Menu ideas for picky eaters

Hi all! My name is Jacquie and I am the mother of four crazy and wonderful boys. I have my fair share of picky eaters – and the hardest part about it is that each of my boy’s pickiness is unique to him. One hates meat but loves potatoes. The other would rather chew on a dirty sock than put a piece of chicken in his mouth.

I have come up with a relatively simple method for meal planning. I think that if children are allowed to make choices, they’re much more likely to cooperate during meal time. My first line of defense against my picky eaters is to make a weekly menu. Each child chooses at least one dinner in a two-week period. At first, I was afraid they would choose the same old thing every week, but they each have several favorite meals that are acceptable for everyone. My favorite part about it is that my husband and I get to add our favorites and introduce new meal ideas. A few of their favorites are make-your-own mini pizzas, taco salad, and chocolate tortillas (not super healthy, but a fun meal with flexibility).


The second part of my plan involves choosing meals with options. Pizza does not have to be “one size fits all”. My children love to make their own mini-pizzas and add their own toppings. Who says pizza has to have cheese on it, or sauce for that matter? You can always insist that they choose at least one vegetable to top it, but I like to add healthy ingredients to the pizza crust as a backup.

Make your own mini-pizzas

Dough:  After years of experimenting, this is our all-time favorite crust.

1 ½ C. warm water (120-130 degrees)

1 T. honey

1 ½ T. yeast

2 ¼ T. olive oil

1 ½ t. salt

3 C. white flour (plus more for kneading)

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 T ground flax seed

Variety of toppings: Spaghetti sauce, fettuccini sauce, BBQ Sauce, cooked and diced chicken, tomatoes, spinach leaves, olives, pepperoni, ham, pineapple, peppers, basil leaves, etc.

In large mixing bowl, combine water, honey, and yeast.  Let mixture rest until yeast becomes bubbly. Then add olive oil and salt and mix on low speed. Begin to add flour until dough pulls away from sides.

Add more flour as needed to reduce stickiness. Form into a ball and let rise in a greased bowl. (You can skip this step if you want to make it more quickly). Divide into equal pieces, depending on how many pizzas you need – I like to use any extra to make breadsticks.

Let each child pat out the dough and add desired toppings. Poke dough with a fork and bake at 475 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until dough is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.

They love to make their pizzas into different shapes!

Taco Salad

1 bag tortilla chips

1 lb. ground beef or turkey (options!)

1 bag baby spring mix salad

2 cups shredded cheese

1 can chili (with or without beans) or 1 can black beans

Variety of toppings: diced tomatoes, diced peppers, onions, olives, refried beans, Spanish rice, guacamole (recipe below), salsa, ranch dressing, etc.

In a large pan, brown ground meat. When meat is no longer pink and starting to caramelize, add one can chili and heat through. Prepare other toppings and layer favorite toppings over tortilla chips.

Guacamole (I’ve tried to remember how I make this because it’s usually to my taste and changes every time, but this is the basic recipe.)

2 large avocados, diced

1 roma tomato, diced

½ onion, diced

1 serrano pepper (These can be pretty hot, so for less heat remove all seeds and use kitchen gloves to protect your hands.)

Juice from two limes or about 2-3 tablespoons

1 teaspoon garlic, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 bunch cilantro, diced

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more salt or lime juice to taste.

Chocolate burritos

1 package uncooked tortillas (I love the kind in Costco’s refrigerated section)

1 package chocolate chips

Cinnamon sugar

Whipped cream

Variety of fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, etc.

Bake tortilla shells as directed. Place tortilla directly on a plate after cooking and sprinkle ½ teaspoon cinnamon sugar and a small handful of chocolate chips into center and roll it up.  For a healthier version, add a spoonful of desired fruit and top with a dollop of whipped cream, although I usually place fruit on the side.