Hosting dinner for another family with a toddler - looking for ideas

[Anonymous]

This weekend I’m hosting dinner with another family with a toddler (they also have a small baby). I’m roasting a chicken, but otherwise drawing a blank on what to serve. Any ideas/suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Baby carrots and cut cucumbers. Something with potato or sauce less pasta with sauce on the side? Fried rice? Nice salad?

[Anonymous]

I would just ask them. Toddlers are all over the place in terms of what they will and won't eat (even from one day to the next sometimes). One of my kids refused to eat pasta (except mac and cheese and only box mac and cheese) the other loved it. One would have eaten roast chicken and the other wouldn't. They both loved broccoli--but other toddlers hate it.

If I was taking them to a dinner at someone else's house, I'd usually bring some foods for them to eat because even it it was a food they the at home, they might have balked at the way someone else made it.

[Anonymous]

What can I include that Billy will enjoy?

[Anonymous]

Is the dinner all adults, plus the toddler? So you are looking for ideas for sides to appeal to mostly adults plus a toddler, is that right?

Roast chicken is a fantastic idea for a main, and I’d do whatever you typically would want for sides like rice pilaf or mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, salad - and just have a box of mac and cheese that you could offer to make for the toddler. Putting bread on the table would likely appeal to all even though it seems out of vogue with adults these days, ha.

My guess is that the toddler will eat the chicken, and many parents would then just feed their kid the standard sides on the table or at least the bread, and the mac and cheese is there as a back up.

You are a thoughtful host!

[Anonymous]

Have some rolls and cut fruit available. Don't expect the toddler to eat a bite of what you've made.

[Anonymous]

Chicken/ Salmon
Roasted potatoes
Roasted mixed vegetables
Some kind of pasta dish or rice dish
Dinner rolls

[Anonymous]

*Salad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have some rolls and cut fruit available. Don't expect the toddler to eat a bite of what you've made.

+1
You are very sweet to try, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicken/ Salmon
Roasted potatoes
Roasted mixed vegetables
Some kind of pasta dish or rice dish
Dinner rolls

I don't think you need both potatoes and pasta or rice.

I think that potatoes, carrots, and onions cooked with a roast chicken are delicious and generally toddler friendly. I would add bread or rolls, and something green like a salad, but I wouldn't expect the toddler to eat salad. Having a variety of fruits to offer would be good too. But I wouldn't cut it, until the parents tell you what he likes, unless you're offering something like berries as or with dessert for everyone. Otherwise, I'd have and apple and a banana and maybe another choice like grapes or pineapple or berries, but leave it uncut until the parents tell you what he would like.

[Anonymous]

You cook for the adults not the toddler.
Is that what you are asking? Toddler has some mashed up baby food type slop if they eat at all.

[Anonymous]

Just make a normal grown up meal for the adults.

Ask mom what the toddler eats, but for hoodness sakes don't plan the meal based on the toddler.

Mom and dad will be so disappointed if you make a kid meal.

[Anonymous]

Ask the parents what the toddler will eat.

[Anonymous]

A big fruit salad and bread plus whatever you want to serve the grown ups. Maybe a cup of milk available

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicken/ Salmon
Roasted potatoes
Roasted mixed vegetables
Some kind of pasta dish or rice dish
Dinner rolls

I don't think you need both potatoes and pasta or rice.

I think that potatoes, carrots, and onions cooked with a roast chicken are delicious and generally toddler friendly. I would add bread or rolls, and something green like a salad, but I wouldn't expect the toddler to eat salad. Having a variety of fruits to offer would be good too. But I wouldn't cut it, until the parents tell you what he likes, unless you're offering something like berries as or with dessert for everyone. Otherwise, I'd have and apple and a banana and maybe another choice like grapes or pineapple or berries, but leave it uncut until the parents tell you what he would like.

Toddlers can’t eat raw apple or uncut grapes.