Lentil Recipes for Toddlers
- May 1, 2023
- Last Updated: January 7, 2025
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- Recipes
These lentil recipes for toddlers are full of protein, fiber, iron and other micronutrients, and should give you ideas for serving lentils for kids!
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Lentils refer to edible seeds that are part of the legume family. Lentils for kids offer so many benefits, which we will review today.
Kid friendly lentil recipes don’t have to feel intimidating – they can be quite easy and palatable for all.
While kid friendly sweetpotato recipes typically have a natural sweetness, serving lentils can excite the savory taste buds, or even be hidden in sweeter recipes, too!
Just like these quinoa recipes for kids, lentil dishes for toddlers are out there and they are GOOD.
And I’ve chosen some of the best kid friendly lentil recipes I could find from around the web, including baked lentil veggie nuggets, quick and easy lentil recipes and more.
I don’t think kid friendly bean recipes or lentil recipes get the credit they deserve in our culture.
While they are a popular staple in other countries, like Morocco and Turkey, I feel like many of us don’t think of them often.
But we should! Lentils are a great base for easy and quick family-friendly recipes.
Hopefully, with these ideas, you’ll feel more inspired to serve these lentil recipes for toddlers and even when you serve lentils to baby.
And if you haven’t introduced beans or lentils by 9 months, use this to instill confidence and introduce these nutritious legumes!
So many fun blw dinner ideas for 9 months can be made with them, plus they are a great source of protein for kids!
Nutrition Breakdown of Lentils for Kids
With kids, I never want to lead with calling a food healthy.
This is how I promote intuitive eating for kids. They don’t care about nutrition, nor should they.
We want them to see foods morally, be open to trying new foods, and have a diet that encourages variety.
They don’t need to be hearing words like “healthy,” “nutritious,” etc.
However, as parents, we do care about nutrition for our family and babies. Lentils are great in recipes for constipated toddlers.
Nutritionally, lentils are high in several essential vitamins and minerals, such as protein, fiber, iron, zinc, potassium, B vitamins and more.
You’ll find lentils in the canned beans or grains aisle in the grocery store, and there are several varieties.
They each offer slightly different nutrition and may convey different tastes and textures.
Some common lentil varieties are:
- brown
- green
- yellow
- red
- beluga (black)
Tips for Serving Kid Friendly Lentil Recipes
Here are some tips for serving lentils to kids:
- If they’ve never had lentils before, be patient! You often have to introduce a food several times before kids may feel comfortable around them.
- Start small – Lentils have a different taste and texture than other foods they may be used to.
- Serve them with other familiar foods. For example, if your kids love pineapple or broccoli, serve these as sides. That makes the lentils feel less intimidating.
- Substitute them in other recipes kids like – toddler mac and cheese? Great! Pasta? Easy! Lentils are so versatile and easy to throw in many dishes, from meatloaf, to burgers, to meatballs, breads and more.
- Make sure you’re talking about lentils neutrally or positively, and eating them yourself – Kids are our biggest imitators. If your children have never seen you eating them, they may not be very excited or thrilled to try them the first few times.
- Let them help pick them out and prepare them – There are several colors of lentils (a great talking point with toddlers). Perhaps you let your child pick which color he/she would like to try first? Involve them in the cooking.
- Play with them – Lentils are a great sensory item for age-appropriate kids. Put them in a sensory bin with dry beans or rice and let them feel them and play with them. Hide toys or shapes in there. Talk to them about lentils. Tell they that you’re looking forward to cooking with them soon!
While not all of these tips will work for every family, many of them are involved in helping your toddler or child feel more comfortable around (new) foods.
These tips are how to get toddlers to eat more veggies, too! The same principles apply.
Lentils for Babies
Many of these lentil recipes for babies are flexible, too!
When serving lentils to baby, I often pair them up with these easy sweetpotato baby led weaning recipes, mostly so the iron from the lentils is paired with a Vitamin C source.
While you really only need a simple lentil recipe for baby (with no salt), as they grow, these lentil recipes for babies can help expose them to new flavors and tastes.
You can start serving lentils as a baby led weaning food at 6 months or even introduce them for baby led weaning at 7 months.
As baby led weaning goes, as your baby adapts, you continue offering new foods, food groups, and even combinations.
So, perhaps your first lentil recipe for baby is cooked lentils or mashed lentils on a corn tortilla.
