Need More Variety in Kids' Meals

The book by Jessica Seinfeld is called Deceptively Delicious. Here is the link to her website http://www.deceptivelydelicious.com

C.~

http://www.toxicfreefamily.net
http://www.helpustayhome.com

- "Simply Natural Baby Food" and "The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook" by Cathe Olson http://www.simplynaturalbooks.com/
The recipes is easily adaptable to add meat with information about allergy alternatives.

- "Food to Live By" by Myra Goodman
http://www.ebfarm.com/Recipes/index.aspx

- "Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up" by Mollie Katzen http://www.molliekatzen.com/
Easy recipes that kids can make themselves (with your supervision)

I have to say the best online recipe site I have ever found is kraftfoods.com they have TONS of recipes, is super easy to search and use and lets you find any type of recipe you could think of. I use it weekly to plan meals, set my grocery list, and find fun new foods for my super picky 5yr old.

How about mini pizzas where they get to pick there own toppings? Just buy the dry-active yeast (there's usually a pizza dough recipe on the back), tomato paste to make the sauce, and then the skies the limit with the toppings! If you need any recipes, I love www.allrecipes.com . Also, get a book on ideas for creative presentation. Such as, make you pizzas in shapes and "decorate" with the toppings. That's always fun.

Try a book called "first meals" by anabel Karmel

some examples from book:

mozorella and cherry tomato salad with basil
fruit kabobs (friut on skewers)
turkey and pasta salad with vegitables and soy, honey, and lemon dressing

chicken wraps with oregano and chilli powder, lettuce tomato and mayo

Pita pockest with tuna eggs and tomato
fruit smoothie
Tacos stuffed wtih kidney beans (ground beef optional)
bow tie stir fry
spinich lasagna
bean and veggie encheladas
mini chicken pot pies
Pad Thai noodles with chicken or tofu

(costco sells and exellent precooked turkey breast- great for cubing into salads)

Hi R.

Something my kids like as a treat for "something different" are pizza crackers. My kids are 18, 17 & 12. Them and their friends enjoy helping to make them.

Pizza Crackers

36 Ritz Crackers
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
3 oz Pepperoni, thinly sliced (or any topping desired)
3/4 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. Basil

Place crackers on large ungreased baking sheet. Spread 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste on each cracker. Top each one with 1 slice pepperoni (or desired topping), 1 tsp shredded cheese, and sprinkle with Basil.

Bake 3 to 5 minutes at 400 degrees, or until cheese is melted.

Hope this helps.

D.

HI,

I experiment with dishes. Its a good way for the kids to enjoy something different. Ever had tuna casserole? You need eggroll noodles, can or two of tuna, a little bit of onion (optional), a couple of cans or lg can of mushroom soup.

Cook the noodles. While noodles are cooking, cook up the tuna (water included), & onions. Blend until warm then add the soup. Stir occasionally until soup is well blended and at a small boil. Empty the noodles and mix. Add grated cheese to the tuna mixture to add extra taste.

Another one is Chicken and rice. U need chicken and long cooking rice, I also use soy sauce for taste. Boil the chicken (I use a whole chicken. a pack of chicken breasts ok), When chicken cooked ( presure cook it, it takes less time), cut into small chunks. Measure the chicken broth and reuse. Follow the directions on the rice and add the alloted chicken broth instead of water. I also add the soy sauce to total the liquid. Add long cooking rice and chicken together. Let boil for 7 minutes. Then simmer and add a lid. Simmer until all the water is boiled out (u will see little holes in the dinner) Usually about 15-20 min.

Serve as is, or on tortillas like a burrito.

I have tons more if you would like them just e-mail me at ____@____.com

J.

I suggest you go on line and look up on google: "creative healthy kid foods" or "cooking with kids". You wont beleive what you'll find. Also, getting them involved in the process of cooking with youk, teaches them for the years to come and makes them more interested in what they are eating. Hundreds of great ideas are available to you on the net. Hope it helps.

R. ~ check out Rachael Ray and foodnetwork.com. Rachael Ray has great recipes that she makes specifically for kids. You can find a link for her on foodnetwork.com. She also has quick and delicious recips in under 30 minutes and when you have two small children, that is a hughe plus! Also, you might do an internet search for Jerry Seinfeld's wife (I can't for the life of me remember her name) who I just saw on Oprah. She has a cookbook out that has recipes specifically for kids. She purees veggies and puts them in her recipes and the kids love them.

I hope this helps you. Good luck

Watch the Food Network: Rachael Ray, Semi Homemade with Sandra, Quick Fix Meals with Robin MIller... foodnetwork.com, once you see it, you can adapt it for yourself.

R.,I am a consultant for Southern Living at HOME. We have lots of fabulous cookbooks including one just for children. A couple of others are Easy Weeknight Favorites and Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites. Id love to give you a discount on any cookbook thath youd like to order. Please let me know if your interested. You can also check out my website at:
www.southernlivingathome.com/dawnjones

I have a 2 and 4 year old. These are some staples in our house: chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, rice, spaghetti and meatballs, ham and cheese sandwich, turkey sandwiches, hot dogs, tater tots, french fries, quesadillas, salmon (believe it or not, my girls LOVE salmon!) I buy the pre-seasoned ones from Sams Club..they are so easy to cook and are delicious. My girls love Panda Express (teriyaki chicken and rice), peanut butter/jelly.

I'm bad about veggies...I don't eat them, so hardly ever cook them.

Here's a popular asian one. It's more like a stew but you can skip the stewing part and just boil some eggs, cook rice and serve it together with a little soy sauce. Kids love boiled eggs!

S.

I just picked up a recipe book called Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien. The recipes are uncomplicated, full of veggies and other good stuff, fat & salt conscious... it's all good. Even the desserts are surprisingly yummy and fun (one of my favorites is the yum yum brownies with pumpkin in them).