Cooking Healthy Meals

When you say "pizza," do you mean frozen, delivery or something you make? Even a simple make-at-home pizza like Boboli can help you change things up. Cut up a bunch of different veggies and have the kids help you put them on the pizza.

A site that I absolutely love is allrecipes.com, because you can enter a few key ingredients and it will suggest recipes. You don't have to be searching for something in particular and can still come up with something yummy. Even better, most of the recipes are really simple and you don't have to have a bunch of funky equipment to execute them.

I REFUSE to cook "kid" food but always ensure their is rice, noodles or something they like on the plate. They do not get 2nds unless all the food on their plate is gone and they do not get dessert unless they've cleared their plate as well. Kids will not starve themselves and are only "picky" if you allow them to be I promise :) Venture out onto foodnetwork. They always have good ideas that will help you along. Good Luck

My kids are pretty picky too but they LOVE broccoli and cranberry sauce and carrots so I think we're doing pretty good. I don't mind my two getting a "treat" after they've eaten a good meal but they have to eat enough (that includes trying everything) to make me happy. And like with anyone/anything else, the more I nag, the more they resist so I try to just encourage trying new things. Like someone said below, it takes alot of exposure to something before they'll accept it. How about bananas?? That's a super food!! Just try and get 3 or 4 sure things and I think you're doing pretty good.
Also, someone wrote about frozen pops. You could make those EXTREMELY healthy and they're still getting that "treat". Just hang in there-I didn't like variety either when I was young and now I LOVE brussel sprouts!! Who knew....

Yeah, all those are pretty unhealthy. First off, we teach our kids about healthy eating and making healthy choices. They are 4 and 5, but we have been doing this since they could talk, so they know what usually is and isn't healthy. They know if something has too much sugar/salt/fat.

However, there are ways to cook the same things in a healthier manner. Fresh homemade pizza with lots of fresh veggies, a little bit of meat and low sodium sauce, light mozzarella cheese for example.

When you make spaghetti sauce, add in lots of fresh veggies and herbs, I add in zucchini, onions, squash, mushrooms, garlic, basil and rosemary. You can get a store bought base sauce and beef it up with healthier options, look for one low in sodium and fat though. Ground turkey is much healthier than ground beef.

Google some recipes for 'healthy mac and cheese", "healthy homemade chicken nuggets" and those sorts of things. The basic rule of thumb, is the more processed (like velvetta) if it comes in a box or can, it likely isn't very good for you. Check the sodium, fat and sugar content on the backs of packages, the amount of sodium and fat in some of those things will floor you.

Cook in olive oil, it's healthier. Bake, grill or roast instead of fry. Steam or saute veggies instead of microwave. When baking, substitute applesauce for oil and reduce some of the sugar.

My veggies are really good. I usually do this with zucchini/squash or asparagus or fresh green beans. Add a bit of fresh onion and garlic to a med-high pan with a little bit of olive oil. Stir for a minute. Add in my medium sliced veggies, (I cut the asparagus to like green bean sized cuts). Saute over med high heat. or until cooked through. Add some salt and pepper for taste. I like to add about a tablespoon or two of Smart Balance butter since it's a little healthier. My kids like to dip veggies in Girard's Light Ceasear Dressing.

My kids don't get any treats unless they eat the majority of their vegetables and food. Sweets for us are sometimes brownies/cookies/ice cream (but usually only once a week), but usually include a fresh fruit, maybe dipped in honey, whipped cream or peanut butter for a fun kick, especially good if served over angel food cake, or pretzels lightly dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, fruit smoothie, yogurt, applesauce.

Healthy snacks for during the day: yogurt, string cheese sticks, apples in peanut butter, celery with peanut butter spread on top and topped with raisins, baby carrot sticks and dip, hard boiled eggs with a little bit of salt and pepper, pretzels, cottage cheese topped with fresh fruit, cheese (not kraft singles stuff, but hard cheese cut in slices) on crackers, trail mix, bananas or any other fresh fruit, crackers dipped in hummus...

Now, we eat pretty healthy, but every now and then, especially during my pregnancy when I feel like poo, I do a lot more mac and cheese/pizza/canned ravioli and stuff like that. But overall, introduce healthier options and work with your kids in adjusting to them. They can still be super yummy with the right flavorings. If they don't eat, we have a rule where the kids have to take either 3 monster sized bites, or 10 small bites (really it's the same amount of bites). They usually end up eating the 3 monster bites and it cleans their plate pretty fast.

All great suggestions from the ladies. I'll add, for a "healthy" dessert, I have the same issue here with my 4 year old bonus daughter. She wants desert all the time! I wasn't raised that way, desserts were a special treat in our home...but it is what it is. A good one I have is take a banana or two (peeled and break into 4-5 pieces) place in a freezer bag and freeze. Then, in a Magic Bullet/Blender, etc. place frozen banana pieces with chocolate Almond or Coconut milk (you can do this with strawberries, blueberries, etc and use regular or vanilla almond milk). Blend together to make an "ice cream" shake. The frozen banana turns into a sort of ice cream mix. You could also do jello, fruit popcycles, crushed ice (you can get a slushy ice crusher at Target) with a little juice and they eat it with a spoon. No, is also an answer. My husband and I sometimes tell her, "Not tonight."

You could do a rice with some peas, green beans and a meat mixed in. Boiled chicken or lean ground beef.

The ladies are right -- the kids won't starve themselves. The rule here is you have to take at least 2-3 bites (learned from my Grandma). And, then after a few times of that, depending on the outcome - clean your plate. If you cook something for you guys they just won't eat (after 2-3 bites), you can always promise that nice brownie for dessert.

