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40 Toddler Meal IDeas for 3 Year Olds with plates

A list of 40 easy and toddler-approved toddler meal ideas for 3 year olds based on what my toddler eats every day.

I've compiled more than a month of toddler lunch ideas (that could be used for snacks or dinner too!). 3 year old toddler meal ideas that are easy, healthy, nutritious, and mom-approved.

Help prevent mealtime decision fatigue and add some of these easy 3 year old toddler lunch ideas to your meal rotation. Simple ingredients and most require little to no cooking!

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Red more from my meal idea series >>> Meal Ideas

3 Year Old Toddler Meal Ideas

Before we jump in I want to share some of my favorite toddler feeding supplies that help with mealtime. You will see these pictured below:

Nuby 360 Cup: a great alternative to a sippy cup! My kids love the different characters and they don't leak!

EZPZ Mini Play Mat (pictured above) : a fun divider plate that helps make meal time fun! The suction works great and they come in such cute colors. Use EZPZ25LOVE to get 25% off $75+

Pillowfort Divided Plates: a great versatile plate! It's the perfect size for toddlers and we use ours every day. They have held up for years and are dishwasher safe.

Elk & Friends Glass Cups with Silicone Sleeves: we love these straw cups for smoothies and use them for milk and water as well. So many cute color combos and the silicone sleeves make them toddler-proof (we haven't broken a single one yet!).

Toddler Meal Idea Side Dishes

I love using divided plates because it makes it easy to visualize toddler portion size (it's a good place to start but allow your child to eat until they are full) and reminds me to serve healthy, nutritious sides. Here are some side dish ideas:

  • Smoothie
  • Whole milk yogurt
  • Sliced, shredded, or string cheese
  • Unsweetened applesauce
  • Grapes
  • Thinly sliced apples
  • Pears
  • Kiwi
  • Berries
  • Mandarin orange
  • Grapes (halved or quartered)
  • Watermelon
  • Plum
  • Canned fruit (in 100% juice)
  • Thawed frozen fruit
  • Baby carrots
  • Cucumber
  • Broccoli w/ ranch dressing
  • Peas
  • Bell pepper
  • Avocado
  • Crackers
  • Graham crackers
  • Pretzels
  • Raisins
  • Beans

Easy Toddler Meal Ideas 1-4

Four plates with toddler lunch on them
  1. Pretzels w/ guacamole: we love the flat pretzel crisps with dips like guacamole for dipping. Side of green smoothie and cheddar cheese. (Cup shown: Elk & Friends Glass Toddler Cup)
  1. Bagel w/ cream cheese: toasted bagels are great for older toddlers who have all their teeth and are very comfortable chewing (bagels can be chewy). Side of unsweetened cinnamon apple sauce, grapes, and string cheese.
  1. Cheese tortilla roll up: tortilla sprinkled with cheese and then rolled up and cooked on the stove. Side of sour cream (or greek yogurt) for dipping, carrots, and frozen wild blueberries.
  1. PB&J bites: peanut butter (or other butter) and jelly sandwich made toddler size by cutting into bite sized pieces. Side of baby carrots with cream cheese and string cheese.

3 Year Old Meal Ideas 5-8

Four easy toddler meal idea plates with food
  1. Broccoli eggs & cheese: make scrambled eggs but toss in some chopped broccoli for a more nutritious twist. Side of whole milk yogurt with blueberries and chicken sausage.
  1. Turkey & cheese roll ups: lay sliced cheese or string cheese on a piece of turkey and roll up tightly. Side of apples with peanut butter and baby carrots. (Food picks pictured: Fun Animal Food Picks)
  1. Pizza: leftovers make easy lunches! Leftover bbq chicken pizza with sides of avocado with everything but the bagel seasoning (EBB) and thawed frozen mango.
  1. Egg & cheese quesadilla: quesadilla filled with scrambled eggs and cheese. A breakfast quesadilla can be easier for toddlers and preschoolers to eat compared to a full breakfast burrito. Side of thawed frozen mango, chicken sausage, and avocado with EBB.

