If it’s one thing I know- my two year old loves cheese, and thankfully it can be incorporated into a lot of meals that don’t require a lot of prep or cooking- perfect for time poor mamas. So if you’re looking for other things to do with a humble block of cheese that aren’t a sandwich, here are some simple dishes that include cheese to brighten up any toddler meal.
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Cheesy baked potato: Pop a baked potato in the microwave for a few minutes then scoop out the fluffy insides once it’s done and mix them with cheese. Replace the cheesy mixture back into the skins or if you are worried about your little one struggling to eat the skins, just scoop it into a bowl and throw the outsides away. A cheap and cheerful meal that is filling and loaded with calcium and vitamin C.
Cheesy eggs: Whether your toddler prefers their eggs scrambled or in omelette form, both taste great with cheese. Mix your beaten egg with a little milk and pepper and pop in the microwave for a couple of minutes and serve with toasty soldiers. Or you could chop up some onions, peppers, ham or throw some sweetcorn (any of your toddler’s favourites) into your omelette- let it cool and chop it up into little pieces ready for your little one to enjoy. A great way to sneak in some of their five a day!
Cheesy beans: What could be better than beans on toast? Beans on toast with cheese of course! Melt some grated cheese into your toddler’s beans and serve with wholemeal toastie soldiers so your little one will get some protein, calcium and fibre all from one meal.
Cheesy pasta: Pasta is one of the easiest things to throw together in a pinch, so boil up some penne, fusilli or macaroni, throw on some sauce (you can make your own with some onions, tinned tomatoes, mushrooms and herbs), pop some grated cheese into the mix and stir it up so it melts into the folds of the pasta. You could even sneak some other veggies into the sauce like sweetcorn and celery- chop them up small or blend them up and your toddler will never suspect!
Cheesy pizza: You don’t have to have a pizza base in already or make one from scratch to serve it as an evening meal. Just take a slice of bread, toast it a little to give it some rigidity, whip up a simple tomato sauce with onions and herbs, smoothe this on the top and add some grated cheese as well any other toppings you know your little one will enjoy like pineapple or red onions. Then pop it back under the grill until the cheese has melted and hey presto- you have yourself a mini pizza- no take out menu necessary! And if they are hungry for more, you can easily make another.
Mac and cheese: There are plenty of recipes online, but my favourite only requires four ingredients- water, milk, macaroni and cheese. Simply cook your macaroni as per the packet instructions, once it’s ready, add in 2 tbsp of milk and as much cheese as you like and mix it together until the cheese has melted and the milk has moistened up the pasta and it’s ready to serve!
Cheesy hoops: Most toddlers love spaghetti hoops or alphabet spaghetti and one way to jazz this meal up is to simply add some grated cheese once they are warmed through. Always opt for the low salt version as the originals can be quite high in added salt and serve over buttery toast or with some fish fingers and homemade chips.
Bonus: Rather than buying cheese that is already pre-portioned, buy a large block of cheese and cut it up into small chunks- these are perfect for lunchboxes. It will save you lots of money and they taste the same so your toddler won’t know any different!
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