Hi everyone! I'm Jazz, the Content & Community Manager at Team Tots (currently on maternity leave!) and mama to my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Bluebelle, and seven-month-old, Drew.
At the moment, it honestly feels like my whole day revolves around food. Wake up, breakfast. Snack time. Goodness, it's lunchtime already. "Can I have a banana?". Spend time researching weaning ideas. Clean the highchair. Oh, another snack. I need to do a food shop. What am I going to cook for dinner? And even before I can relax, it's time to catch up on the endless washing up!
Now my son has entered the wild world of weaning, conveniently as my toddler is going through a fussy eating stage, mealtimes can feel a little overwhelming. To lighten my mental load, I've created a rotation of simple, nutritious meals that work perfectly for different ages and stages. Let me share some fresh foodie inspiration with you!
If you're after genuinely toddler friendly meals that also work for a weaning baby, this is the list I actually cook from. These are the baby friendly family meals I lean on week after week, built so one pot stretches across ages and stages rather than juggling three separate dinners — proper meals for 1 year old on up, not a diluted "kids' menu". Whether you're chasing new textures on your baby's weaning journey or coaxing a fussy toddler through a picky phase, these combos are built to flex.
Toddler-friendly meal ideas at a glance
| Meal idea | What's on the plate |
|---|---|
| How do you like your eggs? | Scrambled egg, banana-spinach pancakes, cherry tomatoes, orange |
| Easy peas-y pasta | Pasta Bolognese, peas, sliced mango |
| Avo load of this | Med Veg Orzo, avocado, orange |
| Sunday brunch club | Bagel, scrambled egg, salmon, sugar snap peas, yoghurt |
| Curry in a hurry | Korma, corn on the cob, red pepper |
Scroll on for how I actually put each of these together, plus a few more I've added since this list first went up.
How do you like your eggs in the morning?
For my two-year-old: Scrambled egg, banana and spinach pancakes, cherry tomatoes and orange slices.
For my seven-month-old: Scrambled egg, banana pancake and an orange slice.
- Making these pancakes is my love language, but if you're short on time, Pots for Tots offers a range of pancakes that take seconds to defrost in the microwave — the microwaveable freezer-friendly pots are worth hanging onto once they're empty, too.
- Scrambled egg is always a winner in our household — it's the perfect texture for my son to grasp while practising his pincer grip.
- A quick note on the cherry tomatoes: I serve mine whole to my daughter, as I'm confident in how she bites them and she never puts one in her mouth whole. It's still recommended to cut tomatoes up, as they're considered a choking hazard.
Easy peas-y pasta dish
For my two-year-old: Pots for Tots Simple Pasta Bolognese, peas and sliced mango.
For my seven-month-old: Pots for Tots Simple Pasta Bolognese, smashed peas and mashed mango.
- While my daughter isn't a fan of my homemade spaghetti bolognese, she loves the Pots for Tots version! The Simple range is ideal for her as it's smoother in texture, so she doesn't spend her time picking out little bits of onion, and it's great for my son, who's exploring lots of different textures on his weaning journey.
- Peas are a freezer fave of mine — an easy side for any meal. Did you know a 40g portion contains about 10% of a toddler's daily iron requirement?
Avo load of this!
For my two-year-old: Pots for Tots Simple Med Veg Orzo, half an avocado, orange slices.
For my seven-month-old: Pots for Tots Med Veg Orzo, avocado slice, wedge of orange.
- This orzo dish is another that goes down so well with Bluebelle and Drew, and I love that one pot is the perfect size for both of them to share alongside other sides.
- I love to sprinkle milled flaxseeds on their food for extra nutrients — I add it to avocado, porridge and Greek yoghurt. It also helps my baby get more grip on avocado slices.
Sunday brunch club
For my two-year-old: Bagel with cream cheese, scrambled egg, salmon, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes and Greek yoghurt.
For my seven-month-old: Scrambled egg, salmon and Greek yoghurt.
- I don't know what I'd do without Greek yoghurt — it's such a staple in our house! I usually serve it with milled flaxseeds sprinkled on top, plus squeezy peanut butter.
- Sugar snap peas have been a new addition to our rotation — Bluebelle can't get enough of them! They make a great on-the-go option too.
Curry in a hurry!
