7 Lunch Ideas Your Toddler Will Love
When it comes to feeding your toddler, it can be either a joy or a challenge, depending on their mood.
Most moms can attest to being held at the will of their child’s everchanging tastes and preferences. While they might love a food item one day, that can quickly change overnight, leaving you to be ready to switch the menu up on a whim.
But lunchtime can still be enjoyable for you and your little one — it’s all about making even the simplest food more playful and creative. Turn hot dogs into edible dogs or sausages into swimming octopuses; even sliced fruits or vegetables can turn into a colorful rainbow with the right finesse.
Lunch Ideas for Toddlers
Presenting your toddler with different textures, colors, and flavors of foods can make mealtime more stimulating and fun, and to help get your creative cooking inspiration going, we’ve provided a few recipes that will get you and your toddler excited about lunchtime!
1. Hot “Dog” Lunch Plate
For a fun hot "dog" lunch plate for your toddler, start by lightly toasting a hot dog bun and cut ¼ of the bun off. With this portion of the bun, place the pieces in half to form a dog’s face and add candy pieces and a blueberry for the eyes and nose.
Cook a chicken or turkey sausage until it's thoroughly heated. Place the sausage inside the bun and add your toddler’s choice of condiments. Serve alongside bite-sized pieces of steamed carrots and cucumber sticks for a balanced and nutritious meal that's sure to please your little one's taste buds!
@heathercoxzzz Kid’s Lunch @heinz_us ketchup #nationalhotdogday #hotdog #funfood #kidslunch #lunch #lunchtime #lunchformykids #kidfood
2. Rainbow Veggie Quesadillas
Create colorful quesadillas using a variety of diced veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes. Start by heating a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lay a tortilla flat in the skillet and sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over one half. Next, invite your toddler to sprinkle diced bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes on top of the cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until golden brown on both sides, then slice into triangles and serve!
@gleanerskitchen Eat the Rainbow! 🌈🌶🍅🫑🥬 These Colorful Quesadillas are a flavorful way to use up whatever veggies you have in the fridge. Try soft veggies that don’t need a lot of cooking like spinach, tomato, bell pepper and zucchini. Or try it with cooked veggie left overs like squash, carrot, and sweet potatoes. Colorful Quesadillas Via #miharvestofthemonth 8 ounces low-fat cream cheese 1/2 tsp garlic powder 8 whole wheat tortillas 1 cup red pepper, chopped 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped 1 cup cheddar cheese spinach leaves - 1 cup fresh, (9-ounces frozen, thawed and squeezed dry) cooking spray #snapedworks #gleanerscommunitykitchen #gck #cookingmatters #foodsmarts #eattherainbow #veggierecipes #15minutemeals
3. Mini Cauliflower Pizza
To make mini cauliflower pizza for your toddler, start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a food processor, pulse cauliflower florets until they resemble rice. Mix the cauliflower "rice" with grated cheese and an egg, then shape the mixture into small pizza crusts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, then top with tomato sauce, shredded cheese, and your toddler's favorite toppings before baking for an additional 5-7 minutes. Enjoy these mini cauliflower pizzas as a nutritious and fun meal for your little one!
@zenatewhat Cauliflower Mini Pizza🍕 Recipe . INGREDIENTS 240g riced cauliflower 1 large egg 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 tsp mix herbs (I use the mix herbs blend from @littlepalates) INSTRUCTIONS In a bowl, mix together your egg, breadcrumbs riced cauliflower, and mixed herbs until well combined and sticky. (You can add another egg to get your mixture more sticky) On a lined baking sheet, form your mixture into mini pizza crusts.(I use a cookie cutter to get my desired shape) Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. Once baked, add your desired toppings (tomato sauce, cheese, etc) and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes/until cheese is melted. Allow pizza to cool and enjoy! You can store unused cauliflower crusts in the freezer for a later date. . . #zenatewhat #zensplate #blwmeals #blwjourney #babyfoodie #foodbaby #babymealideas #blwrecipes #cauliflowerrecipes #recipevideo #babymeals #cauliflowerpizza #babypizza #cauliflowerthins #yumminmytummy #whatsonmyplate #babyreels #whatbabyeats #blwbreakfast #blwdinner #blwlunch #blwbreakfastideas #momsoftiktok #momsofinsta #boymom💙 #fyp #foryou #viral #toocute
4. Mini Banana Pancake
Make small, bite-sized pancakes on sticks using a pancake mix and adding mashed bananas into the batter. Serve with a side of yogurt or a fruit dipping sauce for added fun.
