Getting your children to eat isn’t a problem — getting them to eat foods that are healthy is the hard part. “One of the best ways to get happy kids to the dinner table is to let them help make dinner,” says Michele Borboa Stafford, a personal chef and author of “Make-Ahead Meals Made Healthy.” When it comes to making healthy dinner recipes for kids, she suggests, “Take them to the grocery store and tell them to pick out one fruit and one vegetable that they want as part of the meal, then let them help you prepare it.”
Of course, how you serve the food also makes a difference. “Presentation is sometimes all you need to do to spice up a dish,” says Jeanne Muchnick, author of “Dinner for Busy Moms.” She suggests serving turkey or chicken with stir-fry veggies in a parfait glass, sipping soup from mugs and letting kids eat mini meatballs with toothpicks to make mealtime more fun. “They like the ‘grown-up’ feeling of eating like an adult does at a cocktail party, while you like the fact that they’re eating well — and you both are having fun in the process mixing it up!”
To get you started, here are 28 healthy dinner recipes for kids you or your nanny can try.
Dinnertime Fun
- Rainbow Veggie Pizza: What kid doesn’t like pizza? These pretty pies are topped with a rainbow of colorful veggies.
- Asparagus Noodle Salad: One way to make dinner fun is by serving unusual foods — in this case, translucent “cellophane” noodles.
- Meatloaf Cupcakes: With the mashed potato “frosting” on top, it’s hard to imagine a kid who would say no to one of these.
- Southwestern Quinoa Salad: This is a bright confetti-like salad that ought to charm even the most skeptical eater.
- Stuffed Jack-o’-Lanterns: You don’t need to wait until Halloween to serve these playful spaghetti-stuffed bell peppers.
- Meatball Sub Sticks: This sandwich on a stick is a creative (and tasty) way to serve meatballs.
- Salad in a Jar: The salad ingredients are stacked parfait-style into a jar, making this a fun dinner that’s also great for a family on the go.
Kid-Sized Meals
- Spinach Lasagna Rolls: Instead of a casserole-style lasagna, this Italian favorite gets a fun makeover by rolling the main ingredients in the noodles.
- Veggie Quiche Muffins: These mini-quiches are easy for little hands to hold and have the bonus of being nutritious, too.
- Bean, Veggie & Cheese Quesadillas: A simple dinner that needs few ingredients, but provides a protein-rich meal without overwhelming kids’ taste buds.
- Chicken Veggie Pita Pockets: Try warm pesto, meat and vegetables nestled into a portable pita pocket.
- Beef Stew Biscuit Pot Pies: These individual-sized dishes combine homemade beef stew with a flaky dinner roll.
- Baked Broccoli Bites: Broccoli is combined with cheese, breadcrumbs and eggs, then baked into little patties.
- Apple and Brie Grilled Cheese: Don’t forget about simple options, says Muchnick. “I’m also a big believer in sandwiches. They’re a great way to take something you already make that your kids enjoy into a different, more fun, casual kind of meal.” Upgrade grilled cheese to a dinner-worthy dish with sliced fruit and brie cheese.
Recipe Makeovers
- Tuna Broccoli Casserole: This tuna casserole variation is low-carb, gluten-free and packed with healthy veggies.
- Turkey Sloppy Joes: Give one of your childhood favorites a lean makeover by using turkey instead of beef!
- Baked Chicken Fingers: Stafford recommends upping the nutrition factor on this kid-friendly dish with almond flour and crushed bran flakes.
- Homemade Hot Pockets: Make your own version of the store-bought favorites with this chicken, broccoli and cheddar recipe.
- Cheesy Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie: Enjoy a lighter meat pie by substituting pureed cauliflower for the usual mashed potatoes.
- Oven-Baked Fish Sticks: Think of this as a modern, more healthful take on the frozen fish sticks of your childhood.
- Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos: These deliciously crispy taquitos are oven-baked, not deep-fried like the usual high-fat versions.
Meatless Munchies
- Mushroom Pasta Bake: This rich casserole is hearty enough that your family won’t miss the meat.
- Butternut Squash Enchiladas: Skip the meat with this Mexican-style dinner featuring a savory blend of black beans, squash, salsa and Greek yogurt.
- Light Macaroni and Cheese: This lightened-up version of the classic pasta dish replaces some of the cheese with pureed tofu for an added serving of protein.
- Easy Vegetable Pot Pie: Clean out the fridge and use ingredients you have on hand to make this savory vegetarian pie.
- Veggie Sliders: These seven-ingredient sliders only take 15 minutes of prep-time, but your kids will gobble them up even faster.
- Ramen Salad with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers: Ramen noodles aren’t just for college kids! Dress them up with eggplant and soy sauce.
- Vegetarian Chili: This hearty stew is perfect when paired with cornbread for dipping, and the spice level can easily adjusted to your kid’s taste.
To keep your children interested in a variety of healthy foods, have them routinely help out at dinner time. “As your kids get older and more experienced in the kitchen,” Stafford says, “give them more dinner-time prep tasks to not only encourage them to eat a variety of healthy foods, but to also teach them cooking skills.” If you’re lucky, once they get a little older, they’ll be the ones cooking for you!
For even more dinner ideas, check out these 3 Kid-Friendly Healthy Crock Pot Recipes.
Nancy J Price is an Arizona-based mother of four, as well as a writer, editor and web developer. One of the original cofounders of SheKnows.com, she now writes for several websites, including Myria.com and ClickAmericana.com.
