Help! I need healthy recipes for picky little children!

My son loves my Turkey Chili. He's the pickiest child I know. I can't get him to eat any vegetables.
I make a lot so I have left overs. Sorry if the portion size is so big:

2lbs of lean ground turkey, browned
1/2c. white onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green peppers chopped (finely so the kids don't see the green)
3 cans of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cans of Rotel tomatoes with diced green chiles
5 small cans of hunts tomato sauce, no salt added
1 can of hunts tomato paste
4 TBSP of cumin
4 TBSP of chili powder

Optional:
Reduced Fat Sour Cream
Kraft 2% shredded cheddar or mexican cheese

Brown the turkey with 2Tbsp of Cumin and 2Tbsp of chili powder, garlic, onion and chopped green pepper. Combine the meat mixture with remaining ingredients in stock pot, dutch oven, etc...Simmer for about an hour. Serve with cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top.
I cut the green peppers so thin, so that he can't even see them in there. He won't eat anything green to save his life.
This chili is always better the second day.

I have two children ages 7 and 5 and the easiest way I have found to introduce healthy foods to them is in casseroles and soups!!
After they try, eat, and mention how they LOVE that recipe I then tell them what was in it ...lol Because they do need to know what they ate that tasted good to them to develop a confidence in healthy food choices. Also, I have found that they are strongly influenced by MY choices!! I have been drinking nothing but water for about a year now and for the past 6 months that is all my kids drink. The other day we were at a church picnic and they didn't have any bottled waters so I asked my 5 year old if she wanted tea or sprite and she starting crying because she wanted WATER!!!! LOL

Here's my girls FAVORITE soup recipe

Throw in a crock pot:
Cooked shredded Chicken and the strained chicken broth you cooked the chicken in
A bag of frozen Broccoli (after this cooks down and you stir it the broccoli falls apart and you can't see it
1 chopped and Shredded sweet potato
1 or 2 bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of Balsamic Vinegar
and maybe a little bit of water depending on how much broth you added
Simmer for 4 hours

I serve it to my girls with crackers
Crackers hid the healthy looking stuff from their eyes before they tried it...lol
But I eat it without crackers usually
The ingredient list doesn't sound awesome I KNOW but it tastes GREAT!!!!!

I know a lot of people who puree vegetables and mix them into sauces so their children don't notice. For instance, if they like spaghetti bolognaise, you can add blended carrots or other root vegetables which thicken the sauce and have lots of hidden nutrients. Or do the same thing with fruits in puddings.

Or if they only want things like pizza, perhaps you could make your own with them, which might get them interested in food and also would be much healthier? I find food that can be played with is always more popular!

I'd also recommend if you can, try to look at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's website or books (he's a great British chef, I don't know where you are or if you'd know of him!). He has a lot of great fruit recipes that are really appetising for children. One thing he does for the summer is make ice lollies out of pure blended fruit and some icing sugar, which children all seem to love!

Jamie Oliver is also very used to trying to please picky kids...

Good luck!

Bump

check out skinnytaste.com not only does she have AMAZING healthy recipes, but a ton of kid-approved dishes. GL




edit: check out her healthy baked chicken nuggets and mozzarella sticks. to die for!!

Oh I forgot to add that visual presentation and convenience are a big deal too!!!! If fruits are displayed and easily accessible my kids ask for them several times a day... if they are "put away" somewhere and they can't see them ...they won't even think about them. The same goes for junk food!! HIDE THE JUNK FOOD...lol I put Easter candy for example in a basket WAY out of sight and if they ask I give them 1 piece per day. After about a week or SO they forget ALL about the candy and quit asking for it SO I throw the rest of it in the trash and they NEVER miss it

I don't have kids but I've cooked for some picky kids....

They liked these --

http://marysforkandspoon.blogspot.com/search?q=brownies

http://marysforkandspoon.blogspot.com/2012/01/eggplant-mini-pizzas.html

I have no idea:( My kids aren't picky! I am the adult/parent, they eat what is put on the table. End of story!!

They have always been taught to try everything once because we raised them like this from the time they were able to eat table food so they now enjoy asparagus, salmon, tilapia, steak.....almost anything really!! My daughter is 9 and loves to eat sushi with me!!

I have very young children and only one who is eating table food. She is required to have 2 bites of everything or the plate is plastic wrapped and given at the next meal. I have only had to do this twice and once I think she just was not hungry as she normally loved the things we had for dinner that night. On a rare occasion is she allowed to have something other then what we are having but that usually goes for the meat. She will get chicken nuggets or a hot dog when we have steak, or anything difficult for her to chew with the limited amount of teeth she has. I have found that most times when she won't eat what is on her plate she comes over, climbs on my lap and starts eating off my plate (not sure what that is about considering we eat the same foods). I think it is important to put your foot down and as long as it is not something really wild or spicy they should try it.

I always offer them fresh fruits and vegetables - many times I put a tray on the table and they graze while I'm cooking dinner. They feel like they are getting away with something, but I'm glad they are eating healthy foods. They usually will eat vegetables raw - not cooked - carrots, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers. My youngest likes his green beans frozen. He will eat whole bowls full of frozen green beans. Both will eat small amounts of cooked broccoli or brussel sprouts.

My oldest son is very picky. He only wants his food plain - and recognizable. No casseroles. He will eat chicken noodle soup or vegetable soup or spaghetti with sauce on it. They eat rice, potatoes (in any form), pasta, most meats - including fish - however, the meat can only be seasoned with salt, garlic powder and onion powder. My youngest loves all sauces - which I serve on the side so he can dip. I make ground meat (extra lean turkey, chicken or lean beef) into burgers, balls, and loaves. I will add a little high fiber bread - crumbled into crumbs, an egg, and ketchup as a binder. They will eat them plain or sometimes I serve with brown gravy.

My kids will both eat breakfast for dinner, scrambled eggs, wheat toast, chicken sausage and fruit is a perfect kid friendly meal.
French toast made with whole grain/high fiber bread and served fruit and yogurt.
Grilled cheese with vegetable soup.
Tacos.
Taco salad.
Fajitas.

Both kids enjoy cooking, and sometimes are more likely to try something if they have helped to make it...