Feeding toddlers is tricky. They change their mind about what they like daily. They want to exert their independence at mealtime. All you want is them to eat nutritious foods that will aide optimal growth and development. Not easy!
Feeding a toddler with intolerances or allergies is even trickier because the food choices a parent can offer are more narrow.
Luke was diagnosed with milk-soy protein intolerance (MSPI) as an infant, but it was always assumed that he’d eventually outgrow his intolerances. At 18 months we are due for another trial, but so far he seems to still be intolerant to both dairy and soy.
I’ve received several emails asking advice about what to feed a toddler with MSPI, so I thought a post showing what Luke ate over the course of two days would be appropriate. Even if your toddler doesn’t have any intolerances, I always like seeing what other toddlers eat to get new ideas.
Although it can be hard not being able to feed Luke any dairy or soy, it’s not that difficult to avoid them since we eat a mostly whole food diet.
This snapshot (with lots of pictures!) of Luke’s daily eats is actually from almost a month ago now. That shows you how behind on life I am. Moving will do that to you. Without further ado, here’s what my kiddo eats:
Day 1 Breakfast:
Breast milk (I estimate each feeding he gets between 5-8 ounces based on what I get when I have to pump milk for him) followed by sprouted whole grain toast with almond butter and pears.
He usually gets his breakfast about 30-60 minutes after he nurses when he first wakes up. It just works out that way with getting Meghan up after him and preparing the food.
He loves using a fork. And here’s a picture of Meghan since she had the same breakfast and was wearing a matching night shirt.
Luke ate all the bread with almond butter (a favorite food) but not all of the pears.
Lunch Day 2:
One plain egg omelet cooked in coconut oil and sprinkled with a light seasoning blend, strawberries, and avocado.
He ate all of his egg and avocado that was shown plus a bit more. 
But was not interested in the strawberries. This is his I don’t want these strawberries face.
You just stole about five of your buddy’s strawberries at the park, kid, so you’re not fooling me. I know you like strawberries. (True story.)
Snack Day 1: Breast Milk (Luke nurses before his afternoon nap.)
Dinner Day 1: Grilled chicken, grapes, broccoli, and peas
Here he is enjoying his food. I can’t remember why he wasn’t wearing any clothes for dinner this night!
He ate everything you see on the original plate plus seconds of everything. Then we were out of food and he was still asking for more so I fed him a banana. I think this night was a preview of his teenage years!
Breakfast Day 2: Breast milk followed by 2-ingredient sweet potato pancakes
These are one of Luke’s very favorite foods and I make them every week. I don’t have any more pictures, but he ate the four small pancakes you see, plus two more.
Lunch Day 2: a few of these Happy Creamies Organic Veggie and Fruit Snacks with Coconut Milk
, beets roasted in coconut oil, white beans, blueberries, and watermelon.
Luke was super fussy while I was getting his lunch ready, so I gave him a few of little coconut milk fruit snacks (they are similar to the yogurt melt things) that I keep on hand for emergencies. 🙂
I gave him the creamies because I thought the fussiness meant he was hungry, but I guess I was wrong as he just picked at his lunch.
He gets water with every meal. I don’t plan on serving him any milk outside of nursing.
He ended up eating all of his blueberries, a little watermelon, a few beans, and about half of the beets. 
Snack Day 2: Breast milk
Dinner Day 2: plain sprouted whole grain spaghetti, cauliflower, strawberries, sour dough bread with sunflower seed butter, and red bell peppers. 
We were having a pasta dish with cauliflower and red bell peppers that also had parmesan cheese, so I just set portions of it aside for Luke before I added the cheese. I added the sour dough with sunflower seed butter to his meal because he didn’t eat much at lunch and I thought he’d be extra hungry. It turns out he wasn’t and hardly ate any of his dinner. He was really fussy again so I didn’t get a picture.
The next day he had a fever and wasn’t well, so I think his last two meals of not eating much and his fussiness were indicative of his getting sick. I thought about redoing the pictures another day, but I know it’s not totally abnormal for a toddler to have a lower-intake food day, so I kept his pre-sick day foods on here.
