ISO Quick & Healthy Meals for Kids

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post #1 of 8

1/12/08 at 6:52pm

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217 Posts. Joined 11/2007
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Our kids eat what we eat and in general are not picky. I don't cook them special meals or mac n cheese while we eat lasagna. I have noticed that when DH is not home, they don't eat as much. He just started working nights 4 days a week. Last week I made chicken parmesan, tostadas, and pasta. The chicken took the longest to cook and they hardly ate it!

I am thinking that with quicker meals, I won't spend as much at the grocery store and I won't get burned out from cooking 4 nights in a row. DH and I usually trade off cooking.

Tonights menu is quesadillas and homemade fruit salad.

Any more ideas?

:

No hot dogs or cream of anything please.

Couscous with veggies thrown in is pretty quick. I have a couscous recipe with ham and pineapple that my son loves if you think they might like that. Ravioli Lasagna is pretty quick, too. One of our favorites is also cobb sandwiches. Actually you can see all of my meals on my blog (link in sig) if you want to see what we eat. If you need any recipes just ask.

post #4 of 8

1/14/08 at 12:53am

118 Posts. Joined 8/2006
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I like salmon cakes as a fairly quick and easy meal and my kids eat them well. I probably serve it with either rice or mashed potatoes and coleslaw.

Something I try to do to speed up etc- is serve raw veggies instead of cooked- which for me means less pans etc to wash after the meal- which is the part i really hate anyway LOL. IT is also quick in that I clean and cut up most veggies once a week, and then place some on a plate with dressing for them to eat. My kids will eat salad- so it isn't a stretch to make them salad for dinner- or pasta with veggies and meat and salad dressing.

I also utilize freeze ahead meals on days like that- get out my frozen meatballs, add sauce and cook- no prep work.... frozen cheesey potato, broccoli and turkey casserole- pop in the oven again no prep.... frozen lasagna (a bread pan size one)

My hubby doesn't like spaghetti and that is easy so I do that with the kids. Tacos are pretty easy and I do that with them too. Chicken legs and thighs in a pan with some adobo seasoning and garlic, add some carrots and potatoes and roast.... Quiche is fairly easy.

Brenda

post #5 of 8

1/14/08 at 4:16pm

6,256 Posts. Joined 3/2005
Location: Minnesota
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DH is home with DD on Fridays while I am at work. Normally he makes grilled cheese for lunch but I finally got him to spice it up a bit. Take whole wheat bread add some sliced turkey or chicken, sliced tomato, and cheese and grill. Easy and yummy!

Or make a nice fried rice by throwing in some veggies, eggs, and whatever else is laying around.

I only make time intense meals if I can get more than one meal out of it. Otherwise it usually isn't worth the effort.

post #6 of 8

1/15/08 at 10:02pm

1,184 Posts. Joined 2/2007
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I make a great hot-dog and cream-of-mushroom soup casserole....

Just kidding. (Ugh.)

Anyway, one thing we do that's easy--although it takes a while, you don't have to do anything to it for most of that time--is roasted vegetables. I just chop up a bunch of veggies--we use sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, onion, garlic, cauliflower, asparagus, whatever--and spread them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and then roast at 400 degrees until they're tender. Give them a stir now and then. If you use veggies that take different lengths of time to cook, you'll have to add them in phases. I don't use white potatoes so that makes it faster. I basically put in the sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions, then cook for a while and add the other more delicate veggies. Cauliflower is fabulous this way. Also summer squash. We eat this as our main dish, sometimes with cheese and fruit.

post #7 of 8

1/16/08 at 2:42am