Lunch on menu for a two year toddler for Day care

satsha · Jul 7, 2009

What are the food we can give at Day care for 2 year kid. My daughter is 2 year old and she still doesn't know how to use how to use spoon and fork by herself. But she grabs the food and can eat using her hands. I need to provide her two snacks and one lunch. I have many things to give for snacks. But I have not many ideas for lunch. I am thinking of Aloo Paratha, Muthiyas, Dhokla etc. Any other suggestions ? We are vegetarian so please, suggest some of the ideas for lunch on menu for a two year toddler.

Thanks,
Satsha

SriVidya75 · Jul 8, 2009

Satsha

You can put mini idlis, mini parathas, small sandwich pieces, give some chocolate milk or regular milk in the sipper,

one thing is you can try to put some items once in a week and give the fork or spoon....the day care people will guide her to eat..also she would learn it by seeing others...

by the way dont forget to feed her well on that day when you give her fork or spoon in the begining...as she may or may not get used to them for few days....just to be on safe side..

ramyav_cse · May 21, 2013

Can experienced people help me on this? My DS will be 2 in 2 weeks and has been going to the daycare for the last 6 months. So far I had help from my DH's parents and they used to bring him back by 3 and give him lunch as he doesnt eat at the daycare. He eats some of the snacks I give him but the lunch remains uneaten. It is an american daycare and my DS is only able to pick up bite size pieces and feed himself. Any ideas/pointers to ideas to make his lunch interesting?? I feel bad that my LO will starve until I bring back at 5.30

smileAlways · Jun 14, 2013

You can ask the teachers at the daycare to help him during the lunch, until he learns to eat with spoon.
I observed that we have to explicitly tell the teachers to help the kid as kids are expected to self feed.

ramyaramani · Jun 14, 2013

@ramyav If your DS can pick and eat bite size pieces then you can give:

Different types of parathas - Cut into small pieces
Different type of dosas/pancakes - Cut into small pieces
Idli - Small idli or regular idli cut into bite size pieces

Rice/Khichadi - you can give it to him for dinner.

This way at least he will eat something for lunch instead of starving. I have been sending DD to playschool for a month. Even though they feed her at the play school, I find that she hardly eats rice. Chapathi/Paratha/Idli/Dosa/Uthappam are some items that she eats. She is getting carbs some way.

ramyav_cse · Jun 21, 2013

Thanks for the suggestions...I finally found something he is able to eat on his own. I make phulkas and apply some peanut butter and roll it...he likes this and eats about 1-2 phulkas for lunch...I also give him some cut strawberries which he almost finishes...planning on introducing a veggie also as a part of his lunch..he seems to like eating all the veggies we have at home(those that are not spicy)...on the days i make some spicy veggies, I plan to give him some cut cucumbers or some boiled carrots....lets see if this would work...

smileAlways · Jun 28, 2013

Ramya,
Doesn't the day care provide snacks/lunch?

This is what I am sending for my DD. she is 22 months now.
Snacks:
fruits(strawberries/blueberries/water melon/banana)
Cereal/Cheerios/parle g biscuits
Rice cakes( store brought(something like our "pori"))
Sometimes veggie chips

Lunch:
Rice mixed with green(Bengal) gram, red beans or chick peas(extra cook beans)
Pasta with olive oil( you cAn add cheese instead)
Pasta with mixed veggies( sauté veggies(cut very small) and add to the pasta)
Boil broccoli/cauliflower/ carrot/ peas and can add as a side to white rice( my Dd likes plain rice) or pasta