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EASY TURKEY VEGGIE MEATBALLS | 6 mos+ | đâ ïžđȘ
Updated: Aug 17, 2022
I donât know about you, but I love adding extra veggies into our daily meals and snacks in every which way. These Easy Turkey Veggie Meatballs are one of my favorite recipes â I make them all the time just to have on hand for adding into pasta sauces, or serving as a quick main dish for an easy meal. They are made with iron-rich turkey meat and packed with carrots and spinach!
DISCLAIMER: Each child has their own development timeline and specific needs. The content below is general information and for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional one-on-one advice. You are responsible for supervising your childâs health and for evaluating the appropriateness of the information below for your child. Please consult your healthcare provider regarding support or advice for your child's well being and health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
What makes these easy turkey veggie meatballs so good for your baby?
Turkey is rich in iron and protein, two critical nutrients for growing little ones. It is also known as one of the most easily digested types of meat.
Carrots, being rich in fiber, helps prevent the baby from getting constipated. Carrots provide a very good food option during the weaning period of the baby. They are creamy, sweetish, and bland enough not to irritate the baby's gut.
The spinach in this recipe will provide important vitamins and minerals to your baby. Plus, this leafy vegetable is often used as a natural laxative and helps in keeping the digestive system on track.
EASY TURKEY VEGGIE MEATBALLS
These Easy Turkey Veggie Meatballs are a great alternative for traditional meatballs - made with iron-rich ground turkey and packed with veggies. They're also high in protein and flavor - keeping baby's muscles strong and their tummy happy!
Download and print recipe by clicking below âŹïž
Course: Lunch/Dinner Prep: 15 min Cook: 18 min Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup diced carrot
2/3 cup spinach (fresh is best as frozen gives off too much liquid)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Preparation Steps
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick
spray.
2. Place the carrot, and spinach into the bowl of a food processor (or into the jug of a blender). Grind finely for about 30 seconds, then transfer mixture to a large bowl.
3. Add the turkey, spices, and cheese. Combine well for 30-60 seconds stopping to scrape
down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Form into 2-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until just starting to brown.
6. Let it cool down, then drain on paper towels if needed, and serve with plain yogurt for dipping or preferred baby-friendly sauce.
Notes
Suitable: for the whole family from 6 months old. If offering it to babies under 12 months, we recommend crumbling the meatball or dice it into bite sized pieces, unless you're confident your baby is already an advanced eater (chews and swallows well; takes small bites and doesn't overly stuff their mouth with food; they have most or all of their molars, the back teeth).
Age up: If offering these to an older child (12+ years) or an adult you may add 1/2 tsp salt to the meat and veggie mixture before molding it into balls.
Flavor up:
You may use 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, or parsley for a change of flavor.
Boost nutrition:
Try adding a tablespoon of flaxseed, chia/hemp seeds to the meat and veggie mixture before molding it into balls. These will add texture, plant protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
Serve these meatballs with grains or pasta, and fruit for a complete meal.
Involving your children:
Under 6+ months: have them watch you prepare; show them how you mix all the ingredients together; how you shape the meat mixture into round balls. Tell them the names of the ingredients as you add them to help build baby's vocabulary.
18+ months: show them how to and let them try to add ingredients to the food processor; show them how to and let them try to press the food processor button; show them how to and let them try to add/mix ingredients; show them how to and let them try to mold meat into balls (make to wash their hands well after the handling of meat; you may also have them use gloves).
â Focus on offering single ingredient foods or very simple recipes (1-3 ingredients) at the early stages - the first 1-2 months of starting solids. You may offer more elaborated recipes on a more occasional basis for babies beginning to eat. This will help your baby get familiar with the natural taste of foods but still getting it "pimped-up" in recipes every once in a while. It will also allow you to expose your baby to a few different foods, and make it easier for you to rule out some possible food allergies or intolerance before you start offering preparations with several ingredients regularly.
â Use mashed beans instead of turkey to modify this recipe for a vegetarian baby.
đ - this recipe contains colorful foods. We recommend including a fruit and/or a vegetable at each meal.
đȘ - this recipe contains iron-rich food. We recommend including iron-rich food at each meal.
â ïž - this recipe contains a common choking hazard. Make sure to follow age and preparation guidelines.
As always, discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider. This post and this site is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. The materials and services provided by this site are for informational purposes only.
Recipes Symbol Legend
Here in our Food Library we use some symbols or emojis to make it easier for you to find what you need. Listed below are the symbols we use and what they mean.
đ„ - this recipe contains high-calorie food. We recommend including a high-calorie food at each meal.
đȘ - this recipe contains iron-rich food. We recommend including iron-rich food at each meal.
đ - this recipe contains colorful food. We recommend including a fruit and/or a vegetable at each meal.
đ„ - this recipe contains foods that are a great choice for baby's first food.
đ± - this recipe is a great choice for plant-based babies.
đ© - this recipe contains food that helps prevent or treat constipation.
đ„ - this recipe contains contains peanuts, a common food allergen.
đł - this recipe contains egg, a common food allergen.
đ - this recipe contains cow's milk, a common food allergen.
đŸ - this recipe contains contains wheat, a common food allergen.
âłïž - this recipe contains contains soy, a common food allergen.
đź - this recipe contains sesame seed, a common food allergen.
đ° - this recipe contains tree nuts, a common food allergen.
đ - this recipe contains fish, a common food allergen.
đ€ - this recipe contains shellfish, a common food allergen.
â ïž - this recipe contains a common choking hazard. Make sure to follow age and preparation guidelines.
â - tips, tricks, and hacks.
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