Kid Friendly Meals

Mac and cheese with ham.

Though it may sometimes seem as if most kids will only eat cupcakes, cookies, and chicken fingers, there are plenty of kid friendly meals that are popular and easy to prepare. At the top of list are healthy modifications to meals that most kids love, but don't be afraid to think outside the box when you're planning a menu for the kids you know. Creativity can go a long way in forming a successful meal, and so can determination. Even if kids don't like a new food the first time they taste it, they may eat the same food if it's prepared differently or if they see someone they admire eating it.

Kid Friendly Meals

These meals take existing foundations of foods or presentations that kids enjoy and modify them slightly to boost nutrition.

Veggie Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is one of the most classic kid friendly meals. In this version, you add nutritional value to the dish by using vegetables. The recipe serves four.

Ingredients

6 oz. dry elbow macaroni
2 cans chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make the dish vegetarian)
3 c. steamed vegetables
2 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
2 c. cheddar cheese

Directions

Boil the elbow macaroni in the broth. If you need extra liquid, add water.
When the macaroni has 3 or 4 minutes left to cook, add the vegetables. Good choices include carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or peas.
When the vegetables are tender, drain them with the pasta. Return to the pot and keep the stove on low-medium heat.
Whisk the flour together with the milk until the mixture is smooth. Add it to the pasta and vegetables.
Cook until the sauce is bubbly.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese until it melts. Serve immediately.

Pineapple Chicken Madeira

Adding fun, exotic ingredients such as pineapple to staples like chicken can interest kids.

Adding a tropical flavor (pineapple) to this dish makes it appealing to kids who might otherwise find it boring. The dish serves two.

Ingredients

1 8-oz. can pineapple rings
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 T. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter or margarine
1/2 c. red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 green onions, chopped
3 T. Madeira wine or sherry
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

Directions

Drain pineapple rings, but reserve 2 T juice.
Pound the chicken breast with a mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Dredge the chicken in flour and coat with salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter or margarine in a skillet. Saute the chicken on both sides until it is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
Add the reserved pineapple juice, red pepper, green onions, and wine to the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Stir the cream into the pan juices. Cook about 1 minute, until the liquid is reduced.
Add the pineapple rings and cook until they're heated through.
Top the chicken breast with the pineapple and sauce before serving.

PB&J Sushi

You can make your own "PB&J sushi" at home.

This easy-to-prepare food makes a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A single wrap serves one.

Ingredients

1 whole-wheat tortilla wrap
2 T. peanut butter
1 T. jam or fruit preserves
Optional: sliced fresh fruit, such as bananas or strawberries

Directions

Lay the wrap on a flat surface and coat it evenly with peanut butter. Leave a 3/4-inch border of plain tortilla at the top.
Add the jam or preserves on top of the peanut butter.
If using fruit, spread the fruit in a straight line about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the tortilla.
Beginning at the bottom of the wrap, roll the tortilla up tightly, jelly-roll style.
When the tortilla is completely rolled, use a sharp serrated knife to slice it into "sushi" pieces. Pack the pieces close together on a plate, and serve.