Healthy Meatballs for Toddler & Baby with Hidden Veggies

Flavorful, easy to make, these healthy meatballs for toddler and baby are made with 5 different hidden vegetables and lean ground beef. The whole family will love them. 

Meatballs are a great way to add some protein and vegetables to your baby's and toddler's diet. Who doesn't love meatballs? The thought of some healthy meatballs with some delicious marinara sauce and spaghetti just makes my mouth water. Or in a meatball sub. 

This is why this is one of my kids favorite meals. 

Why you will love this healthy meatball recipe for baby and toddler: 

• 5 hidden veggies - we use antioxidant rich garlic, onion, vitamin and mineral rich carrots and spinach and fresh parsley to make these veggie meatballs. That is 5 vegetables your child will consume without complaining! Yay! 
• baked, not fried, therefore healthy meatballs 
• 5 minutes of prep - throw all the ingredients in a food processor, process and bake in 25 minutes 
• iron and protein rich - from the lean ground beef 
• great recipe for baby-led weaning, toddlers, kids, picky eaters and ones the whole family will enjoy
• freezable 

These go well with our hidden veg pasta sauce, oven roasted zucchini slices and sweet potato fries.

Ingredients 

• lean ground beef - if I am giving my children meat I prefer for it to be beef because it has the highest iron content out of any meat, and is rich in zinc, niacin, choline and B12. That being said my children eat meat only 2-3 times a week. It is also a great source of protein, especially to add to baby's diet. 
• carrots - nice and sweet so they make some flavorful meatballs 
• spinach - high in fiber, vitamin C and magnesium. Eating vitamin C foods with iron rich foods helps iron absorption (calcium decreases iron absorption that is why we don't use cheese in this recipe) 
• fresh parsley - most people think of it as just some basic herb yet it is super high in Vitamin C, is a good source of iron and magnesium. It adds a lovely flavor to these meatballs for kids
• onion and fresh garlic - antioxidant and antibiotic properties
• egg - we use it to bind the meatballs 
• ground sweet paprika - gives them a nice flavor and an reddish color 

How to make healthy meatballs for toddlers? Step by step

You need a food processor, spatula, and a baking tray lined with parchment paper. 

1. Place the onion, garlic, carrots, spinach and parsley into a food processor and blend until you have tiny pieces.
2. In another bowl add the ground meat, salt, pepper and egg and add the mixture from the food processor and mix until all is incorporated.
3. Preheat the oven to 360 F / 180 C.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Take the meatball mixture and using your hands make ping pong ball sized meatballs.
6. Lay them on the baking tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Make sure they are fully cooked for baby
7. Serve with some spaghetti, your favorite pasta, and marinara sauce, or on its own with some vegetables and sweet potatoes on the side or in some meatball subs.

How to serve these meatballs for baby-led weaning and toddlers? 

• Baby-led weaning - 
  • these healthy baked meatballs are suitable for babies 6 months +. You want give baby a big meatball (more than 2 inch/5 cm in diameter) as that means it will be harder for them to shove the whole thing in their mouth
  • ground beef is not a common choking hazard because it falls apart more easily
  • make sure the beef is thoroughly cooked 
  • serve with some sweet potato, broccoli or pasta 
• 9 month old baby - like for 6 month old baby or cut them into smaller pieces so they can pick them up with their pincer grasp
• Toddlers - toddlers will either pick up the whole meatball like baby-led weaning or break it for them into pieces and mix with some pasta 

If you are unsure if your baby is ready to start for baby-led weaning, see our guide for baby-led weaning, how to transition to finger foods or our baby meal plans by age. 

Storage 

• store fresh meatballs in the fridge in airtight container up to 3 days or until the meat expiry day if that is sooner 
• store fresh meatballs in freezer in airtight container for up to 3 months 
• store baked meatballs in fridge in airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or on the stove after coating them in olive oil 
• store baked meatballs in freezer in airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat in oven or on the stove after coating them in olive oil 

Variations 

• you can use the same recipe to make kid friendly meatballs using ground chicken or turkey to make chicken meatballs or turkey meatballs
• these can be made without spinach or parsley, however you really cannot taste them and that is why they are a great addition to make healthy meatballs
• add more spices such as garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, italian seasoning

Best tips for success 

• when cutting the vegetables in the food processor get them as tiny as you can. The less the vegetables are seen the better it is, especially if you have a picky toddler
• when offering them for the first time make sure you serve them with food they like, like pasta or potatoes so you don't get a straight rejection. When kids are hungry they can be mad, and if they eat something they like they will be more prone to trying the new thing next to it 
• don't add more vegetables - there are five vegetables in this recipe and more might ruin the recipe and result in the kids not eating 
• make a double batch - eat one today and freeze the other batch for later

FAQ

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Healthy Meatballs for Toddlers with Hidden Veggies

Flavorful, easy to make, these healthy meatballs for toddler and baby are made with 5 different hidden vegetables and lean ground beef. The whole family will love them. 

5 from 5 votes

Author: Dora

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 23 minutes mins

1x2x3x

Servings 15 meatballs

Fridge Life? 3 days

Freezable? 3 months

EQUIPMENT

• ▢
  Food Processor

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.1 lb minced beef
• ▢ ½ cup carrots
• ▢ ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 small onion
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 heaped teaspoon ground sweet paprika
• ▢ 1½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
• ▢ ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Place the onion, garlic, carrots, spinach and parsley into a food processor and blend until you have tiny pieces.
• In another bowl add the ground meat, salt, pepper and egg and add the mixture from the food processor and mix until all is incorporated.
• Preheat the oven to 360 F / 180 C.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Take the meatball mixture and using your hands make ping pong ball sized meatballs.
• Lay them on the baking tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes.
• Serve with some spaghetti and marinara sauce, or on its own with some vegetables and potatoes on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 3meatballsCalories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 813IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

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