Packing lunches for the Baby Dudes has become one of my favorite projects.  It’s challenging at times because they’re at the stage where they really only want to eat things they can feed themselves, but they can’t use utensils at all yet.  They dislike all meat and while they’re great eaters generally, they often devour something one day and completely refuse it the next.  I generally pack a bento-style breakfast/lunch to send to daycare because it gives them a lot of options; if they don’t eat one thing one day, no worries–they have several other little options!  If I have time, I like to add something cute by using cookie cutters or the rice/egg molds I ordered, but many times the boys get a simple, easily prepared lunch like this.

Clockwise from top, left corner: Egg Pinwheels (directions below), frozen green beans and corn steamed in the microwave, yogurt melts, canned peaches rinse in water to remove excess sugar, yogurt (usually just send the package but I wasn’t thinking and opened it-oops), and Blueberry-Oatmeal Fingers (directions below).

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I rely heavily on frozen vegetables and fruit, yogurt, and leftovers for the boys lunches, but I’ve also found a few simply prepared dishes to add to their lunchbox that are usually Baby-Dude approved on ease of eating and flavor and Mama-approved on ease of preparation.

Fruit-Oatmeal Fingers

I adapted this recipe from the Baby Led Weaning Cookbook because I thought it would taste better with some fruit added in.  If you have fresh fruit, more power to you, but I often hit up my stash of frozen fruit (anything your LO likes-strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.– should work fine) because it’s faster.  It works best if the fruit is in very small pieces.  I try to cook things for their lunches that I can use more than one day, thus cutting down on cooking time, so I triple the original recipe.

9 tbsp quick oats
9 tbsp whole milk
chopped fresh or frozen fruit in small pieces (you could also add coconut, dried fruit, fruit purees, chopped nuts if your LO can partake in them, etc.  Basically, anything you like in oatmeal is worth trying.)  

Spray microwave-safe square pan with cooking spray.  I use a 9-inch glass pan. Mix the ingredients and let it sit for a few minutes to soften the oats.  Cook in the microwave in 2 minute increments until you can peel up the sides.  Cut immediately into strips or bites.  Sometimes they come out nice and neat and sometimes they are messier chunks, but I don’t worry about it as long as it’s a size the boys can grab and chew on.  If you choose to do so, I think adding a little bit of real maple syrup or honey (only if LO is over a year), would be a natural way to sweeten it just a touch, but at this point, I always rely on the fruit only to sweeten the oatmeal.

Egg & Cheese Pinwheels

This is a Baby Dude favorite and I send it at least 3 days a week.  None of this ever comes home.

2 eggs
dash of milk
cheese
You can also throw small bits of veggies or meat in if you have it on hand.  Chopped spinach is a great addition.

 Heat small skillet to medium (about 5-6 on my oven knob) w/ a bit of coconut oil, olive oil spray, etc.  Mix eggs, milk, and any veggies or meat that you want in it.  I only add something if I have it on hand and it will take virtually no extra time.  Pour egg mixture in the skillet and swirl the skillet to get the egg evenly covering the bottom.  When the egg starts to make bubbles and begins pulling away from the side of the skillet, it’s ready to flip.  I run my spatula around the edge to make sure it’s not stuck anywhere and then flip the entire egg mixture, just like you would a pancake.  If it fails, no worries, you just go on and make regular scrambled eggs.  :-)  If not, let the other side cook for a couple of minutes.  When it’s done, flip it out on to a cutting board or plate.  Immediately sprinkle cheese all over the surface of the egg.  Starting at one side roll up the egg.  Give the cheese a few minutes to melt, and then slice it into bite-size pieces.

Stuffed Rice Balls

I “sneak” things into rice balls in hopes that my kiddos will eat some before they realize they’ve eaten some protein.  It’s also a good way to add things that are smaller, slippery or hard to pick up.  I use rice/egg molds that you can buy cheaply on Amazon, but you can also just shape these with your hands, which is what I do before I put them in the mold.  I always used sticky rice (glutinous rice), but I *think* you could do it with any kind of rice as long as you don’t let it get too dried out.

Cooked rice (I use sticky rice)
Filling of your choice: fish, chicken, beef, beans, cheese, veggies–almost anything you can dream up!
Some water

Get a small bit of rice in the palm of your hand and “shape” it into a bowl.  Add the filling to the “bowl.”  Add more rice on top of the filling.  Dip your hand in water to shape the rice on top and bottom into a ball.  The water helps the rice to stick together.  It’s okay if some filling sticks out as long as the rice is holding the shape into a ball.

Quesadillas

This is another super easy staple in this part of the world, but it’s an easy way to send veggies, meat, and dairy in a toddler-friendly format.

2 tortillas, buttered on one side
cheese of your choice, shredded-we prefer cheddar
Any veggies, beans or meat you want to add, chopped in small pieces

Place one tortilla, butter side down, on a skillet with the heat at medium so the tortilla won’t cook too quickly.  Sprinkle cheese, then any veggies, beans, or meat you want to add.  Top with just a bit more cheese to help the top tortilla stick.  Place the other tortilla on top.  Flip your quesadilla when the cheese is starting to get melty.  As soon as your cheese has all melted, and your tortillas are golden brown and crispy, remove from the pan.  Cut it into strips or bite-sized pieces.  I often will save half of the cut pieces to send the next day.

Freezer French Toast

French toast is crazy easy to make and freeze, and the boys love it.  It’s another way I can sneak in protein (from the egg), and I like that I know what goes into it and there’s no added sugar like most of the store-bought varieties.  I make a big batch of french toast or pancakes on a weekend and store them in the freezer.  Layer wax paper between the french toast and then place in a ziplock freezer bag.  When you’re ready to pack a lunch, just get one piece out, thaw it in the microwave for a few seconds and cut it in strips or bite-size pieces for your LO.

6 eggs
2 tbsp. milk
Dash of cinnamon
Loaf of bread (I can usually make around 10-12 pieces of bread for 6 eggs)

Mix the first three ingredients.  Dip bread in mixture making sure both sides are covered.  Place on medium-hot skillet or griddle.  Flip it to cook the other side.

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Care to share your favorite quick-and-easy recipe for your toddler’s lunch or breakfast?