Kid Food Fix
Healthier recipes for picky eaters!

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Click the button above for a delicious kid-friendly recipe suggestion!

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Hi! 👋 ... I'm a full-time mom. Shout-out to my fellow parenting-peeps! Otherwise, you might know me as the tired-looking lady at Target, clutching my latte as I drag around my loud small humans to buy throw pillows I don't need.

It's okay 😉, I used to be cool. I was a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Expert for awhile. I still care a lot about living The Healthy Life, and now that extends to my kids too! They get plenty of exercise (which usually involves 100 reps of couch-hurdles.) But healthy food is where the battle-lines are drawn. My kids are picky eaters! ðŸ˜ą
It's no secret that kids love junk food. Most kid's menu items are deep-fried or cheese-covered. Kids know what tastes good and they haven't quite mastered the whole "long-term consequences" thing. But we, as caring parents, want to present them with foods that are nutritious ... and that they'll actually eat! 👏

I created Kid Food Fix to keep all of my favorite healthier kid-friendly recipes in one place, and to share them with you! Some are my own recipes and some are from other awesome food bloggers.
Click the Fix their food! button above for a recipe suggestion based on your kid's favorite kid-food (like pizza, mac and cheese, etc.) Or simply scroll down to explore the recipes below!

Add some variety and hidden goodness to your kids' diets with Kid Food Fix! (Even if you don't have kids, these recipes are great for when you just need some comfort food but don't want to blow that hour you spent in the gym this morning. 😉) Enjoy!
Pro tip!...get your kids involved in the meal planning, grocery shopping, and food prep! When my kids get to help out, they're more willing to try new things. (Plus fun memories are made!)

Check out Rad-Dish Kids when they're ready to up their cooking skills ðŸ‘Đ‍ðŸģ
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Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese

An American kid classic. The problem is the "American Cheese" (what is Velveeta, anyway?) It doesn't have to be so unhealthy; here's a great way to hide veggies in this kid fave.

  1. Add water, cauliflower, squash, and carrots in a pot over medium heat. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender.
  2. Add everything into a blender, including cooking water, and blend until smooth.
  3. Return blended veggies to the pot over medium heat, and add the milk, cheese, and cream cheese. Stir until smooth.
  4. Add macaroni, reduce heat, mix thoroughly, and cover for 20 minutes until pasta is cooked.

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Coconut Flour Chicken Nuggets

Chicken: mostly healthy; battered and deep-fried: not so healthy. Here's an alternative made with a light coconut flour breading. It's gluten free!

  • 2 lbs of boneless chicken
  • 1/2-3/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Mix together the coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt.
  3. Coat the chicken pieces with the coconut flour mixture and place them in the frying pan. (I usually fill a gallon-sized plastic zipper bag with the flour mixture, add the chicken pieces and shake. Clean up is easier and my fingers don't get coated with flour this way.).
  4. Fry until golden brown and until the center of the nuggets reaches at least 160 degrees F.

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Crispy Kale Chips

I thought my kids would never eat kale ... until they tried this recipe. They love to help make these chips too - so easy!

  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or spray oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together the coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt.
  3. Wash kale thoroughly. Employ your kids to tear the leaves off of the stems into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Dry the leaves thoroughly with a salad spinner or pat dry with clean kitchen towels.
  5. Spread out in an even layer on the baking sheet, spray or drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt.
  6. Bake until the edges start to brown but are not burnt, 20 to 30 minutes.

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Kid-Friendly Veggie Cheeseburgers

My daughter actually likes these black bean burgers better than traditional beef burgers (she says "beef is too chewy and cows are too cute") ... whatever, as long as she gets some protein! My son, however, will eat any kind of burger as long as there's bacon on it.

