Is there a parent or caregiver on the planet who can easily get a healthy, delicious dinner into her kids every night of the week? Well, maybe. While easy side dishes that satisfy both grown-up taste buds and finicky children‘s whims of the day can be hard to find, they really do exist.
You don’t have to give up on giving them healthy food, either. “Side dishes are a good opportunity to fill in the nutritional gaps in a child’s diet,” says Janice Newell Bissex, registered dietitian and co-author of “No Whine With Dinner.” Bissex and her co-author, Liz Weiss, produce Cooking With the Moms, a weekly podcast geared toward helping busy parents feed their families a healthy diet.
How Do You Make Side Dishes Your Kids Will Actually Eat?
OK, so you’ve gotten the food on the table, but how do you get your kids to eat it? “You have to ask them what they like. Tastes change as kids get older and experience more foods and flavors,” says Sandra K. Nissenberg, registered dietitian and author of “The Everything Kids’ Cookbook.” Nissenberg recommends letting kids pick the main course and working around it. “If they chose mac and cheese, I made sides with lots of veggies and fruit,” she explains. She also suggests making four or five easy side dishes and letting kids eat just two or three. “Don’t just tell them to sit down and eat — you’ll have better success if you let them have some control,” she says. This isn’t as labor-intensive as it sounds — Bissex says a plate of cut-up fruit or carrot sticks can be an easy side dish.
Nissenberg also suggests, “Alternative foods at dinnertime are OK. If your kids love pancakes, there’s nothing wrong with making an easy side dish like pumpkin pancakes or a muffin stuffed with blueberries.”
These recipes are easy enough that the kids can help out, and they supply the nutrition you want them to have each day.
- Chili-Roasted Sweet Potato Nuggets
This easy-to-prep recipe requires peeled and cubed sweet potatoes, olive oil, light brown sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper. Twenty minutes in the oven and you’re done. Here’s the how-to from My Recipes.
- Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan Crust
“Roasting veggies is a good way to get kids to eat because it brings out their natural sweetness,” recommends Bissex. This recipe, which pairs tender asparagus with olive oil, chopped garlic and Parmesan cheese, is sure to be a hit — and it only takes 25 minutes to prepare. Get the recipe at Jeanette’s Healthy Living.
- Creamy Caesar Salad With Feta and Dill
The whole-wheat croutons provide a fun crunch, and the fresh dill gives this salad a delicious tang of flavor kids will love. You need romaine lettuce, croutons, feta cheese, dill and Caesar salad dressing. Fifteen minutes is all it takes. Meal Makeover Moms has the recipe.
- Maple-Roasted Vegetables
This easy-to-make side dish combines hearty veggies like carrots, bell peppers and squash with olive oil, maple syrup, kosher salt and cooking spray. You prep the vegetables by peeling and slicing, and they roast in the oven until tender, for about an hour. It will make your house smell delicious. Betty Crocker shows you how to make this easy side.
- Cauliflower Tots
They’re called tots for a reason. This kid-friendly food requires a nonstick cooking pan, finely chopped cauliflower, eggs, onions, parsley, breadcrumbs and cheddar cheese. You need about 30 minutes to pull this one together. Find out how at Skinnytaste.
- Cafeteria Macaroni and Cheese
Natural and wholesome, this creamy, easy side dish takes less than an hour to make and is sure to please everyone at the table. Dry mustard, paprika, pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce combine with macaroni, milk, breadcrumbs, butter and cheddar cheese to make this family favorite the old-fashioned way. Nab the recipe from Allrecipes.
- Zucchini and Corn Pirate Boats
A cornucopia of veggies plus a touch of bacon make this a fun, easy and delicious side your kids will love. You need zucchini, corn, onion, garlic and fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes. Cilantro gives it a refreshing kick. You’ll also need skewers and about 30 minutes from prep to plate. Get the how-to at Food Network.
You don’t have to have the same old french fries or frozen veggies as a side dish every night. Switch things up with creative and delicious sides that adults and children alike will love!
Craving some dessert? Check out these healthy homemade ice cream recipes.
Corey Kagan Whelan is a freelance writer living in New York. She’s been happily feeding her family for 19 years.
