Whenever the kids are sick with a cold, the flu, or another virus, we want to offer to help them feel better. These are my top best foods for sickness to soothe, comfort, and nourish when we’re not feeling our best.
It can be so hard to help kids when they are sick, especially when they don’t yet have the tools to tell us exactly what they want or need. And since there are certain foods that can help us feel at least a little better—nourished, comforted, and soothed—when we don’t feel our best, I am putting them all together here for you to reference.
You’ll find foods to help soothe a sore throat, easy meals to make when appetite is low, drinks for kids, soups for kids, and easy snacks.
A Month Of Healthy Dinner Ideas For Kids
Remember that appetite can dip during and after an illness, and that liquid intake is the most important thing. Check in with your child’s pediatrician, of course, and use these ideas as needed to help the kids feel a little bit better.
Keeping kids hydrated is key when they have a cold, the flu, or another virus or illness. Water (for older babies and toddlers), breastmilk, formula, and milk (for toddlers) are great places to start. If you need more ideas—especially if the kids aren’t interested in plain water—there are more flavorful options below to consider.
Use this easy method to make fresh, delicious strawberry juice in just 5 minutes without a juicer. The juice has simple ingredients, vitamin C, fiber, and yummy flavor—and stores really well.
Sick Toddler Won't Eat Or Drink
Learn the quick and easy method to make fresh and delicious Watermelon Juice at home with just one fresh ingredient—watermelon! It’s a vitamin C-packed way to hydrate the kids. (And you don’t even need a juicer.)
This is a perfect way to use up some of a giant watermelon and is also a wonderful way to help the kids stay hydrated in the warmer months. You can scale the recipe up or down to make more or less as you like.
This yummy toddler smoothie method is simple to blend up and even easier to customize for breakfast or snack time. It’s a perfect smoothie for kids since it’s naturally sweet, loaded with nutrition from fruit and veggies, and tastes great! The master recipe can be customized in 10 easy ways.
Yummy Pasta Recipes For Toddlers
Learn to customize yummy smoothies for your toddler by starting with one simple recipe, then adjusting based on which fruit and veggies you'd like to use.
Here’s refreshing homemade Fruit Slushie that you can make with just 2 ingredients in a matter of minutes. They’re a great way to stay hydrated and serve up nutrients in a delicious form!
Made with just two simple ingredients, these fruit slushies are super delicious and refreshing. They're a great drink for warm days! Plan to freeze the apple slices, grapes, and watermelon cubes the day before (or at least in the morning) when you want to make these.
Family Meal Planning For Real Life
Nourish the family with an easy soup, particularly these favorite soups for kids. They are easy to make, easy to eat, and really cozy and nourishing. All of them can be made ahead and reheated, or made in the moment. Adjust for your family with chicken broth or vegetarian stock as you prefer.
The shape of the tiny pasta, or pastina, is so fun, and the rest of the ingredients add plenty of cozy flavor. I love how fast thissoup for kidscooks up, how easy it is to adjust (sometimes I omit the onion and use more carrot, for example), and how much it helps us all feel satisfied and nourished.
With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can make this cozy Pastina Soup to share with the kids in under 30 minutes. Look for little star pastina pasta in the pasta aisle.
Healthy Toddler Meals: Easy Cheesy Spinach Pasta
Cook up this cozy Alphabet Soup recipe next time you want an easy meal that’s also fun! ABC pasta is a perfect addition to this kid-friendly soup—and you can tailor the veggies to the likes (or dislikes!) of your own kiddos. It’s so versatile!
You can use ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini—or any other very small pasta shape in this Alphabet Soup recipe. And you can start with fresh or frozen veggies. See below for options.
With an easy cooking method— minimal chopping and less than 30 minutes start to finish—this Minestrone baby soup (that big kids will love, too!) is a favorite comfort food meal to share. It’s easy to adjust for allergies as needed, and it is packed with yummy flavor.
