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Why is it so difficult to come up with meal ideas?
I don’t know about you, but this is a huge struggle for me.
I hope you are able to find some inspiration here. Not claiming that my meals are inspired at all.
Most of the time they are pretty basic.
Picky Eater
Babies can become picky eaters faster than you think. I do my best to respect that my baby won’t like everything she is served. However, that doesn’t stop me from offering it again and again after rejection.
Maybe it is the texture, maybe it is the taste, or made it is just their mood for the day.
Just keep trying new and old foods again and again. Don’t label anything, saying your child doesn’t like it.
One day my little girl goes nuts for peas and the next she won’t touch them. She is so unpredictable.
It drives me crazy. I don’t even know what food to send with her to grandmas because there is just no telling what she will be in the mood for.
Food Inspiration
What to serve my baby exhausts me. I don’t know why. I think it is that fact that all day I make decisions for both of us. What time to eat, what time to go for a nap, etc. I am just tired of making decisions.
I also struggle with inspiration of food selection. I don’t want her to get tired of eating the same thing, but it is easy to offer her what I know she likes to eat.
I want her to continue to try new foods, but what if they are not things my husband and I don’t regularly eat? You can’t always purchase foods in tiny little portions.
Being creative in the kitchen is difficult.
Allergies
Our daughter has dietary restrictions due to her dairy and egg allergies. This is something we are continuing to get the hang of. It is constant work to read label and work around her parameters.
I also want to mention I won’t be providing food labels, but these items are currently safe for her. For example she eats fig newton’s. Some you will find contain milk, others do not. So don’t stress about that.
There is a huge learning curve with allergies. We have made plenty of mistakes.
All of that to say we are dealing with a fickle little girl, a mom who lacks inspiration, and dietary restrictions.
Ok, let’s get to our actual full day of eating for a 12 month old!
This is just an example day for us. Hope you enjoy!
Breakfast
Our daughter has breakfast any time between 8:30 and 9:30 am. For whatever reason, we haven’t nailed breakfast down to a more precise time. She wakes up at different times each day. She also starts her day off by nursing from mom. We don’t stress it!
Half a banana
Grapes cut up
Blueberries cut up
Fig newton
Deli meat – chicken breast
Everything was demolished! This morning I went with an easy meal I knew she would like. I didn’t feel like cleaning up food thrown on the floor. Sometimes you just need simple. Take the win!
Lunch
Lunch usually happens around 1 pm. We are typically in the car around noon heading to work and once we get there it is time to eat.
Vegan mac’n’cheese
Grapes cut up
Graham crackers
Red bell pepper
The vegan mac’n’cheese went over pretty well. I load it on a fork for H and she can get it to her mouth on her own. Hopefully soon we can start practicing with her spearing the food herself.
I make the mac’n’cheese myself. I don’t follow a specific recipe. I just estimate when making it.
I make the noodles like you typically would. Strain the water out. Then add almond milk and vegan shredded cheese. I go back and forth with adding more cheese or milk as needed.
The grapes didn’t go over as well this time. She ate about half of what she was served.
Graham crackers are an easy win.
The red bell pepper was something new to try. I gave it to her French fry style and watched to make sure she didn’t choke. She did pretty well. She would bite off a bit and eventually spit it out. I don’t mind though. She was experimenting with a new flavor and new texture.
Snack
Deli meat – chicken breast
Applesauce
I don’t think my child likes to eat all that much. I am a food person. I always have a granola bar on me for emergencies. My child though just doesn’t seem to care that much about food. She gets that from her daddy.
Snack time doesn’t always happen. I think it is crazy, but some days she will only have her three meals.
Today we did try snack time and she had her current favorite, deli meat. It was the chicken again. And she also had applesauce. Some spoon-fulls I serve her and others I load the spoon and set it in front of her to grab. She actually does fairly well on her own.
We go back and forth with liking applesauce. Today was a good day.
Dinner
Salmon
Green beans
Sweet potatoes
Blueberries
Graham crackers
This girl goes crazy for salmon! She seriously loves it. I always make sure it is cooked well. I don’t want her eating raw fish at all.
Salmon breaks apart so easily. It is a meat that you can feed your child with very little concern for choking. Just avoid giving them the skin side of course.
The green beans were a total fail. She treated them similar to the red pepper. Multiple times trying, but lots of spitting.
The sweet potatoes were cut into small cubes and roasted in the oven. She had no interest here. I wish I could get her to really give them a try. I think they are delicious!
Once I could tell H was only going for the salmon she got blueberries and graham crackers to finish her meal.
H end her day with a final nursing session before bed.
Conclusion
You may feel that what my daughter eats in a day is pretty lame. I honestly think it is. But this is what we came up with for today.
As parents I think it is hard to feel like you are doing well in all areas. Because really you just can’t. You can’t do everything 100%.
Do the best you can on any given day.
I know my meal planning is not perfect, but today this is what worked for us.
H is a happy and healthy little girl.
Comment below your go-to meal for a 12 month old.
Check Out my Articles
How to Figure Out if My Baby has Allergies
The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Gifts for a One Year Old
How to Easily Pack a Week’s Worth of Lunches for Your 15 Month Old
How to Get Your Toddler to Go from Frustrated to Babbling to Talking
What a Typical Day of Eating Looks Like for my Sweet 18 Month Old