Mini Turkey-Lentil Meatloaves are packed with protein, vitamins, and iron. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and freezer-friendly too, these bites are the perfect size for little hands.
At nearly 14 months old I think it’s safe to say we’re entering toddler territory. Land o’ sippy cups, snack traps, tentative steps, first words, and new foods. We’ve been feeding our kiddo more “real food,” aka foods my husband and I eat for our meals, than ever before but it’s also fun to come up with new toddler recipes that are perfect for little hands, like Mini Turkey-Lentil Meatloaves.
Despite his tiny size, my little man takes after his Mama in that he LOVES to eat. Like, this child must have a hollow leg because I swear he eats more than I do and that’s saying a lot.
One of his favorite foods to devour are these Mini Turkey-Lentil Meatloaves which are so simple to whip together, gluten-free, dairy-free, freezer-friendly, and packed with protein, iron, healthy fats, and fiber.
I created the recipe several months ago when we were ready to quit feeding him oatmeal (or should I say battling with him to eat his oatmeal – he got over it quick!) but wanted to make sure he was getting enough iron. He eats fortified bread (he does not eat gluten-free,) and lots of beans and greens, but I wanted an easy go-to that I could make in a big batches then freeze and easily reheat. Mini meatloaves for toddlers totally fit the bill!
Ground turkey breast and thighs are mixed with cooked green lentils, frozen veggies, an egg, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of seasoning then baked in a mini muffin tin so they’re the perfect size for little hands.
At 13.5 months old, my little will eat 3 for dinner (cut into hunks for now,) paired with maybe steamed sweet potatoes, pasta tossed with extra virgin olive oil, some sort of fruit (mandarin orange, cut grapes, sliced blueberries, etc.) and Cheerios for dessert, of course. It’s a well-rounded meal that keeps him full all night long.
(Shedding a tear for his long baby hair – we got it cut for the first time 2 weeks ago and now he looks like a teenager!)
Start by cooking some green lentils. You’ll need 1/2 cup cooked green lentils, which is about 1/4 cup dry lentils. They usually take 25-30 minutes to cook but follow the directions on your individual package for the best results.
Lentils are packed with fiber, iron, vitamin B, and protein. Perfect for my growing toddler!
You could use any color lentils you like, but green have a reputation for holding up well to cooking without turning to mush. By the way, although you only need 1/2 cup for this recipe, I always cook more then freeze the leftovers which are great for adding to pasta sauce and soups.
Ok, turkey time. I use a mixture of 1/2lb each turkey breast and turkey thighs. Dark meat has more iron and B vitamins than white meat, plus it adds flavor, so I like the mix.
To the turkey add the lentils and 1/2 cup frozen vegetables. I use the classic frozen trio of carrots, corn, and sweet peas. Ultra-convenient and no need to thaw, either.
Next add 1 whisked egg and 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Love the boost of protein and healthy fats!
Finally add 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning for a little flavor. You know your toddler best – if you don’t think they’ll like the seasoning, don’t add it!
Mix the ingredients until just combined then scoop into a nonstick sprayed 24-count mini muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until cooked through. If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, you can use a regular muffin tin. Baking time will be more like 25-30 minutes.
To freeze, cool the Mini Turkey-Lentil Meatloaves completely then place in a freezer bag and freeze. To reheat, simply microwave for 30-40 seconds!
Something I’ve learned is that toddlers might not like something the first time they try it, so if your toddler isn’t interested in their Mini Turkey-Lentil Meatloaves the first time, keep trying! If all else fails, add a dollop of ketchup. Works every time. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey, I use half ground breast and ground thighs
- 1/2 cup cooked green lentils
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables, do not thaw
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- salt and pepper, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl then mix until just combined. Spray a 24-count mini muffin tin very well with nonstick spray then scoop mixture to the top of each mini muffin cup.
- Place tin on top of a baking sheet then bake for 16-18 minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
- To freeze: cool baked mini meatloaves completely then place inside a freezer bag and freeze. Microwave for 30-40 seconds to reheat.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
So excited to try this recipe! My son is 13 months and I know he will love these. Thank you, thank you! I am looking forward to more toddler recipes that are freezer friendly – so convenient! We try to have him eat what we have for dinner, but with both of us working full time, we can’t always get dinner on the table before he goes to bed. These are perfect. Thanks again!!
Our girl loves her mini meatloaf! Thanks for a new spin on a family favorite.
Quick mama question: how do you get Lincoln enough greens/veggies? Are you a lucky mama whose baby just devours broccoli? Are they hidden in things? I’ve snuck spinach into a few things, but am having trouble. Thanks. :)
Hey Jill! He does like his greens/veggies (for now, anyway!) Does your daughter like smoothies? You can blend spinach up in them very easily and you can’t taste it at all. Minestrone soup is really good for masking veggies in with beans and pasta. I also do these turkey roll ups where I’ll spread turkey slices with either hummus or mashed avocado, sprinkle on chopped spinach, and then roll and slice. One more idea – make a spinach or kale “pesto” then toss it with pasta! Ok, ONE more idea – a bunch of pasta companies are coming out with pastas that are made with veggies (a serving of pasta = a serving of veggies,) so if all else fails you could at least feed her some of that with pasta sauce or olive oil! I hope that helps!
LOVE this. Printed it and cannot wait to try. Always looking for new meal ideas for the mini!
Like others who’ve already posted, I don’t have kids but these are PERFECT to keep as snacks for myself at home or at the office! (A girlfriend occasionally makes sweet potato egg muffins and they are incredible. Need to step up my game of cooking/freezing!)
Looks fantastic!
I am not a toddler, nor do I have one, but these look great. I live by myself, so an entire meatloaf is kind of overkill…
Ditto! Love recipes for kiddos, especially dairy-free, since we’re in the same boat. Thanks, Kristin! Also, you’re hilarious. :-)
Yay! So excited to see this recipe because I am feeling very uninspired with my little one’s meals. Looking forward to more toddler recipes!
I love mini meatloaves! I made a version of these with quinoa instead of lentils this summer for my step-daughter — she asked for them for BREAKFAST. Ha! I absolutely adore lentils so I’ll certainly be whipping up a batch for myself. I can tell these will be great to bring to work for lunch, also.
Trying these tonight! I had a pound of ground turkey out with NO idea what I was doing with it. Thanks for this timely post!
Well, since I don’t have toddlers anymore, I’m just going to have to try these myself! I love that they’re freezer friendly and portioned small so I could pull out however many I’m craving that day. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Great recipe! I love that you added vegetables to the mix. :)
Never mind for toddlers, I would like me some of those! They look great, and would be a great snack for me in between my training runs. Love that they freeze well too :)