Home /
Learn /
Toddler Food Recipe (13 to 18 Months)

Toddler Food Recipe (13 to 18 Months)

19 Sep 2014 | 6 min Read

Khyati Rupani

Author | 35 Articles

As your little one is closer to or over a year old, feeding may get a little more challenging as your child is more mobile now. Nutrition goes hand in hand with food safety and hygiene as well as personal hygiene.

Here are a few points you could take care of:

1. Mommies should not forget to wash their hands with soap or hand wash before preparing food for their toddlers.

2. Your little one always has lovely and colorful plates, bowls and spoons in which they eat their yummy meals prepared by their mommies and it is very important to keep these things sparkling clean. Plates, bowls, spoons should be washed with hot water and wiped dry with the help of a napkin. The napkin should not be used for any other purpose.

3. Long pretty nails is what every woman wants but long nails are a source of germs and bacteria for your little baby, so keep them parred.

4. It would be best if those pretty jewellery like rings remain in the cupboard while preparing meals for your little ones. Rings and chains can be a source of bacteria and germs and it is best not to wear while preparing meals.

5. Foods that are freshly prepared have brighter colors, they have a fresh taste and most important one they are free from bacteria.

WHAT TO GIVE AND WHAT TO AVOID:

1. What to give?

Vegetable soups (strain it properly), fruit juices such as apple, pear etc., fruits such as banana, chickoo, mango etc. vegetables such as carrots, potato, sweet potato, beetroot, peas, rice kanji, sago kanji, dal water, cereals and dals, roti with milk or curd, boiled egg, chicken puree, fish, ghee, cow’s milk for cooking porridges and homemade cerelac, cheese, powdered nuts, pure honey.

2. What not to give?

Shell fish, fried foods, chunky foods that can get stuck in your little one’s throat, small and hard foods such as whole nuts, popcorn, sticky foods such as jelly, chewing gums etc.

SAMPLE MENU PLANNING:

Toddlers are known for being finicky eaters and so you could try the normal-looking food a creative touch. Yes, make the normal food look creative and more appealing by preparing them in different shapes and sizes, combining different colored foods to make it more attractive. Also all foods must be bite size so that your little one can handle it.

Timings	Recipe	Ingredients	Amount	Quantity
8 AM.	Almond milk	Milk + Almond powder	150 ml + 1 tsp	3/4 glass	Milk is a good source of protein and calcium required for strong bones. Almonds are also called ‘brain food’ important for baby’s brain development.
10 AM.	Oats porridge	Oats, ragi, dalia + Almond (powdered) + Milk	2 tsp + 2-3 pcs + 150 ml	1 small bowl	Oats has high soluble fibre which takes care of the bowel regularity. Almonds are also called ‘brain food’ important for baby’s brain development. Milk is a good source of protein and calcium required for strong bones.
12 PM.	Fruit	Banana, chickoo, apple, pear, mango	50 gms		Fruits are a complete package of vitamin, minerals and fibre.
2 PM.	Veggie dalia pulav with curd	Dalia + Chopped capsicum + Chopped spinach + Grated Carrots + Tomato puree + Water + Curds	3 tps + 2 tps + ¼ small cup + 2 tps + 3 tps + 150 ml + 1 small vati	1 medium bowl	A complete, wholesome meal when served with curds. An excellent way to incorporate fiber from dalia and vitamins and minerals from veggies. Also gives the meal a colorful and attractive look. Curd is a good source of protein and calcium required for strong bones.
4 PM.	Mix fruity bowl	Banana + chikoo	Half (25 gms) + Half (25 gms)	1 small bowl	Make a single boring fruit more colourful, yummy and healthy by combining the goodness of 2 fruits.
6 PM.	Dal (lentils) mash	Yellow moong dal + Grated carrots + Grated bottle gourd	2 tsp + ¼ cup both the veggies	1 small bowl	Snacks are very important for your little one, Dal mash is a good supplementary meal to meet your baby’s increased demands of energy and proteins.
8 PM.	Mini Healthy pancakes	Wheat flour + Besan + Curds + Finely chopped capsicum + Gratted carrot	3 tsp + 1 tsp + 2 tsp + 2 tsp + 2 tsp	2-3 small pancakes	Cereal-pulse combination which provides a complete protein. Also a compact meal and a very good substitution of roti-dal-curd.
10 PM.	Almond milk	Milk + Almond Powder	150 ml + 1 tsp	3/4 glass	Milk is a good source of protein and calcium required for strong bones. Almonds are also called ‘brain food’ important for baby’s brain development

SOME MORE YUMMY OPTIONS

1. Breakfast: oats, ragi, dalia porridge, veggie dalia khichdi with curd, oats veggie upma.

2. Snacks: combo dal mash (use 2 dals), dal cheela, dal veggie soup, moong dal idli.

3. Lunch & Dinner: paneer pulav, oats pulav, vegetable khichdi with curd, ragi-dal pancake, idli/dosa/uttapam with sambhar.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. Oats Porridge : In a pan, heat milk. Add oats and sugar (1 teaspoon). Add almond powder and heat till thick and serve.

2. Dalia Porridge : Pressure cook dalia and milk (1 whistle), cook till broken wheat becomes soft and milk is absorbed in it. Then add sugar (1 teaspoon) and almond powder and cook for 5 mins on slow flame.

3. Ragi Porridge : In a pan heat milk. Add ragi flour and almond powder, mix well without formation of lumps. Add sugar (1 teaspoon) and cook for 5 mins and serve.

4. Dalia Pulav : In a pan, add 1 teaspoon of ghee, add cumin seeds powder, tomato puree and vegetables (blanch spinach in boiling water for a minute, remove the spinach and place it under tap water for few seconds). Add dalia and water, cook until dalia is soft. Serve with curd. (While making dalia khichdi, add more water while cooking).

5. Dal Mash : Pressure cook all the ingredients together with ½ cup of water for 3 whistles. Liquidise the mixture in a blender along with 2 tbsp water. Serve lukewarm.

6. Moong Dal Idli : Roast the moong dal in a non-stick pan till the raw smell disappears. Cool and soak in water overnight.

Next day, drain and discard the water. Grind the dal in a mixer to a thick paste using little water if required. Add salt and sprinkle the fruit salt on it and then a few drops of water on the fruit salt. When the bubbles form, mix gently.

Pour the mixture gently into greased idli moulds and steam in a steamer for 10 to 12 minutes till they are done.

MINI HEALTHY PANCAKE:

In a bowl, mix wheat flour and besan. In a separate bowl, add curd and water to form buttermilk. Add this buttermilk to wheat flour and besan and mix well to form a smooth batter. Add salt and veggies. In a pan, add oil and pour mixture with help of a laddle. Healthy mini pancake is ready.