Got A Picky Eater? Here Are 5 Meals To Satisfy Even The Most Particular Palates
These simple, kid-approved ideas are sure to please.
Anyone who was a picky eater as a kid remembers the struggle. Your parents would put dinner on the table, and your brain would take one look and shut your appetite right off. Now we are the parents. It’s our turn to set down a beautiful meal and watch one of our kids recoil in horror.
Our limited diets drove our moms bonkers, and our kids are returning the favor. Thanks for that, karma.
But here’s the thing: Most of us want to parent with gentleness and understanding, even when we feel a little bananas. Our folks employed the wisdom of their day, but some of the tactics our parents used — like sitting at the table until we choked down food we didn’t like or going to bed hungry — just aren’t going to work for us. Instead, we want to make sure we introduce our picky eaters to new foods while providing them with plenty of the foods they like.
It’s important to modern parents to foster a healthy relationship with food and eating. That’s why Scary Mommy is partnering with Hillshire Farm Brand to bring you five yummy, kid-approved ideas that are sure to please your picky eater:
Amp up the fun with a cookie cutter twist on classic pinwheels!
This is a fun take on a classic pinwheel. You start out the same way: Lay down a large tortilla, spread it with your kid’s favorite condiment, and add a couple slices of cheese and Hillshire Farm Ultra-Thin Sliced Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast. Instead of rolling it and slicing it into rounds, add another tortilla on top. Use mini cookie cutters to create fun shapes. There’s a reason dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets “taste better,” and we promise the magic applies to turkey wraps, too. (Plus, you get to eat the yummy scraps!)
Kick it old school with the ham-wrapped pickles we loved at parties when we were kids.
This throw-back recipe is a hit with pickle-loving kiddos. You’ll need Hillshire Farm Ultra-Thin Sliced Honey Ham, your favorite whipped cream cheese, and whole pickles of your choice.
Lay the ham on a clean cutting board, and carefully spread a thin layer of cream cheese over it. Pat your pickle dry, and wrap the cream cheese and ham around it. Use five or six toothpicks to secure it in place, then carefully use a sharp knife to cut between the picks, creating a bite-sized treat that every pickle-loving kiddo is sure to love. You can sprinkle the cream cheese with some ranch powder, everything bagel seasoning or dill for a little something extra.
If your kid isn’t a pickle fan, you can do the same thing with string cheese! Just serve it with some fruit and you’ve got yourself a meal.
Let your picky kiddo DIY High-Quality, Yummy Cracker Stacks
Nothing is more fun than those little cracker sandwich snacks in your lunch box. Unfortunately, the components are, well, kind of gross. Make your own cracker stack lunch with Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat! Instead of slimy little circles of who knows what, you can provide your picky kiddo with delicious, quality, Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat with no artificial preservatives, no added nitrates or nitrites*, and no artificial flavors. Hillshire Farm ham and turkey even comes in a double-sealed reusable package to ensure maximum freshness. Add real cheese, your kid’s favorite crackers, a little bottle of water, and a sandwich cookie, and they’ll have a high-quality lunch that is fun to create all by themselves.
Lunch meat isn’t just for cold sandwiches! Try it hot!
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a quick, easy meal, and you can use Hillshire Farm ham or turkey to satisfy even your pickiest kid’s biggest appetite. Just add a few slices of Hillshire Farm Ultra-Thin Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey Breast to your kid’s old faithful grilled cheese to boost the yum and make it more filling! They say you eat with your eyes first, so if the meal looks familiar, they’re more likely to give it a try. Yummo!
Don’t forget breakfast!
If your kid is a tough sell at breakfast time, try a savory waffle sandwich. A simple fried egg and a couple slices of Hillshire Farm ham or turkey between two toaster waffles make for a delicious, super simple morning meal with absolutely nothing “yucky” in it!
Picky eaters can be tough to please, but Hillshire Farm Brand is on your side to help you craft yummy, convenient meals to keep your kids — and you! — satisfied.
*Except for those naturally occurring in celery juice powder and sea salt
