Childhood Nutrition: Easy Healthy Meals for Picky Eaters

Got a picky eater? Running out of ideas on how to provide them with healthy meals that they’ll actually eat? To help you out, here’s a list of healthy, picky-eater-tested meal ideas. Not only are they rich in nutrients, they’re easy to prepare as well:

• Healthy macaroni and cheese
  Macaroni and cheese is a well-loved and comforting dish,but it’s really nothing but pasta and a creamy sauce made up of a ton of cheese, butter and flour. To put a healthy spin on your own mac and cheese, add butternut squash, Greek yogurt, or broccoli and basil to the sauce. You can also opt to go vegan and replace that dairy sauce with a pureed blend of coconut milk, cashews, nutritional yeast flakes, and vegetables.
• Baked chicken nuggets
  Whether they’re from a fast-food chain or the frozen section of the grocery store, chicken nuggets are a kid favorite – and they’re highly processed and lack nutritional value. You can create your own version of healthy chicken nuggets by making use of four simple ingredients: chicken breasts, egg, and gluten-free flourand breadcrumbs.Pop them in the oven and watch your picky eaters inhale their juicy, golden goodness at the dinner table.
• Pumpkin waffles
  Start your child’s day right with a healthy serving of pumpkin waffles. Pumpkin isnutrient-dense, low in calories, andloaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, potassium, fiber, and a whole list of other vitamins and minerals that help improve vision, boost the immune system, and make you feel fuller.

  Just add a cup of pumpkin puree to your gluten-free waffle mix. There are a variety of pumpkin waffles you can make, from spiced pumpkin to whole grain pumpkin waffles.

• Lettuce wraps
  If your picky eater is the creative type, then they might enjoyassembling their own food. Lettuce wraps are incredibly healthy because they are low carb and are chock full of various proteins and vegetables. You can opt for chicken or turkey bits as the protein, along with your choice of vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
• Cauliflower-crust pizza
  One crafty way of convertingyour fussy eater into acauliflower fan is by turningthe vegetableinto a pizza crust. Cauliflower is anti-inflammatory, contains fiber, and is good for the heart. It also makes a great, healthy substitute for flour in pizza dough.Once you bake the crust made out of cauliflower, organic, grass-fed cheese, salt, and eggs, add your desired healthy toppings. Swap nutritional yeast for the cheese if your child has a dairy sensitivity.
• Sweet potato fries
  Swap greasy French-friedpotatoes for baked sweet potato fries.Instead of deep frying,toss the sweet potato sticks in olive oil and pop them in the oven. This healthier alternative is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, making it a great snack for the kids to enjoy.
• Savory food skewers
  Food skewers are a delightful treat for kids because they are fun to eat. There are as many different combinations for your savory food skewer as there are vegetables, meats, fruits, and proteins. Create a grilled barbecue chicken kebab by skewering marinated chicken breast, green bell peppers, and pineapple onto a wooden kebab stick.

At WholeBody Solutions, we provide customized nutrition programs for all ages. Learn more about our holistic nutrition plan for children at our Nutrition page or give us a call at 617.328.6300 to get started.