There are, by my count, at least seven levels of fried chicken. The worst of them is good; the best, which I waited forty-four years to find, led to what can only be called an out-of-body experience. Let’s start at …
Easy Meals for Kids
Many parents these days do not have the time to plan or prepare time-consuming meals. These easy meals for kids have a handful of healthy ingredients and do not take a long time to prepare. The best part is that kids can learn to help make the meal, no matter what their age. Easy, nutritious meals geared toward a child's taste buds don't have to be complicated, and the kids will love it when the food looks cool too. Add this to my Recipe Box.
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Breakfast
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Eating breakfast makes an impact on daily nutrition and overall health, according to a study from the Public Health Nutrition journal. Ready-to-eat cereals are a reliable staple, but if you want to change it up now and then, have your kids help you with an easy meal. Try a "doggone" breakfast sandwich. All you need is a banana, fruit preserves and a whole wheat hot dog bun. Lightly toast the bun if desired and spread peanut butter on one half. Add your banana and top with preserves as "ketchup." Consider adding sunflowers for crunch and more nutrition.
Lunch
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One of the favorite options for adults at lunch is a healthy, fresh salad. But kids don't always feel the same way. Start serving salad to your kids as young as possible, and don't give up. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it can take up to 10 times before you get your kids to eat something new. Disguise your salad with a bunch of yummy stuff. Instead of iceberg lettuce, use romaine or green leaf lettuce, which contain more nutrition than water-laden iceberg lettuce. Have your kids clean and rip the lettuce, since kids love to play in water and rip things up.
Most kids love chicken nuggets, so add them to your lettuce, or choose slices of ham and hard salami instead. Include lots of your child's favorite shredded cheese. Mix it all together with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing, since many kids love sour tastes. If you think your children would prefer ranch dressing, try that instead. For added kid appeal, throw on a handful of oven-baked French fries or tater tots. You can serve it in bowls, tortilla wraps or pita bread.
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Dinner
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For a super easy meal that kids can help prepare, try some pizza soup for dinner. One-half of a cup of tomato sauce equals one serving of veggies, so start with a large jar of pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce, and add some Italian seasoning to taste. Add a small jar of mushrooms, two cups of water, a chopped green pepper and your favorite pizza toppings: pepperoni, cooked sausage or Canadian bacon. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese. Serve with a toasted cheese sandwich or garlic bread.
Considerations
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Let kids help as much as possible with meal preparation, so that they take ownership. Use caution with sharp knives and hot appliances. If age-appropriate, let your kids help chop items that are easy enough to cut with a butter knife. Get them their own oven gloves.
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- Photo Credit happy kids image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
