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Breakfast: 7:00 a.m.
Snack: 9:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00 p.m.
Snack: 3:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m.

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It is important to have set times of the day for meals and snacks to develop good eating habits and routines. Routines help create a predictable and more comfortable atmosphere for the toddler, and can help them realize the importance of food. Every day of this nutrition plan includes a total of one and a half cups of milk and one cup of water alone, not including the extra milk and water consumed in the foods they eat throughout the day.

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Breakfast: Avocado and blueberry mini muffins (Recipe attached) ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Roasted cauliflower with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese ;  half a cup of water

Lunch: Deli ham with string cheese ; half a cup of milk
Snack: Dried apples and strawberries ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce and ground beef ; half a cup of milk

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Baby FoodE | Adventurous Recipes for Babies + Toddlers

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A couple of months of ago I took one for the team and carb-binged on a muffin bought from a coffee shop. This is an act that I try really hard never to do because besides being loaded with oil, sugar, refined wheat and an abundance of calories they also never taste that good. Leaving me disappointed and sad. If you are by chance making homemade muffins, I will show up on your front porch, and chat with you while I eat my way through half a tin, of course loaded with butter. But here I was at the coffee shop looking over their selection of food while I ordered my coffee and I saw something that made me think of you guys. A muffin made with AVOCADO and strawberries. What a brilliant combination.

So I splurged and got one. Sadly, of course, it wasn't worth it. The muffin was still dry in parts and soggy from the strawberries in others. I sat there disappointment in the whole thing [cue violins]. But months later I couldn't get the idea out of my head of swapping an avocado for the oil and butter usually found in muffins.

It nagged and nagged at me.

Until I did a little looking around and found this website dedicated to the California Avocado. There is no messing around on this site, it is filled with some seriously yummy looking avocado recipes. Since avocados are a power food for both baby and pregnant mama, and can be eaten in abundance, I was hooked. I knew this was a good place to start my baking.

Usually when I am in search for a baking recipe, I make the original, test it and then adjust from there. This recipe needed little adaptation from the original to make it both mama and toddler approved. All I had to do was add a pinch of cinnamon, cut the original sugar and leave off the crumble crust, because crumble crusts and toddlers just mean an extra mess for mama to clean up.

Filled with an entire avocado, a cup of greek yogurt and a pint of blueberries these muffins are jammed packed with healthy fat, fiber, potassium, antioxidants, vitamin A and C and a ton of protein.

And they are delicious. So delicious in fact, I had to hid them from little E because when she saw them at the counter she would stand on her tip toes and in the most annoying whining voice demand 'mor, mor, mor' until I broke down and gave her one, which turned into 3.

These little health bombs are the perfect snack on the go, a healthy breakfast or after dinner treat for your toddler.

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Avocado + Blueberry Yummy Toddler Mini Muffins

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A couple of months of ago I took one for the team and carb-binged on a muffin bought from a coffee shop. This is an act that I try really hard never to do because besides being loaded with oil, sugar, refined wheat and an abundance of calories they also never taste that good.

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On day one, breakfast is avocado and blueberry mini muffins. This provides two types of fruits, while also containing a little oil from the avocados. These mini muffins are also small enough to be categorized as finger foods, and can be easily taken on the go. Monday's snacks include both fruits, dried apples and strawberries, and cauliflower as a vegetable. For lunch, the deli ham provides protein, while the cheese has dairy for calcium. The pasta for dinner is a good source of grains and carbohydrates, with the ground beef in the sauce providing more protein. Eating pasta with proper utensils also helps develop dexterity.

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Breakfast: Oatmeal with strawberries and bananas ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Hard boiled egg and string cheese ; half a cup of water

Lunch: Sandwich on whole wheat bread with turkey, cheese, and avocado ; one fourth cup of water with one fourth cup of apple juice

Snack: Rice cake with almond butter ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Shredded grilled chicken with chopped and steamed asparagus ; half a cup of milk

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On day two, breakfast is oatmeal topped with sliced strawberries and bananas. This meal alone meets the food groups of fruits and grains. It also requires the use of a spoon, which is a good skill to practice. The turkey, cheese, and avocado sandwich on whole wheat bread also provides grains, along with more dairy and some oil from the avocado. Dinner provides more protein with shredded grilled chicken, and steamed asparagus as a vegetable. Vegetables are crucial for a nutritious diet, since they contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The hard boiled egg and cheese as a morning snack contributes even more protein and dairy. The other snack, rice cakes with almond butter, is a good source of potassium and vitamins. These snacks are easy items to take on the go, and easy to eat for the toddler.

