Good Nutrition – Delicious Recipes for Babies & Toddlers

This first recipe is a family favorite and so easy to do! If you have ripe apples at home this is a great and tasty way to use them!

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients:

• Apples

• Water

• Cinnamon (optional)

• Sugar (to taste)

• Stovetop Pot

Instructions:

Peel Apples and chop into slices. Place the slices in the pot and barely cover with water. Cook apples on medium-low until they are a little more than fork tender. Let them cool and use a blender or a handheld grinder to puree the apples.

Optional: Add cinnamon and sugar and then they’re ready to eat! Applesauce can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Serve in a separate container to avoid contamination from baby salvia.

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Toddler Fruit Smoothie (with hidden veggies)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Cups Yogurt (Almond Milk if you’re dairy free)

• Frozen Banana (1-2)

• 1-2 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Fruit (Blueberries, Strawberries, Pears, Pineapple, etc.)

• 2 Handfuls of Fresh Spinach

• 1 Cup of Orange Juice if available (Water, Apple Juice, or more Almond Milk will work too. Just to add extra liquid for your desired consistency.)

• Ice (optional)

• Blender

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in your blender. I like to put the liquid in first, then the fruit, and then the ice if you’re using any. This order keeps the blender from getting clogged. Blend twice for the smoothest results and “hidden” spinach. My kids love this smoothie and will drink 2 cups at a time!

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Toddler Pasta Sauce (with hidden veggies)

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of basic marinara sauce

• 2-3 Carrots peeled and cut into pieces

• 1 Squash grated

• Oregano*

• Garlic*

• Basil*

• Thyme*

• Water

• Large Sauce Pan

• Blender

Instructions:

Empty the jar of marinara into your blender. I add water and give it a little shake to get everything out of the jar. Throw in your pre-cut carrots and your grated squash and blend until smooth. Add your optional spices and blend again. From there, pour your sauce into your stovetop saucepan and cook on medium-low until bubbling hot. Serve atop your toddler’s favorite pasta and watch them enjoy eating their veggies!!

**If you eat meat, prior to pouring you sauce into the saucepan, completely brown your ground meat in a little cooking oil. Then add sauce from blender and cook on medium-high for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check the sauce. If it looks too thick or dry, add water and cook for another 20 minutes. After 40 minutes your sauce will be done.**

The second way with meat is how we typically do ours. We use either ground pork or ground deer meat. This is the best way for me to get our kids to eat both protein and vegetables in one meal.

Knowing quick and simple recipes that I know my kids like has been so amazing for me as a parent. It saves time and takes the guesswork out of dinnertime. I hope these recipes are huge crowd-pleasers for your children as well!