Ideas for healthy, quick weeknight meals that are kid-friendly

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  • gehappy
    gehappy Posts: 1 Member
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    I don't understand the rudeness either, I think kid friendly is a pretty general term most people understand - even if THEIR kids are blessed with a sophisticated palate. LOL!
    Anyway...
    Have you TRIED the crockpot? I haven't had a problem cooking on low for 10+ hours.

    Ok not necessarily "healthy" but better than fast food options that are in our regular rotation:
    1)BBQ pork is a favorite: pork roast or shoulder (whatever is on sale) in a crockpot w/a can of root beer or cherry cola (I use diet). Cook on low all day, shred then add BBQ sauce of your choice.
    2) chili in crockpot. Brown meat night before. Put in crockpot in the morning with spices, etc. cook all day - ready to eat when you get home!
    3) tacos: skinnytaste has several recipes (+crockpot versions)
    4) chicken and stuffing: emilybites.com
    5) chicken Parmesan: mix cup of breadcrumbs + 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Coat chicken in crumbs (I don't dip in egg first but you can). Bake ~20 -25 min at 425, add slice of mozzarella cheese to melt. Serve with spaghetti sauce (I use canned) and spaghetti noodles
    6) any version of chicken breasts - grilled, baked seasoned with garlic salt or season salt (with or without panko or breadcrumbs) or BBQ sauce served with mashed potatoes (can buy premade if needed), baked potatoes or rice
    7) spaghetti: brown ground Italian sausage and simmer in sauce (again store bought) can be prepared night before. Nothing fancy but good enough for weeknight!
  • natashachristina
    natashachristina Posts: 5 Member
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    Anything build your own. Veggie or turkey burgers, cheese, pita, avocado, veggies. I can skip the cheese. Kid can choose what she wants to eat. Same idea with a rice and meat bowl. Can add stir fried veggies/fried egg or beans/salsa/veggies Mexican style. My family will do sour cream, I'll choose hot sauce.

    I like to make double batches of things in the weekend and freeze half. Chicken soups, posole, marinara with turkey meatballs, beef stew all freeze great. They are then a snap to heat up and serve. Of course, you have to remember to take them out of the freezer!

  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Baked spaghetti is a fav here. Lots of recipes on line. Can make ahead,then pop in oven for dinner.Beenie weenie,baked potato bar,breakfast for dinner,ground beef gravy over noodles or mashed potato,bean soup,macaroni & cheese or with tomato & ground beef.None of this is low calorie,but smaller portions are part of our eating plans.

    http://www.culinarynutrition.com/top-25-kid-friendly-food-blogs/

    http://www.theleangreenbean.com/kid-friendly-food-prep-recipes/


    PS....you are welcome here.Let us know how it goes.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    Crockpot recipes give the minimum cook time, but they can usually go much longer if you use the low setting.

    I prefer to rely on leftovers during the week so make big batches of whatever on the weekend and then put in fridge/freezer until needed.
  • StephIntrepid
    StephIntrepid Posts: 34 Member
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    My guys really enjoy anything build-your-own. Build-your-own salad can be great; this sounds very silly, but my guys really buy into presentation.

    For example, build-your-own-salad night consists of little bowls of many options: grated carrots, diced bell pepper, diced avocado, diced tomato, cubed ham, cubed cheese, etc. Everything is separate, rather than mixed together, so if your kiddos are picky, this option is very attractive because they can pick and choose what they like.

    I also choose to add a metal mixing bowl at the end of the assembly line so that they can mix their unique salad with the dressing of their choosing, and then it all goes on their plate.

    Build-your-own-tacos are great too. You don't have to tell anyone if you substitute ground turkey for ground beef either. You can also sub plain yogurt for sour cream. Lay all the fillings out so that little hands can fill their own tortillas with lean meat, and veggies that you have already cut and put out.

    Both of these options pump everyone up with veggies.

    Best of luck!
  • princess0lexi
    princess0lexi Posts: 3,938 Member
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    try here for lots of different ideas http://allrecipes.com/recipes/453/everyday-cooking/family-friendly/kid-friendly/
  • slturner71
    slturner71 Posts: 4 Member
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    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    jcraig10 wrote: »
    Utilize the crock pot!

    I love the crockpot! However, I work full-time so I'm gone from the house for 10 1/2 hours (from 7:30 to 6). Most crockpot recipes are not designed to go that long. I have a few good ones, but a lot of recipes call for for 4-6 hours.

    I also highly recommend the Instant Pot. It can make things quick because it is a pressure cooker (so frozen chicken is cooked in less then 30 minutes, start to finish). It also has a saute feature, so you can start the dish in it (browning beef) AND finish it quickly in the same pot by putting on the pressure cooker. But...it also has a keep warm setting, so things can sit a bit longer and stay warm; and a delay timer so you can start things a little later. For instance, if the crock pot recipe suggests 6 hours and your gone 10, then set a delay.

    I am not a kitchen gadget person (I don't even own a food processor), but I LOVE my Instant Pot!!!
  • slturner71
    slturner71 Posts: 4 Member
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    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    yellingkimber wrote: »
    The has texture issues and he pretty much only wants to eat hot dogs and chicken nuggets or bread (And the grosser the chicken nugget, the better...I make homemade nuggets, but he won't touch them.) He refuses to eat vegetables, and yes, I've been trying to sneak them to him for all of his 7 years. Thank god he'll eat fruit. So, when I say kid-friendly, I mean nothing exotic.

    I have texture issues too, although no autistic, except I am the opposite....nothing squishy. ewwwww!! Anyway, have you tried making homemade chicken nuggets by putting the chicken in a food processor, with some egg, etc. to make it that texture, then breading them? I understand that it is not quick, but I am thinking you could make up a bunch of them, freeze them and have them on hand. They would certainly be much healthier then the purchased ones. I figure you pick your battles as a parent. He eats fruit. Give him some vitamins. Is that terrible?
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,452 Member
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    Grilled cheese and soup were always a hit, like 3 nights a week. Sometimes I could slip sliced apples into the sandwich and even veggie soup
  • BlueSkyShoal
    BlueSkyShoal Posts: 325 Member
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    I agree with grilled cheese, it's quick to make and most kids love it. Great with tomato soup.

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