Q. I have a summer sitting job and the childs mom told me that she wants her child eating healthier this summer. what are some quid, easy,and healthy recipes that I can do that involve the child?
For Jacob:
I would like some recipes that would be easy to make, and that I can get her involved in. She is 11 years old, so it doesn't have to be the most simple thing in the world. I just want to keep it healthy and fun for her to help make.
For Jacob:
I would like some recipes that would be easy to make, and that I can get her involved in. She is 11 years old, so it doesn't have to be the most simple thing in the world. I just want to keep it healthy and fun for her to help make.
A. Salads are usually pretty healthy, she can help you trim and prep whatever fresh veg are in the fridge. This will give you lots of vitamins and fiber. If you find some leftover chicken or steak or ham you can add that. Keep salad dressings light and just a drizzle.
You can also make fresh dips and serve it with baked tortilla chips or pita wedges. Salsa...this is tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Guacamole...fork mash some avocados with chopped tomato, some onion and garlic salt, and lime juice. Hummus...drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), whiz them up in the food processor, add some garlic powder, onion powder, a little salt and pepper, and a little olive oil to get them to the right consistency. Bean dip...same as hummus but use black beans instead of chickpeas.
You can make a simple soup. Start with your soup pot on med high heat...add a carton of chicken broth, a jar of pasta sauce and let it come to a boil...taste it...if you need something, try salt and pepper first, and then you can add some italian seasoning, or maybe some bay leaves (you have to remove those). Add a box of rotini or shell or penne or elbow macaroni pasta. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Just before the pasta is cooked all the way, add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. If you have some leftover chicken, or a smoked sausage you can also add that. This makes a large pot of soup. Serve it with a sandwich or salad...parents can take for lunch the next day.
You can do a simple pasta salad...instead of adding mayonnaise (the most unhealthy ingredient) use some greek yogurt or fat free sour cream. Shells and rotini work great for this...add some frozen peas and a can of tuna or chicken.
You can also make fresh dips and serve it with baked tortilla chips or pita wedges. Salsa...this is tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Guacamole...fork mash some avocados with chopped tomato, some onion and garlic salt, and lime juice. Hummus...drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), whiz them up in the food processor, add some garlic powder, onion powder, a little salt and pepper, and a little olive oil to get them to the right consistency. Bean dip...same as hummus but use black beans instead of chickpeas.
You can make a simple soup. Start with your soup pot on med high heat...add a carton of chicken broth, a jar of pasta sauce and let it come to a boil...taste it...if you need something, try salt and pepper first, and then you can add some italian seasoning, or maybe some bay leaves (you have to remove those). Add a box of rotini or shell or penne or elbow macaroni pasta. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Just before the pasta is cooked all the way, add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. If you have some leftover chicken, or a smoked sausage you can also add that. This makes a large pot of soup. Serve it with a sandwich or salad...parents can take for lunch the next day.
You can do a simple pasta salad...instead of adding mayonnaise (the most unhealthy ingredient) use some greek yogurt or fat free sour cream. Shells and rotini work great for this...add some frozen peas and a can of tuna or chicken.
What are some kid friendly lunch ideas/recipes?
Q.
A. What is the occasion?
------------------
The reason I ask the occasion is, if you are preparing for a children's party or are looking for home recipes to serve during the day or if you are sending the lunch to school with the child this information can better help with answering your question.
Are you looking for cold lunch ideas or do you have a kitchen to serve hot meals. The occasion is important to decide the meal. For example, if you know the lunch will be around a group of children, you will probably want to forgo peanuts and other nut products due to the high risk of coming into contact with children who are anaphylactic to these ingredients.
BENTO:
One thing I am sure of is, children love to build their own lunch. I find creating a 'bento style' type lunch (lunch ingredients served in separate compartments) has two advantages. It's fun for the child to pick and choose, and create their lunch and I also find that they eat healthier food choices and don't over eat.
A typical 'bento' I serve my children for their school lunches is: Sliced turkey kolbassa, diced cheese, cut green beans or baby carrots, a cracker selection (low sodium, we all like the premium plus multi-grain crackers) and a fruit selection (includes canned fruit as well). Sometimes I'll add fruit yogurt instead etc... I use reusable containers and try to avoid prepackaged or over packaged foods because they are expensive and often are high in saturated fats and sodium.
ROLLIES AND SHAPES:
You can make all types of sandwiches and again if you want peanut butter, but the child is in a grouped lunche and can't have peanut selections you can use soy butter instead. There is a brand that is called free nut that is quite good. (Make sure you place a note in the lunch box citing the peanut alternative. My son had his sandwich taken away when I forgot to do this and I got a nasty letter home about it). :P
To get away from the same old same old for sandwiches, you could try creating rollies or shapes.
Rollies are made by taking a slice of bread and using a rolling pin, flatten the bread and cut off the crust on three sides (leave the crust on the bottom of the bread) Then like a burrito you add the sandwich ingredients (not too much) then roll them up with the crusted side on the inside. They look like lady fingers, and kids LOVE them! I make about two-three per serving and serve it with veggies, fruit or yogurt.
