give it some substance, hamburger helper, macaroni and cheese (you can hide a ton of good stuff in mac and cheese - broccoli, mushroom, green beans, peas, those meat sticks that gerber sells).

Sometimes, we let him have a bowl of healthy cereal for lunch along with a side of fruit. I used to be anal about only unsweetened cereal, but I've since opened up to letting him have lightly sweetened stuff. Nutri-grain makes some whole grain waffles and Aunt Jemima makes 100% whole wheat pancake mix. We don't put any syrup on, just apple sauce or if you mix cinnamon in the pancake mix, it tastes fine without it.

Good luck...and even if he's finicky keep offering him the healthy choices. All of a sudden, he'll eat those green beans or whatever (and then the next day he won't - LOL).

T.

I just bought the Carnation Instant Breakfast for myslf and my kids, as the morning is always a rush and I wanted them to get a good start to the day. Maybe start with the carnation instant breakfast and add yogurt and some fruits to make a smoothie/shake. They have a strawberry flavor,so maybe strawberries. They have a vanilla flavor so maybe add bananas to that one.

Just some ideas.

Our daughter loves cooked veggies, banana bread, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, pot roast with potatoes and carrots, any type of pasta product with tomato sauce, sloppy joes, chili, cubed cheese, burritos, cheesy potatoes, granola bars, and any type of adult cereal. We feed her what we have for meals and she is usually a pretty good eater. Think about what you would like to have for lunch and feed him that - our daughter only has 5 teeth at a year so she does pretty well with all these foods and her gums:)

Dear E.,

I feel your pain on the picky eaters. I run a daycare and have one picky kid. I have found that he loves cheese. His mom told me that at home he would only eat cheesy tuna helper. I have found that here he loves brocoliwith cheese whiz. I use cheese whiz on a lot of things. He loves, cheese corn, cheese green beans. He has even tried the frozen dinners like Chicken parmasen, BBQ Ribs, He loves spaghetti. For breakfast all he ever wants is doughnuts. So I started buying fruit bars, but he will only he the ones from sunbeam. He likes the apple oatmeal. He also loves manderan organes out of the can. I have also learned that he loves chips and cheetos. So I make stuff for the other kids and then give him two cheetos and then when he asks for more, I tell him he has to take two bites of the what ever I point to and then he gets two more cheetos. He his now three and pretty much knows what I expect from him. He came here right when he turned two. His mom would just let him eat anything he wanted just to get him to eat. I told her what I do and now he eats better for her. Good Luck.
B.

definitely agree with the carnation instant breakfast/ ensure type drinks. we still give it to the kids, we call it chocolate milk, so they've grown up thinking thats what chocolate milk is. we also mix in blender with ice and call it a milkshake! but its nutritious and loaded with calories. its basically a meal replacement.

also, pasta, our girls liked pasta with tomato soup on it when they were really little,

and alot of people think this is gross, but mac and cheese with tuna mixed in, or elbow pasta cold with mayo and tuna.

quesadillas are good too, with cut up chicken and cheese melted in between 2 tortillas and cut into triangles.

english muffins with toomato sauce and cheese is a winner over here too,

and of course chicken nuggets and fish sticks but make sure its a good brand with real meat, some are all breadding and not very nutritious at all.

and you can always do breakfast for dinner... scrambled eggs and cut up sausage links, pancakes, waffles, eggs are really nutritious. oooh hard boiled eggs with butter mixed in, our neices call it "great grandma eggs" because thats the way my gram used to make them for us!

you can always make baked fries too, cut potatoes into little teeny bite sized wedges and bake on a cookie sheet (no frying) dont forget to spray the pan, dipped in ketchup

cottage cheese mixed with peaches, yogurt is always good too.

My 3 1/2 year old boy has ALWAYS been a picky eater. We got him into the popcorn chicken nuggets and little fish stix (he loved them...I would never touch them). He also would snack on the Ritz bitz with Peanut Butter. He finally started to like Mac'n Cheese at about 2, so I was a big believer in that meal. I also used to mix the Hersey's Vanilla Milk (loaded with calories) with his regular milk. Now, I take those pediasure shakes (or whatever they're called) and turn them into milkshakes for him. I feel the same way as you...anything to put some meat on his bones. If I think of anything else...I'll drop you a line!

Hope this helped a little.

Hi E.!
My daughter is 23 mos old and also very picky! For lunch I usually give her hot dogs, chicken nuggets, or soup. She also loves the microwaveable mac n cheese with franks, spaghetti rings and soup from Hormel. They're small containers, so you don't waste much! I also use the pediasure drinks and granola bars since she doesn't always eat much! You can also try the stouffers dinners. She loves the chicken and mashed potatoes. I notice when I give her finger foods or stuff she can do on her own, it helps her to try new things. If you want to use breakfast foods, she loves the eggo toaster swirls and french toast sticks. Also quaker makes these new breakfast cookies and she loves the oatmeal choc. chip ones. Hope this helps! K. G

I tried just using soup. I use Progresso, wild rice and chicken, vegetable and one other, it has spiral pastas with small (soft!) veggie chunks. These are cost effective and my daughter loves them.

My picky 5 year old loves Kraft Mac & Cheese and would eat it every day if I let him. I usually make the big box and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick and easy lunch/dinner. It reheats easy in the microwave. You can also try Bagel pizzas, they are easy to make and your son can help. Toast the bagel, and let him squeeze on some pizza sauce and add a slice of his favorite cheese. My son enjoys eating what he makes. You can also try homemade smoothies- combine cup of milk with 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt in a container, add some shaved ice- you can either use a blender or just shake it up in your son's sippie cup and presto- a thick creamy smoothie- taste just like a vanilla shake.

Sometime getting cookie cutters and making different shapes out of the sandwiches make it more fun, my mom taught me that trick :) Worked great. What about yogurt? Maybe have him dip "trees" into ranch dressing. Cheese and crackers with dried fruit? I hope this helps.

I just wanted to second the suggestion a previous poster had about Progresso soups. My daughter isn't all htat picky, but she doesn't like typical kid foods, either. Nor does she like anythign that's similar to a casserole, so she's not real big on Hamburger Helper or those types of stuff. She does, however, always eat soup! Esp any kind that has noodles. Even campbells Tomato if you make with milk and throw in some noodles and frozen veggies is a good alternative.

One thing my son loved (and I grew up with) but my wife finds disgusting is Braunschwager (Liver Sausage). It has a TON of protein, and fat (good mostly I think). My twins also love any kind of noodle (ie Noodle-Roni, the Rice-a-roni sister, super cheap). My kids are three now, so I can't remember what is age appropriate for you. They love applesauce too.

Good luck,
Richard

My 20 month old has been enjoying those frozen meatless patties (Boca Burger and Garden Burger brands) for a while now. He also consistently likes to eat mozzarella (string cheese) and Babybel brand soft cheese. I remember introducing foods-- and it was hit or miss. Some kids love avocado, mine never did. He will only now tolerate eggs, and only the whites. Sometimes you have to retry after a hiatus. Oh yes, soothies made in the blender. You can add yogurt and ice cream to make it tastey. My kid ate these when he was sick and refused everything else. There is a good book called Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. Good luck.