Simple Kids Recipes

One of easiest ways to get our children to eat healthy is to get them involved in the kitchen and the cooking process. It is easier to teach our children about healthy cooking and eating when the food is right in front of both you and the child. You can discuss the basics of healthy eating, and get into more complicated discussions as they get older. Having a child interested in what goes on in the kitchen is also an extra set of hands that can help you while you prepare meals. If you can train all your kids to get involved, you'll be able to sit back and relax after a few years!

Here are some simple kids recipes. They're simple in terms of ingredients, and are really easy to do. You will probably have to help out the littler kids, but older ones will be able to do these by themselves just fine!

Fruit Pancakes
These are really easy to do! You can get store bought pancake mix (be sure to check the nutritional facts on the back) and tell your kids to choose their fruits. Blueberries, strawberries, and mangoes are commonly used, but don't be afraid to get creative. It will probably take a few tries before your children will know what a good fruit to batter ratio is, but pretty soon, they'll perfect the recipe!

Macaroni and Cheese
Put a healthy spin on this classic. Use whole wheat macaroni instead of regular refined pasta. Whole wheat macaroni will take a bit longer to cook, just check on it often or teach your children to check on it and recognize when it is al dente or almost cooked. Next, use unsalted butter to grease your baking casserole. Line the casserole with the noodles then sprinkle a generous helping of cheddar, mozzarella, and swiss on top. You can use other kinds of cheese as well. Make it as cheesy as you want! Be sure to put a few bits of butter, salt and pepper before adding the next layer of noodles. Layer cheese over noodles till you run out of noodles then top it off with cheese, bits of butter, salt, pepper, and evenly pour a cup of low fat milk. Bake this in an 375 degree preheated oven for an hour, and you're done!

Super Sandwich
One of the easiest things a child can do, and the possibilities are endless! Canned tuna, cold cuts, and grilled chicken are some of the things children can use to make they sandwiches for you and the family. Encourage them to use leftovers if they can, and always add lettuce, tomato, and cheese. You can never go wrong with these in a sandwich!

Tacos
Store bought, whole wheat taco chips are great for this dish. Fill it with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, cheese, some sour cream, and your choice of cooked ground beef or minced chicken. The results are always superb! There are ready to buy taco mixes that you can use to cook your beef or chicken with, if you can teach your kids to spice it up themselves, however, all the better and all the healthier!

Little Pizzas
Use whole wheat tortilla bread. Get the ones that come in smaller circles. Teach your kids to spread some tomato sauce on top, sprinkle with cheese, black olives, artichoke hearts, or whatever other ingredients they may like. This is really fun for kids as they love making their own pizzas. Cook it in the toaster for a few minutes (till the cheese melts) and voila! A healthy and quick meal!

Get your kids involved in the kitchen at a young age. These simple kids recipes are a good start to introducing healthy food to your kids. You will also be encouraging healthy habits of cleanliness, independence, and imagination. These are things they'll need when they begin living alone and cooking for themselves!

Children who are involved in the kitchen may take the initiative to come up with their own creations. Learn how to stock your kitchen with only healthy foods so that you'll have little to worry about! Check out the Kids Food Pyramid to learn what foods you should always have ready in your home!