I think the easiest place to start would be with pizza! HOME MADE pizza can actually be VERY healthy AND a great way to introduce foods (you can top a pizza with ANYTHING!) AND to get kids started in the kitchen. A four year old can help top a home made pizza. If she's invested in the making of dinner she's more likely to eat it.

And if you're doing pizza from scratch you can also do a dessert pizza-- a whole wheat crust, brushed with a little butter, sprinkled with cinnoman sugar and baked. Add thinly sliced apples or pears is you have them. A little powdered sugar icing if you want....

Our healthy deserts are things like....
banana split with frozen yogurt, covered in chopped strawberries.
frozen fruit with whipt cream.
Jello isn't bad.
I literally freeze yogurt cups. Then put it in a bowl and smash it up with berries.
A bowl of yogurt as fruit dip with a plate full of grapes.
Nutella on whole wheat toast
We have tons of frozen popsicles, low sugar, juicepops. I dont mind them having them. It's just frozen water and flavoring. At least I know they aren't dehydrated!

Dried mango is a great "treat."

And, regardless what another poster said, peas are excellent veggies.

Pesto pasta is our fall-back meal. I tend to throw in extra roasted pine nuts, which both kiddos love. And, since I mix my peas in with my pasta, my 4 yo does that as well.

Another recent favorite is butternut squash risotto. (I put in a little fresh ginger with it.) I then pan-fry the risotto, essentially making risotto cakes. You can mix in an egg with the cold risotto or not. My 4yo, who initially was complaining about the risotto, really enjoyed the risotto cake.

For chicken nuggets, take boneless/skinless breasts, cut into pieces, dredge in flour/egg/panko breadcrumbs, and panfry. Homemade chicken fingers.

With mac & cheese, if you're making your own, you can mix in grated carrots or pureed cauliflower. I admit I haven't tried this yet, but I'm hoping to soon.

My very picky girls also eat veggie yakisoba with tofu. The oldest loves the cabbage (she decided this on her own) and the youngest likes the tofu. Give it a shot. You never know...

All the suggestions are good. I would add to do this slowly. They've gotten used to dinners being a certain way. Changing everything all at once will turn it into a power struggle.

Try either: one new food at each meal that they must eat BEFORE the foods they like are put on their plates OR one "healthier" meal a week, then two, then three, etc. Also, introduce new foods slowly. If you do the first option, maybe serve/rotate two vegetables (or whatever) during the week, then add a third into the rotation or replace one of the two with a new one.

I think research has shown that it takes, on average, TWELVE exposures to a new food for children to accept it/like it. So, stick with it and don't overwhelm them with new foods.

Your one year old is young enough that you can change her habits pretty easily. She definitely won't starve out of spite. Your 4-year old will be more of a challenge, because it will be about more than just food for her.

BTW - I want to say that I am soooo proud of you (even though I don't know you - hope it's not taken as condescending) that you WANT to do better for your children. So many parents don't want to do the work required to help our children be healthy. Heck, so many parents don't want to do the work required for THEM to be healthy.

Well, I think Kraft mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and and frozen pizza are thought to be 'bad' foods. Have you tried the veggie mac and cheese? I saw it in the store but haven't purchased it. On the rare occasion when we have boxed mac and cheese, I throw peas in with it (but remember peas and corn are not true vegetables).

My four year old views a lot of fruit as a dessert. Her favorites are mandarin oranges with bananas, fruit salad w/ mini marshmallows added, yogurt with berries or yogurt with honey and nuts. She is also a big fan of trail mix. I also have no problem giving her sherbet and fruit juice pops. Use the fact that she wants a treat to your advantage. She wants a treat...fine...but she doesn't get one unless she tries a new dish, eats 3 baby carrots, finishes a salad, whatever it is you can come up with.

From the time they started eating table foods we didn't allow our girls (also 1 and 4) to have too many choices. They ate what we were having and that was that. Whatever I cook, they eat or at least try (I am not meaning to be critical by telling you this; the older one will say she doesn't like something before trying it and then tries it and loves it. Also, by doing this we have figured out what they truly do not like *sprouts, avacado, beef* versus what they will eat even if they would rather have chicken nuggets). Both girls like soup, whole grain pasta and bread, stir fry, shrimp, eggs, potpies, tuna, chicken, ham. My 4 year old doesn't like things that are too spicy so if we are having something like that I allow her to have something else - sometimes as simple as PB&J.

My older one will eat more raw veggies if we include peanut butter for dipping (she loves carrots and celery with PB). Both girls like bananas with PB.

Check out food on the table. It might help you but you do have to pay to use the site. Good luck!

some of our desserts are Jello with fruit in it, homemade strawberry shortcake, a fruit salad with a little spoon of whipped cream on top, bananas or apples with peanut butter....we are big dessert fruit eaters.

My picky eater's favorite meals are: sauteed pork chops (or roast pork loin), mashed potatoes and a side of carrots or corn on the cob. Roast chicken, rice and broccoli. Homemade chicken noodle soup and homemade bisquits. Salmon (baked or grilled) that has marinated in a homemade teryaki sauce (brown sugar and soy sauce). BBQ chicken but only with Kraft original BBQ sauce. He also loves baby back ribs with this sauce. My 2 year old will eat almost anything if i keep trying. She loves zucchini baked in a pesto sauce, sauteed eggplant, tomatoes, and olives. She also loves dipping things into any kind of dressing but ranch is maybe her favorite. If I distract her with a movie (I don't do this all the time) she will eat anything and everything. Will your kids eat meatloaf? hamburger patties? quesadillas? Fruit with whipped cream is a good dessert. Good luck finding new dinner ideas!