Healthy KID friendly recipes anyone?

Eating healthy isn't hard for me to do, but getting my 4 yr old boy interested can be a bit of a challenge! Anyone have some good kid friendly healthy recipes? Preferably ones without eggs as he is allergic :)

Thanks everyone!

Replies

  • dab52776
    dab52776 Posts: 536 Member
    I would love to get some ideas as well.
  • castell5
    castell5 Posts: 234 Member
    If they like mozarella sticks, they should like this:

    Here is the recipe.

    FIRM LITE Tofu (any brand)
    Shake N Bake (Parmesan crusted)
    1 Cookie Sheet
    Cooking spray

    Treat the cookie sheet with the spray, like PAM then drain your tofu, slice it into 12-14 slices and individually coat each one in the Shake N Bake.. lay them out on the cookie sheet and bake them at 400 degrees 20 minute each side.. (This is my favorite way)
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
    The only thing I can think of that most kids, at least where I'm from, will eat that you can probably make really healthy is pasta with meatsauce.

    Cause for the sauce you just have like, ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, whatevs), onions, crushed tomatoes, maybe some tomato puree and garlic, spices and as many vegetables as you can fit in there.

    I usually have corn, white beans and peas, but I know people put in carrot, paprika, squash, eggplant, fresh tomatoes, lentils, parsnip, mushrooms, different kinds of beans and pretty much whatever they feel like.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Add in some favorite veggies.
  • pumpkin spice muffins are a good dessert that the kids like and it satisfys my sweet tooth and snack/small meal hunger. you could do healthyer home made but I just mix a can of pumpkin with the bag of spice cake mix, stir super well, and cook as long as it says for cupcakes.


    they also like chicken fahitas.garlic and a bit of hot sauce for flavor.boiled chicken breasts,sautaed with onion,tomato,pepper, on a bed of rice on a wheat tortilla.tiny bit of cheese and sour cream. 300-400 cal total for a loaded adult sized one and super filling!

    one of the kids loves salads lol

    all 3 of the ones who eat big peoples food love rice and anything with it.

    and I've found they eat and don;t mind the vegis till they see em. so tortilla meals are good, I only have 2 kinda vegi haters. they just dont like certain things.
  • maggiemay22467
    maggiemay22467 Posts: 214 Member
    pancakes made with the two eggs and banana . The are so good my daughter loves them.
  • You can put zucchini in just about anything without it being visible (pasta sauce, pancakes, dips, etc.) Pumpkin or squash is also easy to hide, and the sweeter taste may actually win little one's over on its own (mix with a little bit of cinnamon...!) You can also dye things green and hide veggies in them- just tell them its hulk food! There are plenty of organic dyes out there if that is important to you. Fun shapes can also distract kids from anything that may appear to "healthy" for their tastes- I used to make veggie monsters out of all kinds of things (held together with toothpicks, so if your kiddo is too young that's not a good idea). Add tomatoes or other veggies to grilled cheese and use cookie cutters to make them into dinosaurs. My mom also has a really good recipe for spinach manicotti- stuff manicotti shells with ricotta cheese and thawed spinach (or cook your own!), drown in your favorite tomato sauce (add zucchini, mushrooms, you name it), and bake! Even my picky little brother (who operated on a strict bread and cheese diet) loved it.

    I've found its easier to get kids to try new things when you get them excited about it- so have them help you make it, make it the theme of their favorite movie- get creative!
  • Stdavis53
    Stdavis53 Posts: 233 Member
    3 Ingredient cookies!

    1 Medium Banana
    1 cup oats
    1/4 cup raisins

    Mix it all together with your hands until it forms a ball and the banana is fully integrated.

    Form into cookies and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
  • Hakarn
    Hakarn Posts: 62 Member
    If your kid likes soup, you could make gumbo. Gumbo is a great way to have grains like rice, a bunch of veggies and some protein (if you add chicken or shrimp).

    EDIT: Frozen bananas are like popsicles. If you grind it up in a food processor, frozen bananas come out like ice cream.
  • NZhellkat
    NZhellkat Posts: 355 Member
    Spaghetti and meatballs. Nice small ones that are one bite. Saute onions, broccoli shred then add pasta sauce. Puree the sauce in a blender or with an immersion blender then add the meatballs to simmer and soak up some flavor. You can use any vegies that you want.

    Fried rice, mac & cheese with peppers, cottage pies, mini pies, curry and rice, chilli with add vegies to mention a few.
  • kermiehiho
    kermiehiho Posts: 193 Member
    I just posted this under its own topic, but if I were a kid, I would love rolling peanut butter and cereal in my hands! (recipe from food.com)

    Ingredients

    1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter (I used all natural)
    1/2 cup honey
    1/3 cup instant non-fat powdered milk
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    1 1/2 cups Cheerios toasted oat cereal
    2/3 cup dried cranberries or 2/3 cup raisins (I used dates; others have used dried cherries. Any dried fruit probably fine)
    2/3 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds (I used chopped nuts)

    Directions

    In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, powdered milk and lemon juice.
    Mix well.
    Add the cereal, dried cherries, and sunflower seeds and stir well.
    Have a small bowl of water on hand.
    Moistening your hands as needed, roll the cereal mixture into balls.
    Set on wax paper until the outsides feel dry to the touch, about 30 minutes.
    Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.
  • katiefridley
    katiefridley Posts: 151 Member
    I have never understood this "kid friendly" business. Kids are just small adults in waiting. Why feed them "kid food" like we feed animals "animal feed"? Give them the same food you eat. How are they ever supposed to grow accustomed to "adult food" if they don't have it as kids?

    My best friend growing up ate chicken nuggets, hot dogs, hamburgers, fish sticks, fries, and tater tots every single day of her life. As an adult, she now has a hard time trying new things and won't eat hardly anything at all. Restaurants and banquets are difficult for her. In my house, my dad made normal food every night for dinner. Sometimes it was mac and cheese or chicken nuggets, but most of the time we had things like baked chicken, meatloaf, pot roast, steak, ham, and pasta and rice dishes, always served with at least one vegetable. Now, my brother, who as a child HATED anything other than "kid food" that he got elsewhere, is a vegetarian who will try just about anything, and I am the world's least picky eater.

    Give your kids real food, not the watered down, bland version of real food.