Welcome to another Munchkin Meals! Kaitlyn is 10 months old and eats breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. Since we did/do baby-led weaning, Kaitlyn usually eats small bits of our family meal. This works really well for the most part, but sometimes I need reinforcements to help me put together a meal when what we are eating isn’t appropriate or I’ve just flat run out of food. For those times, I turn to the freezer to help me out!
Freezer items are great because they are frozen at the peak of freshness, usually don’t contain all the extra sodium and junk canned foods can have, plus they can really save you some bucks over fresh options, especially if you like to buy organic.
Here are a few of my faves:
Frozen fruit! I give these to her still frozen. I slice the cherries into fourths and the blueberries I usually leave whole (these particular ones are tiny) or cut them in half. I’ve also done pineapple, peaches and mango from the freezer section as well. I cut each piece into appropriate sizes and she loves them.
Frozen veggies! I keep frozen peas around at all times. They are my go-to to toss on her tray when I’m trying to keep her occupied instead of Puffs. I give the peas to her frozen (Hailey still prefers them this way too). I also love keeping frozen broccoli because it’s a freeze to heat quickly. I boil about an inch of water in a small pan and pour a few florets in for a minute or two. I also like keeping frozen shredded carrots, edamame and frozen peppers.
Meal makers! Frozen fruits and veggies are great, but sometimes I need help with the bulk part of the meal. For that I love these frozen raviolis, which boil in about 8 minutes. I just slice them up and drizzle them in a little olive oil and Viola, dinner!
Other convenience foods include homemade pancakes that I freeze then pop in the toaster, cans of black olives that are easy to quickly drain for a healthy fat, canned beans ready to be rinsed and Applegate Farms meat products, like their frozen chicken strips (shown below with frozen peaches and roasted sweet potatoes)
and occasionally their ham too. (shown with quartered grapes and orange bell pepper)
These convenience foods have saved my butt many times and make throwing together a healthy meal for a three year old and a baby so much easier!
What are your favorite healthy convenience foods?
Brynn says
you keep puffs cold? Interesting, I’ll have to try that one!
Brittany Dixon says
Haha, oops, no I meant I give the peas to her frozen! I haven’t bought puffs in a while now.
Heather@hungyforbalance says
We don’t do a lot of convenience foods, but Matilda does loves beans. I usually buy the canned black beans and rinse them really well. If I want Matilda to eat something, all I have to do is put it on my plate first. If she sees me eating it, she wants it!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
Baby D Loves frozen blueberries and peas… he will eat broccoli right after I fix it, but not if it is “leftover”. Picky little man…
Lisa @ exercise eat repeat says
I am loving frozen food at the moment as i have been so busy. i have started freezing peppers and onions if i have some left over and i also buy them already frozen along with other veg. it makes it so much easier. i have also been making extra portions of dished and freezing them. It is making my life so much easier. I have also had some lovely frozen berries recently. very yum.
Jen says
I knew you gave her frozen peas, but I didn’t know you’d given her other stuff frozen, thank you for the inspiration! I wanted to introduce my daughter to cherries and have some frozen right now; I think that’s what she’s getting for lunch (or part of it, at least)!
Brittany says
Love the convenience of frozen foods..especially when you can get organic for so much cheaper with similar nutritional value. I even give my dogs frozen veggies as treats 🙂
Heather says
My son loves frozen blueberries and I always have frozen veggies on hand just in case I haven’t had time to get to the store for fresh produce. In a pinch the kids love the Earth’s Best brand of frozen foods and my preschooler especially likes the french toast sticks, and both kids gobble up the ravioli when I need a quick dinner fix.
Catherine says
I am so happy I found your blog! I have a 10 mo son (well, turning 10m next week ;). But we just started finger foods. I am in desperate need of inspiration! I can’t wait to read more!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
What a cutie! Yummy eats!
Sherri @ Adventures of Love and Marriage says
My new convenience food was one you just recommended last week. After your post on Bitsy’s Brainfood smart cookies, I stumbled across them at Target. They had just started selling them. I grabbed the Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot cookies and my 15-mo LOVES them. It’s the one cookie I don’t feel too “guilty” about giving him.
Thanks for saving me on that one:)
Madeline @ FoodFitandFam says
Love this post! Hate to say it but the kids eat from the freezer more than I’d like to admit with school haha.
Laura @FItMamaLove says
I had nothing new to share this month, but I’m bummed I didn’t participate this time! I am also a fan of having healthy freezer foods on hand–they simplify things on crazy days or when I’m running out of fresh foods. Frozen peas are a staple around here!
MrsFF says
I make boiled apple and pear in bulk and freeze and I find these come in handy when we need sometime quick. Also frozen peas, carrots and sweet corn. And now the grapes are in season here lots of grapes and bananas too.
Ps: I’m so glad I stumbled Upon your blog when H was small and you were doing baby led weaning. Most people are amazed my 17 month old daughter eats almost 90% of what we eat (with less spiced though)
Simi says
Hi, I am really interested in knowing more about the frozen options, example the blueberries that you give whole but frozen. Aren’t they a chocking hazard because they are hard? I would love to know more.
Brittany Dixon says
It depends on the size of the blueberry and your comfort level. Sometimes I would cut them in half, but sometimes they are really small (like the wild blueberries).