Toddler Finger Foods

In the ever expanding "Chronicles of the Second Child" we've completely forgotten how to (and that we had to) transition Ginny off a bottle and to more table food. Don't get me wrong, girl loves to eat, but she's still on several bottles a day, doesn't like a sippy cup, and still gets a bottle to bed. I know in the grand scheme of things, we're not "behind," but I feel like we had Charlie off bottles and purees and on mostly table food shortly after one. Whoops, sorry Gin.

Mmmmm pears...

Ginny gets a bottle and puree food for breakfast, three bottles and a little finger food at daycare, a bottle and finger food for dinner, and another bottle before bed. We need to start moving her to a real breakfast, morning snack, real lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner - with a sippy of milk throughout the day. This isn't going to happen over night, nor do I think it should.

First thing's first. Daycare would like us to send more "toddler" finger foods and snacks for Ginny to have throughout the day to start moving away from bottles of formula. Okay.

Wait. What the heck do I send?! And what's this about a "toddler?!" ::faints::

But really, Charlie was in this exact position a little over 2 years ago. How have I completely forgotten what snacks we fed him. Thank goodness for Pinterest and my Mom friends.

Dinner seems to be the easiest - we just cut up whatever we're eating. Breakfast and lunch/snacks at daycare seem to be a little harder.

This is what I've come up with for basic "toddler" foods...

Breakfast:
Eggs, toast strips, yogurt, oatmeal, diced up fruit, waffle sticks, dry cereal, pancakes (make ahead and freeze!), cottage cheese

Lunch:
PB & J sandwich, ravioli or tortellini, steamed veggies, hard boiled egg, shredded chicken or turkey, elbow pasta, sweet potato fries, sliced turkey or chicken lunch meat, cheese and crackers, diced up fruit, macaroni and cheese, rice, couscous (though its a huge mess), general dinner left overs

Snacks:
Rice cakes, crackers, Cheerios, diced up fruit, cheese cubes or slices, mini muffins, cottage cheese and fruit, red pepper strips, applesauce


Then there is the Pinterest board I put together on feeding toddlers. That should help too.

Follow Jen's board Feeding Kids on Pinterest.


Now the trick to all of this is actually putting together fancy, fun, bento style meals that look like something off a Pinterest board. Yeah, that's probably not going to happen. This is one of those times that I feel like I'm failing my kids because I work so much.

I need to invest in new lunch box stuff for Ginny now that she'll be getting more than bottles and one little cup of food to daycare. She has a cute Sugar Booger lunch box, so that's a start. I'm on the hunt for a nice, quality bento box style lunch kit.

Anyone out there have a favorite?