If you’ve ever tried to cook dinner while solo parenting, you’ll understand today’s dinner situation. My husband was away, Roslyn was on her way home from dayhome, and I was determined to get the HelloFresh Smart Beyond Meat Crunch Salad baby friendly meal on the table before meltdown o’clock hit.
Now, I’ll be real—when I pulled out the ingredients, one of the peppers was basically a science experiment. Rotten on the inside. Thank you, compost bin, for your service. Luckily, this recipe didn’t depend too heavily on that one pepper, and everything else looked good to go. The bonus of this meal? It was ridiculously easy to throw together. Beyond Meat makes life simple, and since the only spicy part of the recipe was the mayonnaise drizzle at the end, it was a breeze to keep it baby friendly.
Baby-Friendly Modifications
Roslyn is now 14 months old and entering the phase where lunch is the main event, and dinner is more of an afterthought. She’ll chow down like a lumberjack at noon, but by dinner? Suddenly she’s a Victorian child nibbling a crust of bread and declaring she’s full.
Still, I gave her a little plate:
- Beyond Meat: Big win. She really liked it and went back for more.
- Edamame: Another hit! She popped them like candy.
- Cabbage and peppers: Meh. She crunched on one pepper slice with her new teeth and seemed impressed with herself, but mostly? Not interested.
And because I know toddlers are wildcards, I pulled out my secret weapon: pancakes (seriously, thank goodness for pancakes). One warmed-up pancake later, and snack crisis was officially averted.
Toddler Eating Reality Check
Right now, dinner is optional for Roslyn, and I’m not sweating it. She eats a huge, balanced lunch at dayhome and plenty of snacks, so I figure dinner is just bonus fuel. If she skips? Totally fine. She’s still at the table with us, watching, mimicking, and learning what mealtime looks like in our family. Sometimes that’s half the win.
Also, can we talk about how proud she looked when she bit into that crunchy pepper? Like, “Look Mom, I have teeth now!” Toddlers really do find the joy in the smallest things. Or maybe it’s the moms…
The Adult Side of the Table
Meanwhile, I absolutely loved this meal. The crisp cabbage, the edamame, the savory Beyond Meat—it all came together in a way that felt light but filling. Without the spicy mayo, it’s perfectly baby safe, but with it? Total flavor bomb. My auntie joined us for dinner, which made for a nice change since my husband wasn’t around. Roslyn mostly ignored her plate in favor of playing and climbing around, but the grown-ups got a great meal out of it.
Final Thoughts
The HelloFresh Smart Beyond Meat Crunch Salad baby friendly recipe is a total win in my book. Super fast to prep (important when you’re juggling solo parenting), flexible enough to keep spicy toppings separate, and packed with protein and veggies. Roslyn might not have loved every bite this time around, but that’s toddler life. She enjoyed the Beyond Meat and edamame, got to crunch a pepper with her new teeth, and still ended up with a full belly thanks to her beloved pancake backup.
Would I make this meal again? Absolutely. It’s light, it’s fresh, and it makes me feel like I actually accomplished something at the end of the day—even if dinner for Roslyn was mostly pancake.