  • 1 Can Black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Slices of Wholemeal bread Breadcrumbed
  • 1 tsp Onion granules
  • 1 tbsp Sweet paprika
  • 3-4 tbsp Water
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 3-4 Burger buns Sliced and toasted
  • 4 Slices Cheddar cheese
  1. In a food processor add the breadcrumbs, egg, onion granules, paprika, 2 tablespoons of water and half the black beans
  2. Process the mixture until well combined. The mixture will be quite sticky, and if it's not, add another 1-2 tbsp water and process again
  3. Add the rest of the black beans and briefly combine. You should still have a few black beans whole and slightly chopped.
  4. Scrape the mixture into a bowl with a spatula and put into a bowl, to one side
  5. On the stove top in a frying pan, heat the olive oil to a medium heat
  6. Using oiled spoons (oil the back of the spoons so the mixture doesn't stick to them) put the mixture into burger rounds in the frying pan and neaten the edges. Make sure the pan isn't too hot
  7. Leave the burgers to cook on one side without moving them for 5-6 minutes and then flip them over
  8. Cook fully on both sides and then add to the burger buns, top with the cheese and add your other toppings

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Fresh Fruit and Greek Yogurt Smoothies

My daughter was so picky at three years old that I had to have a talk with her pediatrician. I explained that I was pretty sure I read somewhere that humans couldn't survive on crackers alone. She assured me that my daughter would be alright and that I should try making her fruit and yogurt smoothies, which should cover most of the basic nutritional bases. My daughter still loves smoothies, and now I can even sneak some spinach and flax seed in them!

  • 1/2 cup milk or water
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt, whole milk or 2%
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, bananas, mango, etc.)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 handful ice
  • option: 1/2 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder
  • if you don't think your kids will notice: sneak other goodies in there, like a small handful of fresh spinach, 1/2 tsp ground flax, 1 tsp chia seeds, a couple of baby carrots ... you get the idea 😉
  1. Toss all ingredients in a blender and serve up cold! (with a bendy or twisty straw, preferably 😆)
  2. Note: smoothies are so popular in my household, that I finally, after 10 years of longing, invested in a Vitamix, which gets used almost daily! If you're going to be mixing up regular cold concoctions, it's worth the money!

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Roasted Veggie Fries with Yogurt Dip

If you've been hoping to wean your kids off of McDonald's fries, give these a try! The yogurt dipping sauce makes a great distraction from the "but these don't look like french fries" argument.

  • 1 large Yukon Gold or russet potato, scrubbed and dried, cut lengthwise into wedges
  • 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and dried, cut lengthwise into wedges
  • 2 large carrots, halved across, then quartered lengthwise
  • 2 large parsnips, halved across, then quartered lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 branch of rosemary, stripped of its leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • For the Yogurt Dip:
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: dried dill weed and ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt, whole milk or 2%
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Toss the cut veggies with olive oil and rosemary.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, rub with a little oil, then put in the oven for 5 minutes to heat up. When hot, spread the cut veggies in one layer and sprinkle with salt.
  4. Return to the oven and bake on a high shelf. Turn the veggies from time to time for even browning. Bake until they are tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
  5. For the dip: In a small bowl, combine the parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, then stir the spice mixture and honey into the Greek yogurt until thoroughly combined. Serve on the side for dipping.

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Whole Wheat Personal Pizzas

Homemade pizza dough isn't as intimidating as it sounds. Homemade pizza is something I've had my kids help with since they were two. My daughter still recites "fold it, push it" when she's kneading the dough, just like she learned as a young toddler. My son still pretty much just punches the dough and flings flour everywhere, so, with him, we usually just fast-forward to letting him add his own toppings.

