These toddler friendly spinach recipes are perfect for little eaters age 1 to 3! We are adding spinach to easy toddler meals in a way that is easy for them to eat, and allowing them to try some delicious flavors from around the world.

With lots of vitamins and plant based iron, spinach is an ideal food for little eaters, especially those being raised vegetarian. Getting some spinach-heavy meals into your toddler’s rotation is a very worthwhile goal.

Spinach is incredibly versatile. There’s no need for toddlers to tackle whole leaves which would be tricky for their mouths, as it can be chopped down and made smooth and easy to eat. This makes it simpler ingredient than kale, for example.

Another reason to load your toddler up with spinach? You gotta normalize green foods while you can!

In my experience, the toddler years were the perfect time to make favorites out of spinach and other green foods. Age 1 -2 toddlers can be pretty easygoing. It’s the preschool years when they might start to take on some biases and aversions to more colorful food. If they already have some well established green favorite meals, then maybe these will have a chance of “sticking”.

(No guarantees! I do have a 6 year old child who loved the meals I am about to share when she was a toddler, but now won’t touch anything green out of principle. We just have to do what we can, when we can.)

My Top 6 Spinach Recipes for Toddlers

These are the recipes that my toddlers have enjoyed over the years, which I hope can bring you some success too. Some of these are from my Baby & Toddler category and others are from my usual bank of recipes, but worked perfectly for family meals.

Palak Paneer Curry for Babies, Toddlers & Kids

4.78 from 22 ratings
A creamy and mild introduction to palak paneer curry for babies, toddlers and kids! This has an abundance of flavor and fun textures, and was once the absolute favorite meal for my daughter. It keeps well and is great to stockpile in the freezer.
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Tip : If your tots enjoy this curry, definitely give the Kale Paneer Curry a try too – this one is great for the whole family.

Spinach Spaghetti Sauce

5 from 3 ratings
An easy, creamy spinach spaghetti sauce that comes together while the pasta is cooking! Silky smooth with the richness of parmesan and the freshness of basil and lemon, this sauce packs in a huge dose of healthy greens. Mix with cherry tomatoes for the perfect contrasting sweetness.
TODDLER EDITS – This recipe is suitable as written, but a) If sodium levels are a concern for your toddler, feel free to swap in a milder cheese. b) You may wish to eliminate the lemon zest if you think your toddler would prefer a more toned-down flavor.
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Tip: If pasta is the way to your toddler’s heart, I have a few other recipes worth trying:

Puff Pastry Spanakopita Braid

4.93 from 14 ratings
An easy to make puff pastry braid with a deliciously tasty spanakopita filling! If you're craving spanakopita (spinach and feta pie) but don't want to use filo pastry, this is a great alternative that will hit the spot.
TODDLER EDITS – If your toddler doesn't like "bits", you can leave out the onion and the filling will be smoother. For this recipe you can get away with a cheap feta – or something packaged as "greek salad cheese" – because those have a milder flavor which might work in your favor. Chop the mint super fine, or just a little dried mint instead.
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Caprese Spinach Rice Casserole

4.75 from 8 ratings
A simple, delicious recipe for baked spinach rice with juicy cherry tomatoes and a fresh mozzarella topping! A great way to pack lots of nutritious greens into a comforting casserole. Using all fresh ingredients, this is a healthier twist on spinach rice.
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Spiced Spinach & Sweet Potato Baby Food Puree

4.57 from 62 ratings
An iron rich, deliciously silky and flavorful homemade baby puree packed with nutritious spinach and sweet potato with a hint of sweet spice.
Why I am including this in a toddler collection : This can be used as a sauce rather than a baby food and it's super sweet and tasty, so good for toddlers who still have a real preference for sweeter flavors. I'd consider adding this to a favorite protein or tossing it in with a grain they enjoy.
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Nervous about green smoothies? Want to fool your kids into eating more greens? This spinach-packed smoothie is deceptively purple thanks to all the blueberries.

Deceptively Purple Green Smoothie

A green smoothie in disguise! Thanks to the bright purple hue from blueberries, no one has to know that this smoothie is packed with spinach! A great smoothie for kids, toddlers and nervous adults alike!
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