Cheap, healthy and easy meal ideas for kids
It’s important that your children eat a range of healthy foods cooked in a variety of different ways. But there isn’t always time to spend hours in the kitchen like a gourmet chef when you have chores to do and children to look after. So our range of meal ideas is not only cheap and easy, but they can also all be prepared in less than 20 minutes. And even better, a lot of the recipes are so simple and fun to make, the kids can help too:
Tasty Tortillas (serves 2)
- 2 eggs
- 100g cheddar cheese
- 100g ham
- 1 tomato
- 2 tortilla wraps
Grate the cheese, and coarsely chop the ham and the tomato. Whisk the eggs then add the cheese, ham, and tomato. Pour the mixture into a hot frying pan, lightly greased with oil, then scramble for five minutes, or until the eggs are cooked. Heat the tortilla under the grill, then add the mixture and wrap.
Creamy spinach pasta (serves 2)
- 100g dried pasta
- 50g washed spinach
- 100ml double cream
Spinach is full of iron, perfect for growing kids, and they won’t be able to resist this delicious pasta meal! Add the pasta to boiling water and leave until cooked. Let your little ones shred the washed spinach and then wilt in a separate pan with a little boiled water. Drain and stir through double cream until you have a nice sauce consistency. Add this sauce to the cooked pasta and serve. For babies, you can blitz the pasta in a blender, so the whole family can enjoy the same meal.
Chicken and pineapple medley
- 2 chicken breasts,
- 1 tin of pineapple chunks,
- ½ red pepper,
- ½ green pepper,
- 1 small courgette,
- 1 tablespoon honey,
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice.
This healthy dinner is so sweet your kids will be begging you to make it again! Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips, and then grill until cooked. Finely slice the peppers and the courgette, and add to a hot frying pan, lightly greased with oil. When the vegetable mixture is almost cooked, add the chicken and the pineapple chunks and stir together for two minutes. Mix the honey with the pineapple juice and pour over the medley, then serve.
Super-duper salmon fishcakes (makes six fish cakes)
- 500g of boneless
- skinless salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoon Red Thai curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 100g breadcrumbs
Cut the salmon fillets into chunks and put into a food processor. Add the curry paste, soy sauce, and breadcrumbs, and pulse again. Shape the mixture into fishcakes then heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the fishcakes for five minutes per side until they are crisp and cooked through. Kids will love making the fishcake shapes and getting their hands dirty! This is perfect served with salad, and easy finger food for tiny hands!
