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Eating Tips and Recipes

young girl cooking

Guest Author: Leia Flure, MS, RD, LDN Extension Outreach Associate, University of Illinois Extension

For many families, meal and snack times can be a challenge. Whether you have a picky eater or just don’t have enough hours in the day, here are some ideas that can help you to make these times more enjoyable for the whole family. 

Involving Kids with Meal Planning

Getting your kids involved in the kitchen can teach them important life skills. It can also encourage them to try new foods. A great place to start is having them help you plan meals. 

  • Guided Choices. Allow your child to help decide what’s for dinner. This could be letting them choose between carrots or broccoli for the dinner’s vegetable or letting them choose between pizza or tacos for the main dish.  
  • Make Dinner a Theme Night. Try having a “theme” for dinner. It could be based on your child’s favorite book, a cuisine that your family likes, or even your child’s favorite color! This can make mealtimes more fun for the whole family. 
  • Be a Shopping Helper. Another way to get kids involved is to have them help you with grocery shopping. They can help you write a grocery list or help you gather what you need at the grocery store. 

Feeding Your Picky Eater

It can be frustrating to feed your picky eater! It is common to feel like nothing you try can work, no matter how hard you try. If you’re stuck in a rut with your picky eater, here are some guidelines to help. Remember, every kid is different, so not all of these tips will work for everyone. 

  • Make Meal Times Pleasant. Turn off televisions and tablets to reduce distractions. Bonus points if you want to set a calming mood for the meal with relaxing music or even just a calm conversation. 
  • Continue to Offer Foods (Even If They Did Not Like It the First Time)! Try preparing them in a variety of ways, including hot and cold, raw and cooked, and with different preparations. 
  • Eat the Way You Want Your Child to Eat. Children pick up on how others around them eat, and often, will try to eat similarly.  
  • Be Patient and Positive. With many children, picky eating can be a phase. 
  • Make Sure There is a “Safe Food” at the Table. If you are making a new vegetable or protein, try and offer something else that you know they will eat.  
  • Let Them Develop Their Natural Hunger and Fullness Cues. If they are not hungry for a meal, save them a portion and keep it in the fridge for later. 

Recipes

Colorful Ranch Vegetable Wraps

Crunchy Ranch Vegetable Wraps

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients

  • ½ Tablespoon ranch seasoning mix  
  • 4 Tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese)  
  • ¼ cup broccoli, diced  
  • 2 8” flour tortillas  
  • ¼ cup carrot, peeled and grated  
  • ¼ cup zucchini, cut into small strips  
  • ¼ cup yellow summer squash, cut into small strips  
  • ½ tomato, diced  
  • 1/8 cup bell pepper, diced  
  • 2 Tablespoons chives or green onion, finely chopped  

Preparation

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.  
  2. Gently rub vegetables under cool running water.  
  3. Stir ranch seasoning and cream cheese in a small bowl. Set aside.  
  4. Place broccoli in a small microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tablespoon of water. Microwave for one minute. Drain water from steamed broccoli.  
  5. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto flour tortillas, leaving about one inch from the edge without spread.  
  6. Sprinkle vegetables on top of cream cheese. Roll tortillas tightly and chill for 1-2 hours.  
  7. Slice the wrap in half and serve.  

Note: Add leftover cooked chicken or deli turkey for protein! Adapted from recipe Crunchy Vegetable Wraps from MyPlate.gov 

Frozen Pear Pops

Frozen Pear Pops

Makes 8 servings 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup canned pears in juice, drained and chopped  
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt  
  • 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed  

Preparation

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.  
  2. Mix chopped pears, yogurt, and orange juice together in a medium bowl.  
  4. Divide the mixture into eight small paper cups and place paper straws (cut in half) or popsicle sticks in the center of each cup.  
  5. Freeze until solid.  

Note: Use Greek yogurt for a tangier flavor. Adapted from recipe Frozen Pear Pops from MyPlate.gov 

Apple Nachos

Apple Nachos

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice  
  • 2 medium apples, thinly sliced  
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, unsalted and shelled  
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins, unsweetened  
  • 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips  
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter  
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoon honey  

Preparation

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.  
  2. Gently rub apples under cool running water.  
  3. Add lemon juice to sliced apples to reduce browning.  
  4. Spread apple slices on a plate.  
  5. Top apple slices with sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and mini chocolate chips.  
  6. Combine peanut butter and honey in a small, microwaveable safe container. Microwave for 20 seconds and stir until smooth. Be careful when removing it from the microwave.  
  7. Drizzle peanut butter sauce over apple slices.  
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