Suggestions on feeding lunch to different age groups

[playfelt]

My meals for everyone are basically finger foods. I expect the 2-3 year olds to use their utensils but sometimes turn a blind eye here and there when they forget - they have a habit of holding the utensil in the one hand and eating the food with the other.

For vegetables I serve frozen mixed veggies almost every day (if you get the storebrand from metro they have yellow beans instead of lima beans which are much safer for the kids). That way they get used to mixtures and they are allowed to eat the parts they like and leave the parts they don't but they must eat two of the veggies to be considered done in terms of being served anything else.

For fruit I use canned fruit for the youngest - ie the fruit has been cooked but is cubed - Or mash with a fork if you are feeding it. For the older ones I cut up apples, pears, nectarines, etc. They all eat bananas cut into pieces.

Basically the younger ones need more of the food cooked to soften such as microwave apple slices a bit or boil mini carrots and then slice.

Breads group is pasta, cubed potatoes, pretty much any bread with toasted and cubed easiest for the little ones.

I think what you will find is that for the most part you can do the same meals but simplify things. A casserole can be mashed and fed to the babies just as you do now with the jarred food while saving a few noodles before assembling the casserold to give the baby as fingerfood to play with.