You Are What You Eat

Kids are picky eaters. We all know this. I do however, believe that there are ways to introduce children to new, nutritious foods and successfully fill their bellies with whole foods they actually enjoy eating. Food is a biggie for me. I am a spokesperson and advocate of organic foods and natural, whole foods. I think that we live in a society that eats far too many processed junk. Our waistlines are expanding while our nutritional intake is contracting. We eat more foods now then ever before but take in far less nutrients. Children, more than any other segment of the population require foods rich in vitamins, minerals and the building blocks of growth and development. A consistent diet of chicken nuggets, hotdogs and Kraft Dinner do not make for healthy growing bodies.

In my care all the children eat homemade, whole, organic meals. I do not skimp or cut corners on meals and snacks. In fact, when doing my taxes for 2008 I discovered that it cost me nearly $8000 to provide that level of nutrition. Although my food costs are above average I wouldn't change. I am proud to serve the growing bodies for whom I care calorie and nutritionally dense foods.

Regardless of whether you are an organic foods supporter or not there are many quick, inexpensive and tricky ways to provide whole foods and not spend all day in the kitchen. Below I wanted to share with you a few of the foods I serve that the kids enjoy and actually eat. I encourage you all to share your foods with the rest of us as well.


Beefaroni - This is a crowd pleaser. When preparing this dish combine half a carton of cottage cheese with the rest of your ingredients right before you toss it in the oven. The cottage cheese will add protein and give the dish a creamy texture.

Chicken Nuggets - The kids love these. Simply cut up chicken breasts and dredge them through crushed corn-flake cereal. Give a quick spray with canola oil and toss in the oven.

Macaroni and Cheese - Another hands down favourite. Just like the beefaroni above, you can cut back on the amount of cheddar by tossing in some cottage cheese. Canned evaporated milk also adds a rich sauce without the added calories and expense of cream. Pureed cauliflower also adds to the texture and is barely detected by the vegetable police.

Tuna Sandwiches - A classic. Who doesn't love tuna sandwiches? Tuna packs more protein and less fat per gram than just about any other form of protein.

Quesadillas - Easy, and fast lunch on the fly. You can even customize them by adding or omitting the cheese or the meat.

Panzerotti - Toss some pizza dough ingredients in your bread maker in the morning and walk away to do circle time. At lunch time simply roll out some small rounds, fill them with toppings and bake them in the oven. Kids LOVE these.

Mini Burgers - Small hamburger patties on 'brown and serve' dinner rolls.

Grilled Cheese - Need I say more? But please, use real cheese!

Sloppy Joes - What could be more perfect - sloppy joes for sloppy eaters.

Meatloaf - Kids love these especially if you make them in muffin tins. Small things for small hands. These are easy to hide veggies in too. Just puree some veggies and toss it in with the ground meat.

Baked Apples - Cut up some apples into slices. Toss with cinnamon and bake in the oven until soft. The kids think this is dessert but it's just an apple.

Brownies - Use a traditional brownie recipe but substitute apple sauce for 3/4 of the oil and grind a few nuts to toss in as well. Healthy and taste great.

Muffins - Any muffin recipe can become a protein powerhouse. Toss in a scoop or two of whey protein powder with the dry ingredients. Just be sure to not fill the muffins cups too full as the protein will make them puff up more than usual.

Fruit Bowl - Cut up fruit with a small container of yogurt dip. Kids love to dip and they get fruit, dairy and some protein all in one.

Pancakes - You can easily make pancakes ahead of time and store them in the freezer. Take them out an hour or two before use. When ready to eat pop in microwave for a few seconds. You can also cook them with peanut butter or whey powder for a protein snack.

Banana Bread - Is there any better use for old bananas? This is good stuff. I like to bake it at nap time and have the first slice for myself with a cup of coffee before the kids get up. And the smell makes your neighbours envious!

Homemade Bread - You have a bread maker so use it. Homemade bread is cheap and tastes far better than store-bought. And, it can substitute for a treat anytime. How great is a thick slice of home made bread with butter and home made jam? Yum!

Cheese and Bacon Scones - Whip up some of these for a cold winter day. You can also toss in a grated veggie or substitute apples. Kids love these!

Pizza - This is the only thing I purchase pre-packaged for lunches. I could make it but the kids view pizza day as a big treat. I always watch for sales on these.

Shepherd's Pie - One of MY favorites because it's down right tasty and I can make it ahead and freeze it. The kids love it too.

Tacos - I'm not sure what the kids like most about these - the fact that they get to dress them themselves or that they can bite faces into the tortillas and wear them like masks. Either way it ends up in their bellies!

I hope the above ideas inspire you as you make lunch for the rest of the week. I know that I get into funks myself tired of making the same ole thing month after month. I welcome any of your suggestions and tricks to fabulous, kid-friendly meals.

Happy cooking!