March is officially National Nutrition Month, a time to learn about and improve eating habits. For children, improving nutrition should focus on getting more minimally processed foods onto their plates and into their mouths. Youth aged 1-18 consume a staggering 62% of their overall caloric intake from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a much higher amount than adults. These UPFs are frequently linked to negative health outcomes and ultimately replace nutrient-dense, whole-food items. To accomplish moving away from UPFs to minimally processed and whole foods in your child’s diet, parents need to zoom out from micro and macro nutrients to the bigger picture of fun, colorful, and flavorful recipes.
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Let’s face it, most people are not interested in healthy eating because it immediately triggers the notion of steamed, bland, boring food. Adults do not want to eat that, and children certainly do not. The key to making nutritious recipes kids will love is all in marketing. Green sauce? It's not veggie sauce, it's monster sauce! Hemp seeds? No, no, those are sprinkles! For older children, work on enhancing.
Marketing Matters
Most children do not want to be served green foods. Getting them excited for this color can be as simple as a good marketing campaign. Adding adjectives such as ‘monster’, ‘slime’, ‘hulk’, etc., can make a kid’s eyes light up and their mouths salivate when green foods come their way.
Here’s a recipe to try that will have your little ones giggling with glee at the hulkish makeover to a beloved classic.
Monster Mac n Cheese:
Ingredients:
1 pound macaroni (elbow pasta)
2 cups cauliflower florets, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 cup milk
2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 tbsp butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated/shredded
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Method
Boil a pot of water. Add the broccoli and cauliflower, then cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Scoop the veggies out with a slotted spoon into a blender. Keep the pot of water boiling, add additional water if needed, and boil the pasta until al dente. Once the broccoli and cauliflower have cooled slightly, add the spinach, cheese, milk, and mustard to the blender and blend until smooth. Once the pasta is done, drain the water and stir in the butter to coat the pasta. Add the green monster sauce and stir well. Salt to taste and serve!
Modify it
Children can be sensitive, even apprehensive, to big changes. Instead of removing one recipe and replacing it with another, consider how the current dish could be slightly modified. Often, all it takes to boost the healthfulness of a recipe is a small swap or addition to an already-loved recipe. For example, dice up zucchini or mushrooms and simmer them into spaghetti sauce, add cottage cheese to mashed potatoes, or add shredded carrots to a muffin recipe.
Here is a recipe to try that takes a classic kid favorite and adds a fiber-rich, plant-protein boost by incorporating lentils into the meaty mix.
Lentil Sloppy Joes
Ingredients:
1 cup brown or green lentils
½ pound ground beef
2 teaspoons salt
½ green bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small can of tomato paste
¾ cup organic ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon each garlic powder, cumin, and smoked paprika
Bread/buns and butter, pickles or slaw, to serve
Method
In a large saucepan, add the lentils, 3 cups of water, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sauté for roughly 5 minutes, using a spatula to break up the beef and stir it until most of the pink is gone. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and salt to the beef. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Add the cooked lentils and stir well to combine. Simmer a few additional minutes to thicken the mixture if needed. Serve on a bun, or scoop over whole-grain bread with pickles or slaw, if desired.
Make It.
Cooking at home is one of the best ways to improve the healthfulness of one’s diet. Pick a food your child already loves and start Googling recipes for homemade versions. From Oreo-style cookies to fast food smash burgers to mini muffins, there is a homemade version that is both delicious and at least a little more nutritious. As a bonus, it probably costs less per serving to make it yourself than buy the prepackaged option.
Here’s a recipe for a favorite snack that is simple and fun to make, with minimal ingredients compared to the ultra-processed packaged version.
Cheddar Fish Crackers
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups shredded cheddar
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons cold water
Method
Add the cheese, flour, and butter to a food processor and blend until a grainy mixture forms. Pulse in 1 tablespoon of cold water and potentially the next tablespoon of water. Just enough for the dough to come together. Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a ball. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a roughly ¼ inch thick slab on a lightly floured surface. Use a fish-shaped cutter (or any other shape!) to cut out as many shapes as possible. Repeat this process with dough scraps. Place the shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as they will cook at different rates depending on the thickness of the cut-outs.
These recipes and techniques can help your children enjoy nutrient-packed recipes without putting up a fuss. Remember that the ultimate way to improve your children's eating habits is to showcase healthy habits yourself!
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