I’m writing this during a time when we as a nation are encouraged to stay inside the safety of our homes and limit outside contact as much as possible for the greater good. Schools are canceled, many are working from home, and we are all desperately trying to find our grounding in this unprecedented, untrodden territory. A day feels like an eternity. If you’re a parent, you’re stretched so thin parenting, teaching, entertaining, homemaking, working all while trying your hardest to maintain peace and joy. And while things are hard for us adults, I can only imagine how challenging it must be for our children who can’t comprehend why the world that they know feels so different. And so we put on a brave happy face in the midst of holy moly chaos because that’s what we do. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do to keep our children safe, happy, and healthy, right? I’m also learning to become more resourceful and creative with the ingredients I have on hand. Most of all, I’m realizing just how blessed I have been all these years and continue to be. What an incredible privilege it is to be able to go grocery shopping every week and get everything I need to feed my family well! To have the luxury to choose organic vs. conventional, fresh vs. canned, etc. May I remember this heart of gratitude when we make it to the other side.
Game Plan
We’ve done our best to stock up on our pantry, fridge, and freezer essentials (can find our inventory here), and now we’re going to try our best to stretch them for as long as we can. I will not be doing more grocery shopping at this point not only bc we’re advised to stay in but also so that what little is available will go to the families who really really need it. Today, I’m sharing some easy and healthy pantry meals we’ve been enjoying. There will be a lot more to come in the upcoming days, weeks… I will be sure to continue updating this post with more recipes and meal ideas in hopes that it will help feeding your family less stressful and more doable. So definitely bookmark this page for a quick reference!
The Magic Formula
This is my formula for coming up with healthy, balanced meal ideas while keeping things interesting for our tastebuds. Protein of choice (meat, chicken, eggs, fish, beans, tofu, lentils etc.) + pasta/grain/bread/starchy vegetable + vegetables and or fruits + dressing/sauce (or liquids for soups) + seasonings For instance, had beans for dinner two nights in a row? Let’s do some chicken. Instead of pasta, we’ll have sandwiches.
Healthy Kid-Friendly Meals on a Budget
Baked Potatoes
Potatoes are cheap, versatile, filling, and has a long shelf-life. Load them up with whatever fillings your heart desires and you’ve got a super easy and perfectly satisfying pantry meal! To prepare the potatoes, you can either roast in the oven or microwave. I tend to gravitate towards the latter because it’s much quicker. Pictured: added the butter immediately once the potatoes were done and topped with baby-friendly bulgogi, broccoli, and cheese!
Buttered Pasta
This is soo simple and comforting!
Lo-Mein
Note: if serving to a baby, set a portion aside and simply drizzle with some sesame oil. Stir in the sauce for the rest of the family.
Korean Beef and Broccoli Quinoa
Cook ground beef with onion, carrots, and frozen broccoli. Add quinoa, broth, and baby-friendly bulgogi sauce. Cook until quinoa is cooked through. Doesn’t get any easier than this! You can find the full recipe here.
Vegan African Peanut Stew
This one pot stew is a busy mom’s dream! It requires minimal prep work, loaded with protein, healthy fats, veggies and contains no added salt or sugar. Its thick texture also makes it easy for your little one to scoop with their hands or practice using their spoons. Serve over rice, pasta, bread, tortilla…It’s seriously the perfect baby led weaning recipe! I introduced this dish to my son when he was 9 months old, and it was a HUGE hit! It’s a great way to introduce peanuts too.
Fried Rice
Sauce suggestions:
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce/coconut aminos, 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oilMango teriyaki sauce is our go to from my 3rd ecookbook – One Pot MealsAny store-bought sauce will work. Just watch for the sodium level if serving to your babylow sodium teriyaki sauce
Serving to babies: (Pictured) For C, I like to stir in a beaten egg at the end and cook for several more minutes until egg is cooked through. This makes the fried rice more porridge-like, which he prefers. Try this trick for babies. And the rest of the family gets to enjoy crispy fried rice. Win Win!
One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils
A hearty meatless meal that you’ll find yourself making over and over again! Made with simple ingredients, the only equipment you’ll need is a large skillet or a pot. Enjoy on a bed of salad greens or as a filling for tacos, burritos, burgers, potatoes….ooh and nachos!!
Cream of Mushroom Pasta
Here’s a super creamy mushroom pasta made with canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream. This healthy baby and toddler pasta sauce uses simple ingredients and will be ready in 30 minutes or less.
Pasta Stir-Fry with Peanut Butter Sauce
PB sauce: 1/4 cup natural smooth peanut butter (can use almond butter also), 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce), 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional), 1/4-1/3 cup warm water to thin out the sauce
Baked Vegetable Fries with Chili
Root vegetables have a long shelf-life, making them the perfect pantry/fridge staples! Roast them and top with your favorite chili recipe! I’ve got some in my Kid-Friendly One Pot Meals ecookbook. Here’s a BBQ beef chili recipe that I shared on Food Network blog.
Shrimp Scampi
You can add whatever veggies you hav on hand. To give you an idea of how much butter sauce to make – for 1 pound of pasta, use 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup stock of choice or water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Looking for an easy one pot comfort meal that the entire family can enjoy? This healthy baby and toddler friendly pasta is made with ground beef, veggies, and staple pantry items and guaranteed to be on the table in 30 minutes or less!
Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage
Here’s a soul-warming meal using whatever fresh or frozen produce you’ve stocked up in the fridge. It’s also a delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into your baby or kid’s diet. I’ve included tips for how to serve soups like this to picky eaters as well as serving suggestions.
Tofu Veggie Scramble
Vegetarian breakfast of champions – tofu veggie scramble! It’s a hearty and delicious plant-based alternative to scrambled eggs that your family can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Instant Pot Pot Roast
This is my first time making pot roast in my Instant Pot and boy was it delicious! We enjoyed it with quinoa. I’ve had my IP for about half a year now, and I shared in this post – Instant Pot Korean Chicken and Potatoes (one of the most popular recipes on the blog) about my thoughts on this coveted kitchen equipment.
More Baby-Friendly One Pot Meals
Pictured: Potato Corn Chowder, Enchilada Pasta, Beef Stroganoff, Vegan Turmeric with couscous Included in my third Ecookbook, Kid-Friendly One Pot Meals, are SO many recipes that we’ve been enjoying since my son was a baby. They are super easy to make with simple, healthy ingredients. No added sugar or salt but plenty flavorful!
