What I feed my toddler in a day (without spending all day in the kitchen✌️)
a realistic approach to healthy eating for kids
While I personally think there’s nothing better than the pitter patter of little feet in the kitchen or teaching children the joy of food, the act of preparing delicious and healthy meals for a toddler can be a… TASK. 😅
Whether it’s…
Knowing what to feed them,
wanting to give them healthy food (…but still make it easy),
hoping they enjoy their meal,
NOT wanting to give them a complex around what’s a “good” or “bad” food…
Sometimes it can seem like an impossible task to nourish your child unless you spend all day in the kitchen, spend a zillion dollars, or drive yourself crazy doing so.
But there IS a way — and I’m outlining it in today’s post.
First things first, do I think I have it ALL figured out? No, no, no.
I am simply sharing our family’s experience, and giving you concrete examples & tips that work for us.
Because no matter how you feed your kid, I get it.
Every kid is different, every parent is different, and every situation is different.
(And don’t even get me started on the systemic factors that play into food access, rising costs of groceries, food deserts with limited access to fresh produce, and beyond… the ability to “eat healthy” is a privilege in so many ways)
🍓 So, for the sake of this post, I am just zooming in & sharing how I feed MY child— as someone who is very passionate about health, but also not obsessive about health ;)
I definitely don’t think I am doing things “perfectly”, but I am quite proud of how he eats! He is growing like a weed, incredibly active, and LOVES to eat.
For some context on my approach…
I try to cook with 90% whole foods with simple ingredients, but still leave that beautiful 10% for going out to eat, having “unhealthy” snacks when at a playdate, enjoying a purposeful dessert, etc.
I am also doing my best not to raise a picky eater. (I know, I know, every time I talk about that people say “just you wait!” ) But as of right now I have a son who eats pretty much anything I put on the plate in front of him (and he’s nearly 2 and definitely has opinions on things! 🤣). Again, that might look different when he's 5 but as of right now I’m really proud of his openness around food.
I really try to prioritize stable blood sugar and his bodily growth by prioritizing quality nutrients from a lot of proteins, healthy fats, veggies, etc.
And lastly, I am also trying to raise him to love and respect healthy foods while also not demonizing or giving him complexes around “bad” foods. If I do give him a sweet treat or item that isn’t necessarily the healthiest, I never hype it up; it’s just presented as a regular ol’ food (because it is!). While I am intentional about what he eats, all foods are allowed in moderation in our household!
So, my vibe? Just doing my best to make the most of this stage where I’m largely in control of the food he gets… without losing my mind or stressing myself out too much 🤣✌️
It’s no secret that I care A LOT about nutrition, but I also deeply care about not being too particular about it as I think that is unhealthy in its own way.
So, here I am, just trying to find that sweet-spot of teaching him the importance of nutrition while also letting him enjoy food freedom and just letting him… be a kid!
And, as with all health-related things, I’m not all or nothing — you’ll see in this post that I’m really passionate about whole foods but I’m suuuure not home cooking everything or going Nara Smith mode. I’m all about incorporating convenience and reality into getting healthy food on the plate.
So now, without further ado, it’s time to see what my nutrition approach looks like in practice… here is exactly what I feed my toddler in a day!