  • For the dough:
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • roughly 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • For the toppings:
  • 1 14 oz. jar pizza (or pasta) sauce. (Pro tip: toss the sauce in a blender with a couple of handfuls of spinach. The kids won't notice once the pizza is all assembled. If you get caught, tell them it's just basil and that's how all pizza sauce is made. 😉)
  • 8 oz. shredded mozzarella
  • Any toppings you want! Traditional pepperoni, sliced veggies, probably not sardines.
  1. For the dough:
  2. Add the sugar to the warm water, stir until disolved, then stir in the yeast. Let sit until there is a small layer of foam on top (about 3-5 minutes) ... this means your yeast is awake and hungry!
  3. Stir in the 1 tbsp olive oil and the salt
  4. Time to add the flour! Mix in 1 cup until smooth, then another cup. Your dough will be thickening up now. Add in another half cup. The dough will be really sticky and getting hard to mix at this point. Sprinkle a flat, clean surface with flour, drop the sticky ball of dough onto the floured surface. Sprinkle the dough and your hands with flour and begin kneading. (Once the dough is formed and less sticky, get the kids to help!) Knead the dough ("Fold it, push it!") for around 5-8 minutes, adding flour as needed when sticky. The dough is ready to rise when it's elastic and bounces back to shape when punched (this is my son's job.)
  5. Drizzle the 1 tsp olive oil into a large glass bowl. Drop in your dough ball and roll it around a couple of times to coat it in the oil. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for about 40 minutes. (If your oven has a "proof" setting, you can pop it in there where it's warm - this is just to make the yeast happier, but it should rise just fine on your counter too.)
  6. Prep your toppings while the dough rises. (And probably clean up the little flour handprints left all over your kitchen.)
  7. When the dough is ready, divide it however you like; it's enough for 1 large pizza, 1 medium and 2 personal pizzas, or 4 personal pizzas.
  8. Once divided, press or roll the dough onto lightly greased pans, whatever size you'd like to use. I've used stonewear, glass, and aluminum - all work just fine. In my experience: Stonewear is the best for the perfect light brown crust, but takes a little longer to bake. Glass gets a little crispier on the edges than in the middle. Metal bakes faster, so watch it closely.
  9. Have the kids spread on their own sauce, sprinkle on their own cheese, and place their own toppings. ... Don't judge or fuss with how they make their own pizza! If all the toppings are on one side, that's how they want it.
  10. Bake the pizzas at 400 deg F for 20-30 minutes, depeding on the size and type of pan used. Just watch for the edges to crisp up and the cheese to brown. You can always use a spatula to lift the pizza a little at the edge to check that the bottom is browning a little

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Banana-Zucchini-Carrot Muffins

Yes, there are vegetables in these muffins. No, you don't have to tell your kids. Just call them "Banana Muffins" and serve them up warm with a nice pat of butter!

  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 small zucchini, grated
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 cup flour (gluten free flour also works great for this recipe as the bananas keep these muffins moist)
  • 1/2 cup oats (chop whole oats, or use quick oats)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  1. Mix the banana, butter, brown sugar, eggs, zucchini, and carrots in one bowl
  2. Mix the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in another bowl
  3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just smooth, but don't overmix
  4. Divide batter evenly into greased muffin tins (makes one dozen muffins) and bake at 400 deg F for 17-20 minutes

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Chick-pea Pasta with Fresh Basil and Garlic Tomato Sauce

I love chick-pea pasta! I still can't believe modern culinary science has created a delicious pasta made entirely from beans. My kids are not as wowed by the alternative-pastas movement; their solution... cover it in a mountain of parmesan cheese. Works for me.

  • 1 box chick-pea pasta, any shape or size will do. Let your kids choose the variety at the store: "spirals, tubes, or sticks," and they might be more willing to try it at home!
  • Water, however much the box calls for, for boiling
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • For sauce:
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 handful torn fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Optional: grated parmesan cheese to top
  1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot and sprinkle in the salt. Add the chick-pea pasta and reduce heat slightly. Chick-pea pasta foams a lot when boiling, so keep a serving spoon nearby to scoop off some of the foam. Stir regularly. Cook according to the recommened time on the box. Don't overcook or it will become slimy.
  2. While the pasta boils, toss all of the ingredents for the sauce into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
  3. Pour the tomato sauce into a small saucepan and warm over med-low heat until bubbly, stirring occasionally.
  4. Drain the pasta and dump back into pot. Drop in the 1 tbsp butter and stir gently until melted and pasta is buttery. Salt to taste.
  5. Serve the pasta and sauce (and parmesan) however you and your kids enjoy it. They might like to try the sauce on the side for dipping. I realize this is weird, but my kids for some reason eat better when they get to dip their food in some kind of sauce. Give it a try! ðŸĪŠ

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Spinach and Cheddar Quesadilla with Fresh Salsa

Fresh salsa tastes so much better and is so healthy! Hopefully your kids will give the spinach a try too! (Or they'll just peel open the quesadilla and pile the spinach on the side of their plate. Maybe the cheese and tortilla will have soaked up some of the spinach juices, so they'll still get some added nutrients. 😏)

