Here I sit in my office while my kids are merrily playing with their cousins in another room (all four of them between ages 5-8.) My son’s birthday is this weekend, and he decided that all he wanted by way of a party was to have his cousins sleep over.
If you have kids, then you know that every parent’s greatest concern when you’re going to have someone else’s children over for a meal is “what the heck am I going to feed them?” Well, maybe not every parent’s concern, but I know it’s a big issue in my world. Having a vegetarian household means that some of my non-veg friends and family are not quite sure what to do when my kids are over (sometimes I think macaroni and cheese, or some variant, is the only meat-free meal they know!); and then when their kids come to my place, I worry that my whole-wheat pasta with beans or quinoa with tofu will have them going back home to their parents utterly famished, complaining that there was nothing for them to eat.
It’s important for me to serve healthy meals as often as possible, and I know most of the moms in my circle of friends feel the same. But what healthy, generally kid-friendly, vegetarian-friendly meals are there?
Well, mac&cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches are okay. You have to work at it by including some veggies on the side to make it balanced. And they both can be high in saturated fat, depending on which and how much cheese is used, but that can be controlled.
I love vegetarian chili, but so many kids are really picky about it. Too spicy or don’t like some of the vegetables.
Veggie burgers work well, but again, you need to have some veggies to balance it out.
Eggs are awesome. Once more, however, you need to think about what to serve with it. Omelettes, quiche, scrambled, fried. As long as the kids like eggs, most forms usually go over well.
And then there’s pizza. My all-time favourite kid-friendly food. No, I don’t mean the stuff that comes out of the freezer or that you get delivered. Usually, that’s hopelessly high in sodium, saturated fat, and calories. Homemade pizza can be very nutritious, delicious, and highly adaptable to most tastes.
I love to do “make-your-own” pizzas at home. For the crust, you start with pocketless pitas (whole grain is healthiest) and cover it in pizza sauce. I’ll pick up a store-bought sauce and toss in lots of crushed garlic. If you’re in the mood for something different, then use hummus as your base instead – delicious! Or how about some baba ghanouj? Salsa? Pesto? Peanut butter?
Next comes the cheese. To improve the health profile, always go for reduced fat cheese. 19% milk fat is reasonable and quite tasty. Pizza doesn’t need to be dripping in cheese to be delicious. You want more flavour? Try tossing on some Parmesan, feta, or even blue cheese. A little goes a long way. The kids are usually happy with a smattering of mozzarella.
And finally we add the toppings. If you’re going for healthy, it won’t be drowning in greasy pepperoni, but there are lots of other proteins you can try. How about some cooked chicken or turkey? Or marinated tofu? Canned chick peas? Some cooked and drained lean ground beef? Add whatever seasonings you like. Tandoori masala? Taco seasoning? I’ve even seen whole eggs cracked on before baking.
And of course the vegetables. Onions, red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms, olives…those are pretty standard. What about broccoli? Kale? Asparagus? Artichoke? Carmelized onions? Green peas? Corn? Carrots (sliced thin)? Zucchini?
Cook the pizzas on a greased baking sheet or pizza stone at 400°F for 8 minutes or until the toppings are cooked to your liking.
With pizza you and the kids can get creative. Throw in the vegetables they enjoy. The kids have a great time decorating their own concoctions, and if they have a hand in preparing it, they are far more likely to eat it. And chances are it will taste pretty good, too.
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