• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Healthy Dinners for Children

December 10, 2010 by ds_48512 Leave a Comment

You want your children to eat more vegetables and whole grains for dinner. They probably want to eat more breaded, fried or cheesy dishes. Instead of arguing over meals, learn to compromise by putting a healthy spin on favorite dinners. Skip the fryer and mystery meat and serve your children baked breaded chicken breasts. Spruce up plain pizza by trading in the white crust for whole wheat, easing up on the cheese and adding some well-liked vegetables.

Baked Breaded Chicken

Set up your dredging station. In one shallow dish, beat 2 eggs together. Mix together 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt in another shallow dish. Use chicken tenders or slice chicken breasts into 1-inch wide pieces. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and preheat your oven to 475 degrees F. Use your right hand to dip a piece of chicken in the eggs, coating both sides. Dredge the egg-coated chicken piece through the flour mixture, coating both sides with the flour. Place on the baking sheet. Coat the remaining pieces of chicken. Bake the chicken until cooked through and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Throw out any remaining eggs and flour mixture. Serve the breaded chicken with a side of brown rice or mashed potatoes and your child’s favorite vegetables.

Healthy Pizza

Use a frozen or store-bought whole wheat pizza crust or prepare your own by mixing together 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp. instant yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/3 cup water. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, then knead the dough for 10 minutes. Let it rise for 1 hour, then stretch and roll out into a 12-inch round. Top the pizza with sauce and 1/2 to 1 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle chopped vegetables, such as peppers, onions and broccoli, or whatever your child will eat. Feel free to add reduced-fat pepperoni or sausage. Bake the pizza in a preheated 500 degrees F oven for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a minute or two before slicing.

Value-Added Pasta

While you do want your child to learn to enjoy and appreciate the taste of individual vegetables, sometimes you don’t have the stamina to argue with him over the dinner table. If your children are going through the extremely picky eater phase, get them to eat their vegetables by adding a cup or two of finely chopped veggies to a prepared jar of marinara sauce. Puree the sauce in a blender and your children will never know. Suitable vegetables to add include shredded kale or spinach, broccoli, carrots and onions. Prepare pasta, such as spaghetti, preferably whole wheat, and coat in the sauce. If you are serving meatballs, give them a boost by mixing the ground meat with bulgur, whole wheat bread crumbs or other finely ground whole grains before shaping them into balls. Aim for a 50-50 ratio of meat to whole grains.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Food & Drink

About ds_48512

Based in Pennsylvania, Emily Weller has been writing professionally since 2007, when she started writing theater reviews. Her writing covers a wide range of topics including theater, vegetarianism, travel and news. Weller has a Master of Fine Arts in dramaturgy and theater criticism from CUNY/Brooklyn College.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Coconut Oil

Why Coconut Oil Is So Good For Pregnant & Nursing Mothers

“Coconut oil contains large amounts of lauric acid, a … [Read More...] about Why Coconut Oil Is So Good For Pregnant & Nursing Mothers

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes

The Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes on Children

Coconut Oil

Why Coconut Oil Is So Good For Pregnant & Nursing Mothers

How to Help Young Kids Lose Weight

fade hair color quickly

How to Fade Hair Color Quickly

Signs You're Having a Miscarriage

Signs You’re Having a Miscarriage

Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed

When Is a Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed?

substitution for oil in baking brownies

Substitution for Oil in Baking Brownies

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.