https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 06:06:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445486 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:48:27 +0000 Silva 1445486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lovehoneybee: She's 10 months now- and I feel like we've given her a fair amount of spicy in the form of cumin/curry, but I'm scared to do chili powder. When she got upset from the curry it was so sad :( But I also want to help her build a tolerance, so I guess I just need to go for it. I'm sure she'd love the sour cream if it was too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445483 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:47:08 +0000 Silva 1445483@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: Well, my daughter is only 10 months, so I don't give her a ton of raw vegetables because she's not great at chewing. I do give her spinach (as mentioned, ha!) and will thaw a few peas or something like that. But for older kids, you could try a little dressing for sure.<br /> Don't add too much, or else the salad becomes a little less healthy and they might not want to eat it without- but I like a little dressing, and I'm sure they would too. Maybe something like Russian (or whatever the one with ketchup in it is?)- its a little sweet. Or a not too tangy balsamic? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445476 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:44:21 +0000 Mamaof2 1445476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Quesadilla is a good idea too - thanks!</p> <p>Salad??? Hmmm.... wonder if my kids would eat that.... do you use dressing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445468 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:42:26 +0000 lovehoneybee 1445468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Quesadillas are another good one!</p> <p>I don't scale back the spice. Honestly, E's spice tolerance is about where mine is, if not better. If he refuses to eat it because it's too spicy I'll mix in some sour cream and crackers or cornbread to temper it a bit. If his tolerance wasn't where it was I think I'd probably scale back the heat some and then put hot sauce or something on the tables :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445458 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:39:44 +0000 Silva 1445458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: My daughter loves quesadillas. I chop spinach finely, mash some black beans, and put some cheddar in a whole wheat tortilla.<br /> When we cook pasta we always add a green vegetable in with the pasta and then cover it in the sauce. She loves whole wheat penne &amp; broccoli with pesto, and spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs.</p> <p>I'm with other posters- we just give her what we're eating. It simplifies things so much. If something we're having is really spicy, I make her a quesadilla, or put humus or lentil spread on bread with avocado and cheese and spinach (she likes spinach a lot!)</p> <p>ETA: Soups are great, too! We have soup, salad and bread every Monday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445441 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:36:41 +0000 Silva 1445441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: @lovehoneybee: When you guys do chili, do you scale back the spice at all? I'm used to making it really hot and then adding sour cream or cheese to temper it to taste. My daughter does well with moderate spice, but we haven't really tried anything really spicy (other than a spicy curry, which she liked but made her cry). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445414 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:32:45 +0000 lovehoneybee 1445414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: Nah, I don't add wine....because I prefer to put it directly into my mouth ;) </p> <p>My method of cooking lentils (of any color) is basically to saute a diced onion and some garlic in a pot until tender and fragrant, add spices (whatever I'm in the mood for), add the lentils and stir for a minute and then add water or stock, bring to a boil then let it simmer. Just for basic lentils, it changes if it's a soup or stew or curry or something else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445413 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:32:27 +0000 regberadaisy 1445413@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think everything is kid friendly. We very rarely cook a separate meal for her. Ever since we started BLW at 7.5 months she eats what we eat.</p> <p>Favorites of hers that might not be the norm:<br /> quinoa, orzo (basically any starch!)<br /> Noodle soup; I almost always make us noodle soup w/whatever leftover protein on hand for lunches on weekends<br /> steamed black bean garlic sauce spare ribs<br /> steamed whole fish (particularly white bass &amp; "dragon fish)<br /> Soup is definitely her fave. We always make soup from scratch (ie our own broth)<br /> I'm also happy she's finally liking leafy greens bc so much Chinese veg are leafy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445357 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:21:39 +0000 Mamaof2 1445357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lovehoneybee: I just bought some red lentils from Trader Joes!</p> <p>Do you cook them according to package? Mine says to add red wine?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445341 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:17:09 +0000 lovehoneybee 1445341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E loves chili! (particularly my vegetarian chili--sweet potato, chickpeas, quinoa and spinach, but he's on a meat boycott at the moment). </p> <p>Homemade mac and cheese.<br /> Butternut squash mac and cheese.<br /> Butternut squash, spinach and quinoa hash.<br /> Omelets<br /> Potato soup<br /> Butternut squash bisque<br /> Meatballs (when he's not boycotting meat)<br /> Enchiladas (I make a few varieties--spinach and black bean with sweet potato sauce, spinach and black bean with red sauce, mushroom).<br /> Baked ratatouille orzo pasta<br /> Eggplant parmesan<br /> Several varieties of risotto (made with regular rice, orzo or barley, including butternut squash, asparagus, mushroom, or white bean and spinach).<br /> Salmon<br /> Jambalaya<br /> Lentils, in stews, with rice, or curried</p> <p>Basically he'll eat whatever we eat, so his diet is only bound by my imagination. Except meat, he's boycotting all meat at the moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445323 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:12:08 +0000 yoursilverlining 1445323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: LO gets chili and cornbread both at home and it's always a big hit with the kids at daycare. </p> <p>Basically, she just eats whatever we eat - - I don't really make separate "kid-friendly" meals for her, since whatever I'm/DH is cooking is delicious :silly: :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445309 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:08:21 +0000 Mamaof2 1445309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: chili? I would never think to make chili for kids - will have to try that one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445301 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:06:46 +0000 yoursilverlining 1445301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, I think depending on what you eat normally and how picky your children are; almost anything can be kid-friendly.</p> <p>Some stuff my LO loves:</p> <p>Pizza, she’ll eat it any which way she can get it. I make her pizzas with all sorts of different veggies and meats; different base sauces, etc.</p> <p>I make “chicken parm” for her that’s just baked chicken with a little pasta sauce and cheese (so it’s healthier since it’s not breaded and fried)</p> <p>Chili with cornbread</p> <p>Italian wedding soup</p> <p>Omelets </p> <p>Sautéed spinach or kale with nutmeg and cinnamon </p> <p>Chicken covered with hummus, pita and cucumbers on the side</p> <p>Black bean burgers with guacamole</p> <p>Curry and rice</p> <p>Turkey burgers </p> <p>Homemade mac and cheese </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kid-friendly-meal-ideas#post-1445254 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:54:18 +0000 Mamaof2 1445254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Notice I didn't say "healthy" :silly: </p> <p>I am trying to get my kids to eat a more varied diet - we eat the same stuff chicken, hamburgers, pasta, broccoli, corn, etc...</p> <p>So yesterday I bought some coucous to try - its just pasta right? </p> <p>I bought some lo mein noodles</p> <p>I bought some chicken noodle soup - my kids will eat the noodles only so I wanted them to try "real" soup with broth!</p> <p>And tonight we are trying tacos for the 1st time!</p> <p>Any other kid friendly things I can try ? </p>