Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

17 month toddler still eating jars - stuck for ideas???

23 replies

nicand2 · 30/03/2006 20:32

My 17 month old is still mainly eating jars and shop bought toddler food.

I feel really guilty about this but am stuck for ideas of things to give him which are quick and easy. I hate cooking but want to make the effort.

He's never been good with lumps which is mainly why I've stuck to jars as even the toddler ones are fairly mushy.

I need some ideas on what other mums make for their toddlers which I can mash or blend if necessary.

He will eat sandwhiches for lunch and then a jar for tea. Do any other mums use jars every day?

Any advice appreaciated!

OP posts:
starlover · 30/03/2006 20:33

scrambled eggs
stew (ok not that quick, but very easy!)
pasta and sauce
jacket potato

Feistybird · 30/03/2006 20:33

Shepherds pie, Lasagne, fish pie,

does he like finger food?

SharonW · 30/03/2006 20:38

Hi - my son is 16 months old and I'm still feeding him on jars. Apart from the fact that he's not a very big eater he likes them.

If it makes you feel any better most jars are balanced so that they have all the right nutrients for kids. I go mostly organic - Hipp do a great range which my wee one can't get enough of.

Don't be so hard on yourself, there's plenty of time to get your son on to "grown-up" foods.

Original poster
nicand2 · 30/03/2006 20:38

Again with finger food I'm stuck for ideas. He loves cheese sandwiches but can't think of any other fillings he could manage.

Have tried mini sausages but he won't bite them

OP posts:
starlover · 30/03/2006 20:40

my 13 month old eats the following finger food:

sandwiches with cheese/hummous/roast veg/marmite/egg

cooked veg

breadsticks

fruit

biscuits/cake

homemade potato wedges

SharonW · 30/03/2006 20:42

Have you tried the mini sausages in spaghetti hoops - quite good!

Also, on sandwiches - I'd suggest jam or primula cheese. The main thing for my son is that it is something he can hold - if he can do this he's more likely to eat something.

One other thing - try not putting you boy in his high chair. Put his finger food on a plastic plate and leave it somewhere he can reach so that he can come back to it again and again at a time to suit him. These babies, they like to be as independant as possible!

biglips · 30/03/2006 20:45

fish pie with leeks and cheese (mash potato, fish, leeks and cheese)

Spag bol

donnie · 30/03/2006 20:47

one thing my dd2 ( 11 months) loves is what I call cheesy mash: boil up equal amounts of potato, sweet potato, carrot and frozen peas. Then mash up when soft and add lots of grated cheese. It;s nutritious and very tasty, plus I make a large pot full and freeze lots of little dinners from it.

mazzystar · 30/03/2006 20:52

baked potatos
baked sweet potato wedges
pasta and stuff (brocolli and salmon/tomato and goat's cheese/pesto)
omelette
pancakes
eggy bread savoury or sweet version sandwiched around mashed banana and blueberries
baked beans
homemade lentil and vegetable soup/leek and potato soup

7up · 30/03/2006 20:53

my ds 17months has a jar and toast for breakfast and eats chicken fillets, ham, pots (restricted coz of food intolerances)cucumber, veg (loves brocolli). he loves roast spuds with ketchup on.

i found the jars were very expensive and i was being v.lazy using them, i cook the fillets in the morning and a big pan of chunks of spuds for throughout the day.

if i was better off financially id still have him on jars tho!

FrayedKnot · 30/03/2006 20:55

DS loves omelettes.

He's not too good with veg so I make it using the frozen mixed veg, peas, carrots, sweetcorn etc. It's the quickest tea I can think of!

I make it like a spanish omelette so start it off on the hob and finish under the grill, to make sure the egg is well cooked.

I then cut it up into finger sized bits.

5 mins and serve with some crusty bread & butter.

He also loves casseroles & used to live on them when he was younger and I still mashed his food up.

They are so easy and you can cook in bulk & freeze some for another time.

I used to do his with couscous as again, it's really quick, and he seemed to like it when he was still having mushy stuff.

dejags · 30/03/2006 21:01

My 17 month old DS2 eats:

Omelette (with any filling usually cheese & veg) cut into squares
Spag Bol (messy but he loves it)
Pasta pieces with chicken/veg (good for little fingers to get to grips with)
Tiny meatballs with penne pasta (easy peasy to make)
Stew (veggie or meat stew always goes down well)
Sunday roast is his absolute favourite, just cut up all the elements into manageable chunks and he feeds himself.

He makes a lot of mess but prefers to feed himself.

On the other hand my DS1 (now five years old) was also very averse to lumpy food and still having mashed/pureed food at 17 months. His childminder at the time was fantastic. She started off by chopping up his veggies very small and cooking them until very tender and slowly progressed to bigger pieces of veg. To this day he doesn't like lumpy food and will not eat meat or anything that requires chewing. He is fine and healthy and we just cut his food up small. Dont worry about your DS - he will be just fine, just start adding the finger food in soon.

biglips · 30/03/2006 21:04

ill have to try omelette with DD

madmarchhare · 30/03/2006 21:04

Theres no reason he cant have what youre having and if you dont eat at the same time, save some from the day before. On days where your dinner isnt appropriate then all of the other suggestions here should be plenty to go at.

mazzystar · 30/03/2006 21:05

egg fried rice (with peas and sweetcorn)

biglips · 30/03/2006 21:07

chicken korma with Rice is a yum yum for DD

jimmy2 · 31/03/2006 10:05

If you are giving him the same food as you, you just need to be careful of the salt content

thomaswmum · 03/04/2006 12:04

hiya,my 19 month old still has jars for his tea at least twice a week,ive started adding baby pasta or small chunks of veg to them to bulk them up,that way they go alot further,dont feel bad that ur giving ur little one something that they really like,you get more problems later on if you force them at this stage to eat adult food.stew,spag boll,sheppard pie curry and rice(korma)sausage and mash,roast dinners,all go down well,stick them in the blender if they dont like big lumps,good luck x

Original poster
nicand2 · 03/04/2006 15:02

Thanks everyone for your ideas.

We managed home made tuna pasta yesterday and beans and sausages on toast for lunch today so I feel a bit braver to try some of the other ideas now.

OP posts:
Nbg · 03/04/2006 15:04

Another easy meal time idea is just to have some finger foods like bread sticks, cheese, apples, raisins, grapes, some chopped up meat like sliced ham, chicken etc, tomatoes.

Dead simple and it gives them an exciting meal.

nailpolish · 03/04/2006 15:05

nicand2, my dd2 is 17 mths also and i just give her whatever we are having. theres no need to make more work for yourself by making seperate meals

Original poster
nicand2 · 03/04/2006 16:49

Just trying some cheesy mash with veg for tea.

Can I give hime gravy with it? not sure about the salt?

OP posts:
nailpolish · 03/04/2006 16:51

a couple of tablespoons would be fine!

my dd2 loves tatties and gravy

New posts on this thread. Refresh page