Toddler Meal Ideas 9-12

Four toddler meal idea plates
  1. Pancake dippers: cut pancakes into strips to make them a fun toddler-friendly finger food. Served with side of maple syrup for dipping and whole milk yogurt.
  1. Turkey & cheese grilled pinwheels: lay out a slice of bread and top with turkey and cheese then tightly roll up. Cook in butter on all sides until crispy like grilled cheese then cut into slices or pinwheels. Side of cucumber with cream cheese and sliced pears. (Food picks pictured: Fun Animal Food Picks)
  1. Scrambled egg sandwich: serve scrambled cheesy eggs inside an english muffin (or toast) to make a toddler-friendly breakfast favorite. Side of extra eggs, avocado, kiwi, and a homemade cereal bar.
  1. Chili: loaded chili served deconstructed. Chili with sour cream, crackers, shredded cheese, and avocado.

Toddler Meals for 3 Year Olds 13-16

Four toddler meal idea plates
  1. Baked beans: don't forget about this easy toddler lunch option! Baked beans with a side of unsweetened berry apple sauce, and steamed broccoli with ranch for dipping.
  1. Yogurt snack plate: serve lunch snack style with your toddler's favorite side dishes. Whole milk yogurt, baby carrots, strawberries, kiwi, cheddar cheese, and bunny graham crackers. (Fun flower plate pictured: EZPZ Mini Play Mat)
  1. Pasta salad: toddler pasta salad made with pasta, olives, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing. Side of raspberries and pretzel sticks.
  1. Grilled cheese: grilled cheese with sides of mixed berries, and baby carrots with cream cheese and EBB for dipping. (Fun food cutter pictured: Kids Sandwich & Veggie Cutters)