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Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and whole grain granola ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Fruit salad with strawberries, grapes (cut in fourths), and diced apples ; half a cup of water

Lunch: Cheese quesadilla with shredded chicken and spinach ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Whole grain crackers with sliced deli turkey ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Homemade butternut squash mac and cheese (Recipe attached) ; half a cup of milk

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Baby FoodE | Adventurous Recipes for Babies + Toddlers

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First of all, where was this dish when I was eating mac and cheese from a box (gasp) almost everyday during my pregnancy? This dish could have saved me from gaining an additional 20 pounds that I am now just toying with the idea of actually losing sometime in the near future. Near future = sometime in the next 6 months. We all know that trying to lose weight in December is just not a good idea. The temptation for cookies, peppermint mochas and fancy cocktails is just way too great and if deprived you will most likely end up crying by yourself as you sing christmas corals between sobs of tears and snot. It happens. And it doesn't look pretty.

That is what January is for -

Poor January, never has any fun.

This recipe is a result of a dinner I made the other night when I was frantically trying to get something on the table. Anything would have worked. Ever have those nights? I wasn't trying to be healthy. I wasn't trying to be fancy. Cereal would have worked just as well. So in a state of desperation, I tossed some left over butternut squash, which I had on hand from my week of obsessing over it for baby puree making, a box of pasta and some spices together and suddenly this amazingly yummy, googy and creeeeamy pasta came together, and it tasted just like 'mac and cheese'. I scratched my head and just went with it.

The goodness comes from the sauce, which is made entirely from BUTTERNUT SQUASH! That is it. I feel like screaming it from my roof. BUTTERNUT SQUASH!!!

No cream.

No butter.

Vegans rejoice!

Butternut squash is my new hero. Not only is butternut squash great for babies first puree, it makes a crave worthy dinner for the entire dinner. Which leads me to believe that I need to start a new category for 'Family Meals'. Because this is where it is at. One easy dish for everyone at my table.

The thing is, is that you won't miss the cream or butter or any of that 'bad' for you stuff in this 'mac and cheese'. It was only after I was done licking the blender and trying to not shove my face into it - careful those blades are sharp, was when I realized just how healthy this dish is for you. It uses an entire butternut squash and pasta of your choice which makes it a perfect dish for families that are vegan, gluten free or vegetarian. A dish that is loaded with vitamin A, fiber, folate, lutein and calcium all of which is great, but it was the toddler requesting seconds of this 'mac and cheese' that confirmed this dish was a real winner. This 'cheese' sauce is just that good. You have been warned.

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Butternut Squash 'Mac and Cheese' for Toddler

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First of all, where was this dish when I was eating mac and cheese from a box (gasp) almost everyday during my pregnancy? This dish could have saved me from gaining an additional 20 pounds that I am now just toying with the idea of actually losing sometime in the near future.

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On day three, breakfast is greek yogurt with strawberries and whole grain granola. This meal is an excellent source of dairy, fruit, and grains. For a greater variety of fruits in the diet, the first snack of the day is a mini fruit salad with diced apples and strawberries, along with grapes cut in fourths. A cheese quesadilla with shredded chicken and spinach will be served for lunch, which has more dairy, along with a new vegetable and some protein. This is a simple, quick lunch to make and can easily be taken on the go. For more protein, the second snack is deli turkey on whole grain crackers, which also provides a carbohydrate. Lastly, dinner is homemade butternut squash macaroni and cheese. Butternut squash is an adequate source of potassium and vitamins, while the cheese has more dairy, and the pasta has carbohydrates. This is another meal to help develop dexterity, since a fork or spoon should be used.

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Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Whole grain crackers with hummus ; half a cup of water
Lunch: Blueberry muffin with whole grain oats ; one fourth cup of water with one fourth cup of apple juice

Snack: Sliced bananas and apples ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Grilled chicken nuggets and diced sweet potatoes ; half a cup of milk

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On day four, breakfast is scrambled eggs with cheese, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes. Eggs are a high quality source of protein, while the mushrooms and tomatoes increase the toddler's variety of vegetables and fruit. The cheese also provides dairy, which is is important for obtaining a healthy amount of calcium. A fork can be used with this meal to help strengthen the toddler's fine motor skills, along with practicing hand eye coordination. For the first snack, hummus is a good choice for iron, phosphorus, and protein. The blueberries muffins with whole grain oats for lunch not only has a fruit, but also the carbohydrates and grains essential for a balanced diet. For more fruits in the diet, today's second snack is sliced bananas and apples. Apples are made up of a high amount of water, and bananas contain potassium and vitamins. For dinner, grilled chicken nuggets are a healthy alternative to the classic breaded and fried chicken nuggets. The chicken along with diced sweet potatoes is a perfect meal filled with protein and vitamins.

