10 Kid Friendly Side Dishes

Kids Vs. Vegetables

Getting kids to eat vegetables can be pretty difficult sometimes.  I read something once that has stuck with me. 

Don't stress about little kids eating veggies, because vegetables can taste quite bitter on their little taste buds.  Have them try it and don't worry if they don't eat it.  As their taste buds develop, they naturally will like them more and more as they get older. 

BUT if you forced them to eat them when they were little, as they get older all they will remember is that they hate them! 

If you didn't force it then, they will give them another try and probably eventually like them.  Kids get enough nutrients from fruit and the few things they do like when they are young, so don't scare them away from vegetables for life.

So start with that, don't worry about it!  My kids go in and out of being picky, so dinner time is the ever changing experiment.

Before you worry too much about the big meal of the day, start with these Healthy Snacks for Kids on the Go and these Healthy Bedtime Snacks for Kids.  Take some of the pressure off by offering healthier snacks throughout the day for when dinner is a bust!

Try adding some veggies to kid-friendly foods, like these Banana Carrot Oatmeal Muffins and this Italian Sausage Bolognese, a hidden veggie spaghetti sauce!

Basic Dinners

I have plenty of ways of hiding veggies like in this Beef Vegetable Chili, but I don't think that should really be the goal. 

Rather, cook vegetables in their best way and offer them as they are.  

A lot of my most successful family dinners are very basic.  Just a simple main course, like Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast, Skillet Burgers, grilled sausage, BLT's with Cheese and Avocado, hotdogs, Simple Roasted Salmon, or Easy French Dip Sandwiches and one or two kid -friendly side dishes.

1. Oven Fries

Potatoes cut in a French fry shape, wedges or sticks, and dipped in ketchup are always a kid favorite in our house! I use any kind of potato and often mix in a sweet potato.

Don't peel them, the peel is nutritious! You could add in other root vegetables cut the same way like purple potatoes, carrots, golden beets or parsnips. Even if the kids only eat the regular potatoes, mom and dad like the rest!

Toss on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400°F convection bake until done, about 40 minutes.

2. Blanched Green Beans

Plain and simple! We like to Blanch and Freeze Garden Green Beans to make this easy side all winter.

Drop trimmed green beans into boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Don't overcook it to mush, just 3 minutes! Drain and serve.

You can try adding a pat of butter or shredded Parmesan cheese to the hot green beans.

3. Raw Veggies and Dip

Sometimes cooked veggies are the struggle and my kids are far more likely to eat them raw. So why fight them on this? Raw veggies are so healthy! Raw fruit too!

A perfectly acceptable dinner side for the whole family, just put out a plate of veggies with store-bought dip or try this super quick and easy Parmesan Herb Veggie Dip.

My kids will usually eat carrots, cucumbers, and sometimes bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and pea pods. But again, mom and dad will eat the rest!

You can also make the dip the healthy part with this Roasted Carrot Hummus or this Avocado Bean Dip.

4. Quick Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Homemade with real ingredients, this easy 8 Minute Kid's Mac & Cheese uses elbow macaroni, a scoop of plain yogurt and plenty of real shredded cheese.

Not from a box but just as easy! You can also throw in a handful of chopped broccoli or frozen peas if your kids are willing!

5. Roasted Cauliflower

Toss chopped cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 425° convection bake until done.

VERY done, my kids love it roasted dark brown and crispy, about 30 minutes. Flip and check on it a few times.

6. Buttered Broccoli

Like the green beans, my kids love super plain blanched broccoli. Drop broccoli florets into boiling salted, about ½ teaspoon, water for about 4 minutes or until done but not mushy.

Drain well and add a bit of butter. They will be seasoned from the salty cooking water.

7. Mashed Avocado

We all love Guacamole, and my kids have been eating the basic version, just mashed avocado, since they were toddlers! Avocado is so healthy for kids, and you don't need to make a full guacamole recipe every time.

This is our short-cut method! You can add in some onions or a squeeze of lime juice if you have it, but even just mashed avocado with a pinch of salt is delicious with tortilla chips.

It's a perfect addition to taco night but really a great easy side dish for kids with any dinner.

8. Parmesan Kale Chips

To make these Parmesan Kale Chips, toss chopped kale with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400° for 7 minutes. Keep and eye on them, you want them just crisp but not burnt! 

Grate Parmesan cheese over the chips when they are hot from the oven so it melts onto them, a microplane works perfectly. Something about those salty snacks, you can't eat just one!

9. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

To make these Mashed Sweet Potatoes, peel and cook healthy sweet potatoes boiled until soft as you would make mashed potatoes. Drain and mash with butter and brown sugar.

My kids are iffy on this one, but butter and brown sugar are pretty delicious!

You can try Mashed Butternut Squash as a variation, and freeze the leftovers of either to make Pumpkin Protein Waffles!

10. A Simple Salad

A quick garden salad often gets eaten by my kids and is great because you can put in anything they like! Better yet, have them help and choose what goes in it!

Pretty safe kid-friendly salad additions include shredded carrots, cucumbers, cheese, and croutons. You can add in things that mom and dad like and they can just pick them out. Even if they only eat the lettuce, I call it a win!

We like to meal prep this Easy Vinaigrette in a Jar for the dressing, or serve it with anything the kids like!

Kid-Friendly Tips & Tricks  

• My kids love the french fry shape, more fun to dip! And if they go through a phase of dipping everything in ketchup, that's ok!

• Let them carry their own basket at a farmers market and give them a few dollars to buy whatever they want, or let them pick what veggies to buy at the store.

• Check out kids cookbooks at the library, let kids look through them and help cook.

• Grow a garden with them, no matter how big or how small! Let them pick what they want to grow. Even if you only have room for a pot or two, try green beans, cherry tomatoes and zucchini.

• Cook foods that you like yourself, don't worry if the kids don't eat it and keep trying!

• Keep snack-time healthy and keep processed snacks minimal.