Creative Healthy Meals for Kids

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Getting kids to eat nutritious food can be an uphill battle; Making creative healthy meals fun can get them excited about foods that are normally on the “no” list. We’d like to introduce the first in a series of creative healthy meals for kids.

*We do not recommend that salt be added for babies under one year; add just a dash of salt for children younger than 3 years. See our chart for details on recommended daily sodium amounts for kids.

Fish and potato animals

Ingredients (yields about 8)

• 2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 fillet of white fish, broiled or 1 can of light tuna 5oz
• 1 egg
• 8 string beans, steamed, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried cilantro or parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• dash of salt*

Directions

1. In medium-sized bowl, combine mashed potatoes with fish, add egg and mush well together.
2. Add olive oil, beans, cilantro and lemon juice and mix well together.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Place baking paper on baking pan, grease metal forms with olive oil and fill each will mixture; place on baking paper.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until surface is brown..
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Remove metal forms and serve warm or cold as finger food.

Veal mini-meatballs

Ingredients (yields about 20)

• 1 pound lean veal meat, ground
• 1 egg
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unflavored breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano, chopped
• dash of salt*

Directions

1. In medium-sized bowl, combine ground meat with egg and mix together.
2. Add olive oil, zucchini, breadcrumbs, oregano and salt and mix well together.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Grease baking pan with olive oil;  scoop a teaspoon of  the mixture and roll into a small ball; place on baking pan.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until surface is brown.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Serve warm or cold as finger food, or as part of dinner dish with mashed potatoes or over pasta.

Don’t be shy–get creative with healthy meals!