For my two-year-old: Pots for Tots Simple Korma, corn on the cob, red pepper slices.
For my seven-month-old: Pots for Tots Simple Korma.
- This korma is so good, I'm always secretly hoping there'll be leftovers for me! But it's probably Bluebelle and Drew's favourite of all the Pots for Tots meals, so usually I'm not so lucky.
- Like me, if you don't feel comfortable giving your baby a whole corn on the cob (the loose kernels can be a choking hazard), give them an "eaten" cob instead. He won't get much food from it, but the holding, munching and gnawing supports his oral motor skills and helps strengthen his jaw muscles.
A question you might be wondering: why are you giving your seven-month-old meals when the packs say 9m+ or 1 year+? Every baby's weaning journey is different, and the ages on pack are just a guide. I feel comfortable with the textures of these meals, and as they're filled with ingredients I use at home myself, I have no concerns about offering them to my son. You can find out more about Pots for Tots age suitability and meal ranges here.
More toddler and baby friendly meal ideas
Once you've got a few go-to combos, the rest of the week gets easier. These are the extra weekday meal ideas I lean on when I want something different from a jar or a commercial baby food pouch — proper family food, just adapted by texture rather than swapped out for something separate.
Jacket potato, cheese and beans
For my two-year-old: Jacket potato with grated cheese, baked beans and cucumber sticks.
For my seven-month-old: Mashed potato with a little grated cheese and mashed beans.
- This is my "empty the cupboard" dinner — it takes fifteen minutes and everyone eats the same thing, just mashed differently for Drew.
Fish pie, family-style
For my two-year-old: Fish pie with a few extra peas stirred through.
For my seven-month-old: The same fish pie, mashed a little looser with some of the cooking liquid.
- Fish pie freezes brilliantly in individual portions, so I batch it on a Sunday and I'm not thinking about dinner again until Wednesday.
Chicken and veg traybake
For my two-year-old: Roasted chicken thigh, soft-roasted carrot and courgette, couscous.
For my seven-month-old: Shredded chicken, mashed roasted veg, soft couscous.
- Everything goes in one tray, so it's the closest thing I have to a night off.
Overnight oats with blueberry muffin
For my two-year-old: Overnight oats topped with a crumbled Blueberry Mini Muffin and a spoon of yoghurt.
For my seven-month-old: Softened oats with a corner of Blueberry Mini Muffin mixed through.
- These are genuinely soft mini muffins loaded with blueberries and banana, so they crumble easily into porridge and Drew can gum through a piece himself.
Finger-food breakfast plate
For my two-year-old: An Apple & Cinnamon Mini Muffin, a Mini Banana Pancake and sliced strawberries.
For my seven-month-old: A quarter of an Apple & Cinnamon Mini Muffin and a Mini Banana Pancake, both soft enough for him to mash between his gums.
- Both of these are finger food in our house, not a snack — Drew gets to practise his pincer grip while Bluebelle eats the same plate, just more of it.
Toddler and baby friendly meals: quick FAQs
What is a good toddler friendly meal? One that pairs a protein, a carb and a fruit or veg, adapts easily by texture, and doesn't need three separate dinners cooked from scratch each night. Every combo on this page follows that same shape.
How do I make one meal that works for both a toddler and a weaning baby? Cook one base meal, then mash, smash or chop it differently for whichever age is eating it — the korma stays whole for Bluebelle and gets mashed for Drew, the pasta gets smashed peas instead of whole ones. It's the batch-once, adapt-by-texture approach that runs through every meal above.
How many meals and snacks should a 1 year old have a day? As a rough rule of thumb, most one-year-olds do well on three small meals plus two or three snacks a day, little and often rather than three "perfect" plates. That's a guide, not a rulebook — some days Drew eats loads, some days barely anything, and both are normal.
What foods should I avoid for toddlers and babies at mealtimes? The choking hazards flagged above are the main ones to keep front of mind: whole cherry tomatoes, whole grapes, and whole corn on the cob or loose kernels. NHS guidance on food and drinks to avoid is worth a read if you want the full list.
Well, there you have it — I hope my menu of meals gives you a little foodie inspiration! Make sure to follow me on Instagram, as I often share what I'm feeding Bluebelle and Drew on my Stories. And if you're looking for more snack and meal ideas, I have a huge list here!
Love, Jazz x
