10 Easy & Healthy Baby-Led Weaning Meal Ideas (2024)

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Tips: I like to prepare a batch of the frittata fingers and store them in the freezer. It’s a great way to incorporate harder-to-serve vegetables like leafy greens. Simply thaw the frittata fingers out in the fridge or microwave. They make such an easy meal when you’re in a pinch. As an alternative you can bake them into zucchini frittata muffins!

Similarly, you can bake some sweet potatoes or cook them in themicrowave in advance for a quick and easy vegetable to serve on the side throughout the week.

I also like to use Ezekial bread for the avocado toast since it’s lower in sodium than most breads, contains higher amounts of fiber and because it’s sprouted, the vitamins and minerals tend to be better absorbed.

Tips: I like to serve salmon 2-3 times per week on our dinner menu since it’s such a great source of omega-3s, which are necessary for a healthy brain, heart and eyes. Just be sure that you remove any bones before serving to little ones. You can use any extra salmon to make these leftover salmon cakes which also makes the perfect meal for baby.

If you don’t have time to cook quinoa on the stove for baby, I like to put two tablespoons of quinoa flakes in a bowl with about three tablespoons of water and cook it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. It creates a thicker and mushier quinoa with a similar consistency to oats which is perfect for babies to grasp when feeding themselves.

You can also add shredded cheese or finely chopped veggies, such as baby spinach, shredded zucchini, or small pieces of cooked broccoli or cauliflower to the quinoa mix too. To switch it up, you can also try out these broccoli cheddar quinoa bites or sweet potato quinoa cakes.

Tips: I keep the meatballs simple and mix ground beef with a couple of cloves of minced garlic, a teaspoon of thyme, and an egg, but you could also use a recipe such as thesechicken quinoa meatballs or these easy freezer meatballs and just omit the salt in baby’s portion.

For the spaghetti squash, spinach and mushrooms, chop them finely so that baby can grasp, chew and easily swallow them. Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of olive oil to incorporate some healthy fats — it helps them to better absorb those fat-soluble vitamins!

Tips: Soup is one of my favorite things to serve baby since the vegetables, protein and grains become really tender when cooked in broth. I like to cook up a batch of thishealthy chicken noodle soup or chicken noodle soup for babies at the beginning of the week for a quick and easy lunch or dinner for the whole family.

I generally put some small pieces of shredded chicken, cooked carrots, celery and pasta on baby’s tray for him to eat with his hands and let him take sips of broth out of the bowl or minicup (that’s his favorite part)!

This meal is best for baby’s who have established their pincer grasp since the small pieces of veggies can be a little more tricky to pick up.

Tips: Omelette strips are my go-to meal when I’m in a rush and don’t have time to make anything elaborate. You can either use a mini 5-inch frying pan, or for a super fast trick, mix the egg with a fork in a microwave egg cooker and pop in the microwave for about one minute. Once cool, simply cut into strips for baby and serve. You could even serve with melted cheese on top for some extra calcium and protein!

I like to cut the whole graintoast into strips so that it’s easy for baby to grasp with his palm. By toasting and putting almond butter on the strips, I find it makes it easier for him to break down with his mouth, despite not having many teeth. Banana French toast would be a great idea too!

Tips: This yogurt power bowl is our go-to breakfast. When I discovered our baby had a sensitivity to oats, I needed to come up with an alternative breakfast that was quick, easy and healthy.

I love using frozen blueberries that are thawed because they tend to be juicier and softer and sweeten up the yogurt naturally. Plus, you can buy a big bag of them and don’t have to worry about fresh ones spoiling in the fridge. A yogurt bowl is also a great vehicle for serving some healthy fats like hemp hearts and nut butters to incorporate some extra calories.

Sometimes, I’ll let baby dig his hand in there and pick out the yogurt-coated blueberries, while other times I’ll preload the spoon and let baby feed himself (which can be quite messy. Be forewarned – that yogurt may end up on the floor…and on the wall).

If we’re really in a pinch and want to minimize the mess, I’ll feed it to him (not technically BLW, I know, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do). To switch up the flavours, you can also sweeten up the yogurt with this delicious sweet mango puree. Read more about the best yogurt for babies here!

Tips: These pancakes are perfect for little hands and mouths and only require an egg, banana and a bit of coconut flour, which is optional. Make up a batch of these pancakes and store in the fridge or freezer for a really quick meal or snack.

These pancakes also make a great meal to serve on the go that’s relatively mess-free. See ‘How to Cut Pancakes for Baby‘ for visual examples of how to serve pancakes up depending on a baby’s age and stage of development!

Tips: My entire family is a huge fan of falafels, so I make them on a fairly regular basis. I blend all of the ingredients (minus the salt and baking soda) in the food processor and use the mixture to form a few smaller patties for baby. I’ll then add the salt and baking soda to the remaining mixture for my husband and I for some extra flavour.

Serve to baby along with some thin strips of whole-wheat pita (I like to use the mini ones) with a thin layer of hummus and tomato slices or quartered cherry tomatoes.

Tips: I always have a batch of these turkey apple meatloaf muffins on hand. These things are a LIFE SAVER and such a fun way to get in some extra protein and iron. I like to make up a hugebatch once every couple of months and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Simply thaw a couple of them out (depending on how many your baby will eat) and serve along with some baked sweet potato fries and roasted peppers.

As an added bonus, you can cook them all in the oven at the same time and serve throughout the week for an easy meal.

Tip: I like to make the sauce for the butternut squash mac & cheese and freeze the sauce in individual compartments in an ice cube tray or these Souper Cubes. For a super quick and balanced meal, I cook up some noodles, pop out one of the sauce cubes, thaw it out and mix it in with the noodles. It also works great with this carrot pasta sauce!

As a bonus, you can also mix the sauce with vegetables or meat to add some extra flavour and moisture.

What Should a Meal for Babies Consist of?

When planning your baby’s meals, it’s generally advised to include foods from three different food groups: a high-calorie option, an iron-rich choice, and a serving of fruits and/or vegetables.

You don’t necessarily have to only introduce one food at a time, unless there are concerns about allergies. If there are no signs of allergies, feel free to introduce a variety of foods. However, it’s important to remember to offer only one or two pieces of each food item at a time to prevent overwhelming your baby with too many options.

Don’t stress too much about whether to start with vegetables or fruits. By providing well-balanced meals that incorporate both fruits and vegetables throughout the day, you can help your baby develop a liking for them.

Baby Led Weaning Tips