I need kid-friendly meal ideas?

pick your favs:

meatballs:

MEAT:

-2 lb meat

-1 onion

-2 cloves garlic

-2 eggs

-1 cup breadcrumbs

SAUCE:

-10 oz grape jelly

-3 cups marinara sauce

-1/2 cup tomato juice

-4 tbsp lemon juice

-1/2 cup brown sugar

onion rice:

- 4 cups rice

- 3 cups water

- 1/2 cup oil

- 5 tbsp onion soup mix

boil water. add onion soup mix & oil. add rice. cover & let cook. fluff with fork & recover to let simmer.

stringbeans & mushrooms:

- stringbeans

- mushrooms

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1/4 cup oil

- 1/2 cup soy sauce

- 1/2 cup honey

cook string beans. strain. sautee mushrooms & garlic. add oil, honey & soy sauce. let simmer. pour over string beans.

honey mustard chicken:

- 1 cup honey

- 2 tbsp mustard

mix & pour or spread on chicken. bake for 2 hrs

BBQ chicken:

- 1 cup ketchup

- 1 cup soy sauce

- 1/2 cup honey

- 1/4 cup oil

mix & pour or spread on chicken. bake for 2 hrs

apricot chicken:

- 1/2 cup apricot jam

- 1/4 cup oil

- 1/4 cup honey

mix & pour or spread on chicken. bake for 2 hrs

lemon chicken:

- 1 cup lemon juice

- 1/2 cup oil

- 1/2 cup honey

mix & pour or spread on chicken. bake for 2 hrs

breaded chicken:

- 1 egg

- 2 cups breadcrumbs (optional: season breadcrumbs with garlic & onion powder)

coat chicken in egg. roll in breadcrumbs. bake for 2 hrs until crunchy & golden brown.

grilled cheese:

- bread

- sliced cheese

put cheese on bread. grill/fry/toast until cheese is melted.

jazzed up grilled cheese 1:

- bread

- pesto sauce

- sliced cheese

- mushrooms

sautee mushrooms. spread pesto on both pieces of bread. put cheese & mushrooms on. grill/fry/toast until cheese is melted.

jazzed up grilled cheese 2:

- bread

- sliced cheese

- tomato slices

put cheese, tomatos, & mushrooms on. grill/fry/toast until cheese is melted

mushroom rice:

- 4 cups rice

- 3 cups water

- 1/2 cup oil

- 1 lb sauteed mushrooms

boil water. add oil. add rice. cover & let cook. sautee mushrooms. add mushrooms to pot of rice. fluff with fork & recover to let simmer.

mac & cheese:

-noodles (any shape, any size)

-mozerella cheese

cook pasta. drain & put cooking pan. sprinkle mozerella cheese all over noodles. (optional: breadcrumbs & parmesean cheese on top as a crust) bake until cheese is bubbly & brown

mac & cheese with a twist:

-noodles (any shape, any size)

-mozerella cheese

-1/2 onion

-1 lb mushrooms

-2 cloves garlic

sautee veggies in oil. cook pasta. drain & put into frying pan with veggies. let noodles soak up all flavors. put all noodles & veggies in cooking pan. sprinkle mozerella cheese all over noodles. (optional: breadcrumbs & parmesean cheese on top as a crust) bake until cheese is bubbly & brown.

easy no bake mac & cheese with a twist:

-noodles (any shape, any size)

-mozerella cheese

-mushrooms, cut up

-cherry tomatoes, cut up

cook noodles. strain & put in a bowl/on a plate. sprinkle cheese onto noodles. put in microwave for 40-45 seconds. mix. sprinkle mushrooms & tomatoes. mix around. put in microwave for 40-45 seconds.

meatloaf:

- 2 lb chopped meat

- 2 eggs

- 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs

- 1 onion diced & sauteed

- 2 cloves garlic diced & sauteed with onion

- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

mix altogether in a bowl. put in loaf tin. cook at 350 for 2-2/12 hours

noodle mushroom dish:

