Ideas for kids meals?

Junkfoodkids - posted on 01/15/2012

my kids love pasta, soups of all kinds,Edamame is always on hand, Super easy to make and kids think it is fun to eat. My kids are 9 and 12.

Christine - posted on 01/15/2012

Thank you for your help. I have been offering lots of things and they've been doing a but better lately. So thankful for all of your ideas everyone!!!!! :)

Taku - posted on 01/14/2012

I offer my son variety and we mostly make food from scratch. We've referred back to our childhood and how we grew up without so many luxuries like Maccas etc. When i was a kid, KFC was a christmas delight, that was it! Our treat if we were lucky was Milo or Nutella sandwich. Our mothers made food from scratch so we decided to do the same thing! Our son loves seafood, meat and fruit. Veg's has been a struggle, but he will eat it for the sake of getting dessert. So far he's happy now to nibble on beans and carrots. That's far better then seeing the tantrum he'd go through. We would send him to his room till he was calm and ready to finish his dinner. There's only been one dinner that he refused to finish off, and because of that he was sent to bed. He's finished every dinner since. I would just offer them something they like with something new, like throwing in vegs of some sort. Like a store bought chicken and throwing in some frozen vegs in the microwave to heat up and cook. Steaming up vegs in the microwave will take a min or so. Make dessert a reward you know they'll enjoy. If you start off easy making little changes, you'll appreciate more making food from scratch and feel better for it. Does take a bit of time to make fully from scratch but if you make little changes at a time yourself, it won't seem like a hassle, and won't be such an intrusive change for the kids. Other things you can do is alter the ingredients to things you make now to introduce new things, like adding olives to the pizza or chives to the hot dogs. You'd be surprised what your kids will like. Our son stunned us when he at an italian seafood pasta dish. It had octopus, squid, prawns and scallops.

Tracey - posted on 01/12/2012

Quesadillas! Buy Quesadilla shells, Colby Jack Cheese (1 pkt. shredded), and chicken. You can also add sour cream and salsa. Spray the Quesadillas with cooking spray and put them in a skilled to warm them. Then sprinkle the cheese on the Quesadillas and add chicken (and salsa if you wish). Heat the Quesadilla shells until warm and then fold them over. Continue to flip the Quesadilla until cheese is melted.

Ellen - posted on 11/02/2011

Nini, Dawn, Lisa and others, you are so on the right track. Would you please contact me? ellen@KidKritics.com. have an idea for you. Thanks.

Elizabeth - posted on 11/02/2011

Hi Christine -- here are some ideas for lunches-- hope they give you some inspiration! We all need a little of that!
http://thepurepantry.com/2011/09/see-eli...

Ellen - posted on 11/02/2011

After living in other countries where I witnessed what children eat there, it is baffling to me why we think kids will only eat mac and cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and pizza. Kid loves flavor. Kid Kritics have verified this at the hundreds of blind taste tests we have done. They love it when their taste buds jump up and down. Watch them on some of our YouTubes/ KidKritics. Our website has a growing library of taste tested healthier recipes. Check out Ha Cha Tostado featured this week. Try it or others. Bet you find some they like! (www.KidKritics.com)

Natasha - posted on 10/27/2011

i have my two year old try to eat whatever i make for dinner and if he wont i make my own chicken nugget instead of from the store, or do one of the typical foods you listed.

Jodie - posted on 10/25/2011

i find it offensive to say mothers MAKE picky eaters!! i eat ALL veges and serve 4 or 5 different veg to my son nightly since he was 10 months old only now at 21 months he likes carrot and corn took a long time though and funnily enough i hate fruit and he loves it!!!!!

Christine - posted on 10/21/2011

Thank you Susan. My kids were great eaters and then they stopped loving all that variety. I do always offer everything to them. UGH! I guess they will outgrow it! Thanks for your comments

Susan - posted on 10/16/2011

My kids are 18, 14, 8 & 6. My 6yr old is so picky I can't believe she gains any weight. I have always fed a variety of foods and do not make a separate meal for her. Many times she has gone to bed without eating because she would not eat anything we had prepared. She started out eating everything I ever offered her but around 5 yrs old she just started to not eat many things. I have experienced this with each of my children at different times in their lives. In my experience these kids all come around. Just keep offering different foods and eventually it will happen.

LaTasha - posted on 09/29/2011

My kids like manwich (which surprised me) and anything with cheese on it. As far as the veggies, I do a lot of casseroles and stir-frys. Another thing they enjoy is my pot pies (very easy to make) and home made beef vegetable soup (they have to have grilled cheese with it!) I keep healthy snacks at home so they don't crave things that aren't good for them, similar to things others have posted. Hope this helps!

