What kind of meals would you expect a nanny to make for a toddler?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Real food

Real food. For example, a simple veggie stir fry with a splash of soy sauce.

[Anonymous]

I don't think most nannies cook dinner.

[Anonymous]

I always prepped food for my nanny - it's not a big deal. Cut up some fruit. Cut up veggies and steam. Make some rice or pasta - enough for a few days - and serve with a very simple pat of butter. Make it so they can easily warm up in a microwave or on the stove. Chicken breast can be baked and cut into cubes and stored as well. Nanny can absolutely cut fruit fresh and warm things up. Prepared foods are so gross - full of sugar and salt. Simple fresh foods are the way to go.

[Anonymous]

Just simple lunches like I make him for lunch on weekends. Fruit and yogurt or a sandwich.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Chicken nuggets were DH's idea, my nanny suggested mac and cheese, and some other mom suggested deli meat. I've tried saving some leftovers for lunch, but it seems like my toddler doesn't like reheated leftovers--especially meat, which she already dislikes. I also don't like cooking much myself and eat out a lot. Maybe I'll try to improve my cooking during my upcoming maternity leave. DH is also trying to pick up cooking, after getting fed up with our dining out bills (pun intended).

My mom was/is a wonderful cook, so I grew up eating a ton of good food made from scratch. It's a shame that my daughter isn't getting that. But at least she's still eating better than DH for lunch, which without fail is either frozen pizza, hotdogs, or PBJs.

[Anonymous]

i guess it depends on what the toddler will eat. i would stay away from chicken nuggets, if possible, because most of those are crap. probably mostly leftovers from dinners for the meat. fresh veg and fresh fruit. some yogurt, some cheese, some sandwiches. some mac and cheese.

i would try while the kid is young to present lots of healthy options and stay away from garbagy easy kid friendly food.

i would not really expect a nanny to be cooking lunch, as i rarely "cook" for lunch.

[Anonymous]

Both my toddlers ate the same meals we did (and our nanny prepared). Nothing fancy, but the same food as grown ups. Lots of sheet pan meals.

[Anonymous]

nanny prepares relatively simply foods, including: simple soups ( homemade or low sodium from frozen or boxed soup), eggs (very popular here), cucumber salad in sour cream/yogurt, pasta with cheese, tuna salad, leftover salmon, fruit, etc.
We don't eat a lot of meat, but sometimes chicken or meatballs left over from the night before.
OP, I definitely recommend avoiding processed food like fish sticks or chicken on a regular basis, as well as deli meats on a regular basis. Tastes are forming, and it is a good time to focus on exposing your kid to less processes foods. (my child definitely eats those foods from time to time, but not very regularly).

[Anonymous]

Our nanny did lunch. Usually pasta and meat sauce with steamed veggies, soup and crackers, or udon bowls. Now my kids are much older and still don't eat sandwiches, which is super annoying because they want a cooked sit down lunch everyday. Obviously I tell them to cook their own, but it still takes time. My suggestion is a sandwich and sliced fruit, maybe soup, just make it easy for yourself later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Chicken nuggets were DH's idea, my nanny suggested mac and cheese, and some other mom suggested deli meat. I've tried saving some leftovers for lunch, but it seems like my toddler doesn't like reheated leftovers--especially meat, which she already dislikes. I also don't like cooking much myself and eat out a lot. Maybe I'll try to improve my cooking during my upcoming maternity leave. DH is also trying to pick up cooking, after getting fed up with our dining out bills (pun intended).

My mom was/is a wonderful cook, so I grew up eating a ton of good food made from scratch. It's a shame that my daughter isn't getting that. But at least she's still eating better than DH for lunch, which without fail is either frozen pizza, hotdogs, or PBJs.

Yeah it is a shame. You and your DH need to do better.

[Anonymous]

for meat maybe try a pounded flatish chicken tender grilled in a pan. cut into triangles. this would be easy to make any day in 5 minutes.

or little cubes on toothpicks. sometimes kids will eat things that are more fun than usual.

[Anonymous]

Do you have an instant pot? This device made me into a gourmet cook, not to mention how much money I save. This week, I took the stalks from the broccoli and threw them into the pressure cooker, along with some chicken broth and onions and garlic and salt. It turned into this amazing broccoli soup for pennies on the dollar. I also make amazing pasta sauce in there with tons of chopped vegetables that blend right into the sauce.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here- I meal prep for the next day, so every day is homemade except Monday. The parents came seem to make a meal on Sundays for Monday so their kids get frozen food on that day. Oh well!

[Anonymous]

None. We hired a nanny who was a teacher. She doesn’t cook at all.

[Anonymous]

Easy stuff that they can take in the go. All kinds of fresh fruit, simple quesadillas (my kids’ version of a sandwich), nitrate free deli meat plus string cheese, etc.

I try to cook homemade dinner 3-4 times a week and the other nights we repurpose leftovers or do something relatively healthy and frozen.