  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt
  • taco seasoning
  • avocado oil
  • For the salsa:
  • 3 medium tomatoes, seeded
  • 1/4 red onion
  • 1 small poblano pepper (if your kids like spicy, use 1 small seeded jalapeno; if they hate any spice, use 1/2 green bell pepper instead of poblano)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (about half a bunch)
  • 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
  • Optional, other fun ingredients to add to your salsa: 1/2 cup chopped fresh peach or pineapple, 1/2 cup corn, 1/2 cup black beans
  1. Drizzle avocado oil in hot pan
  2. Place one flour tortilla in the pan, spread 1/2 cup spinach over tortilla, then 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and taco seasoning. Place second tortilla on top. Grill until bottom tortilla is browned, then flip carefully and grill other side until tortilla is brown and cheese is melted. Reduce heat if tortilla is browning too quickly.
  3. Repeat Step two with the remaining tortillas, spinach, cheese and seasonings.
  4. For salsa: chop tomatoes, onion, pepper, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and any other optional ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. If using corn or black beans, drain, rinse, and add these after chopping. (At this point I usually use a few tortilla chips to give it a taste to see if I need to add anything else, like more salt, cilantro, etc. Let the kids give it a taste too!)
  5. Once quesadillas are cooled, cut with a pizza cutter into triangles and serve with fresh salsa. Enjoy!

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Banana-Oat Pancakes

With oats and banana and very little sweetener, these are a healthier version of a breakfast favorite. These are made without eggs so they're a great option when you're all out of eggs (or when your kids suddenly decide they don't like eggs anymore even though they ate two for breakfast the day before. 🙄)

  • 1 cup oat flour (I keep a cheap coffee grinder on hand for things like oats, grains, spices... for this recipe, I toss oats in there and coursely grind enough up to make a full cup of oat flour - easy!)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 mashed banana
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • spray oil or 1-2 tbsp coconut oil or butter, for cooking
  1. Mix the banana, butter and sugar in a medium bowl
  2. Mix the oat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl
  3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just smooth. Will be a thick batter.
  4. Gradually stir in the milk until batter is slightly thinner consistency
  5. Let the batter sit, covered, for about 5-10 minutes for the oat flour to become a little more sticky, which helps keep your pancakes from falling apart in the pan!
  6. Warm a large skillet on med-low heat, spray/drop the oil/butter in the pan
  7. Drop several 1/4 cup scoops of batter into the pan for roughly three inch pancakes, cook pancakes for several minutes on both sides
  8. Optional: serve with fun toppings, like: sliced banana or strawberries, granola, honey, peanut butter...Have fun and enjoy!

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Turkey Tacos with Purple Cabbage

Taco night is a family favorite tradition in our house! We usually make it an event and pull out a board game! Or we have friends over since tacos are super easy to scale up for more people (a taco bar is my go-to hosting meal - so little prep and everyone can customize their own tacos!) The purple cabbage adds beautiful color and crunch as a topping, and it's a great way to get the kids to eat some fiber!

  • One box of 12 corn taco shells
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1/4 head purple/red cabbage, shredded
  • Other toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, finely chopped onions, diced tomatoes
  1. Brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium-high heat, add in the taco seasoning and cook for an addition 5-10 minutes to let the flavors soak in
  2. Mis-en-place the toppings so everyone can assemble their own tacos!

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Sprouted Whole Grain Bread and Avocado Grilled Cheese

Honestly, it took me several tries to get my kids to eat bread with "crunchy things" in it. They'd sit and meticulously pick out every little seed they'd find. Eventually they decided it was too much work and that the creamy avocado and melty cheese inside were worth the little invaders in their bread. 😆

