Toddler meals – Quick & easy recipes – Veggie fritters & frittatas. Toddler chefs in kitchen | Blackmores
12 Jun 2018

5 Quick & Easy Meals For Your Growing Toddler

1 mins to read
Toddler recipes can be tricky to navigate – especially if you’ve got yourself a fussy customer. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes for toddler meals they’ll happily gobble up, plus some healthy toddler snacks.


The best recipes for toddler meals and healthy snacks are quick, easy and nutritious. But we know getting your kids to eat nutritious foods can be easier said than done, especially if you have a fussy eater on your hands!

Toddlers are notorious for their picky eating habits, which can be frustrating and concerning for parents. 

Fussy toddler eating

If you’re worried about your toddler’s nutrient intake, you are not alone. As many as 8 out of 10 Australian parents worry about their little one’s eating habits, and a third of parents worry that their kids aren’t eating enough.  

The trick to getting toddlers to eat a wider range of vitamin and mineral rich foods is to add nutritious ingredients to foods they already enjoy. For example, try grating veggies or fruit through pikelets, or popping pineapple on top of a wholemeal English muffin or mini pita, with a little tomato sauce and grated cheese to make a mini pizza.

Our recipe for super green ‘sausage’ rolls  are another great example of vegetables in disguise.

Also look for easy ‘swaps’ you can make that don’t change the flavour of their favourite meals – for example, using wholemeal flours and breads instead of white varieties. You can also hide nutritional goodies in homemade treats; for example, by sprinkling flaxseeds and other grains through muffins and slices.

Check out more of our special tips for fussy eaters, including ways to make meals creative and fun, and setting a good example for healthy eating.

Get toddlers involved in healthy food

What are other ways to get them interested in a more diverse range of foods?

Toddlers are more likely to eat meals they had in a hand in making, so let them help pick out ingredients at the supermarket, grow veggies with them in the garden, or help with meal prep (letting them pour or mix are two easy ways to include them).
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5 toddler-certified quick and easy recipes

These toddler recipes tick all the boxes: quick, easy and nutritious! They all have the right balance of tastiness, wholesome ingredients and simplicity. Try them out and leave a comment below - we’d love to hear how your little one likes them.

Zucchini & corn fritters

These toddler-friendly corn fritters are a twist on the classic recipe, with the addition of greens. Cheddar adds that cheesy goodness that toddlers love, and wholemeal flour will help fill them with fibre.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups wholemeal self raising flour
  • 1 grated zucchini
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup corn kernels

How to make

Mix all ingredients together and cook by the spoonful in frypan set to medium heat.

Mac and cheese bites

These cheesy bites include all-important veggies, plus ham and eggs for protein to keep their little tummies satisfied. Try to use wholegrain macaroni and flour for added fibre.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups macaroni
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 300ml milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup grated tasty cheese
  • ½ cup grated zucchini
  • ½ cup shredded ham

How to make

Cook the macaroni and drain well. Melt butter and mix in flour over a low heat until it forms a paste, then whisk in milk and heat until thick. Mix in cooked pasta, shredded ham, eggs, cheese and zucchini. Spoon into a muffin tray and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.

Salmon potato cakes

Have you heard salmon referred to as “brain food”? Salmon is a great source of omega-3s, which are important for brain development and cognitive function. The addition of cheese makes these fish cakes toddler-friendly, and they’re super simple to make.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mashed potato
  • 1 x 440gm can of fork mashed salmon
  • ½ cup cheese
  • 2 eggs

How to make

Mix well and form into little patties. Cook in a non-stick frypan on moderate heat until each side is golden. Serve with steamed broccoli, carrots, or beans.

Mini frittatas

These frittatas for toddlers are a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Just whisk, mix, dollop and bake.
  • 2 cups of leftover or frozen vegetables – even roast vegetables will work for this one
  • 5 eggs
  • ½ cup of grated cheese
  • Splash of milk

How to make

Whisk eggs with milk. Mix vegetables and cheese through. Spoon into sprayed or buttered muffin tin and bake at 160 degrees for 25 minutes.

Healthy dipping platter

A few different types of veggies and dips are ideal for meals on the go or summer snacks. Feel free to substitute different types of vegetables, depending on what’s in the fridge.
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 mini cucumber
  • 3 cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cup of hummus*
  • ½ cup tzatziki*

How to make

Chop the veggies into sticks, and the cherry tomatoes in half. Serve with the dips – and add a few wholemeal crackers if they are extra hungry (or you’d like to share!)

*These can be purchased commercially, but if you’d like to make your own, you’ll need:

Hummus

Smooth, creamy hummus is a great addition to any veggie platter. Made from chickpeas, the dip is packed with protein and fibre. You can also use leftovers as a spread on sandwiches.

Ingredients

  • 600g canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tahini paste
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup (60ml) water
  • 100ml olive oil

How to make

Place the chickpeas, a pinch of salt, cumin, tahini paste, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor and process until combined. Add the water and process again. Drizzle in the olive oil and process until quite smooth.

Tzatziki

Such a fresh tasting dip with a Greek yoghurt base, adding tzatziki to your dipping platter will add a hit of protein to your little one’s meal.

Ingredients

  • Three massive spoonfuls of Greek yogurt
  • 1 large cucumber, grated
  • ½ teaspoon garlic

How to make

Put all ingredients into bowl and stir gently until combined. These recipes all work well served warm or cold – and are a great option for ‘take a plate’ mornings or play dates. 

Bonus tip: Dipping platter aside, you can make extras and pop them in the freezer for extra snacks for when little guests pop around or you don’t feel like cooking. 

 Have you got a fussy eater at home? Ask a Blackmores naturopath for their expert tips to help you support your little one’s nutrition.

Ask a naturopath


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