Leeann - posted on 09/28/2011

you just said they eat pasta and sauces, well you could also try home made calzone, my 7yrs old LOVES that one hope your little ones like all the yummy food ideas these ladies offered up, i think i'll try a few. :)

Christine - posted on 09/28/2011

All great ideas-thak you very much everyoe!! They do eat pastas and sauce too. And love home made pizzas. I have not heard of the hasbrown/tator tot casserole. Will be trying that next. Thanks to all of you I have some really great ideas now and will be trying all of them!! Thanks so much!! :)

Leeann - posted on 09/28/2011

hashbrown casserole is a hit in my family, its not something you want to make all the time but its really good. and if you use one can of cream of chicken with herbs and one plain it mix's up the flavor.

ingredients-2 cups shredded cheese, 2 cans cream of
chicken soup, 1 bag of hash browns, 1 cup melted butter,
16 oz. sour cream, 2 cups crushed corn flakes, 1 cup melted butter

mix first 5 ingredients. pour into 9x13 dish. sprinkle corn flakes
on top and pour melted butter over flakes. cook at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Tiffany - posted on 09/26/2011

I have 4 beautiful babies and one thing I can fix for them and they all love and there is always plenty to eat is tator tot casserole. Its really simple to make and doesn't take so long and its absolutely delicious..

Susan - posted on 09/21/2011

I have a three year old, a six year old and a seven year old. Here are some of their favorite meals. If you are interested, let me know, and I can get you recipes. They love chicken and dumplings, so I came up with an easy recipe using leftover grilled chicken, chopped veggies, and canned biscuits. Also, they like soups, so we serve taco soup over fritos, and potato soup on a regular basis. We do taco night periodically with soft tortillas, with black beans. And they like chicken quesidillas, too. Sometimes, I also serve them "pizza pockets" made with pita bread stuffed with mini turkey pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and sliced mushrooms, onion and bell pepper. I pop them in the microwave for a minute, and slice into "pizza slices". Great idea by the way. I'm getting lots of great ideas from others. :)

Deborah - posted on 09/20/2011

when ever you allow the kids to help and put things together they love it and they cant wait for it to cook and they want to keep checking and watch it cook so they will eat it and eat hat they put in it without knowing they think they dont like but there eating it mixed with things ,Try even making muffin pizzas toast the english muffin some and have them make them after you put sauce on them and give them options to add to them but they have to try them when there done ,my kids always loved them and also my belated husband !!good luck TY!!Debbie

Tonja - posted on 09/20/2011

I completely forgot about homemade pizza! Thanks for the reminder! We do that all the time and my son LOVES to put it together himself! We usually let him "decorate" one side and we do the other. Through that, he has tried mushrooms (a big hit) and bell peppers (not so much) as well as extra garlic, basil, and sausage.

Patricia - posted on 09/20/2011

My kids love chicken parmesan. I tell them they are chicken nuggets with pasta and they love it. You could also try a healthier twist on the meals they already like, such as adding broccoli to the mac n cheese, having them help make homemade pizza, etc. They may also like grilled meals that are healthy and good. For winter try a chunky beef stew or homemade chili.

Deborah - posted on 09/19/2011

THE LADY ITH KIDS LOVE VEGGIES AND DONT LIKE THE LETTUCE!!TRY SPAGHETTI THIN WITH GRATED PARM CHEESE AND LITTLE OLIVEOIL AND ADD MUSHROOMS CHOP TOMATOES ,EVEN BROCOLLI ANY VEG THEY LOVE AND THEY GET SOME PROTEIN AND GOOD TASTE TO THERE VEGGIES ,YOU CAN EVEN TRY THIS AND NOT ADD OLIVE OIL & GRATED CHEESE AND THE TOMATOES HAVE ALOT CHOPPED OR TRY SNEEKING SOME CAN CRUSHED OR IF YOY HAVE BLENDER CHOP THEM IN THAT SO THERE CHUNKY CRUSH LIKE .HAVE YOU TRIED ALSO THE ORGANIC BLENDS OF LETTUCE THE TEXTURES ARE LITTLE DIFF OR BABY SPINACH LEAVES CHOPED TO EAT WITH VEGGIES ,HOPE YOU ENJOY AND HOPE ITS HELPFUL TY DEBBIE

Deborah - posted on 09/19/2011

I hope you try some ideas I sent and Im happy you found something even the hubby ill eat ith veggies ,Ive seen on shows this lady did alot with hiding veggies in potatoes mashed and in other foods can hide them if they get alot of fruit & veggies thats great !!GOOD LUCK DANA !! DEBBIE

Dana - posted on 09/19/2011

So I made a recipe for the first time last night and had to share because it a) has carrots, rutabaga, potato and onion in it and b) the kids and my picky husband LOVES them... you can't even taste the veggies! They are easy to make, but a lot of time chopping the veggies...
http://realmomsrealdinners.blogspot.com/...