@chloebeesley7 Mini banana pancakes for my 1 year olds breakfast! #fyp #blwideas #blw #babyledweaning #toddler #1yearold #toddlerfood #toddlersoftiktok #toddlertok
5. Fruity Parfait Cups
Layer Greek yogurt with diced fruits like berries, mangoes, and kiwis in small cups or jars. Top with a sprinkle of granola or crushed graham crackers for added texture. It's a colorful and nutritious treat that toddlers will love to eat with a spoon!
@gariannestable Back To School Series: Parfait Cups🥝🍓🫐🍦 Ingredients: * granola mixed with honey (so it holds firmly together) * greek yogurt mixed with whipped cream (you can omit the whipped cream but it MAKES the flavor in my opinion) * chopped fruits (whatever you like! here I’m using kiwi, peach, strawberry, blueberry & blackberry) Insert liners into muffin tin and begin to layer in your ingredients! When done, pop in the freezer - make sure to cover it. Grab and go for breakfast or a quick snack! Enjoy✨ #backtoschool #backtoschoolrecipes #easyrecipe #parfait #mealprep #fyp
6. Pizza Rolls
Take two slices of mozzarella cheese and place them on a cooking tray with slices of pepperoni on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Once cooled, add marinara sauce on top and roll into a small wrap. Leave wrapped or slice into small bite-size pieces and serve it up!
@jorimallory Wanted share this simple recipe for any other moms who sometimes struggle with making quick but healthy meals for picky toddlers like me! #pickytoddlerrecipes #healthydinnerrecipes
7. Octopus Sausage Lunchable
Start by holding a sausage sideways and making two lengthwise cuts, creating four 'legs.' Then, rotate the sausage 90 degrees and make two more cuts, resulting in a total of eight 'legs.' Boil or fry the sausage until cooked, then add sesame seeds for eyes and carve out a mouth using a sharp knife. Arrange the octopus sausage on a Lunchable tray with crackers, cheese slices, and fruit for a fun and interactive meal!
@minas_recipe Tako (octopus) Sausage is a sausage cut to look like an octopus 🐙 and is a popular item to put inside a kids bento box in Japan 🇯🇵 I used Japanese sausages since they are shorter in length but you can use any kind of hot dog as long as you cut them in half! Hold the sausage sideways and cut one half of it lengthwise (not all the way). Turn the sausage over 90 degrees and slice again. Now the sausage has 4 ‘legs’. Cut again between the slits so that you have a total of 8 ‘legs’. You can either boil or fry the hot dogs. Add sesame seeds for the eyes and carve out a mouth using a sharp knife! Enjoy 🐙✨ #foodtok #recipe #toddlerlunchideas #タコウィンナー
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Monolith. If you’re blessed enough to get several decades under your belt while remaining in your (relatively) right mind, if there’s one word that you will find yourself using more and more often, it’s "monolith." The reality is, that very few things fall into the category of being “something having a uniform, massive, redoubtable, or inflexible quality or character” — sex included.
That’s why I’ve written articles for the platform like “8 Kinds Of Sex Every Couple Should Have In Their Rotation” because, as you’re about to see in a moment, sex is too grand to be limited and, like I tell some of the couples that I work with, sometimes having intimacy issues in their relationship is because they haven’t explored and then discussed the type of sex that they enjoy most.
And, as you’re about to see, there are more than just a few.
