Kid-Approved Recipes

I don’t have children, but sometimes I eat as one: beans with cheese, generously buttered noodles, waffles for dinner.

But what really makes a recipe”kid friendly?” When I asked my colleagues with kids that question, a few common descriptors emerged: friendly, familiar, comforting, and, well, changeable on a dime.

Age is an important factor. Young children seem to have less trouble with foods of myriad textures and colors, or even the occasional spicy dish, they said. But parents of older kids had bad news: When food preference “becomes a power play and a way to exercise your independence, you’re screwed,” my colleague quipped. margaux laskey.

With that in mind, I want to respond to a handful of requests I’ve received from parents in recent weeks, with the caveat that every little one is different. If any of the following suggestions send you into a tantrum, consider this newsletter a disclaimer. But if your child is raving about dinner, I’ll happily take the credit.

No meat, no dairy, no problem

“I would love to request a vegetarian, cow/sheep dairy free (except butter) meal that can be served in components, so the kids can choose their own adventure dinner.” —Nori

A noodle or bibimbap assembly line might fit in here. TO cold noodle saladPrepared with kid-favorite crunchy greens and a smooth sesame vinaigrette, it will allow them to customize to their hearts’ content and avoid whatever ingredients they’re boycotting this month.

same goes for this bibimbap for pans. I’ll let this reader comment speak for itself: “The magic is that everything cooks together; then each family member can assemble their own bowls. This is beautiful when children are involved. I find mine get braver each time they do this and they serve themselves a different variety of vegetables in addition to their well-known favorites. Just a solid, hearty, vegetable-focused meal.”

hide the beans

“Chickpea recipes where my kids don’t notice they’re eating chickpeas.” — Stephanie

I’m going to assume the problem is with whole chickpeas, so our best route is probably this vegetarian meatball recipe, which pairs them with cremini mushrooms for a meaty, hearty texture. Everything is topped with some breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese (just be sure to use Parm made with vegetarian rennet if that worries you), so chickpea haters will be too distracted by that crunchy exterior to care what’s in it. inside.

Pizza salad is a career move

“I wonder if you have any ideas for salads that kids might enjoy too?” —Ruchika

Okay, I’m just kidding here, but perhaps the best way to sell a kid a salad is to put a pizza under it. Inspired by a pie at California Pizza Kitchen (a place I loved to eat at as a kid!), this recipe pile a salad of pickled beans and arugula on top of a crackling crust with parmesan cheese. Feel free to modify as needed – the pepperoncini in the salad might be too much bite for little ones, so reach for lemon juice or capers instead.

One more thing!

OK, let’s make one more request for the road. I called a friend, my colleague Eleanore Park, whose 18-month-old son, Hugh, is a curious eater.

“Help a new mom with recipes for a budding food explorer? I have a 9-month-old daughter, Paloma, who is just starting solids and is ready for easy-to-chew foods like pancakes, puddings, or pureed soups. The problem: she’s allergic to eggs and dairy. The request, then: Any ideas for tasty first meals for a child who can’t eat eggs or dairy? So much the better if the rest of the family wants to eat them too!” — Emma

If you can find egg-free pasta (many parents who need to avoid allergens opt for dry chickpea pasta), Tejal Rao’s pasta with kale sauce it’s a good way to strain two bunches of kale. (Hugh is obsessed with it!) It does call for cheese, so go for a vegan Parm or try Ali Slagle’s vegan. kale pesto pastawho asks for cashews.

I love Hetty McKinnon Butternut squash congee – just skip the chili oil. That is usually enough for the three of us and leftovers for me in the future. Time is short.

And try something bland and easy to eat, like rice and beans. In Kay Chun bean and cheese burritos, you can swap the rice for cheese and make a mild pico de gallo at home with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime, hold on for the jalapeno. — Eleanor Park

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

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