Chicken Nuggets and Chips: Recipe Makeover

Chicken nuggets populate almost every kids’ menu in America because kids vote with their greasy fingers and parents vote for the settling down that happens when you hand a bag of food this fun and easy to almost any kid. But add potato chips and creamy dip to the plate, and you’ve got yourself a doozy of a family nutrition problem—nearly 700 calories and a gram of sodium, all in a fairly small portion. We set about making this combo healthy while keeping all constituencies happy.

Classic
• 660 calories per meal
• 44 grams total fat
• 1,000 milligrams sodium

Makeover
• 241 calories per meal
• 6.1 grams total fat
• 386 milligrams sodium

Adults, slice the potatoes. Have kids lay slices on parchment paper, keeping the two potato types separate. These chips are better than storebought, saving 261 calories and 251mg sodium per serving.

Put the kids on sauce duty, and stir up some fun. They’ll fall in love with this healthier yogurt-based dip, with only 37 calories and 84mg sodium per tablespoon. Try with veggies as a sub for heavy ranch.