Your best super FAST toddler dinners?

[JessieBird]

Hi everyone -

What are your toddler favourite dinners that take 20 mins or less to prepare?

My DS goes to bed super early (6 pm on the dot, his insistence not mine) and we get home from work/daycare at about 4:45. So time is super tight and I don't always have leftovers to rely on.

Help!

[lolar2]

Cheese, crackers, and fruit.

[handsandfeet]

I do quite a bit of cooking/freezing on the weekends. I do a crockpot full of meat/veggies, then cook a bunch of whole wheat pasta, and put them into individual size containers and freeze them. It really helps during rushed weekday evenings, and everything is really nice and tender in the slow cooker. And the veggies are yummy since they are cooked with the meat.

Otherwise,
sauteed tilapia and zucchini (one pan)
scrambled egg with frozen spinach and cheese (all mixed together)
black beans and rice with whatever fresh veggies I have steamed and mixed in

[welsh]

omelette with whatever's in the fridge thrown in

[lisavark]

Ham (precooked, organic) or lunch meat (again, organic) or beef organic hot dogs. And uncooked frozen veggies on the side. My DD LOVES frozen veggies--better than cooked, usually. They're like candy to her. Especially when she's teething.

Not as healthy as the other suggestions, though! I love the omelette idea--might try that sometime.

Beans and whole-wheat crackers, or any other grain, instead of rice since it's quicker and doesn't have to be cooked. Any grain mixed with beans will make a complete protein (at least, that's what my mom told me; I haven't researched it ).

Pasta with a bunch of veggies in the sauce.

[just_lily]

When we are in a pinch for time I will do cheese and crackers, grilled cheese, scambled eggs and toast, or just toast with peanut butter. All with some sliced fruit and/or veg that I have on hand.

[Artichokie]

sweet potato chunks (throw in microwave), cheese slices, and mixed veggies.

pasta and sauce or mac and cheese (premade and warmed up).

[Plarka]

Pasta, pesto and peas!

[RaeEllen]

We're vegetarian, so baby porrage is the way to go. Once a month, grind brown rice, lentils, other grains in blender and keep chunky powder in fridge. Once a week, cook up a batch in 10 minutes. I know its a complete protein, so, I can always heat up a chunk. If I'm in a real hurry, I can just add some cottage cheese or cheddar. In less of a hurry, microwave steam a few veggies and add. She loves it, and it is thick enough that my 20 month old can feed herself with the spoon.

[dividedsky]

my kids' favorite super-quick meal is:

boil water. add chopped broccoli (i peel the stems and chop them up) and whole wheat pasta (they are partial to rotini). boil together until pasta is done. drain, add butter, parmesan cheese, a smidge of salt and garlic powder, all to taste. i add cannelini beans to this sometimes, too. easy, fast, healthy!

grilled cheese w/chopped spinach inside on whole grain bread is another good one.

quesadillas w/leftovers inside... can be beans, meats, veggies, whatever. very fast. i even put leftover rice in them... whatever.

[Birdie B.]

We make quesadillas a lot, with beans, veggies or whatever meat I have in the fridge.

I make something similar to dividedsky's pasta with cheese and broccoli.

And when all else fails, cheese, crackers and fruit!

[cparkly]

I always keep a container of cooked brown rice in the fridge. That is the base of so many quick meals:
beans and rice with salsa and sour cream
stir fried rice with veggies and egg
rice, cheese, and veggie balls
sweet potato rice cakes (like pancakes; serve with maple syrup and butter) and fruit
cheesy spinach rice bake
I also make sure to portion and freeze toddler-sized servings of dishes that DS really likes so that I can pull them out whenever he needs a quick fix.
I keep a two containers of homemade dip (bean and peanut butter) in the fridge for him to dip steamed veggies or raw fruit in. The bean dip can be made with any cooked bean, olive oil, parsley, pine nuts or walnuts, and parmesan blended really well in the processor. The peanut butter dip is creamy, unsweetened peanut butter blended with plain yogurt and maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey.

[vrclay]

Originally Posted by Plarka

Pasta, pesto and peas!

ohhh, we're trying this one tomorrow - especially since my little guy loves, loves, loves the color green

[AKislandgirl]

Annies mac and cheese with peas and browned chicken breast
bean burritos
sweet potato fries- chop, toss in olive oil and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes
roasted vegies- again, chop and toss with olive oil and seasoning
twice baked potatoes (make a ton at once, wrap and freeze individually): stuff lots of vegies in these
peanut butter on toast, yogurt, and fruit
sometimes we pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and make a salad with it or sandwiches
hummus on toast or tortillas with raw red pepper sticks on the side: one of DD favorites
black beans and rice (just start rice first thing when you get home, it will stay warm in a rice cooker until you are ready to eat it)

[LCBMAX]

A can of sardines, broccoli tops, fruit.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Annies organic veggie burgers (done in the oven 5-7 mins) Blueberries/raspberries/cantelope/grapes and moxx cheese for DS1, cut up veggie monteray jack cheese for DS2 (Allergic)

ETA OR banana and strawberry fresh fruit smoothie (With spinach added for good measure) said cheese from above, and some whole wheat or graham crackers OR a whole grain bagel with cream cheese (tofutti for the little guy)

Our nights are similar, plus my little guy is usually SCAREAMING for dinner by 5pm, so quick meals are a must in our house. We save the four course ones for when daddy gets home early and can get it started.

Tuna is usually a really quick and easy meal as well, or frozen fish stix from the natures food isle.

[shanniesue2]

at the moment, DS's favorite meals are Annie's Mac and Cheese with some frozen veggies (we steam them) and just a basic peanut butter and honey (or jelly) sandwich...

[wife&mommy]

Spaghetti (sauce portions in the freezer than can be taken out and thawed in the fridge during the day, then you just have to cook the pasta)

Couscous with frozen veggies mixed in, they cook with the water before the couscous is put in

Soup - again keep portions in the freezer and put one into the fridge that morning, serve with cheese toast or something similar that is quick

Quesadillas - my kids love ones with amy's refried black beans and cheese. super easy. I usually have an avocado on hand and sour cream and salsa they can have with it, too.

Carrots to dip in hummus with a few other fruits and veggies on the side

Breakfast for dinner

[wife&mommy]

Oh and these, these are super yummy and quick!

http://cookingformyfamily.blogspot.c...e-avocado.html

[laughymama]

Spaghetti. I throw in diced tomatoes, spinach...whatever fresh veggies I have on hand into the sauce.

Sandwiches with cucumber and apple slices. Grilled cheese with spinach chopped on thrown in with the cheese.

Veggie and Fruit tray with crackers and cheese.

Oatmeal with fruit.