- 1 onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 box mushrooms

- 1 box of noodles (any shape & size you want)

sautee onion, garlic, & mushrooms in same pot until cooked. cook noodles in separate pot. strain noodles & put into pot with veggies. mix so noodles soak up all the flavors.

beef noodle dish:

- 1 onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- beef cut into cubes or slices

- 1 box of noodles (any shape & size you want)

sautee onion, garlic, & beef chunks in same pot until cooked. cook noodles in separate pot. strain noodles & put into pot with veggies & beef. mix so noodles soak up all the flavors.

chicken noodle dish:

- 1 onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- chicken cut into cubes or slices

- 1 box of noodles (any shape & size you want)

sautee onion, garlic, & chicken chunks in same pot until cooked. cook noodles in separate pot. strain noodles & put into pot with veggies & chicken. mix so noodles soak up all the flavors.

cold strawberry soup:

- 1 bag frozen strawberries/1 box fresh strawberries

- 1/2 cup orange juice

- 1/2 cup honey

- 2 tbsp cream/whole milk

- 4 tbsp sugar

put all ingredients in a bowl & use an immersion blender OR put in food processor or blender. Blend/puree until creamy & smooth. put in container. put in fridge until ready to serve.

lemon rice:

- 4 cups rice

- 3 cups water

- 1/2 cup oil

- 1/2 cup lemon juice

- 1 tbsp lemon zest

boil water. add lemon juice & oil. add rice. cover & let cook. fluff with fork & recover to let simmer. add lemon zest for garnish.

hope I helped! Enjoy!

1

We've had success getting our son(who is now 4) to eat broccoli by telling him they're mini trees. Serve broccoli with cheese sauce and you can get just about anyone to eat it.

Carrots and celery can be incorporated into meals with peanut butter(which is not only tasty, but also somewhat nutritious. For celery, we like to put the peanut butter all the way down the celery stalk before meal time, and it can be kept in a shallow container in the fridge. Carrots and celery both can be served in 3-4 inch long pieces and served with the peanut butter as a side dip.

Burritos can be premade and put together quickly for a tasty and healthy meal. I make, separately, Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice, taco seasoned ground beef, and shredded cheese. Putting them back together in soft flour tortillas with salsa, sour cream, and/or pre-shredded lettuce makes it quick. Remember to preheat your tortillas to make them more malleable.

I have also had limited success with a Chicken Pizza Casserole recipe my mom sent to me. I have no idea where she got it from. You can substitute any other kind of ground or shredded meat in place of chicken(I use canned chicken).

Preheat to 375 degrees F.

2 C uncooked rotini

2 eggs

1/2 C milk

2 C cheese

1 can (14 oz) pizza sauce

1/2 lb meat(chicken, turkey, ground beef, etc), precooked

1/4 C grated parmesan

1 C chopped veggies(zuchini, cucumber, green pepper, red pepper, black olives, etc.[think pizza toppings])

Cook your pasta. Spray/rub a 9x13 pan with oil or shortening, Combine milk, eggs, & 1/2 C cheese for 'crust'. Stir in cooked pasta. Spread this on the bottom of the pan evenly. Mix sauce, meat, and veggies. Layer this over 'crust'. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 for 30 mins. This can be set aside in portions in the refrigerator and microwaved later.

I know how you feel, like all you do is repeat what you give you kids to eat all the time.The reg chicken nuggets, mac and cheese sort of thing. I try to add a little something extra to the regulars to try something completely different, even if you think your kids wont like it they might surprise you. Here are some thing I feed my kids(besides the classics) -Chicken and rice casserole 1 stick butter melted 1c milk 1c rice 1 can cream of mushroom soup 2 split chicken breast In 9x13 pan mix first four ingredients then top with chicken and bake at 375 for 20 mins. -English muffin pizza -Steak( my kids love it ) -Breakfast for dinner -Bow-ties and alfredo -I know its a classic but grilled cheese but try making tomato soup with it, its really good -Cabbage and noodles -Sometimes I cut the hot dog down the middle and melt cheese in it, or cut from hte bottom half down into 8 slices so it looks like a octopus -Fruit bar cut up all kinds of fruits and put them in separate bowls and let your kids make there own fruit salad. And you can leave it at that or put carmel sauce and chocolate sauce with it.

