Here’s Everything My 18-Month-Old Ate in a Single Day

My evening checklist for my toddler son goes something like the following:

1. Did you say any new words today?

2. Did you injure yourself or others today?

3. Did anybody try to screw with you on the playground today? Because if they did, Mama’s not afraid to give them a piece of her mind (mostly kidding).

4. Did you poop today?

5. What did you eat today?

That last thought is an important one. After a year of primarily breast milk and formula, my son forayed into the wonderful world of food. Now, at 18 months, he is a full-on food-eater. An eater who doesn’t like avocado, chicken breast, or blueberries, but an eater nonetheless. My basic theory is if he gets a little protein, carbs, fats, and veggies throughout the day at (at least) one meal, I’m winning.

Here’s what he ate throughout the course of a day last week. Please note: I’m not perfect and I’m not a nutritionist or pediatrician. I’m just a mom doing the best she can. Some days my kid eats more, some days he eats less; some days he’s all scrambled eggs and mushrooms, and other days it’s mostly bananas and almond butter. This is about what fits into my family’s lifestyle and what I believe provides my son with what he wants and needs from food. My mantra and the mantra I urge all caretakers to use is “whatever works.”

7:20 a.m. A few sips of milk — barely more than a couple of ounces.

8:00 a.m. Banana muffin. I sweeten it with maple syrup and add frozen chopped spinach to it. He downs it; I feel like he has had fruit and veggies. If I make a big batch of these, I can freeze them for the future.

9:30 a.m. Half of a cheesy breadstick from our local bakery (I’m obsessed and so is he) and a Jammy Sammy or two. For a quick playground bite or a plane trip or even just stopping a temper tantrum, nothing beats the portability and tasty goodness of a Jammy Sammy.

10:45 a.m. Turkey meatloaf made with broccoli and mushrooms mixed into it, a few spoonfuls of goat cheese, and four strawberries.

2:30 p.m. A little more milk and a couple of buttery crackers.

4 p.m. Half a banana.

5:15 p.m. Chinese restaurant night! A few bites of everything — char siu bao, broccoli with garlic, the inside of vegetarian egg rolls, pork potstickers, and beef chow fun.

6:45 p.m. A few more ounces of milk before bed.

How does your kid compare? Let us know in the comments!