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Kids Not Eating Dinner? Try this!

by Stephanie

Kids Not Eating Dinner? Try this!

When it comes to dinner, making something the kids will eat can be hard.

Who’s with me???

Over the last 12 years that I’ve been making dinners for kids, I’ve discovered a few tricks to get kids to eat dinner on a semi-consistent basis.

Please Note: This post is for picky or ‘selective’ eaters. I have lots of friends whose kids will eat anything and everything and I will be eternally envious. 

I, for one, do not have those types of kids.

So, for those who are like me and my family, here are some tips I’ve found helpful over the years.

When you’re meal planning, ask them what they want to eat for dinner.

If you want to make life a little easier during the week, my recommendation has always been to plan your meals during the week (and even make some meals on the weekend). It just helps to keep things less stressful when your nights are busy. 

But instead of coming up with ideas that you want to eat, ask the kids! 

Asking the kids gives them some confidence that they have a say about what’s being served to them at the table. They’re not going to pick what they don’t want so it’s almost guaranteed they’ll eat dinner.

Mix it up every week but with the same meal template.

If your kids are like my kids, they’ll say they want the following for dinner (every week…)

  • Tacos
  • Pasta
  • Burgers
  • Eggs and Toast
  • Pizza

I struggle with this a bit because I really like to have variety in my meals, but I have come to realize that there’s almost no fuss when these meals are served and that’s worth it in the end.

I keep joking with my husband that we can eat what we want when the kids leave the house (if they ever do leave of course…).

There are so many types of recipes for each of these meals that you can basically have something different every week that will still fall under your ‘template’ so to speak.

For example: mix up the taco ingredients every week.

One week I’ll serve ground beef with the tacos and the next week I’ll serve lentils or walnut ‘meat’. It’s a great way to add variety to your meals and also to offer different nutrients for you and the kids.

When it comes to pizza, try a tomato sauce base one week and pesto the next. 

For eggs and toast: serve a frittata one week and fried eggs on toast the next.

The key is to ask them what they want and then provide enough variation so that you don’t get bored with what’s being served.

If you happen to have a meal the kids didn’t ask for, try to always have something on the table they want to eat. My son loves red peppers and my daughter will tolerate carrots so I have those on the table so they can munch on them until they’ve decided they will try something new.

It’s a never-ending dance when it comes to picky kids and mealtime so try to make it as easy as you can by serving up a weekly template!

P.S. If this post sounds like your family, check out my new meal plan Kid Dinners! I’ve included 7 days of recipes that your kids will love and that means less fuss at the table during dinner. That’s a win in my books! Get it here.

P.S.: Follow me on Instagram to get weekly tips and tricks!

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: cooking, dinner, kids, kids recipes

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***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still ***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still read about all the benefits of garlic and green garlic below. Also, you can use ramps in the recipe I gave you!***

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This week I got my first batch of green garlic in the veggie box!⁠
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Green garlic, or spring garlic, is a younger version of the garlic we know well and use in our cooking. It’s milder and can be used in many recipes. You can eat the white and green parts.⁠
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It has a white base like a green onion although it’s a bit bigger and its green stems are more flat than rounded. ⁠
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The younger version of this garlic has the same amazing health benefits as its older version making it an excellent addition to your recipes.⁠
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Not to mention it’s local and can basically be grown anywhere which is fantastic news for our environment.⁠
⁠
Health Benefits of Garlic:⁠
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⚡️Helps to reduce cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure⁠
Garlic’s sulfur-containing compounds can be beneficial to the upper digestive tract.⁠
⚡️We need to eat garlic in our meals at least 2-3 times a week in order to see these health benefits.⁠
⚡️Use it raw and cooked. Raw garlic retains its health benefits more so than when it is cooked.⁠
⚡️Dried garlic doesn’t have the same effect as raw or cooked. Tastes good though!⁠
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⚡️A Quick Recipe: Quinoa (or rice or millet) with Green Garlic⚡️⁠
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Slice the ends off of the green garlic and thinly slice the entire vegetable including the green parts.⁠
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Put a tablespoon of olive oil into a pan and sauté the green garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add quinoa (about 1-2 cups) and stir. Add a bit of salt and pepper and voila! You have a flavourful side dish. ⁠
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#recipe #springrecipes #simplerecipes
My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of o My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of our Christmas dinner sharpening my knives. I was so grateful, but also hesitant that I would cut myself.⁠
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When I started cooking with my newly-sharpened knives, I was in awe.⁠
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Sharp knives make all the difference when it comes to enjoying cooking. It's also safer if you can believe it.⁠
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With a sharp knife, you're less likely to push down harder on the knife trying to get it through an onion, for example.⁠
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It just slices through with little pressure. ⁠
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Dull knives leave room for error and slicing fingers (listen, I've cut a few fingers over the years...).⁠
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If you're having trouble enjoying cooking at home, I encourage you to either get a new knife (it doesn't have to be expensive), or get someone to sharpen your knives for you (call a Steve in your area!).⁠
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Take care of them with a little holder and treat them kindly. Having a sharp knife will bring you one step closer to love cooking at home.⁠
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xo⁠
Steph⁠
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#kitchenskills #cookingtips #easycooking #enjoycooking #inthekitchen
Keep Meals Simple Friends! I’ve said this befor Keep Meals Simple Friends!

I’ve said this before: keep your meals simple. 

Pick meals that take fewer than 20 minutes or less to cook so you’re not scrambling during the week to make dinner and keep the elaborate meals for the weekend.

Another idea is to choose a couple of veggies to roast on Sunday that you can use for various meals during the week. 

Roasted sweet potatoes are great with chicken thighs, but also taste fantastic in a frittata or taco. 

Cook once, eat twice (or three times).

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and nourishing and it get easier over time.

I’m accepting new clients at @onehealthservices! DM me if you’re looking for meal planning and prep help. 

#mealprephelp #mealplanhelp #springrefresh #
Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun!) and my son has soccer. ⁠
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That's why I make sure to make Mondays an easier night for dinner. ⁠
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Enter salads and bowls!⁠
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Last Monday, I made a salad bowl with arugula, leftover rice, olives, tomatoes, chicken, and feta, and wowee it was yummers!⁠
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By prepping ingredients, the kids can take what they want and leave what they don't want (eh-hem, tomatoes) and we have a meal full of elements that will keep us satisfied and nourished.⁠
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Need meal prep and meal plan help?⁠
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I'm currently accepting new clients @onehealthservices! DM me or visit the link in my profile here @lealoucooks to chat about custom meal plans.⁠
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#mealprep #mealplanning #health #naturopath #virtualappointments #realfood #wholefood #foodmatters #holistichealth #culinarynutrition

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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