Deborah - posted on 09/19/2011

did you try spaghetti and try different fun pasta with sauce and mini meatballs ?? Baked ziti done with mini penne and sauce and cheese be liking having pizza but its pasta .Do they eat any veggies at all?? my grandkids love my pasta salad and has veggies and pasta with pepperonni with Italain dressing or even try ranch with,hope you try some ideas I have more let me kno ok TY Debbie

Christine - posted on 09/17/2011

Ah thank you much!! That's great!!

Dana - posted on 09/16/2011

My kids are 1 and 4. Here is one of their favorite meals... http://realmomsrealdinners.blogspot.com/...
They also like the homemade sloppy joes, the guiness braised short ribs and mash potatoes were a HUGE hit! and the sweet potato pot roast was great too because it's sweeter and the kids really liked it.

Christine - posted on 09/14/2011

Thanks everyone- got some good ideas. :) Hopefully some will work!! I do present a variety of foods all the time. I know eventually they will eat more but it can be frustrating.

Liza - posted on 09/13/2011

I make my meals from scratch (mostly because we are a gluten/casin free home) and I never make a seperate meal for the kids. Mydaughter is 2 1/2 and if I let her she can eat an entire bag of broccoli! My son is 4 1/2 and loves green beans. Here are some meals we make:
*meat balls (and I always finely chop veggies in there)
*meat loaf (again add veggies-spinach/carrots...)
*noddles w/ mayo tuna,and black or kidney beans (we add peas to ours also)
*baked breaded chicken
*almond crusted talapia
*homemade stir-fry
*homemade chicken/bean borritos
snacks:
*PB and apple slices
*hummus (chickpea beans) with pita chips or carrots
*nuts (if old enough)
* Veggie straws (better alternative to chips)
*Fruit salad (have your kids help make it)

At times it does take some time to make meals, but well worth the effort. I always have my kids try food (new or "old) to see if they like it.

Just a thought: Does your local grocery store sell rainbow carrots or purple potatoes? It might be "silly" to eat different colored foods.

Tonja - posted on 09/12/2011

If you just present a variety of foods, they'll eat a variety eventually, so feed them the same thing you eat. They will eventually want to try it and they won't starve in the meantime while they are trying to be stubborn (my son has gone to bed without dinner when he was being especially stubborn, but it hasn't happened often). Try and have something they like along with something new or that they don't like (yet) because it takes a lot of tries for them to really like new things. My son doesn't like everything I like but the rule is to try (as in a couple small bites) everything on the plate, and sometimes he grows to like it. Since we have stuff occasionally that even I don't like to have a good variety, he loves broccoli and green beans even though I hate them (and yes, I have to eat them too!) LOL One thing he doesn't like is lettuce. But, he'll eat everything else that goes on a salad including mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. so I don't push it too much. And get this, he loves onions and Tabasco sauce, too!



Good luck! :)

Bianca - posted on 09/12/2011

My kids live rice so for nights I buy chicken breast chop it up in cubes and buy the boxed zatheran dirty rice. I have to tell you its now a favorite in my house my kids are 3 and 5. Please try before u knock it

Nini - posted on 09/11/2011

lol i guess my kids are odd to lol they love fruits and veggies


kids arenot born picky parents make them picky. if u let them "help" with meal prep then they will learn to eat more foods. i cook all my kids foods and here are some of the things i make. sure it might take a lil longer then openen up a box but it is worte it.. here are some of my kids (3,5&9) favs

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Peanut Butter 'n' Jelly Muffins
Mini Pizza Cups
Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes
Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers
Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos
Zucchini Rice Casserole
Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash
Asian Noodle Salad
Beef Stew
Stuff Zuccinni
Chicken and Rice
Tortilla stuffed with lunch meat and cheese and veggies

Courtney - posted on 09/09/2011

my kids are 2 and 1 and both enjoy the broccoli and chedder stuffed chicken... they don't take much longer than nuggets, and of course they're not the fun food, my kids are a little odd, eating veggies and all... lol