1. Oral Sex
Oral GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyFellatio. Cunnilingus. Anilingus (also known as rimming). All of these fall under the definition of oral sex because oral sex is all about using one’s mouth to stimulate their partner’s genitalia. It’s funny because I recently saw an Instagram post where a woman was asking if folks could only get oral sex or intercourse for the rest of their lives, which one would they choose? And y’all, when I tell you that the answers were polarizing as hell. No side really won by a landslide. Interesting.
What I did notice is that when it came to orgasms, specifically, many of the women went with oral sex; which makes sense considering an overwhelming amount of women climax with the help of clitoral stimulation (only about 18 percent can cum from intercourse alone) — and oral sex is one of the best ways to make that happen. If you add to that the fact that you can receive peak sexual pleasure without the risk of pregnancy — yeah,oral sex is a win for many people whether it’s seen as an act of foreplay or the…main event.
2. Vanilla Sex
GiphyYou know what I saw that was actually pretty good (other than Drew Sidora’s character perpetually playing a victim when she was doing the very stuff that she was accusing her man of): Todd Tucker (you know, Kandi Burruss’s husband) movie,The Pass. If you haven’t seen it (yet), the main married couple are Maurice (Rob Riley) and Nina (Drew Sidora). Nina was already on a slippery slope, off top, because consistent sex in their relationship was not something that she was prioritizing (check out “What You Should Do If You Find Yourself In A Sexless Marriage”). However, when she did “fit it into her schedule,” vanilla sex was something that she was super fond of.
For the record, if there is a sexual position that is the mascot forvanilla sex, it would have to be the traditional take on the missionary. It’s considered to be traditional, conservative — the kind of sex that people who think that intimacy is for procreation more than anything and kinks should be avoided as much as possibly typically go for. In short, super-religious folks are gonna always revert to vanilla sex.
Now even though I didn’t just present vanilla sex to be fireworks central, I don’t think that anything is wrong with it any more than I think that something is wrong with preferring vanilla bean (which is always better than French vanilla, in my opinion) ice cream; especially since science says that missionary is what gets women the most consistent orgasms. Just make sure not to take the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to it. Although missionary can be effective, if it’s all you ever do, it can end up becoming somewhat…boring.
This brings me to the next kind of sex.
3. Adventurous Sex
GiphyFolks who have the “I’ll try anything at least once” approach to life are usually all about adventurous sex. These are the kinds of people who aren’t afraid — or even hesitant — to try out certain kinks. They are the ones who you will hear had sex in a strange location and all you’ll do is shake your head or Elmo shrug. They are the people who will videotape themselves more than once (check out “Before You Make A DIY Sex Tape, Read This.”) and create bucket lists (check out “This Is How To Create The Best Kind Of ‘Sex Bucket List’”), seemingly on a quarterly basis because that’s how intentional they are about trying new things.
Probably the best way to describe those who like adventurous sex is they’re adrenaline junkies which can be cool — so long that they aren’t so “on the hunt” for the next “high” that they don’t realize that intimacy, connecting, and not having to hang off of the chandeliers each and over time are good things too.
4. Morning Sex
GiphyI’ve been working with married couples for close to two decades now and when it comes to the healthiest ones in the bunch, one thing that they have in common is they prioritize sex (check out “Married Folks: Ever Wonder If Your Sex Life Is 'Normal'?” and “10 Wonderful Reasons Why Consistent Sex In Marriage Is So Important”). Even if they can’t do it the 90s R&B way (you know, all night long, chile), they will fit in a quickie or some morning sex — and good for them.
Morning sex gives you a good dose of “feel good” hormones at the start of your day, helps to strengthen your immune system, makes it easier for you to be productive through the day, helps you to feel closer to your partner until you can be in each other’s space again and, some studies even say that it can give you stronger orgasms too.
You know, I once read thatalmost 65 percent of women never engage in morning sex — that is absolutely insane to me. Now that you see all of the ways that it can benefit you (and your relationship), if you happen to fall into that tally, maybe give morning sex a shot to see if it can become your new favorite type of sex.
