With these easy, nutritious meals, your kids will feel empowered by the experience and more likely to eat what's in front of them. Check out some meals they can cook themselves–safely and without the microwave.
Fruit or Veggie Kabobs
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This one is easy, fun, and gives them lots of control over what types of fruits or veggies they want to eat. Be sure to get shorter sticks for the little ones and provide lots of different types of fruits and veggies to choose from. Pro tip: include an exotic fruit and use this opportunity to get the kids to try new foods.
Tacos
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Create a "taco bar" for the kids with meats, beans, cheeses and other toppings. The kids will absolutely love putting exactly what they want on their tacos. This also encourages them to make their own decisions, an important factor in development for toddlers.
Pita Pizzas
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Instead of ordering out, have them create their own pizzas with just a few ingredients. Grab some fresh pita bread from your local international food grocer, some sauce, different cheeses and whatever other toppings your kids might request. Similar to the taco bar, lay out all the ingredients and let them go to town (and be prepared to get messy). The only parent-required step is cooking the pizza for a few minutes at 350 degrees.
Easy Banana Pudding
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Make it large or miniature sized–it's a simple 3-step process of layering vanilla wafers, sliced bananas and vanilla pudding. The bananas are soft enough for kiddos to slice with a butter knife and they'll have fun creating a dessert that looks fancy without being complicated.
Sandwiches & Wraps
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Much like tacos, you can do almost anything you want with a sandwich. Lay out some different spreads and toppings and let the kids experiment with what they like on their sandwiches. They may discover a combo they love–or one they hate. In that case, keep plenty of extra around just in case they want to make a new one. For the gluten sensitive, use lettuce for a wrap in lieu of bread.
JELL-O Animals
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All you need are a few cookie cutters and some JELL-O mix to create fun animal shapes out of this classic snack. These are great snacks to have around when the kids get the munchies between meals. It's also a little more innovative than your typical JELL-O cups.
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