Help need diet meals my kids will eat...

http://www.laaloosh.com/2012/02/07/bacon-ranch-slow-cooker-chicken-recipe/

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_low_calorie_chicken_recipes

http://www.laaloosh.com/2012/07/26/crock-pot-chicken-ranch-tacos-recipe/

http://www.secondchancetodream.com/2012/07/25-make-ahead-back-to-school-breakfast.html

Some sites I've found searching for healthy foods. Some of course are more kid friendly than others. If you keep the meet healthy, you can feed the kids the mac and cheese sides...and you eat all the veggies you want!

Also...search pintrest for healthy low cal recipes that kids will love....there is tons of good ideas there!

.......................... Cut out processed junk and leave the rest be.

this right here:drinker:

I don't really make any typical diet meals for dinner. I make things like "beef stroganoff" (using lean ground turkey and non-fat milk), teriyaki chicken w/rice, baked chicken breasts (skinless), fajitas (using lean ground turkey), quiche (turkey bacon, non-fat milk and low fat cheese), lean turkey ham, etc. The calories aren't too bad. I just watch my portions and try to substitute when I can. For example, when I make pancakes I use egg whites instead of the whole egg and applesauce instead of the oil.

I did swap out white for wheat a few years back and they think it is normal now. I thought they would all three have a complete meltdown when I put whole grain tortillas in front of them, not one complained and they had seconds. I buy lower fat chips when I buy any at all, I started buying really really low cal sliced cheeses, like 30 calories and not one word has been said about it. I stopped buying chicken nuggets, no one really misses them or french fries
I decided one day, if I am buying low fat cheese for myself and whole grain or wheat when available and low cal heart healthy spaghetti sauce, why not for my kids? They should learn now simple substitutions can be delicious. Not every bite has to be a party in the mouth, it is fuel for our bodies. Well, almost all my substitutions add wonderful things to my diet because I avoided cheese and bread more before than I do now!

So, I guess I usually make a 45 calorie wheat grilled cheese with super low calorie cheese or turkey sandwich with basil pesto and lf provolone, yum!
I make whole grain tortilla pizzas with low fat shredded cheese or just make quesadillas with it. Steak fajitas are easier and better too
I now swapped out a white but healthier (more expensive ) pasta with a light spaghetti sauce or the heart healthy and sometimes light alfredo.
I have vegies with dips, and I mean lots on hand at all times, and dip, low fat or fat free ranch, yep, not a complaint about it!
We have scrambled eggs a lot or boiled eggs, I make mine with out the yolk mostly.
Snack, jello with fat free cool whip and they LOVE it!
97% fat free tacos with reduced fat hard shells and low or no fat sour cream, leftovers over healthiest chip you can find!
we grill lots of chicken and lean steak and pork and always have it in the fridge to fill in a quick meal or on top of fresh greens and vegies for a salad.
we are not too strict for the kids and have them eat when they are hungry. For me, I would rather have my kids waste food than eat when they are full. They should listen to their bodies! My kids use jam and quite a bit of miracle whip lite, they use the egg yolks, they have pizza on meals they hate, so they have a pretty cushy meal schedule, but at least they are learning healthier options are out there and readily available and taste just fine. I do daycare and some of the kids have had a pretty unhealthy relationship with food and will eat till you tell them to stop I am now using many of these substitutions there too. They often will get fresh salmon with asparagus or steak fajitas or even shrimp! Trying to show them fresh foods that are healthy can taste good.

(my kids will tell anyone and everyone I am a label reader and you know what, I am proud! My kids know everything in moderation and looking at serving size and what it all means)- good math practice!

I am like the other poster who subs certain low-fat or reduced sodium products for the high fat ones. My daughter is 12 and loves broccoli and I make it steamed with spray butter, not the real stuff. Just got to be creative. She likes mashed potatoes but I make them with fat free reduced sodium chicken broth and skim milk and a spray of no cal butter after….Just as good but way less cals. Make some smoothies with fruit and ice and maybe a little non fat plain or vanilla yogurt and add spinach to the blender you can not taste it at all. But very healthy. Just a few suggestions.

My kids are 5 & 6, I made turkey bacon and told them it was turkey bacon and they immediately acted as if they didn't like it. Few days later after I went shopping I made that same turkey bacon and told them I got "regular" bacon at the store, they ate it up and loved it like it was the real pork bacon. I don't want to promote lying to your kids but I think bending the truthfor their health won't hurt them a bit. If they see garlic and hate it but like onions, guess what *poof* it's onions. If they only like things plane (my kids like everything with no sauce which is a good thing) make their plate before you add the sauce. Also "hide" things by blending it up and then adding it, they'll never know it's in there (my oldest "hates" meat other than chicken also hates vegetables so I'll sneak a little in alot of things I make, if she noticed it it's no big deal I'll say its seasoning).