5. Spontaneous Sex
GiphyNatural. Impulsive. Without premeditation. These are some of the words that are typically used to define the word “spontaneous.” When it comes to sex, specifically, what I like about it (especially when it comes to couples who have been in long-term relationships) is that it reveals what happens when people are so into each other that they simply can’t hold back; they’ve got to have each other NOW. Spontaneous people send each other nasty texts just because. Spontaneous people meet up at home at lunch (and not to eat…well, traditionally so…LOL).
Spontaneous people book hotel reservations on a whim. Spontaneous people have sex in the middle of the night. Spontaneous people are oftentimes very vocal about how they feel and what they want when it comes to copulation. One of the best things aboutbeing a spontaneous individual — and definitely liking spontaneous sex — is everything doesn’t revolve around a plan. Spontaneous sex is very lust-driven and since lust means things like “intense sexual appetite” and “uncontrolled desire” — in context, what could possibly be wrong with that?
6. Synchrony Sex
GiphySynchrony is all about something happening simultaneously. So, when you apply this word to sex, it’s when you and your partner feel totally in sync with one another on a physiological level. For instance, some studies say thata blind date is a win or an epic failure based on how much physiological synchrony comes into play because it’s all about things like heart rates beating at a similar pace and evenskin conductance (which is literally like an electrical current that is exchanged) aligning. And just how in the world can you create this if it doesn’t come automatically?
Engaging in things like orgasmic meditation (check out “What Exactly Is 'Orgasmic Meditation'?”), spending time holding hands and cuddling, being intentional about spending quality time together — all of this can create physiological synchrony which can, in turn, intensify intimacy. Something else that’s cool about synchrony sex is when your bodies are on the same wavelength and you’re able to “breathe together,” it can increase your chances of experiencing an orgasm at the same time as well.
7. Solace Sex
GiphyIf you or your partner is someone who struggles with some level of anxiety, some or more solace sex may be what is needed. Solace sex is basically all about providing someone with reassurance. That said, I do think it’s important to go on record that this shouldn’t be used as a crutch.
What I mean by that is, if you are constantly participating in solace sex because someone has a crippling level of low self-esteem or they are extremely insecure, having sex with them to make them feel better about themselves is ultimately going to be counterproductive and, quite frankly, could end up turning into something toxic.
A lot of people engage in solace sex, whether they realize it or not; and that’s how sex ends up being misused instead of fully enjoyed (some of y’all will catch that later).
8. Make-Up Sex
GiphyHow many times have you heard someone (whether in media or in real life) say something along the lines of“Make-up sex is the best sex”? Any time I do, the characters Marcus and Angela from Tyler Perry’s movie Why Did I Get Married? almost instantly come to mind because remember how toxic they were and yet Marcus said that he didn’t mind fighting a lot because “the make-up sex was insane”? Yeah, it’s unfortunate how many people mistake craziness for passion which is a big part of the reason why I once penned, “Make-Up Sex Might Be Doing Your Relationship More Harm Than Good” for the platform.
Reconnecting with your partner via sex after a disagreement is fine. Being so poor at communicating that the two of you rely on sex to “gloss things over”? Eh…not so good. At the end of the day, make-up sex should be about celebrating reaching a resolve — not doing whatever you can to deflect from or avoid doing the work that it takes to actually find one.
9. Casual Sex
GiphyIf you’ve ever read my article, “We Should Really Rethink The Term 'Casual Sex'” before, you already know it’s something that I’m not personally fond of; mostly because I know that casual means things like “careless” and “apathetic.” Luckily, I’m not the only one who feels this way because more and more mental health and relationship experts are saying that our so-called hook-up culture has more “side effects” than a lot of people want to admit. Take the article, “The Problem with Hooking Up” which I once checked out on Boston University’s website. A part of what it said is this:
“Hooking up can be risky because the relationship is not typically monogamous, and when it’s labeled as a friends-with-benefits relationship or other similar pseudo-commitment, it can lead to a false sense of security that might make people be less cautious.”