Shapes are easy, you make the sandwich, and then using a cookie cutter, you cut them out. Again I serve them with veg, fruit or yogurt.
Sandwich ideas:
Ham & Cheese (or choosing another deli meat)
Soy Butter and Jelly
Honey Cream cheese with thin sliced apple
Veggie or Herb Cream cheese and smoked salmon or Imitation Crab (add Shredded carrot for crunch)
Chicken Salad
Tuna Salad
Ground Beef, Shredded Cheese and Lettuce or Alpha Sprouts (with a little bit of ranch dressing)
Roasted Chicken and Chive
Cream Cheese (or if they like it, goat cheese) and Shredded Carrot
HOT LUNCH AT SCHOOL
I cook up chicken fingers or Swedish meatballs sometimes and place them in a sandwich container lined with tin foil. You can get a soup thermos and of course send Mac and Cheese, or other pastas or soups (soups tend to get messy though).
VEGGIE and FRUIT SELECTIONS
Cut green beans, carrots, broccoli, red or green pepper, sugar snap peas...
Strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mandarin orange, clementines, pomegranate, mango, apples, peaches, pears, bananas...
Anyway. I hope this gives you ideas.
Addendum: Why in the world do I have three thumbs down? Did I say something outrageous here?
------------------
The reason I ask the occasion is, if you are preparing for a children's party or are looking for home recipes to serve during the day or if you are sending the lunch to school with the child this information can better help with answering your question.
Are you looking for cold lunch ideas or do you have a kitchen to serve hot meals. The occasion is important to decide the meal. For example, if you know the lunch will be around a group of children, you will probably want to forgo peanuts and other nut products due to the high risk of coming into contact with children who are anaphylactic to these ingredients.
BENTO:
One thing I am sure of is, children love to build their own lunch. I find creating a 'bento style' type lunch (lunch ingredients served in separate compartments) has two advantages. It's fun for the child to pick and choose, and create their lunch and I also find that they eat healthier food choices and don't over eat.
A typical 'bento' I serve my children for their school lunches is: Sliced turkey kolbassa, diced cheese, cut green beans or baby carrots, a cracker selection (low sodium, we all like the premium plus multi-grain crackers) and a fruit selection (includes canned fruit as well). Sometimes I'll add fruit yogurt instead etc... I use reusable containers and try to avoid prepackaged or over packaged foods because they are expensive and often are high in saturated fats and sodium.
ROLLIES AND SHAPES:
You can make all types of sandwiches and again if you want peanut butter, but the child is in a grouped lunche and can't have peanut selections you can use soy butter instead. There is a brand that is called free nut that is quite good. (Make sure you place a note in the lunch box citing the peanut alternative. My son had his sandwich taken away when I forgot to do this and I got a nasty letter home about it). :P
To get away from the same old same old for sandwiches, you could try creating rollies or shapes.
Rollies are made by taking a slice of bread and using a rolling pin, flatten the bread and cut off the crust on three sides (leave the crust on the bottom of the bread) Then like a burrito you add the sandwich ingredients (not too much) then roll them up with the crusted side on the inside. They look like lady fingers, and kids LOVE them! I make about two-three per serving and serve it with veggies, fruit or yogurt.
Shapes are easy, you make the sandwich, and then using a cookie cutter, you cut them out. Again I serve them with veg, fruit or yogurt.
Sandwich ideas:
Ham & Cheese (or choosing another deli meat)
Soy Butter and Jelly
Honey Cream cheese with thin sliced apple
Veggie or Herb Cream cheese and smoked salmon or Imitation Crab (add Shredded carrot for crunch)
Chicken Salad
Tuna Salad
Ground Beef, Shredded Cheese and Lettuce or Alpha Sprouts (with a little bit of ranch dressing)
Roasted Chicken and Chive
Cream Cheese (or if they like it, goat cheese) and Shredded Carrot
HOT LUNCH AT SCHOOL
I cook up chicken fingers or Swedish meatballs sometimes and place them in a sandwich container lined with tin foil. You can get a soup thermos and of course send Mac and Cheese, or other pastas or soups (soups tend to get messy though).
VEGGIE and FRUIT SELECTIONS
Cut green beans, carrots, broccoli, red or green pepper, sugar snap peas...
Strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mandarin orange, clementines, pomegranate, mango, apples, peaches, pears, bananas...
Anyway. I hope this gives you ideas.
Addendum: Why in the world do I have three thumbs down? Did I say something outrageous here?
Veg Meals for kids - Lunches or Dinner?
Q. Ive just recently given up meat.
Just looking for some meal ideas for the kids.
Ive gone on to many sites and they seem quite elaborate.
I need something SIMPLE and tasty.
Thanks in advance :o)
Just looking for some meal ideas for the kids.
Ive gone on to many sites and they seem quite elaborate.
I need something SIMPLE and tasty.
Thanks in advance :o)
A. I like the basics: peanut butter sandwiches. But tofu and meat substitutes taste great and are healthy. You can slice it and put it in a taco. Hummus vegetable wraps. Try vegcooking.com or theveganunchbox.com. You can rent cookbooks from libraries. Pretzels with peanutbutter. http://vegkitchen.com/kid-friendly-recipes.htm. hope I helped!
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