Cooking for a Toddler
We are pretty lucky. Parker is a good eater and he will try just about anything. So for the most part he is eating whatever we are eating. However there are still times when he doesn’t want or like what we want for dinner. For example, we like spicy curry and while he’ll eat a curry he won’t eat anything that has any spice to it.
Instead of having to cook two different dinners on the spot I’ve made it easy on myself by freezing a few of his favorite casseroles into toddler meal sized portions. This way it only takes a few minutes from freezer to plate and it is completely stress free.
Here’s what I do:
1) Cook up a casserole – I’ve found the
broccoli supreme recipe works well and I’ll share another recipe Parker really likes below.
2) Let it cool
3) Scoop into a muffin tin and place in the freezer, let freeze overnight.
4) In the morning, pull muffin tin out of freezer and allow to thaw for a few minutes to make removal easier
5) You may have to use a knife to help ease the contents out. Place each portion into a big freezer Ziploc bag, labeled with the recipe name and date.
*Note: remember when using the toddler meal sized portion you are reheating not cooking so reduce your microwave to 50%, make sure to stir and test for temperature before feeding your child.
Here is a great healthy casserole that freezes up well and Parker loves. The recipe made enough for the three of us to have dinner one night and make up six-toddler meal sized portions for the freezer.
Veggie and Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
• 1 box (500 mL) CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Chicken Easy Cooking Sauce
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) uncooked long grain rice or Quinoa
• ½ tsp (7 mL) chili powder
• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence (you can buy this or
make your own)
• 1 cups (250 mL) chopped onion, red and green pepper strip mixture
• 1 cup (250 ml) frozen mixed veggie (peas, carrots, corn)
• 4 (about 1 lb/500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded Cheddar Cheese
Directions
1. Mix cooking sauce, rice or quinoa, herbes de provence and chili powder in shallow 2 qt (2 L) baking dish. Spread evenly with vegetables.
2. Top with chicken. Sprinkle chicken with cheese. Cover.
3. Bake at 400°F (200°C) until chicken is cooked through and rice or quinoa is tender – about 50 minutes. Remove cover and broil until cheese is golden and bubbly – about 3 minutes. Stir rice and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy,
~Sarah
Labels: casserole, Cooking, dinner, Recipe, toddler, toddler meal sized portions, Veggie and Chicken Casserole
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