Overall, these two days give a pretty good picture of what Luke eats. I hope you find it helpful!
Hello! Yes, 2018 and still your blog is so helpful! Did you have any concerns with trying eggs & peanuts/nut butter with your sweet baby with MSPI? Getting mixed info would love to know your process for introducing those foods 🙂
Hey Maryea
its great to see this post in 2018.My son is 18 month old and has mspi.Luke must be around 7 now.Did he outgrow his milk,soy intolerance?just looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.
would be great if you replied?
Luke just turned 6 last month. 🙂 YES, he did outgrow his intolerances! He eats everything now with no problems. 🙂 🙂 I hope your little one has the same outcome! xoxo Maryea
Thank you you for posting this my son also have the milk and soy protein allergy hes almost 2 and still on formula elevate formula the drs still want him on it to help brain development its been so hard bring a first time mom and I feel helpless most days if he even has a slightest but or dairy or soy be will projecial puke till there’s nothing left in his belly this helped a lot Ty so so much
I’m glad it helped you. xoxo
Here it. Is 2016 and your post is still helping people. Thank you so much for the wonderful ideas!
You’re welcome, Amy. 🙂
Great reading. Thank you. My son 17mths (born 2mths early) has mspi and undergoing tests for celiac. Not food driven. I can’t get him to eat much (weighs 8.45kgs) let alone not throw the food at speed across the room. Any ideas? Still BF with hemp / oat milk on cereal. You seem to have mastered the art! Is it the wonderful plates….
Hi there! Love your website! Just wondering if Luke’s mspi is over ye. I have a 11 month old with it and looking for some light at the end of the tunnel! 🙂
Unfortunately, not yet. 🙁 He’s almost 22 months now and still can’t tolerate milk or soy protein.
Hi Mareya! Thanks for the good meal ideas. Our almost 1 year old is allergic to milk, soy, nuts/peanuts, wheat and avocado, so meal ideas have been tricky!! Do you just nurse Luke a few times a day now? I nursed my older 2 til they were 2, but can’t remember how much they were nursing at this age. Grace is nursing 3-4 times a day, but I am considering adding hemp milk with meals because foods are so limited. I got on your site today to look at the sweet potato pancake recipe- I’m hopeful that’s something Grace would like (and hopefully she’ll tolerate eggs- we haven’t gotten her to try them in any great amount). Thanks again for the good ideas!
Luke is 20 months now and nursing 3 times a day. I’m starting to think about how/when I’m going to wean him. Not sure if I’m just going to let him nurse until he self-weans or if I’ll initiate it. Good luck to you!
Thanks Maryea! This was really helpful, I feel a LOT better about my 11 month old daughter’s diet seeing that it is along the same lines, although she eats a fraction of the quantities, and “red” foods are largely off limits to her as she’s also intolerant to tomatoes, red peppers, strawberries etc in additon to milk/soy. I just ordered a bunch of the happy baby creamies and the plum organic rice milk melts from the States as we can’t get them anywhere here in Australia. We love the sweet potato pancakes too, I have to admit sometimes quite a few don’t make it to the plate as I’m cooking them as I love them too! You really inspire better nutrition in our house so thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m the same way with the sweet potato pancakes. 🙂
I find it so helpful to see what other babies/toddlers are eating, so thanks!
You are welcome!
My son is allergic to Milk and has a soy sensitivity. We give him Kefir to drink in the morning. It is 99% lactose free and it has never seemed to bother him. The probiotic helps his gut issues.
That is very interesting to know–thanks! I don’t think lactose is Luke’s issue, but rather casein, but I’m still interested if kefir would work for him as I’d love him to get the probiotics.
These meals look great and Luke has gotten so big! My son just turned 18 months and he is nowhere near as good with the water glass! This gave me some great ideas though, I love the toast cut until into strips.
Don’t worry; Meghan couldn’t drink from a glass until close to 3! Luke wants to do everything like his big sister, though, so he started drinking from a glass much earlier. 🙂
Thank you for posting this! My little guy is dairy intolerant, as well as allergic to bananas and avocado. I’m always trying to figure out what to feed him!
You’re welcome!