Cook the Kids' Meal at Home

We offer two options for each dish. The first is a more traditional presentation your kids will be familiar with. And second is for older kids, or those who are bolder and braver in their culinary repertoire. If you have a picky eater on your hands, start with the traditional version and then try to broaden their palettes with a new twist on a classic. Your children are never too young to start exploring new flavors and textures.

Ah. The chicken finger. A child’s best friend and so often a parent’s nutritional nightmare. Not any more. We did a number on this kid favorite and made it over in our Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce. Instead of batter-coated, deep-fried chicken drowning in fatty sauce, our chicken gets a crunchy exterior from cereal.

Our recipe calls for a spicy dipping sauce made with mayo, hot chile sauce, lime juice, and soy. Try reducing or eliminating the hot sauce for kids, or feel free to serve with ketchup or homemade honey mustard by combining ¼ cup honey with ¼ cup mustard.

Macaroni and cheese is a kid's favorite at home and when dining out, but the options, whether from a menu or the box, don’t always score nutritional points. Our version has all the creamy goodness you expect without powder packets and loads of sodium, fat, and calories. Prepare with whole-wheat macaroni to up the fiber and serve with a side of veggies for a complete meal.

This isn’t such a stretch from traditional mac and cheese, but the addition of green peas is a great way to get some veggies into mealtime. A few slices of bacon add smoky richness, but feel free to omit it if you want to keep this a meatless dish.

View Menu: Classic Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese