8 Budget Friendly Healthy Meals Your Toddlers Will Enjoy

You’re on the go all day, and so is your little one. They need healthy food for their growing body, but sometimes it feels like trying to make your kiddos a meal that is good for them is just impossible! Everything is either expensive, takes so long to make, or requires so many ingredients that it’s just exhausting to think about pulling that off with your busy schedule. Well, it doesn’t have to feel that way! We found breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes that do not go over $10, are healthy, and only require a few ingredients. Making a meal for your toddler that you can be satisfied with can now be a part of your daily routine! 

Breakfast:

Apple Overnight Oats:

Cost: Approximately $5.00 for 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup plain, whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons rolled oats finely ground
• ⅛ teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a small, airtight container overnight (or at least 6 hours).
2. Serve chilled for breakfast!

• This can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
• Try adding fresh berries and bananas on top! 

Egg, Fruit, and Whole Grain Plate: 

Cost: Approximately $5.00 will afford around 5 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ piece of bread
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 1 hard boiled egg
• ½ cup blueberries (or other fruit of your choosing)

Directions:

1. Hard boil your eggs according to how done do you want them (usually varies within 5-8 minutes) (1 egg should be eaten at once for a toddler, but more than one can be meal prepped for the week and saved in the refrigerator for efficiency).
2. While eggs are boiling, wash the fruit and put 1 slice of bread in the toaster.
3. Once eggs are done rinse with cold water, peel one egg, and slice into 4 small pieces. Place on a plate or into a container if your child is on-the-go.
4. Once the bread is done, cut in half. (save the half you’re not using for tomorrow, or eat yourself!). Butter, cut into 4 pieces and add to plate or container.
5. Once toast and eggs are plated, add the washed blueberries.
6. Let your little one dig in!

Lunch:

Grilled Cheese Roll Ups:

Cost: Approximately $5.00 for 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 Slices Wheat bread
• 6 Slices of American cheese
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Directions:

1. Roll each slice of bread to flatten.
2. Trim the crust off the bread.
3. Place each slice of cheese on the flattened bread, then roll it up.
4. Heat skillet over medium-low heat, add butter.
5. Place roll-up in pan, seam-down.
6. Cook until starting to brown.
7. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Ham and Cheese Quesadillas:

Cost: $8.00 will afford about 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

• Wheat tortilla
• 2 slices of ham
• 1 slice of mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Cut 1 tortilla in half, then place ham and cheese between tortilla pieces and close like a sandwich.
2. Cook on a skillet on one side for 1-2 minutes, or until brown.
3. Flip and cook another side for 1-2 minutes, or until brown.
4. Enjoy!

• To make this recipe a little healthier, add some spinach or sweet peppers and serve with some fresh avocado!

Dinner:

Rice and Bean Burritos

Cost: Approximately $10.00 for 12 burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 16 ounces can refried beans (drained)
• 1 cup of salsa
• 1 cup long grain cooked rice
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 12 flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan
2. In a bowl combine the beans, rice, salsa, and 1 cup of cheese.
3. Spoon about ⅓ of the mixture off-center into the tortillas, fold the sides and ends over filling and roll tortillas. Place the filled tortillas in the greased pan.
4. Once tortillas are all in the pan, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top across the tortillas.
5. Cover and bake at 375℉ for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
6. Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Cost: Approximately $10.00 for 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• Long grain rice
• 3 pieces of chicken breast
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups of broccoli, diced
• 1 ½ cups of chicken broth
• Extra cheddar cheese for topping

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375℉
2. In a casserole dish, combine the rice, pepper, onion powder, cream of chicken, cheese, broccoli, and chicken stock. Mix until everything is combined.
3. Lay chicken on top of the rice mixture, space evenly.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
5. Once done, take off the cover and top with more cheese, then bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
6. Take out and enjoy!

Snacks: 

Peanut Butter and Banana Sushi:

Cost: Approximately $5.00 for 8 bites

Ingredients:

• Peanut butter
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 tortilla (wheat would be healthier, but flour would work)

Directions:

1. Place the tortilla on a plate.
2. Spread a small layer of peanut butter on the tortilla.
3. Once the peanut butter is spread, place the banana on the area where you spread the peanut butter.
4. Roll the tortilla up as tight as you can with the peanut butter and banana inside.
5. Once the tortilla is rolled up, slice the tortilla into thin, bite-sized pieces.
6. Place on a plate to serve, or bag it up and place in the fridge until ready to eat!

Frozen Banana Yogurt Bites

Cost: Approximately $5.00 for 12 bites

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe banana
• 150 grams of yogurt of your choice
• A handful of dried banana chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Layout 12 muffin/cupcake cases or use the silicone muffin cups on a small baking sheet or tray (This will need to fit in your freezer so make sure you check the size before starting).
2. Peel banana, place on a plate, then mash with a fork until lumps are gone. If you have a potato masher, children may find it easier to do this step with a masher if you are choosing to let them help.
3. Tip the mashed banana off the plate into the bowl, then add the yogurt into the bowl.
4. Whisk together until well combined.
5. Dollop a little bit of the banana and yogurt mixture into the cups using a spoon until the yogurt is gone.
6. Top the cups with the banana chips if you have chosen to add them.
7. Once cups are filled, place the baking tray into the freezer for an hour or two, or until frozen.
8. Once frozen, remove from cups and serve, or leave in the freezer until ready to be eaten!