50 Lunch Ideas For 1 Year Olds

Are you looking for lunch ideas for 1 year olds? Having a three and one year olds, I’ve got quite a few creative lunch ideas in my arsenal at this point.

Let’s be honest: it’s hard feeding young children. It’s kinda messy. They sorta hardly don’t eat anything. But you don’t want to feed them the *same* meal everyday. It’s tough.

Up until their first birthday, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that most of a baby’s nutrition should come from breast milk or formula. However, most babies start eating solid foods (including purees) around 6 months old. By age 1, they should be have 3 meals a day and 1-2 snacks along with 16 oz of breast milk or milk.

This means you’re gonna need some ideas of what to feed your baby! They’re likely fairly skilled at eating by now so you can start serving a wider variety of healthy foods in your toddler’s lunch! Here are 50 lunch meal ideas for one year olds to inspire you!

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My top toddler feeding items:

• Think Baby Stainless Steel Straw Cup
• Bamboo Feeding Plates
• Baby’s First Open Cup
• Suction Placemat
• Suction Bowl
• Training Spoons

These nutritious meals will help support your child’s growth, introduce them to new foods, and keep them from being bored. They are easy to prep and easy to eat and kids will love them!

Read more: What My 16 Month Old Eats In a Week (Toddler Meal and Snack Ideas)

50 Lunch Ideas For 1 Year Olds

Avocado toast with kiwi is a delicious combination.

Avocado is a fantastic source of healthy fats for toddlers. You can serve it in lots of different ways; by itself, in avocado sandwiches, as a dip, or even avocado on toast. It also pairs well with lots of different things so you can experiment with different food groups. 

PB & J with a side of turkey is a classic combination.

Quick and simple to make, it is also a great way to add protein and whole grains to your little one’s diet. Be sure to use pure, organic jelly that hasn’t been sweetened with sugar.

Fish sticks with a side of avocado and mixed vegetables are yet another great toddler food.

Fish sticks are an excellent way to introduce your child to new foods such as fish. Furthermore, frozen fish sticks heat up fast in the microwave, minimizing the amount of time spent preparing the dish.

Black beans, and corn with a side of turkey and bananas.

This assortment of staple dishes is great because you can whip everything up in a matter of minutes! Plus, you get a little something from all the food groups!

Macaroni & cheese with a side of peas.

Tossing in some veggies in your mac and cheese is a great idea. Peas work great for this. You can also offer the peas on the side to make the dish a more complete meal.

Veggie corn dog with avocado served with avocado with nectarine as a side dish.

It starts off frozen but heats up pretty quickly. Make sure to cut this into bite-size pieces as hot dogs and shaped foods are a choking hazard.

Pancakes made using plain Greek yogurt.

Serve with scrambled eggs and sliced bananas. A deliciously easy-to-make toddle meal! You could add cream cheese too.

Pita bread pizzas with Margherita sauce.

Simple to prepare and can be topped with anything you’d like. These are like mini homemade pizzas!

Eggs, roasted butternut squash, fruit, and avocado.

These make for a simple finger food combo that’s great for a one-year-old’s lunch. Sprinkle a  few drops of lime or lemon juice on the avocado to prevent it from turning brown if it’s going to sit for a while. 

Soft roasted chickpeas are another finger food meal.

Combine it with chopped cheese, diced kiwi, and crackers. Kiwi is packed with Vitamin C!

Baked beans with turkey and vegetables, served with a side of turkey and green beans.

A great protein-rich meal idea! 

Sweet potato falafels served with coleslaw and a side of hummus.

This makes a delicious lunch for your toddler! Both of my kids love hummus.

Buckwheat pancakes.

These make a great vegan lunch option. Serve with eggs on the side. 

Chicken fried rice.

Quickly whip this up in an instant pot. Adjust it to suit your little one’s palate and serve with fresh fruit. 

Spanish-style rice and beans.

Serve with a whole wheat tortilla cut into bite-size pieces and plain yogurt. 

Turkey and crackers served with fruit and vegetables.

A great low-maintenance lunch that can also be served as a snack! For more advanced one-year-olds, try stacking the turkey and the cheese on the crackers.

Pulled chicken and vegetables served with cucumbers and tomatoes on the side.

This combo is a hit with one-year-olds and it’s also a great way to introduce your little one to new foods like tomatoes and cucumbers. 

Quesadillas served with corn and pulled chicken.

Quesadillas are a quick and easy dish to prepare. You can even use leftover chicken from dinner for this meal. 

Grilled cheese sandwich with fruit and veggies served with a side of kiwi and mixed vegetables.

A delicious choice that provides a substantial portion of dairy and whole grains. 

Grilled broccoli & cheese with strawberries or raspberries.

A riff on the classic broccoli and cheese dish. Make a typical grilled cheese, but add broccoli inside it! This is a fantastic way to serve veggies for lunch. Best served with a side of raspberries.

Pesto pasta with a side of veggies.

