If you are one of millions of parents that are constantly wracking their brains for healthy and yummy meals for your little ones, here is some help. Not only are these meals nutritious but they are kid’s favorite meals. Here are the healthy alternatives to the most popular items on kid’s menus. Kids will love these recipes because they taste wonderful. Parents will love these recipes for kids because they are easy and fast to make.
All kids love hamburgers. Substituting a turkey or veggie burger patty for a beef patty is significantly more healthy for children. Red meat is a very hard food for young people and adults to digest and it is also very fatty. Season a turkey or veggie burger with garlic powder, a little pinch of seasoning salt and a dash of pepper. Then pile on the toppings of fresh lettuce, tomatoes and ketchup and your kids will never know the difference.
Spaghetti and meatballs is one of the most popular favorite dishes for kids. Try using whole wheat pasta and ground turkey meatballs in your recipe. By replacing the sausage and beef meatballs, you can cut hundreds of grams of fat and calories right away.
Everyone loves chicken fingers and here is a fantastically quick recipe that does not involve frying. First cut up white chicken breast pieces into long nuggets. Then dip the raw chicken into beaten egg yolks until they are fully coated. Next, place the egg-drenched nuggets into breadcrumbs (the store-bought brands are great). Lastly, place the chicken in a greased pan which goes into the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or cook on grill.
Cooking a healthy breakfast can be just as simple and fast. Oatmeal can taste like dessert if treated correctly. In a cooked pot of oatmeal, add brown sugar to taste, milk, salt, and nutmeg and mix it all together. Children will think it tastes like a warm sweet treat but it is very healthy and low-fat.
Parent’s one complaint with children’s eating habits is that they won’t eat their veggies. Think of creative ways to hide those veggies without using fattening melted cheese. Mix broccoli into a chicken salad and then wrap the mix into a tortilla or flat bread. Kids won’t even taste the broccoli and it is a healthy and fun sandwich.
Pizza is another brilliant way to hide vegetables. All kids love pizza. Making a pizza with your kids can be fun and much healthier/cheaper than ordering delivery pizza. Also, you can use low-fat mozzarella cheese and lots of veggie toppings. Make mealtime a fun family activity with a game of “make your own pizza” night. Give your kids extra points or some reward for using two or more vegetables on their pizza.
Don’t forget the drinks either. Soft drinks and fruit juices are very high in sugars and preservatives. Making a pitcher of lemonade using lemon juice, one cup of natural sugar-cane, and water will quench yours and their thirst. Almost any recipe can be altered into a healthy and delicious recipes for kids that adults will enjoy too.
