Sandwiches might seem like the easiest toddler meal to make as they are quick to make, easy to hold, and endlessly adaptable. However when it comes to feeding babies and toddlers, it’s not always that simple – when you are short on time and if like me you get stuck in a toast and cheese loop!

That’s why I’ve put together 21 healthy sandwich baby and toddler ideas. These combinations are soft, nutritious, and packed with flavour. These are suitable for baby-led weaning or trying to bring a new lease of life to your toddler’s lunchbox, there’s something here for every little one.

Reasons to love baby sandwiches

• Easy to hold
• Customizable into different shapes, fillings and types of bread
• Nutritious and flavoursome
• Great for baby-led weaning or toddler lunches, picnics
• Keep well and can be stored in the fridge for a few days
  
  

Tips for making them Baby & Toddler Friendly

• Best breads for little ones depends on their age. But for all little ones it is best to give them low or not salt bread and no added sugars where possible. This can be very tricky in supermarket bread but reading labels to find the best one will help. More information on this can be found in my blog. 

Under 1 year – avoid very soft bread sandwiches for baby, no big seeds, no honey in bread, no salt (or very low levels) and no or little sugar. 

Over 1 year – Bread can be soft if they are able to manage it, keep salt and sugar levels to a minimum, or ideally none at all. 

• Types of bread – Lots of types can be offered and it is better to offer a mix rather than just one such as wholegrain, white, 50/50 types, sourdough etc. Include sliced, pitta, wraps etc too.
  
• How to cut – start with finger sandwiches as these are easiest to hold. Once they are older you can offer more fun shapes and use cutters to make them more interesting. If they struggle with mixing fillings and bread up then offer them deconstructed. There are some ideas in my blog on how to make food fun.
  
• Allergen considerations  If your baby or child has an allergy then think about what type of bread they can eat and the filling. Most supermarkets offer gluten free breads. 

• Serve safely – If they are just starting to wean at 6 months then it is not advisable to offer soft bread as it gets too soft and stuck in the mouth. 

Serve finger strips of lightly toasted bread with a topping whilst they get used to different textures and learn to eat more solid food. Once they are older and more competent at eating you can offer fresh bread. This will vary from child to child but around 12 – 18 months they should be ok to have softer sandwiches. 

21 Healthy Sandwich Ideas

Here are lots of ideas and interesting combinations to make finger sandwiches for kids less boring. It also gives an opportunity to expose them to different foods and increase the variety in your babies or toddler’s diet. 

Remember to serve kids sandwich fillings appropriately depending on their age. So mashed for young babies, finely chopped as they get older and then they can progress to chopped or slices when ready.  

Here are some sandwich baby ideas:

1. Mashed avocado & egg

One of my kids and my favourite. You can scramble the egg or mash the cooked egg before putting on the bread along with some mashed avocado. 

2. Hummus & grated carrot

Sweet carrots go down well with creamy hummus. Or try a variation of this with this tomato and chickpea dip.

3. Cottage cheese & banana slices

Cottage cheese is quite bland but adding some fruit like slices of banana or mashed banana on top adds to the flavour.

4. Tuna and plain yoghurt

Tinned tuna mashed with a little plain unsweetened yoghurt or creme fraiche makes it creamy and tasty.

5. Soft cooked chicken & mashed sweet potato

This idea is great if you have some leftovers from a roast dinner. Use some leftover shredded chicken pieces, shredded finely and mash some sweet potato with it and spread on some bread. 

6. Cream cheese & chopped spinach

Finely chop some spinach or blend in the food processor with some cottage cheese.

7. Roasted red pepper & hummus

Blend some roasted peppers without the skins (either from a jar or roasted yourself) into some hummus. Or mash the roasted peppers very thoroughly. 

8. Cucumber ribbons & ricotta

Spread some ricotta on the bread and use a peeler to make small ribbons of cucumber to put on top. 

9. Mashed peas, mint & feta

A really fresh and flavoursome combination. Particularly good in the summer. Finely chop some mint and mash the peas together, then crumble some feta in. 

10. Carrot & apple slaw with yoghurt dressing

Finely grate some carrot and apple. Mix into some plain yoghurt or cream cheese. 

11. Peanut butter (or alternative) & thin apple slices

Spread some smooth nut butter such as peanut butter on the bread. If you can’t have nuts then something like a seed butter (sunflower seed) would work well too. Add some grated or sliced apple. 

12. Mashed berries & Greek yoghurt

A great option for those who struggle with savoury options. Mash berries (such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries) and mix in some plain greek or natural yoghurt. 

13. Banana & sunflower seed butter

If you don’t have seed butter you can use peanut butter or another kind of nut butter. Mash the banana or slice and place on top of the butter. 

14. Pear & soft cheese

Spread some soft cream cheese on the bread and finely chop or mash half a pear

15. Date & ricotta

An unusual combination but works well. Even though dates are sweet they contain lots of fibre. Chopped dates finely or soak a little and then mash if they are not soft enough. Add to some ricotta on the bread. 

16. Mini toasted cheese & spinach sandwich 

Finely chop some spinach and cut some thin slices of cheddar cheese. Place between two slices of bread and toast in a sandwich toaster until melted. Cut into finger sandwiches. 

17. Scrambled egg & tomato

Cook some egg until scrambled and place on some bread with some mashed tomato or finely chopped tomato pieces. 

18. Soft turkey & avocado mash

Mash half an avocado and spread on the bread. Shred some soft cooked turkey pieces and place on top. 

19. White bean mash & tomato

Mash some cooked white beans such as cannellini beans from a tin and add some mashed or finely chopped tomatoes. 

20. Egg salad with greek yoghurt & cress

Egg salad is one of our favourites. Mash the cooked egg with some yoghurt and some chopped cress. 

21. Leftover roast vegetable sandwich

Using some leftover roasted vegetables that can be chopped or mashed with a dash of olive oil mixed in can make a tasty sandwich. Add some grated cheese perhaps. 

How to Make It into a Meal

Now you have your baby sandwich ideas, you may need some extras to add alongside to make it into a balanced meal or snack. 

A balanced meal should have the four food groups; 

1. Fruit or vegetable
2. Protein such as meat, fish, beans, eggs, lentils, chickpeas
3. Dairy such as yoghurt, cheese, milk or dairy alternative
4. Carbohydrate such as bread

So depending what may be missing from your sandwich filling you can add something along side. 

Simple sides can include things like fruit, veggie sticks, yoghurt or a glass or milk. 

For example for an egg, cress and yoghurt sandwich you could include some veggie sticks alongside. 

For more ideas on kid sandwich ideas for school or nursery, then check out my healthy lunchbox ideas for toddlers. Exposure to a variety of sandwiches and fillings, textures and tastes is so important early on. So you can get creative and use some of my ideas or create your own. Make it fun and let your child explore them. 

This guide also has lots more creative ideas and recipes.