  • 2 slices sprouted whole grain bread
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 slices mild cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp mashed avocado
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Salt
  1. Sprinkle a little bit of onion powder, garlic powder and salt in the mashed avocado to taste
  2. Warm a small skillet on medium heat and drop in the butter
  3. Sprinkle a little more of the onion powder, garlic powder and salt onto the melted butter in the skillet
  4. Place one slice of bread in the pan, add the two slices of cheddar on top of the bread, spread the mashed avocado on the remaining slice and place the avocado side down on top of the cheese
  5. Cook both sides of the sandwich for a few minutes until golden brown, reducing heat to low if necessary
  6. Remove from heat and cut into quarters. If your kids are used to the usual white bread-American cheese combination, present this new grilled cheese to picky eaters with low expectations at first. Let them pick at it a bit, but make them promise to take a few "Thank-you bites." Good luck! 😁

Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Turkey Hot Dogs and Fun Toppings

Kids are so creative! My kids relish bringing their creativity to the table on hot dog night. (See what I did there? 😉) The trick is to mis-en-place a buffet of topping options and let them dress their own hot dog. Their self-expression may get a little out of hand, but my rule is that they have to take at least a few thank-you bites before reverting to the tried-and-true plain ketchup. Let them suggest some toppings too; frosting and sprinkles might come up, but you can always veto.

  • 1 pack turkey hot dogs
  • Hot dog buns
  • Topping options: ketchup, mustard, relish, shredded cabbage, shredded cheese, shredded carrots, thin-sliced sweet peppers. finely chopped onions, hummus, olive tapanade, chili, green salsa...get creative!
  1. Cook the hot dogs to your kids' liking. I, like a normal human being, prefer my hot dogs grilled, but both of my kids like theirs boiled so there are no "brown spots" on them. 😐
  2. Mis-en-place the toppings and set them all out on the table, family style, for everyone to make their own hot dog creations. Just have fun!

    3. Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

No-Bake Cookie Protein Bars

Sweet-tooth? ... Grown-ups beware! These protein bars are super delicious and are great for when you're bulking up 💊, but you might want to set them aside just for the kids when it's cut season. Made with chocolate protein powder instead of cocoa powder, honey instead of table sugar, and only 1/2 cup choclate chips, they're a much healthier (and still delicious) alternative to the usual cakes, cookies, and brownies! Enjoy (but not too much!) 😋

  • 3/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter (made of only peanuts and salt - no added sugar or oil)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup plant-based chocolate protein powder
  • 3 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  1. Warm peanut butter, honey, & coconut oil in a large glass batter bowl in the microwave for about one minute until melted but not bubbling, stir well.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients, except chocolate chips.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients into the warm peanut butter mixture. It won't be sticky, but should hold together when pressed. Add a little warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, if the mixture is too crumbly.
  4. Let the mixture cool slightly, then fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Press cookie mixture evenly into a parchment paper-lined 9x9 pan. Chill in the fridge for about an hour. Cut into bars once set

    6. Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋

Homemade Granola

Granola is one of those things that, when I have the time, I much prefer to make myself rather than store-bought. It's way cheaper (store-bought granola can be stupid pricey ðŸ˜ē) and it's customizable! Use the recipe below as a guideline for what to add to your granola. Take the opportunity to make it your own (and tell your kids to get their own bowl!)

  • Dry mix:
  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut; if you're not into coconut, just subsitute an extra 1/2 cup of oats instead
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tbsp total spices, you could try a mix of: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves
  • 1 cup raw nuts of your choice, finely chopped (I use a hand slap-chopper for this job) ... almonds are the classic choice, walnuts are my favorite
  • Optional: 1/4 cup raw seeds, like sesame or pumpkin (if you want to try chia, limit it to 2 tbsp)
  • Optional: 1/2 cup dried fruit, like raisins or cranberries (however, I don't know about you, but I'm usually disappointed when I find raisins in my granola)
  • Sweetener mix:
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
  1. Mix up the melted butter, brown sugar, honey, and extract
  2. Mix up the dry ingredients
  3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir very well.
  4. Spread evenly in a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick layer over a parchment-paper lined pan. Bake at 300 deg F for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes for even toasting.
  5. When most of the granola is looking toasty, but not burned, remove from the oven to cool. It won't feel "crunchy" right away because it hardens or "sets" as it cools.
  6. Once cool and satisfyingly "crunchy," break up the granola with a spatula and store it in 2 one-quart mason jars (or just have a bowl right away!)

    7. Blame me if this recipe doesn't turn out - it's all mine! 😋