3 Year Old Meals 17-20

  1. Turkey & string cheese snack plate: snack plates make any meal more fun! Turkey and string cheese roll ups, baby carrots, pear, avocado, bunny graham crackers, and raisins. (Fun flower plate pictured: EZPZ Mini Play Mat)
  1. Egg salad sandwich: egg salad made with boiled eggs, whole milk greek yogurt, and a dash of mustard, salt, and pepper. Side of baby carrots, raspberries, and cheddar cheese cubes.
  1. Black bean & cheese quesadilla: smushed black beans and cheese inside a flour tortilla. Sides of avocado with EBB, and fresh mandarin orange.
  1. Mini peppers w/ cream cheese: halve mini sweet peppers and remove the seeds, then stuff with cream cheese and sprinkle with EBB. Side of avocado and fresh mandarin orange.
Four plates with toddler meal ideas
  1. Potato skins: these were left over from dinner and make a quick and easy lunch when heated back up. Side of ranch or whole milk greek yogurt for dipping, veggies, and nosa yogurt.
  1. Avocado chicken salad sandwich: make super easy chicken salad by mixing together shredded chicken (I used canned, but rotisserie or left over chicken work too) with avocado. Serve alone, with crackers, or as mini sandwiches, side of cucumber with cream cheese and mandarin oranges.
  1. Turkey & cheese slider: melt turkey and cheese on a Hawaiian sweet roll for an easy slider or toddler-sized sandwich. Side of avocado and thinly sliced apples (apples can be a choking hazard).
  1. Kidfresh Pizza: we love Kidfresh pizza as a quick and easy frozen meal option because its made with veggies! Side of whole milk string cheese and mandarin oranges.
Four toddler meal ideas on plates
  1. Dino veggie chicken nuggets: dino nuggets can be a toddler's best friend! We love Perdue Chicken Plus because they are made with veggies. Side of ketchup for dipping, cucumber, mandarin oranges, and grapes.
  1. Yogurt chicken salad: chicken salad made with shredded chicken (I use canned chicken breast), whole milk greek yogurt, grapes, cucumber, and dill. Side of pretzels for dipping, and a smoothie. (Cup shown: Elk & Friends Glass Toddler Cup)
  1. Avocado toast: easy and nutritious! Toast topped with smushed avocado, side of yogurt tube, strawberries, and mini cookies.
  1. Pinto beans & cheese: beans can be a great source of protein and are easy for your toddler to eat. Pinto beans with cheese, sides of thawed frozen wild blueberries and avocado.
  1. Sweet potato mac & cheese: instead of pasta, try using sweet potato 'rotini' and mix with a soft cheese like laughing cow cheese or cream cheese. Side of watermelon and peas.
  1. Sweet potato tots: my boys love tots and they are so easy to heat up in the air fryer. Served with sweetened greek yogurt as dipping sauce, blueberries, and rice cake with peanut butter.
  1. Cheese & crackers: cheese and crackers with a side of orange bell pepper with cream cheese and EBB seasoning, blueberries, and plums.
  1. Mac & cheese snack plate: a snack plate with Annie's white cheddar mac with peas and carrots, thawed frozen mango, goldfish crackers, shredded carrots, fruit snack gummies, and avocado. (Fun flower plate pictured: EZPZ Mini Play Mat)
Four toddler plates with meal ideas
  1. Mini nachos: corn chips topped with white cheddar cheese and olives to make mini toddler nachos. Side of kiwi, yellow plum, carrots, and peas.
  1. Veggie muffin: we love Veggies Made Great muffins because they are loaded with veggies. Side of carrots with ranch for dipping, and kiwi.
  1. Cucumber sandwiches: cucumbers sliced thin with cream cheese in between slices to make cucumber sandwiches. Sides of avocado, peaches, graham cracker, raisins, and cheese. (Fun flower plate pictured: EZPZ Mini Play Mat)
  1. Veggie corndog: veggie corndogs (we like these veggie corndogs) can be especially fun for toddlers because they are served on a stick! be sure to slice lengthwise for young toddlers under 3-4. Side of ketchup for dipping, string cheese, and mandarin orange.
  1. Avocado quesadilla: instead of cheese, try loading up a quesadilla with smushed avocado. Side of black beans and corn and gogi berries.
  1. Dr. Praeger's Broccoli Littles: a favorite quick and easy lunch idea: Dr. Praeger's Broccoli littles. Side of cucumber, carrots with hummus and strawberries.
  1. Avocado tuna salad: tuna mixed with avocado and cucumber, crackers and pretzel crisps for dipping, and a side of mandarin orange.
  1. Cauliflower tots: cauliflower tot snack plate with ketchup for dipping, turkey, cooked baby carrots, grapes, plantain chips. (Fun flower plate pictured: EZPZ Mini Play Mat)

Summary of 3 Year Old Lunch Ideas

Here is a quick breakdown of easy toddler lunch ideas:

  1. Pretzels w/ guacamole
  2. Bagel w/ cream cheese
  3. Cheese tortilla roll up
  4. PB&J bites
  5. Broccoli eggs & cheese
  6. Turkey & cheese roll ups
  7. Pizza
  8. Egg & cheese quesadilla
  9. Pancake dippers
  10. Turkey & cheese grilled pinwheels
  11. Scrambled egg sandwich
  12. Chili
  13. Baked beans
  14. Yogurt snack plate
  15. Pasta salad
  16. Grilled cheese
  17. Turkey & string cheese snack plate
  18. Egg salad sandwich
  19. Black bean & cheese quesadilla
  20. Mini peppers w/ cream cheese
  21. Potato skins
  22. Avocado chicken salad sandwich
  23. Turkey & cheese slider
  24. Kidfresh Pizza
  25. Dino veggie chicken nuggets
  26. Yogurt chicken salad
  27. Avocado toast
  28. Pinto beans & cheese
  29. Butternut squash mac & cheese
  30. Sweet potato tots
  31. Cheese & crackers
  32. Mac & cheese snack plate
  33. Mini nachos
  34. Veggie muffin
  35. Cucumber sandwiches
  36. Veggie corndog
  37. Avocado quesadilla
  38. Dr. Praeger's Broccoli Littles
  39. Avocado tuna salad
  40. Cauliflower tots

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40 Toddler Meal Ideas for 3 year olds with sample food ideas