Healthy and Fun Recipes for Kids

As much as we would like our children to eat everything we put in front of them, it isn't always that easy. Sometimes they actually have preferences and don't want to eat those healthy vegetables! Can you believe it?

A few tips I have found work well include:

- Have them eat with you or with other little people friends - it is always more fun to eat with company and they are more likely to particpate in the act of "eating"

- If they refuse to eat what you put in front of them, then let them know they will have to wait until the next meal. If they think they can always get peanut butter & jelly by whining..they will!

- Have them participate in the preparation of the meal - even if it just means pouring ingredients from a measuring cup or spoon. They are more likely to eat what they have helped make and it is a good learning process.

- Be the most positive person you can about the idea of eating the upcoming meal - they will see your energy and want to follow suit by eating

- Use fun colored plates - they

- Make pictures with food on their plate - for some reason it is more fun for them to eat

Here are a few recipes I have found work well with my 2 yr old:

Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli:

2 cups water

1 cup macaroni noodles

2 TB milk

3 tsp butter

1/2 c- 1c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 head of cooked chopped broccoli florets (green peas work well too)

Bring water to a boil, add noodles. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until noodles are done. Strain noodles. Put noodles back in pot and add milk, butter, cheese and mix until cheese is mixed well throughout. Add broccoli and mix well.

Serve! Your child will love the macaroni and cheese as well as get the healthy broccoli.

Mini Burritos:

1 corn or flour tortilla

1/2 cup of black beans

1 small chopped tomato

4 TB shredded cheddar cheese

Blend beans, tomato, and cheddar cheese until smooth. Spread on top of toritilla. Roll into one log and then slice roll into 4 mini burritos. Blending them makes it much easier to eat for the kids.

Mini Pizza's:

1 sliced whole wheat english muffin

2 chopped tomatoes

1 tsp olive oil

pinch of oregano

4 TB cheddar cheese

Your coice of cooked chopped veggies (corn, broccoli, peas, carrots all work well)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Blend tomatoes, olive oil and oregano until smooth. Toast english muffin, then spread tomato sauce on top. Add 2 TB cheese to each pieve of toast, then add veggies. Put in oven under broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts. If you don't have time to make your own sauce, any marina sauce would work. :)

Snacks using Peanut Butter:

Sliced Celery Sticks with peanut butter

Sliced Apples with peanut butter

Carrots with peanut butter