Kids are notoriously picky eaters. They might go through streaks of only wanting macaroni and cheese or only eating a certain color of food. Their pickiness often makes it difficult to provide them with a balanced diet. At Foodini’s Catering, our personal chef offers these pro tips for five healthy and fun meals to make for your child.
Bento Boxes
Bento boxes hail from Japan. This is a style of artfully arranging tiny portions of brightly colored foods. You can do this at home for your kids with a cupcake tin. Put cupcake liners in the tray. Add diced or sliced foods such as cubes of turkey, baby carrots, bell peppers, cubes of cheese, diced apples or golden raisins. The bento box rainbow of colors and small portions appeal to toddlers and young children. The cupcake liners ensure that the foods don’t touch each other or get mixed up.
DIY Haystacks
Haystacks are a sort of blend of tacos and nachos. You can use flour or corn tortillas or chips. Prepare taco filling with meat, beans or both. Season lightly with your preferred blend of taco seasoning. Allow your child to spoon the meat on top of the tortilla or corn chips. Your child can then sprinkle the cheese on top. Add some diced peppers, shredded carrots or another vegetable that your child likes.
Pancake Faces
It’s okay to get creative and a little messy with kids in the kitchen. Put pancake batter into a squeeze bottle. Have your child use the squeeze bottle to make shapes on the griddle with the batter. Make healthier pancakes with a whole-grain flour or wheat flour alternative such as almond flour. Add some healthy mix-ins such as fresh or frozen blueberries. Decorate the pancakes with slices of bananas or strawberries, raisins and other tasty bits.
Mini Pizzas
Even picky kids usually like pizza. You can make mini pizzas with your kids using naan or tortillas as the crust. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce and spread over the crust. Kids can add toppings such as pepperoni, cubes of ham or turkey, bacon bits, sliced mushrooms, diced pepper, pineapple or other favorites. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese is melted.
Quesadilla Bar
Open-faced quesadillas are another kid-friendly option. Choose a corn or flour tortilla. Use your preferred taco meat or beans if you are vegetarian or vegan. Sprinkle on the cheese. Put the assembled quesadillas into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes in order to melt the cheese. Top with fresh diced veggies.
Wrap Up
At Foodini’s Catering, we make it easy to enjoy healthy and tasty meals at home and for special events. When your schedule is full, contact us to schedule our personal chef service to make meals for you. We also offer meal delivery service for your family’s needs. Contact us today.