Toddler Recipes For 1 Year Olds And Above
With a streamlined method and a quick cooking time, this veggie-packed baby soup (that big kids and parents will also enjoy!) is filled with vegetarian protein and super yummy Italian flavors.
All of the ingredients in this Butternut Squash Soup go into one pot and are simmered until soft. Then you simply need to blend it up to make it creamy. It’s so super easy, and no fancy or unusual ingredients are required.
With a quick cooking method and the creamiest texture, this easy Butternut Squash Apple Soup is a family favorite. It is great for babies on up to adults, is dairy-free and packed with vegetarian protein, and just tastes so good. We love this with buttered toast or crackers.
What To Feed A Sick Toddler
Cooking for kids when they are ill and need your attention is seriously impossible at times, so take whatever shortcuts you need—whether that’s prepared foods, takeout, or the easy meal ideas listed below.
Blend up a fruit or veggie with an egg for the fluffiest, easiest, healthy pancakes for kids. These 2-Ingredient Pancakes use one simple method for all 4 flavors and are a perfect baby pancake or toddler pancake.
This recipe makes one small batch of super tender 2-Ingredient Pancakes. It usually makes 1-2 little-kid-size servings. To make more, simply double the recipe. These are delicate pancakes with a texture that's sort of custardy like French toast, so be gentle when flipping them. See the NOTES at the bottom for the flavor variations.
Wondering What To Eat When Sick? May These 41 Recipes Be Thy Medicine
Made with just four simple ingredients, these nutritious Cottage Cheese Pancakes are a healthy breakfast for kids you can make in under 10 minutes! They’re loaded with protein and healthy fats—and are also fluffy and delish.
These 4 ingredient pancakes are packed with nutrients and are so yummy. Double the ingredients to make a larger batch to feed a family of four as this recipe is on the smaller side.
I love this since it’s serious comfort food, and it can be topped with all sorts of additional flavor boosters for adults—so we can all happily share the meal.
Easy And Healthy Toddler Meals
I have all kinds of easy ways to incorporate veggies into pasta dishes for kids, but some days, we just need the classic and comforting option of Buttered Noodles. This is my go-to method for the creamiest, easiest buttered pasta to share with the kids.
Homemade Granola Bars are one of my go-to healthy snacks for kids. They’re super easy to make, require minimal added sweeteners, have a texture that even babies and younger toddlers can chew, and store SO well. And you can make them allergy-friendly as needed, too!
We like to have these granola bars as a snack or toddler breakfast with milk or a smoothie—and they're an excellent lunch box component too. You can make them plain or choose a flavor to add!
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This method, which involves simply simmering diced apples intohomemade applesauce, is fast and delivers consistently great results. You can store these pouches in the fridge to serve as a side or snack, or you can pop them into the freezer to thaw one at a time on future days.
Learn the easiest way to make a batch of Applesauce Pouches, with six flavor options, in less than 30 minutes. This is easy, delicious, and versatile—and a perfect way to batch-prep a snack or meal component.
Use my Master List of Toddler Snacks for easy ideas for each food group, or find our favorite easy snack ideas below when the kids are sick.
Chicken Soup For Babies/toddlers
Comfort foods may vary from person to person, but liquids and easy to eat foods such as crackers, buttered noodles, simple soups, and smoothies may be enjoyed most.
You can help the kids feel nourished during a fever with simple soups, warm water with honey mixed in (for kids over age 1), and anything that they’re interested in. There’s no one right answer here.
You can use caffeine-free teas like roobois or warm water and stir in lemon juice and honey for kids over age 1 for a soothing warm drink.
Easy Dinner Ideas For Kids
Appetite often takes time to recover, so don’t stress if it’s still lower than usual even after the kids return to normal. Keep serving regular meals and snacks in smaller portions then usual and give them time to get back to normal.
We follow the Division of Responsibility, so I decide the what, where, and when for the meal and the kids decide which foods they want and how much. I try to include 1-2 foods they usually like in each meal and remember that predicting their appetite is very hard.This article is a talk I gave on Sunday, June 12th, 2023.
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