Pasta is never a bad idea when it comes to making meals ahead of time. You can prepare large batches of pasta such as casseroles and other baked pasta recipes. They can be kept in the baking dishes in the freezer until you are ready to thaw them out and eat them for dinner during the week. Our favorites include:

lasagna

stuffed shells

baked spaghetti

ravioli

macaroni and cheese (mix in broccoli and cooked sausage for a complete dinner in one dish)

Soups and stews are great for the freezer as well. Ice cream buckets make great storage containers. You can have grilled cheese sandwiches or even cold cut sandwiches as a quick side dish throughout the week. Garlic bread would be another good idea depending on what kind of soup you are eating. Sometimes we even just make some steamed vegetables to accompany the soup.

You can also prepare different meats ahead of time so that you only have to worry about side dishes throughout the week. For instance, put some chicken or pork in the slow cooker with barbecue sauce and then freeze the final product to make quick sandwiches during the week. Barbecue is another meat that freezes well. We often make home made meatballs or meat loaf for quick weeknight dinners as well. You can put either one in the oven as soon as you get home and dinner will be ready in no time.

My final suggestion would be to take advantage of a slower cooker. Food can cook all day long, and you only have to set the table when you get home. Ham, green beans, and potatoes are one of our favorite trios of ingredients for the crock pot. We also prepare hot dogs or pulled pork with sauerkraut and potatoes during the week. You can do beef tips in a brown gravy and cook some egg noodles when you get home from work for a quick beef dinner. Stuffed peppers can cook in the crock pot all day long as well. They are essentially a meal in themselves with no other dinner preparation required.

You could get some Sub rolls and make sandwiches, I found that a kid pleaser is grated cheese mixed with a little mayo and a drop of food coloring (opt), pasta salads with corn and his favorite veggies and stir fries with bits of meat that are still yummy cold, fruit salads way cheaper than store bought, also you can give him little homemade desserts puddings, cupcakes, oatmeal cookies, nuts don't forget make his snacks as healthy as possible he might not even know

Tater-Tot Casserole

Brown one pound ground beef, season with salt and pepper; drain well.

Place ground beef in bottom of a casserole dish; spread evenly.

Sprinkle a layer of corn (canned or frozen, but drain if you're using canned) on top of ground beef.

Open a can of cream of chicken soup and spread over corn.

Sprinkle a nice layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top of soup.

Arrange tater tots on top of cheese and bake 350 degrees F until bubbly. About 45 minutes.

Always have them eat breakfast...a few suggestions would be cereal and milk; or eggs; or instant oatmeal; or granola bars. Very important to eat breakfast. You can even eat sandwiches.

The bars are good for lunch too.

Sandwiches are easy to make and good for you.

Here are some hints for cooking.

1.

I get most of my recipes from this website. Make a list of what you will need, go to the grocery store and buy everything on your list. Follow the recipes.(be sure to book mark or put into your Favorites):

http://www.cooks.com/rec/ch/main_dishes.%E2%80%A6

2.

Grocery stores have precooked meats of all types that are delicious. Just heat in the microwave. They are found in the cold section, not the freezer section.

Ask a clerk to help you find them. These can be kept in the fridge not the freezer. Date is on the package.

Here are just a few, follow the directions on the package:

Pot roast and gravy;

Pork roast;

Chicken;

Meat loaf;

Turkey;

Baked ham;

the list goes on and on.

Frozen dinners are now delicious. They even have larger frozen dinners for families. Ask a clerk where to find them.

Side dishes can be canned vegetables/fruits(or frozen). Ask a clerk to help you find them.