And then, as baby adapts and becomes more adept, they may be able to spoon-feed themselves, or enjoy lentils as part of a soup or chili.
You can even add them into baby led weaning meatballs.
Easy and Fun Ways to Serve Lentils
Stuck on how to serve lentils? I used to think they were boring, dense and dry, but that is FAR from the truth!
There are so many options for a healthy kid friendly lentil recipe in this roundup!
Here are some easy ideas:
- Lentil soup: Lentil soup is a classic and a great way to introduce them to your child. You can make a simple lentil soup by cooking lentils with chicken or vegetable broth and adding carrots, celery, onions, and any other veggies for flavor.
- Lentil tacos: Cook lentils with taco seasoning and serve them in a taco shell with shredded cheese, lettuce, and diced tomatoes. This is a fun and easy way to introduce lentils to your child.
- Lentil and vegetable stir-fry: Cook lentils with your child’s favorite vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas, and serve over rice. This is a great way to introduce your child to new vegetables while also adding lentils to their diet.
- Lentil dip: Puree cooked lentils with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil to make a tasty dip for vegetables or crackers, similar to hummus. Many kids love dips and this is a fun way to get your child involved in the kitchen and introduce them to new flavors.
- Lentil and cheese quesadillas: Cook lentils with cheese and serve them in a quesadilla. All kids love bread with cheese, right?! The lentils will add more depth (and nutrition, of course).
Now, enjoy these other family-friendly lentil recipes for toddlers!
Many have cultural routes, which is a great way to introduce new foods and flavors to kids.
As dietitians, we preach doing this early (when possible) and often to help expose their palates.
Lentil Recipes for Toddlers
Make these family-friendly lentil recipes for toddlers that they're sure to try and love!
Lemon Tahini Lentil Hummus is an easy, hearty, protein-packed vegetarian side or main dish, bursting with Middle Eastern spices and flavors. This lentil hummus recipe is great with chips, rice, vegetables or on its own!
Baked lentil nuggets are a cheap, healthy and easy alternative to chicken nuggets that kids and adults will love.
Cozy up with this super easy and incredibly flavorful veggie lentil soup. This kid-favorite soup uses simple ingredients, one pot, is high in protein, full of flavor, and cooks in 30 minutes!
Shredded carrots add a sweet taste and crunchy texture to these vegan BBQ lentils for a plant-based twist on traditional barbecue!
This spiced carrot and lentil soup will warm you up on the coldest of winter days!
It’s creamy carrot and lentil base is spiced with ginger, cumin, turmeric and cilantro and pureed with rich, creamy coconut milk.
Red Curry Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach is a flavorful, warmly spiced vegetarian dish that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Made with red lentils, sweet potato, and fresh baby spinach, this healthy and delicious dish is jam-packed with nutrition.
A delicious and family friendly red lentil hummus that's great as a dip!
Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring! Grab your favorite berries, add in oats and flax, and - voila! - a baked dish your kiddos will love
This red lentil Bolognese is a protein-packed, fiber-filled sauce that's also vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and oil-free. Serve this one-pot sauce over your favorite pasta or veggie noodles for a tasty and hearty vegetarian meal.
Crispy, flavorful little Lentil Cakes with an easy 5-minute dairy-free Garlic Sauce. These vegan lentil fritters are a great topping for salads, kid-friendly snack, and main course idea! Gluten-free, hearty, and loaded with plant proteins.
Sloppy and delicious, these Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes are made using pantry essentials including meaty lentils and a tangy tomato sauce. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and ready in just 30 minutes.
This Lentil Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole is a hearty, family-friendly comfort food casserole that combines vegetarian sloppy joes with Southern cornbread!
Rishta is a Lebanese lentils and pasta soup that is simple yet huge on flavor. Made with golden onions that have been simmered with brown lentils and pasta in broth with hints of parsley. Naturally vegan and can be made gluten free.
This Tomato and Lentil Soup is an easy and healthy recipe! It’s loaded with plant-based protein and tons of flavor. Just 10 minutes to prep!
Lentil Butternut Squash Soup is a heartier version of the classic Butternut Squash Fall soup. It's tasty, filling, and very quick to make. Serve this soup with croutons or toasted garlicky pita wedges
This healthy Lentil Walnut Taco Meat Alternative is a great way to reduce calories and saturated fat from your tacos without compromising on texture, flavor, or protein!
Enjoy this fun and cultural way of including lentils in nuggets for kids!
TRY some of these other EASY recipes!
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