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Breakfast: Homemade banana bread ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Dry Cheerios and sliced strawberries ; half a cup of water

Lunch: Whole wheat english muffin pizzas with vegetables (Recipe attached) ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Veggie straws and dried fruit mix ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Grilled tofu with broccoli ; half a cup of milk

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English Muffin Pizzas

If you're looking for a luxurious, decadent and totally time consuming recipe... this absolutely isn't it. Keep looking. If you're up for a fun, quick and totally easy dish then look no further. Especially in the summer months, heating up the kitchen isn't ideal and neither is slaving away for hours on a single meal. It may happen from time to time but I try to keep that to a minimum. I like quick and easy this time of year. Some are obviously far easier and quicker than others. This makes for a perfect lunch, snack or dinner and takes only 15 minutes max including prep time!

Do english muffin pizzas remind you of your childhood? They sure do for me. I don't think we had them a lot but it's a memory of mine. It is and was fun for us to create our own masterpieces. These can be kept super simple as a basic cheese variety or totally dressed up to the works with your absolute favorite toppings.

I'm not opposed at all to an occasional cheater meal. You could go to the effort of making your own english muffins and someday I hope to BUT this was not the day. Whenever that day happens, I'll share my adventure with you but for now pick up some quick ready to use products and slap these suckers together.

English Muffin Pizzas

Ingredients:

English muffins

pizza sauce

shredded cheese

favorite toppings (pepperoni, bacon, veggies etc)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

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If you're looking for a luxurious, decadent and totally time consuming recipe... this absolutely isn't it. Keep looking. If you're up for a fun, quick and totally easy dish then look no further. Especially in the summer months, heating up the kitchen isn't ideal and neither is slaving away for hours on a single meal.

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On day five, breakfast is homemade banana bread, providing both a fruit and carbohydrates. The first snack is strawberries and dry cheerios. Strawberries have a high amount of water, along with being packed with fiber and vitamins. The cheerios are an easy snack containing grains. For a fun and interesting lunch, mini pizzas on whole wheat english muffins is a nice choice since they can be topped with the toddler's favorite vegetables or meats. In total, this easy to make lunch can provide vegetables, dairy, protein, and carbohydrates all in one meal. Another easy and healthy snack is veggie straws and dried fruit. Lastly, dinner is grilled tofu served with steamed broccoli. Tofu is a very nutritious food, with high amounts of protein, along with broccoli providing many vitamins.

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Breakfast: Strawberry, banana, and spinach smoothie ; half a cup of milk
Snack: Kiwis and blackberries ; half a cup of water

Lunch: Ham, cheese, and avocado sandwich on whole grain bread ; one fourth cup of water with one fourth cup of apple juice

Snack: Cottage cheese and whole grain crackers ;  half a cup of water

Dinner: Grilled salmon and steamed asparagus ; half a cup of milk

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On day six, breakfast is a strawberry, banana, and spinach smoothie. Smoothies are a great way to encourage picky toddlers to eat more fruits and vegetables.  For even more fruit, the first snack of the day is slided kiwis and blackberries. For protein, grains, and oil, lunch is a ham, cheese, and avocado sandwich on whole wheat bread. In addition to the bread from the sandwich, the whole wheat crackers with cottage cheese for a snack also have grains, along with more dairy from the cheese. Lastly, grilled salmon for dinner is an adequate source of protein, oil, and vitamins. The asparagus is another great vegetable to ensure the toddler has a wide variety of food options. This is also another perfect meal to practice the use of utensils.

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Breakfast: Toasted pita bread with organic strawberry jam ; half a cup of milk

Snack: Granola cups (Recipe attached) ; half a cup of water

Lunch: Greek yogurt with apple slices ; half a cup of milk
Snack: Cheese cubes and sliced strawberries ; half a cup of water

Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce and chopped turkey hot dogs and zucchini ; half a cup of milk

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Looking for an easy and healthy breakfast recipe? This Greek Yogurt-Filled Granola Cups Recipe from Delish.com is the best.

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On day seven, breakfast is toasted pita bread with organic strawberry jam. Opposed to jelly, jam is made from crushed whole fruit, therefore making it a healthier alternative. The pita bread is another type of bread for the toddler to try, while also containing grains and carbohydrates. For more grains and some dairy, granola cups are a simple snack that are small enough to take on the go. They can also be served with yogurt and fruit. Since toddlers require a lot of dairy for calcium, lunch today is greek yogurt with apple slices, which also provide a high amount of water. As the second snack, cheese cubes and strawberries are simple and nutritious. Finally, dinner is full of grains, vegetables, and proteins, with pasta topped with tomato sauce, zucchini slices, and chopped turkey hot dogs.