Canned meats are cheap and good for you; make sandwiches or eat by themselves:

salmon-mix with mayo,

tuna-mix with mayo,

beef-mix with mayo,

chicken-mix with mayo,

kippers,

sardines,

chicken and dumplings,

Canned soups of all kinds,

Canned stews of all kinds,

many more.

Ask a clerk to show you where to find them.

Check out the Pasta-Roni meals in boxes (package of spices are inside boxes). Ask a clerk to help you find them.

Also check out Hormel's Compleats. Buy one and see if you will like them (ask a clerk where to find them):

http://www.hormelfoods.com/brands/hormel%E2%80%A6A... a clerk to show you where to find them.

Buy a Crock Pot. You put food such as a roast or chicken, etc, in the crock pot, put on lid, time for 8 hours and the dinner will be done when you return home. Here are some Crock Pot recipe websites:

Beef

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,stew_meat_cr...

Chicken

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=chicken+crock+po...

Other

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=crock+pot+recipe...

Buy a George Foreman indoor electric grill. Do a google.com to see what they look like.

There are many videos on the internet on how to cook on them. Do a google.com

Crispy oven fingers :

2 cup(s) buttermilk

2 clove(s) garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon(s) hot-pepper sauce

1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt

1 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground pepper

2 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3- by 1/2-inch strips

1 package(s) (7-ounce) sesame crispbread, such as WASA

6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Combine the buttermilk, garlic, hot-pepper sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 12 hours. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 baking pans with oil and set aside.

Crush the crispbread into coarse crumbs and place the crumbs in a large, shallow baking dish, toss in the melted butter, and set aside. Remove the chicken from the marinade and coat with the crumbs. Place on the prepared pans and bake, turning once, until golden and crisp — about 25 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla:

Fat-free cooking spray

1 low-fat whole wheat tortilla (8.5 inches)

1/4 cup(s) low-fat Cheddar cheese

3 ounce(s) cooked all-white chicken meat, shredded

3 tablespoon(s) salsa

1 tablespoon(s) bacon bits

3 tablespoon(s) reduced-fat sour cream

Directions

Spray frying pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add tortilla.

Sprinkle cheese on tortilla.

Add chicken, salsa and bacon bits. After cheese has melted, fold in half and let outside get crispy.

Remove from pan and cut into quarters. Serve with sour cream on the side.

Pizza:

1 cup(s) sliced celery

1 teaspoon(s) olive oil

2 tablespoon(s) cornmeal

1 recipe Thin Crust Pizza Dough

1 cup(s) tomato sauce

1 pound(s) fresh mozzarella, grated

1/4 pound(s) sweet Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoon(s) chopped parsley

1/8 pound(s) Parma ham, thinly sliced

Try a Chicken Parmigiano Recipe!

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Toss celery in oil and roast in a baking pan until softened, about 25 minutes.

Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Sprinkle cornmeal over pizza peel or 2 baking pans.

Roll dough on a floured surface using a floured rolling pin to a 12- by 16-inch rectangle and transfer to the prepared pan.

Spread with sauce and cheese and top a quarter of the pie with celery and one quarter with sausage. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Top the remaining quarters with parsley and ham, respectively. Serve hot.

Oven roasted meatballs and spaghetti:

2 slice(s) firm white bread, coarsely chopped

1 small (8 ounces) zucchini, shredded

1 large egg white

1/3 cup(s) Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 clove(s) garlic, crushed with garlic press

1 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

1 pound(s) lean ground turkey breast

1 package(s) (16-ounce) whole-wheat spaghetti

1 jar(s) (26-ounce) pasta sauce

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In large bowl, with hand, mix bread, zucchini, egg white, Romano, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly moistened. Add ground turkey and mix just until evenly combined.

With wet hands, shape turkey mixture into twelve 2-inch meatballs. Place meatballs in 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat; add spaghetti and cook as label directs.

While spaghetti is cooking, in 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce over medium-low heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.

Drain spaghetti. Serve spaghetti with sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with parsley if you like.