Are there any pros to casual sex? I mean, if what you’re after is purely recreational sex and you’re being safe (both physically and emotionally), I could see why it’s a “plus” in some people’s books. I’ll just say that as someone who used to be notorious for having sex with friends back in my sexually active days if you signed up for someone to have no real plans for/with you beyond getting off, you can’t get mad when they stick to their end of the deal. Just sayin’.
10. Mindful Sex
Giphy“Mindful” is one of those buzzwords that pops up a lot on the internet these days yet have you ever wondered exactly what it means to be that kind of person? To be mindful is to be fully present. To be mindful is to have a heightened level of awareness. To be mindful is to be intentional about not overthinking. To be mindful is to be super thoughtful and considerate towards others. And if you translate all of this into the act of sex — can you see how mindful sex can be extremely powerful and intimate? There’s no way you can rush through foreplay and consider yourself a mindful sex participant.
There’s no way you cannot know your partner’s needs and consider yourself a mindful sex participant. There’s no way that you can always have quickies only and consider yourself to be a mindful sex participant. Out of all of these, mindful sex is the kind of sex that all couples in long-term relationships should aspire to have the most often because mindful sex truly is some of the best sex (check out “Mental Foreplay Hacks That Ultimately Takes Intercourse To New Levels” and “How About Having A 'Mindful Orgasm' Tonight?”). If you’re planning on having sex tonight, try and be mindful about it; watch how it takes things to a completely different level.
11. Solo Sex
GiphySolo sex is basically masturbation. Aside from the fact that it’s probably the safest way to enjoy sexual stimulation without the risk of pregnancy or contracting an STI/STD, there’s also no way around the fact that it providessome of the same health benefits as sex with another person does include a decrease of stress levels, reducing the intensity of period cramps, making it easier to fall and stay asleep, strengthening your pelvic floor and, assome experts say, it can help to reduce some of the symptoms that come with perimenopause/menopause as well. Just one (main) word of caution here: if your solo sex consists of sex toys, “too much of a good thing” could affect how you feel about sex with actual people — and not in a good way.
There areplenty of articles out in cyberspace that (fore)warn individuals that sex toys can make it so easy to orgasm that you find yourself either faking orgasms with your partner (check out “Why You Should Stop Faking Orgasms ASAP”) or disconnecting on some level with them because you’re so climax-focused that you’re not connection-driven. Solo sex can also make you a selfish (self-consumed) sex partner if you do it excessively too because, if you have mastered how to get your own self off, doesn’t it make sense that being patient enough to show someone else might feel like a complete waste of time? Balance is key with solo sex; that’s for sure.
12. Foreplay
GiphyForeplay is the appetizer before the meal. It’s what sexually arouses us to the point where we want to have sex and, from a physical standpoint, since lubrication makes sex more pleasurable for women, foreplay tends to be very necessary too. And why am I closing out with this one? It’s because some people are so into foreplay that they barely even “show up” for sex. Because they get a lot of what they need from foreplay alone, the act of sex doesn’t seem very necessary for them — which can cause real issues if their partner doesn’t feel the same way.
Bottom line with foreplay is it’s beautiful and essential, more times than not. It’s also something that you shouldn’t get in a rut about (meaning, just like sex shouldn’t always be routine, foreplay shouldn’t be either). Just make sure that you see it in the way that it was intended — warming up the engine before actually driving the car (so to speak).
___
There you have it, y’all — 12 types of sex. Now that they’ve been broken down a bit, which one is your automatic go-to (it always works), which one is your favorite (your preference), and which one should you try out more? Because just like you can havea type of man, you can have a type of sex. AND just like your guy type can keep you stuck if you’re not careful…your type of sex can too.
Learn and explore. Rinse and repeat. Enjoy over and over. In that order too, sis.
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