Getting the kids excited about meal times can sometimes be a stretch. But it doesn’t always have to be boring! We’ve put together 5 of our favourite creative kids meal ideas that are super easy to make and we’re sure the kids will love.
RAINBOW RICE
Rice is a great standard meal for the kids. It’s easy to make, cheap to purchase and will keep them feeling full. Try this simple rainbow rice recipe to liven up meals. We love this coloured crayon idea – but you can always make any of your own favourite rice recipes using this same technique to make it more interesting. Try adding to stir-frys, make your own rainbow sushi, or add chicken or fish and vegetables for a delicious dinner idea.
What you’ll need:
2 1/2 cups of short grain white cooked rice
1 teaspoon of water
Food colouring
Ziplock Bag
STEP 1: Cook the rice as preferred and seperate into five 1/4 cup quantities. Our favourite way to cook white rice is using the microwave – just add 3 cups of water and add a pinch of salt. Microwave for 12 minutes – stopping halfway to stir. This creates quick and easy sticky rice which is easy to mold into shapes.
STEP 2: Pour 1 teaspoon of water into a ziplock bag and add a few drops of food colouring.
STEP 3: Add your rice to the bag and shake and mush the rice into the coloured water until evenly coloured. It’s best to start with a small amount of water and add more if needed for larger quantities.
STEP 4: Lay your coloured rice onto a baking sheet and spread around evenly. Let the mixture dry out a little bit so that they colour can soak in for 15-30 minutes before shaping as you please.
STEP 5: You can add little faces to your rice using cut-out cheese, Nori (japanese seaweed), or cut up carrot pieces.
PRO TIP: You can also use this same method to make rainbow pasta!
Animal Oatmeal
With the hustle and bustle of getting the kids up and ready in the morning, a quick and easy breakfast is a must. Porridge is an easy and substantial meal, quick to whip up and nice and warm for those chilly early mornings. You can also add additional nuts or berries to create different variations each morning.
What you’ll need:
Uncle Tobys Oats sachets
Milk (try soy or almond milk for alternative options)
Selection of fresh fruits
Optional: Bread, peanut butter, almonds
You can create all sorts of fun animal faces a with oatmeal and fruit. Use bananas and blueberries for the eyes and strawberries to create other elements.
PRO TIP: Try creating these fun fruit faces on top of peanut butter on toast as a fun alternative.
Birdie Noodles
Add a fun twist to your spaghetti and meatballs with this cute birdie idea. Check out the spaghetti and meatball recipe below.
What you’ll need:
Meatballs (makes 24):
454g Mince
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
Salt & Pepper
1tbsp worcester sauce
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
Olive oil
1 Egg
Preheat oven to 175 degrees.
STEP 1: Cook the mince in a pan with olive oil, adding in onion, garlic, salt and pepper as it cooks through.
STEP 2: Saute for 3 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
STEP 3: Remove from heat and allow to cool.
STEP 4: In a bowl, mix together mince, egg, worcester sauce, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper.
STEP 5: With wet hands, form mixture into meatballs and transfer onto a baking sheet.
STEP 6: Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Spaghetti:
STEP 1: Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender but firm to bite.
STEP 2: Add pasta sauce of your choice and top with grated parmesan cheese.
STEP 3: You can then make the eyes from cutting two pieces of cheese into circles and adding olives for the eyes and carrots for the nose and feet.
PRO TIP: Using any bottle cap works really well to cut perfect circles out of the cheese!
Bear in a blanket Omelette
Even an omelette can be made into a work of art! Try this cute and cuddly bear-in-a-blanket omelette recipe.
What you’ll need:
Eggs
Water
Salt & Pepper
Brown rice
Optional: You can add cheese and your choice of protein to the omelette
Omelette:
STEP 1: Beat eggs, water, salt and pepper in small bowl until blended.
STEP 2: Heat butter in a nonstick pan over medium high heat
STEP 3: Gently push cooked portions from edges towards the centre so that the uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface, until fully cooked.
Rice:
STEP 1: Cook brown rice
STEP 2: Roll warm rice into balls – two small balls for the ears and one larger ball for the head. You might even want to add a little arm.
STEP 3: Use a little bit of cheese for the nose and the inside of the ears.
STEP 4: Cook up your omelette or pancake and drape over the top of your rice bear.
STEP 5: Fold your second omelette into a little pillow and put under the bear’s head.
PRO TIP: For a dessert take on this meal, use pancakes instead of omelettes, and use scooped icecream and chocolate chips to form the bear.
Butterfly Quesadillas
Shape your quesadillas into a beautiful butterfly with this super simple idea.
What you’ll need:
Salsa
Tortillas
Grapes
Carrots
Blueberries
Optional: You can add cheese and your choice of fillings to the tortillas for a more filling option.
STEP 1: Make your quesadillas with your choice of fillings.
STEP 2: Cut into 4 equal portions to create the butterfly wings.
STEP 3: Use grapes to create the body and thinly sliced carrots for the antennas with blueberries on the end.
PRO TIP: This idea also works great with pita chips and hummus for a simple snack idea.
Strawberry Fish
Make fruit fun with these strawberry fish ideas. You can always mix it up with your kids favourite fruits and create an ‘aquarium plate’ using apples, bananas, blueberries and coconut shavings for reeds.
We challenge you to give these ideas a go and let us see your own creations by tagging us on instagram with #VerveServe.
