Picky kids! Please help!

tauny78

My husband and I love to try new recipes, and both of us are trying to lose weight. So, I'm looking for easy (I'm no chef) and healthy recipes. The only problem is, I have 2 girls who are fairly picky eaters. One will try new foods, but generally doesn't care for them, and the other has no desire to try anything new. I want to cook healthy for the whole family, and teach them to eat good foods. If anyone has any ideas or recipes you think kids (btw, they are 8 and 10 years old) would enjoy, please, I would love to hear them! Thanks!

mnsmith83

wow this thing really doesnt like my space bar! lol

mnsmith83

I JUST loaded a recipe into the MFP database for an easily customizable whole wheat pizza: here ya go!


crust:

1 pkg yeast
1 c water
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp salt
2.5 c whole wheat flour

mix yeast with water in mixing bowl, let sit 5 mins until the yeast foams (quick rise doesnt seem to foam though)

stir in the oil and salt. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. You'll probably have to use your hands for the last cup.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and kneed for 5 mins. Form dough into a ball, put in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

When the dough is ready, turn back onto a floured surface, and roll to the shape of your pan. I used a 13x9 baking sheet (covered in tin foil). Dough should be about 1/4" thick. Place in pan.

My toppings were:

1/2 c Classico Light Alfredo Sauce
8 oz part skim shredded mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup diced garlic seasoned chicken breast
1/3 vidalia onion, diced
1 cup fresh sliced mushroom
2 medium sliced tomatoes
garlic powder

put toppings on in this order: garlic powder, sauce (spread to about 1/2 inch of the outside, leave room for crust!), cheese, chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, more garlic powder!

Bake for 20 mins at 475F

Caution: pizza will be DELICIOUS!

Nutrition facts if you cut the pizza into an even 12 slices, (for two slices):


calories carbs fat protein sodium dietary fiber

302 40 8 21 1058 6

mnsmith83

oops

mnsmith83

oops again.

4lafz

My niece has a 6 yr old and 8 yr old - both girls. She get's them in the kitchen and they help her make the food - then they can't wait to try it. They love mild white fish - halibut, mahi mahi with fruit salsa. Lots of chicken dishes too. Turkey burgers - there are tons of recipes - then even make granola and healthy treats. She uses the first Rocco Dispirito cookbook alot. Some of his recipes are online - just google.

frugalmomsrock

I have five kids-and I think four of them are picky. lol

Some things my family agrees on:

grilled chicken breasts (I really like an apricot glaze made with a little apricot preserves, water, and broth to sweeten it up after it's grilled; the kids like it too).

hummus (surprisingly; they like the regular garbanzo hummus and black bean hummus) and pita chips.

chicken quesadillas (I use whole wheat tortillas, shredded chicken (either what I cook or from a can), fat free cheese, and I season the chicken myself so there's no salt-with cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Sometimes liquid smoke. Chicken and spices into a pan to heat through. Add a few diced up tomatoes and cook together so flavors meld. Spread a little cheese on half the tortilla, then a little of the chicken mix, then a little more cheese. Fold. Cook in pan with no oil until each side is slightly browned).

An absolute favorite at my house is chicken tortilla soup. I use a base for my soups. I put into a food processor: one onion, one colored pepper, and about 8-9 oz. of baby carrots. process so it's all in bits, but not too juicy. I then sautee that. Add 2 cans of drained, rinsed, reduced sodium black beans,1 can of no salt added diced tomatoes, 1 can of reduced sodium chicken broth plus 2 cans of water, shredded chicken (again-either canned or shredded at home), 1 c. of frozen corn, and seasonings to taste (cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and/or chili powder). I usually put in a couple heaping TBSP of nutritional yeast as well. Serve with fat free sour cream, fat free shredded cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips. I like to get the blue corn organic chips. Put a dollop of sour cream into bowl, spoon soup on, then top with the cheese and crunched up chips.

My kids also beg for chicken gravy and rice. I use brown rice, and I make a chicken gravy (I use canned chicken for this too-I use that a lot). 1 can of chicken with the water, 1 chicken gravy packet, 2 cups of cold water, 2-3 tsp corn starch, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix ingredients with whisk and cook over medium heat until it gets thick (reduce with a little more water if necessary or add a little more corn starch mixed in water if it's not quite thick enough) Serve gravy on top of the rice.

queen_bea

I dont have kids but my brother was incredibly fussy when i was growing up.
Ive heart getting them involved with preparing and making the food will normally make them enthusiastic to want to try/eat it. I also saw something about "orange spaghetti' which was just grated carrot with other things. Try and make the food fun.
Another this is to get them in the garden, growing, watering, pricking the veggies. If they've helped make/grow it, they're gonna want to try it.