Kids are very picky when it comes to food. It doesn’t take time for them to get bored of a meal and some can be picky eaters. Irrespective of how many times they eat during the day, they want something new each time. This takes a toll on the parents. However, there is no need to panic. We have gathered a list of both healthy and delicious recipes that will keep your little one munching. With proteins, mixed vegetables, and grains along with tons of flavor, you can ensure that your kid only receives the best food out there. If they love eating chocolates, you may also read our guide on decadent chocolate snacks.
Yummy and Healthy Kids Snacks/Recipes
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken is a recipe that involves marinating chicken in buttermilk. As a result, the chicken is always easy to make and comes out soft and tender. To provide a better taste to the chicken, you can twist the thyme springs to bruise before adding them to the buttermilk mixture. This extracts the oils from the leaves and makes the overall dish much better in taste.
To make Grilled Buttermilk Chicken, you should grab a shallow bowl or dish and place thyme, buttermilk, garlic, and salt inside. Then, add chicken and turn to coat. You will need to refrigerate the mixture overnight for atleast 8 hours with regular turning if possible. After 8 hours, drain the chicken and grill it over medium heat with 5-7 minutes provided to each side.
Pork with Sweet Potatoes
During the fall and winter, you can offer your kids Pork with Sweet Potatoes that is as colorful as it gets. With apple slices, dried cranberries, and sweet potatoes mixed, this recipe is a proven hit amongst the younger generation.
To make Pork with Sweet Potatoes, use a shallow bowl and place salt and pepper, and mix flour. Then, cut 12 pieces of tenderloin and pound each slice with a mallet until the thickness reaches ¼-inches. Dip the pork into the flour mixture and coat both sides. Remove the excess.
Grab a large skillet coated with cooking spray and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the pork turns brown, remove them from the pan. Add, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and broth into the same pan. Allow the oil to boil and reduce heat. Simmer until the potatoes are almost tender and stir in mustard.
Shift the pork back to the pan and add green onions and apple. Yet again, allow to boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered until the sweet potatoes and pork are tender.
Sneaky Tukey Meatballs
If you have a kid who refuses to eat vegetables, then the sneaky turkey meatballs are here for the rescue. As the term suggests, this recipe allows you to be a bit sneaky with healthy ingredients. You can easily sneak some veggies inside the meat and provide your kid with essential nutrients.
To make Sneaky Turkey Meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then, place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped. Shift the pulsed cauliflower into a large bowl and add vinegar, potato starch, basil, salt, and pepper. Add Turkey and make sure to mix thoroughly. Shape the meat into 11/2-inch balls using wet hands or an ice cream scoop. Place the balls on a greased rack in a baking pan and cook it through for around 20-25 minutes.
Black Bean Chicken Burritos
This burrito recipe enables you to hide as many vegetables as possible. And since burritos mostly use iceberg lettuce, you can replace it with cabbage that is thinly sliced.
The recipe is perhaps the easiest to make. Simply cook the chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it no longer remains pink and crumbles. The process does not require more than 4-6 minutes and then remove from the skillet.
Using the same skillet, saute both onions and peppers in oil for about 2-4 minutes until crisp-tender and lightly browned. Then, add garlic and jalapeno pepper while sauteing for a minute longer. Stir, corn, tomatoes, beans, and chicken. Allow the mixture to boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for around 5 minutes to ensure that the liquid is evaporated.
Turkey Ginger Noodle Soup
The Turkey Ginger Noodle Soup is easy on the stomach and healthy. It can be offered as breakfast, lunch, or even dinner at night. You simply put 2 sliced medium carrots, 2 cans of sliced water drained chestnuts, 3 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root, 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 carton of chicken stock, 1 can of coconut water, and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and use salt and pepper to toss the turkey. Grab a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until the patches turn brown and then shift to a slow cooker. Cover the ingredients and allow to cook for 4-5 hours until the carrots become tender. Heat thoroughly and stir in peas and corn.
Cook the noodles according to the directions separately and before serving add to the soup.
Baked Chicken with Bacon-Tomato Relish
If you have chicken regularly, there is no doubt that your kids will become bored of it soon as well. Therefore, you need to bring in new varieties such as the Baked Chicken with Bacon-Tomato Relish. Since you cannot go wrong with bacon, this recipe is destined to be a hit.
Use a shallow bowl and put ¼ tsp of salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of thyme and mix bread crumbs. Then, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Use separate shallow bowls to place eggs and flour. Then, dip the chicken in flour and remove the excess. Proceed to dip the chicken in egg and crumb mixture while patting to adhere. Bake the chicken for around 15 minutes in a baking pan.
Meanwhile, use a large skillet to cook bacon over medium heat for around 5 minutes until it becomes crisp with occasional stirring. Then, use a slotted spoon and remove the bacon on paper towels to drain. Finally, add vinegar, tomatoes, sugar, the remaining salt, and pepper to drippings while cooking the tomatoes for around 2-3 minutes until they are tender. Stir with remaining thyme and bacon and serve with the chicken.
Final Word
The above-mentioned healthy recipes are a perfect substitute for daily junk food. Apart from being healthy, the recipes are also quite easy to prepare with a bit of practice. And perhaps the best thing about it is that you can prepare each dish within a few minutes every day so that your kid comes running to the dining table. Plus, if your kid is not a veggie fan, you can always sneak in one or two.