I've been getting frustrated by planning lunches for DS (16 months) to eat every week and have been rotating off this list for the past week. I plan to change it up next week and then we start our CSA in early March so we will plan around that. Anyways, I hope this can help someone:

Monday: Cheese, turkey, cucumbers, and blueberries
Tuesday: Black beans, cheese, tortilla, tomatoes
Wednesday: Turkey, cheese, tomatoes, avocado
Thursday: Cottage cheese, banana, piece of toast with sunflower seed butter
Friday: Turkey, black beans, tomatoes, cheese
Saturday: cottage cheese and tbsp of jam, blueberries
Sunday: Whatever is left from everything cut up

Snacks every day are a piece of banana bread or poppy seed bread with cream cheese

Shopping List:
1 block of organic cheese
1 package organic turkey lunch meat
3 organic bananas
1 container organic cottage cheese
3 small organic cucumbers
1 package organic blueberries
2 cups cooked black beans (I make in crockpot and freeze in freezable Ball jars)
1 loaf organic multigrain bread
1 jar sunflower seed butter
1 jar organic jam (type rotates)
1 package flour tortillas
1 container organic cherry tomatoes
1 organic avocado
1 container cream cheese

In addition to the above, I make:
Banana bread
Poppy seed bread

Monday
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/...psd5b179f8.jpg

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

Oh, gosh. I think I love you.

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

Fantastic! Thank you!

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

I have found that my toddler loves to eat things in sectioned containers - like ice-cube trays or muffin tins. She likes sorting things and having lots of options.

By the way - what are freezable Ball jars? Are these the same as the glass canning jars?

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

Some of the jars are freezable, some are not. On the side of the case they have a little icon that says if they are freezable. On my local store's shelves, they have the same sizes side by side, one stack is freezable, one is not.

I think most toddlers love variety and to have things sorted. I just got really tired of standing in my kitchen every day and trying to decide on the spot what variety he was going to have today. I needed to plan it out.

Anyways, I will probably post next week's menu/shopping list as well if anyone wants a second week.

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

I want as much as you will post! We get paid next week, and I'll start doing the same thing then. Maybe if several people do, we can get lots of ideas.

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

I do! My new little isn't here yet but I've been filing away ideas for lunches. That's always a hectic time in my house for some reason and I want to be prepared!

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

Okay, I will post it when I devise it. Possibly later today. My general parameters are that I try to only incorporate meat into around two lunches each week, because my husband is really into meat and we tend to have it most dinners. My alone time with the baby is our non-meat time :)

Back later :goodvibes:

Once a month, I make a batch of homemade whole wheat pizza dough and shape it into toddler size pizza crusts, bake, then freeze. About 1-2x a week, when lunch-time comes I let my boys assemble their own pizza with what toppings they like (mushrooms, olives, & pineapple are faves) and then we broil to melt the cheese.

Another hit are mini burritos. I get the small "soft taco" sized tortillas and fill them. Some with black beans & rice, some with homemade refried beans & cheese. I roll them into burritos and freeze. For lunch just pop them in the microwave or toaster oven and serve with a side of fruit.

Lastly I make homemade pita bread and homemade hummus. My boys like this served with veggies (carrots, celery, cauliflower).

We do PB&J & quesadillas, too.

Heather- Wife to 1, Mom to 5!
80lbs lost & counting!
Sent using DS Forum

Re: Toddler Meal Planning
 

I love the pizza idea!