4 Easy Make Ahead Freezer Meals For Toddlers

02/14/2021

How many times have you gone to make lunch for your toddler and realized you didn’t have anything ready? We’ve had many grilled cheese and fruit days (which is completely fine), but I prefer to make a whole bunch of things ahead that I know my 14 month old will eat, then freeze and rotate for his lunches. At dinnertime our family always eats together (and the same things) but lunchtime is one of those times where having quick and healthy options premade makes our day go much smoother!

I also like to rotate what my toddler is eating to make sure he is exposed to different tastes, textures and protein sources. I have a 5 year old who is VERY picky, it’s an ongoing struggle to get her to eat most things but I try to capitalize on my toddler’s willingness to try new things (and it even rubs off on his big sister some days!).

Why make meals ahead?

I find that making meals ahead of time cuts down on mealtime stress, enables you to control the ingredients in what your little ones are eating (vs packaged meals) and enables you to have a variety of foods on hand at all times (just like us, toddlers are susceptible to meal time boredom!).

How to make ahead

When my oldest was a baby I made all her baby purées and froze them in silicone trays with lids before popping out and storing in marked freezer bags. James refused all purées so we went straight to Baby Led Weaning (BLW) so my repertoire of foods for tiny eaters grew quickly.

When freezing individual portions, I often freeze on a baking tray lined with plastic wrap and then once frozen I individually wrap and store in a large freezer bag marked with the date.

I usually decide on the lunch menu in the morning and remove a portion (or two for my big eater!) and leave on a plate to bring to room temperature. If it still needs defrosting, I pop in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and then check. Just be sure to check the temperature to make sure it’s not too hot before serving to your little one!

Here are some of our current favourite recipes:

1. Easy Baked Shrimp Cakes

   This is one of my fave recipes, shared with me by one of the amazing mamas from my first Mommy Connections Mom & Baby class!  It includes many allergens (shrimp, soy, sesame, egg) so it’s a good way to expose your baby or toddler to these foods or keep them familiar with them. Just make sure you only introduce one allergen at a time!
2. Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts

   I buy the frozen mini pastry shells for these and sometimes I will double the recipe to make a whole tray (James eats 3 at a time!). When you’re making some bacon for yourself, just add a few extra slices and cook them to use here. I also add cheese, just sprinkle in the shells before adding the egg mixture in.
3. Baked Seasoned Tofu Nuggets
   These are a great starter protein source if you’re doing BLW as the texture is not too hard and can be served to baby as is. Both my kids love these, served with a side of steamed broccoli and some warmed buttered naan – a quick lunchtime (or dinnertime) win!
4. Chicken Croquettes (recipe in full below!)
   These chicken croquettes are really just a fancy name for a veggie loaded chicken burger! I serve as is, but you could make it more of a burger by adding a bun and some toppings for your older toddler. I typically serve this warmed up with sliced cheese, pickle and quartered cherry tomatoes. This recipe (and many of my favourites) is from Annabel Karmel’s ‘Top 100 Finger Foods’ book. Follow her on instagram by clicking HERE.

Chicken Croquettes

Ingredients
3 cups fresh bread crumbs (crusts removed)
4 ½ teaspoons milk
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated zucchini
2 TBS canola oil, for frying
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
7 oz ground chicken
1tsp dried oregano
1 TBS ketchup
1 ½ tsp maple syrup
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp sugar
Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the coating
½ cup flour
1 egg
3 to 4 tablespoons canola oil, for frying

Bon Appétit! I hope that your little ones love these recipes as much as mine do!