When you have a toddler in tow, simple everyday tasks can quickly become a struggle. Gone are the days of leisurely flipping through cookbooks for new recipes  or preparing a meal without some sort of pint-sized distraction to buy you just a few more minutes of cooking time.

We know you could use a few extra moments to breathe, so we are sharing five easy make-ahead toddler meals (each with multiple variations) that your kids—and your schedule—will love!

What quick-cook meals are your go-to? Let us know!

Hi Kizingo blog readers! It’s Lunches + Littles here today with a little Q & A session!

If you don’t already follow me over on my feed; I am a busy Mama of three little ones (ages 2, 4 and 5 years), and as you can probably imagine, life can get a bit hectic at times in our home. That’s why I work hard over at @lunchesandlittles to develop recipes that are doable for real life, all while being kid-friendly, healthy and full of color. I am a huge believer that we all (especially our little ones) eat with our eyes first, so naturally, showcasing color as part of a healthy dish is very important to me. One of the hopes with my feed is that I will inspire other parents to offer up healthy, real foods in a colorful and/or fun way.

Smoothie bowls and warm weather (in the northern hemisphere) are all the rage right now, so when Angelica from @thepeacheepear offered to create one for us, we happily pulled out our immersion blender. Continue to read her full post (with recipes)!

Have you heard the statistic that kids need to try a food something like sixteen zillion times before they will actually want to eat it? (OK, it's more like 15-20, but sometimes 15-20 feels an awful lot like sixteen zillion, am I right?) And when it takes so long to get your kiddos to eat a carrot, why would you want to start all over with broccoli?

I hear you. I've been there. And that's why you should burn your vegetables when cooking them.

"With that being said, Feeding a toddler can be a bit of a challenge. They go through so many changes and phases. One day a specific food may be their favorite and the next day they don’t want to have anything to do with it. Meal times can very easily become somewhat of a hassle and many times just plain frustrating ... "

In our house, fall is time for apple picking, fires, spending a solid two months planning our Halloween costumes, and eating so much butternut squash that we swear we won't ever eat it again. (Until next fall rolls around, of course.)

This soup is full of Vitamin C, which can boost immune function, and lower likelihood of skin dryness and wrinkles (sweet!), Vitamin A, which is important for healthy eyesight, and potassium, which aids in regulating blood pressure. 

We adore avocados around these parts. Mashed into guac, diced onto tacos or on top of scrambled eggs, smushed into taste and sprinkled with salt ... these are the more obvious ways avocados are consumed by the arm load each week.

Avocados are a power food. They are loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber which is great for healthy digestion, contain a component that has been shown to maintain cholesterol levels, and are full of healthy unsaturated fats which help keep brain cells communicating with one another. (Avocados make a great first (or second, or third!) finger food ... if you're at that stage with your little one).

I don't know about you, but when it's hot outside the last thing I want to do is turn on my oven! So as the temperatures warm-up, I stay on the lookout for easy to prepare meals that can be eaten cold or at room temperature. We also love salads like this because they are a great way to encourage kids to try new foods. Deconstructable and flexible meals make taste-testing easier, and help kids learn to try new things without needing to eat a whole lot of something new.

Are you making your weekend grocery list? Looking for a super easy meal to wow your weekend guests, or just get from stove to table in no time. Look no further! 

The star of this recipe: beets.

Yes. Beets.

Before you groan and click "back", hear me out.  Beets are incredible. They may not be as accessible as the carrot, exotic as the artichoke, or beautifully curvy as the eggplant, but beets have fabulous flavor and pack a nutritional punch (they are an excellent source of folate, manganese, potassium and fiber).