Pasta for lunch is a simple and quick meal to prepare. You can also experiment with zucchini or squash noodles if you want to get creative! 

Veggie egg frittatas with bananas and peanut butter.

A quick and simple way to include vegetables in your toddler’s lunch! They can be heated in the microwave in a minute or less. 

Tuna with pico de gallo and avocado.

A great way to introduce fish to your little one while also getting some healthy fish fats into their lunch. Serve with oranges and avocado on the side.

Fried egg with meat and fruit on the side.

Eggs are a great source of protein and heart-healthy fats. Oranges and turkey lunch meat are also a delicious combination when served together.

Cauliflower tots with fruit and vegetables.

This is a fantastic alternative to potato tots. If you cook them in the air fryer for only a few minutes, the outsides will be wonderfully crisp, while the interior will be soft.

Crepes with broccoli and cheese eggs.

Have them savory with a topping of olive oil. Or make them with strawberries and blueberries instead for a sweeter lunch.

Toast with peanut butter, fruit, and cheese.

Peanut butter toast (or any other nut butter) chopped into bite-sized strips, served with finely sliced pear, string cheese, and mandarin oranges. 

Turkey and cheese sandwiches.

Always a win for anyone looking for a nutritious and simple toddler lunch option. Serve it with sliced cucumbers.

Avocado egg salad.

Make the avocado egg salad in the morning and enjoy it at lunch with your little one.  Pair it with whole wheat bread and fresh fruit for a complete meal. There is no need to reheat!

Tacos with shredded chicken.

Served with guacamole and Home-made low-carb tortillas.

Zucchini patties are a delicious vegetarian dish.

You can pair this with a nice thick Greek yogurt seasoned with salt and pepper or tahini sauce and broccoli or steamed carrots.

Turkey rice casserole paired with sweet potatoes and lentil soup.

This make a very healthy and delicious lunch.

Whole-grain crackers paired with sweet potato sauce and turkey nuggets.

Combine this with cherry tomatoes to make it even healthier. You could also top the crackers with cottage cheese.

Sweet potato sauce with shredded chicken and broccoli.

This combo is a simple yet very healthy lunch for your toddler.

Banana oatmeal muffins paired with scrambled eggs and baked sweet potatoes.

A healthy delicious treat that will quickly become your one-year-old’s favorite! 

Roasted chicken with chopped cauliflower and carrot mix.

Pair this with whole wheat toast and hummus to make the perfect lunch.

Overnight oats with whole milk plain yogurt and blueberries.

A great choice if you are going for a simple but delicious meal.

Mashed potatoes, broccoli, and turkey meatballs.

A nice hearty meal that can be extremely filling.

Chicken broccoli pasta casserole.

A nutritious dish that can be served both hot and cold. Your little one can have it with a side of fresh fruit and veggies. 

Barbecued chicken with shredded skin served with sweet potatoes chopped into french fry shapes.

Tasty and nutritious at the same time!

Pasta served with creamy salmon.

This can easily be turned into a main meal when served with hummus and soft veggies. 

Grilled cheese sandwich.

Make a traditional combo with fresh fruit and hummus. 

Turkey and cheese wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.

Cut it into slices for an easy toddler meal. Serve with blueberries, hummus, and assorted veggies. 

Turkey noodles and soup.

Make it ahead of time and strain it to put the solid bits in your little one’s lunch box the next day. Serve it with fresh apple slices for a simple yet healthy lunch idea!

Egg and cheese muffins.

Great for “hiding” eggs if your little one is not fond of them. Combine these delicious muffins with whole wheat bread and fresh berries. 

Turkey meatballs.

Nutritious and simple to prepare. Toss the meatballs with marinara dipping sauce, peas, carrots, and whole wheat bread for a complete meal. 

Veggie muffins with hard-boiled eggs.

A great lunch idea that you can combine with berries for a quick and easy kids lunch option that can be prepared ahead of time.

Chicken and sweet potatoes.

This incredibly simple dish combines chicken with roasted sweet potatoes. Throw in some zucchini for a simple make-ahead lunch idea. 

Grilled veggie cheese, corn, and applesauce.

Add spinach to grilled cheese to increase the nutritional value of this kid-favorite dish. Serve with frozen corn and applesauce.

Pasta with broccoli pesto. 

For one-year-olds, mixing broccoli into the pasta sauce is an effective way to get them to eat their veggies. You can get creative with fun shapes in the pasta like stars and hearts. Pair with a side of puffs or berries.

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In Summary: Lunch Ideas For 1 Year Olds

I hope these easy toddler lunch ideas were helpful in making lunch time and snack times easier! I always serve meals with an open cup or straw cup of water (this is our favorite). We do typically use sippy cups as a personal choice.

Truthfully, neither of my kids are picky eaters. I’ve always tried to feed them a variety of foods and they haven’t quite reached the stage of picky yet.

We often try to feed them things that we can give the whole family. We’ve mostly done this since they both started solid foods. We did a more baby led weaning style of feeding but by age 1, most babies should be eating finger foods.

Enjoy!