Lunch Ideas for 1 Year Olds
Coming up with toddler lunch ideas for 1 year olds is a challenge, to put it lightly! It’s so hard to know how hungry they’ll be, what food they’ll actually want to eat, how they’ll do with textures—and simply to come up with the ideas. To help, this list has easy ideas that you can serve at home or pack for daycare or preschool.
Food for 1 Year Old
One year olds are in a very specific phase of being able to eat more than they did as babies, but are still not able to chew everything that older toddlers and kids can. They are also notorious for having appetites that can range widely from day to day, so these ideas take both of those into accounts. The options here are easy to pack, but are also nutritious and filled with a range of textures and flavors.
Lunchbox Ideas for One Year Olds at Daycare
Any of these lunches can be packed to send to daycare or preschool. Or just to take on the go. I have a few lunchboxes and thermoses that I love, so see which might work best for you in your circumstances. TIP: As always, adjust these toddler lunch ideas based on your one year old’s chewing ability, preferences, and allergies. Which is to say: Iff you see something that isn’t cut or prepared the way you know your toddler would need it to be cut or served, you of course have full permission to change it. I did my best here to visually show you suggested serving options, but you may need to adjust.
1. Easy Snack Box
I love muffin lunches since they allow me to make the main component ahead and then add in simple sides. This one has fresh blackberries, freeze-dried strawberries, O cereal, and Vegan Banana Muffins. (Not every lunch has to have every single food group…do your best with what you have!)
2. Pesto Pasta and Peas with Grapes and Fruit Leather
Having store bought pesto or homemade pesto on hand is an easy pasta sauce that’s flavorful and packed with nutrition—especially when paired with peas—but also kid friendly! Served with halved grapes and fruit leather, this is an easy and fun lunch.
3. Carrot Cake Muffins with Cottage Cheese
Muffins like my Carrot Cake Muffins are a great lunch option, as are Roasted Carrot Fries. We love both cold or slightly warm, so you have options when serving them at home or packed in a lunchbox. Pack a spoon for the cottage cheese if sending to daycare!
4. Easy Breakfast for Lunch
Pair Veggie Muffins with hard-cooked eggs and berries for a super easy and fully make-ahead kids lunch idea.
5. Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowls
This super simple idea pairs quickly cooked chicken with roasted sweet potatoes and zucchini for a super easy make-ahead lunch. I love this one since it’s easy to adjust for an adult’s lunch too!
6. Veggie Grilled Cheese, Corn and Applesauce
Adding spinach to grilled cheese is a simple way to increase nutrition in a kid staple. (Just use the filling from my Spinach Quesadillas spread on bread and prepare like any other grilled cheese.) Pair with warmed frozen corn and an applesauce pouch. TIP: See below for the recipe!
7. Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Easy Sides
Incorporating broccoli right into the pasta sauce is a simple way to serve it up to one year olds. Try it with a fun pasta shape like stars and paired with simple sides like puffs, berries, and thawed frozen veggies.
8. Easy Finger Foods Lunch
Eggs, Roasted Butternut Squash, fruit and avocado is a super simple lunch idea. I often make the squash and eggs ahead and then warm very briefly to serve or pack. You can lightly rub a little lime or lemon juice on avocado to keep it from turning brown if packing in a lunch box.
9. Meatballs, Pasta and Fruit
My Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato are an easy make-ahead protein option that are super yummy and easy for one year olds to chew. Pair with pasta or a grain and fruit to round out the lunch.
10. Soft Roasted Chickpea Lunch
Pair Salty-Sweet Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas with diced cheese, kiwi, and crackers for a super simple finger foods lunch for a one year old.
11. Pizza Quesadillas
Make pizza for lunch a whole lot easier by starting with a tortilla. These are soft and easy to chew (use tortillas labeled “soft” for the best texture for little ones) and yummy—and boast a veggie punch from the pizza sauce.
12. Easy Hummus Lunch Box
I love using dips to help the kids get more interested in foods they may not love and this one year old lunch is a good example. Here, I paired hummus with bread strips, thinly sliced pepperoni, and sauteed green beans. Plus mini animal crackers and fruit.
13. Freezable PB&J
I never thought I’d find it necessary to make simple sandwiches ahead, but these freezable PB&Js are so handy to have on hand! They thaw in a lunchbox and just streamline packing. You can use sunflower seed butter if needed to make them allergy-free.
14. Zucchini Fritters and Tomatoes
These baked fritters are so good in the summer when there’s too much zucchini, or really any time of the year when you want a make-ahead lunch option with a veggie in the mix. I like to serve them diced with a dip like ranch, ketchup, salsa, or even bbq sauce.
15. Pesto Pizza
You can make this with store bought dough or homemade and it only requires two other ingredients. It’s a fun lunch to make at home or to send in a lunchbox. I like to cut it into strips or cubes to ensure it’s easy for a one year old to chew. Here I paired it with matchstick cut apples and sliced cucumbers.
Healthy Sides for Lunches
If you need some ideas for what to pack with a lunch, these healthy snack options from the store are super easy options.
Best Lunch Boxes for Kids
All of the lunchboxes shown here are in my guide to lunchboxes here.
If you have any questions about food for one year old’s or any of the lunches shown here, please comment below. I appreciate all feedback and hearing from you all—it always helps to make my content so much better!
