I have a house full of picky eaters (including myself)...

Question

I hate making supper because it seems like i can't please everyone (and my 4 year old only wants fish sticks or chicken nuggets)

what are some easy recipes that i can keep the family happy?

Answer 1

I read a lot of questions asking about food for picky eaters, but they leave out the most important part: the pickiness.

What are the exact foods you and your family have qualms with? What are the specifications for food? 'Picky' can mean anything from 'it has to be a certain temperature' to 'only steamed brocolli and SweeTarts.'

Answer 2

Take a chicken breast and pound it thin.  Dredge in flour, then dip in two beaten eggs then dip in italian seasoned bread crumbs.  Fry in hot oil (375 degrees) about 4 minutes each side.  Slice diagonally and place on salads.  Add parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs. Serve with marinara sauce and a slice of mozzarella with a pasta for a nice chicken parmigiana.  Makes a great sandwich too.

Answer 3

I have a picky eater too.  She likes a few dishes; spaghetti, peanut butter and jelly.  I keep her favorites in the freezer and cook up some fresh spaghetti noodles.  I ask her to take a taste of the things we are eating.  Some families believe the child should eat what you are eating or go hungry.  I have spoken to a pediatrician who thinks that my child is probably getting enough food.  Try to sneak the good stuff by grinding it in when you can.  

All of us like grilled hamburgers, spaghetti using Prego mixed with ground chuck and onions.  My husband who is pretty picky likes chicken salad:

boil the chicken.  cut up fine.  Add onions, celery finely chopped or celery seed..  Mix in mayonnaise to taste and add a dash of  garlic.  Serve on saltine crackers or lettuce or bread.  

Answer 4

Make their boring dishes and cook yourself something really extravagant.

When they ask you what you have, make up a name and tell them they wouldn't like it.

Failing that make a shepherds pie, substituting the meat for chicken or fish sticks.

Answer 5

SJ-SC-CA Incredible Chicken Salad

3 cups chicken breast (cooked and cubed)

1 cup pineapple (diced)

1/2 cup celery (diced)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup walnuts

1/8 cup dried cranberries

2 Tablespoons sweet onion (minced)

2 Tablespoons apple juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well combined and chill. Serve with a lettuce garnish.

***You can use the chicken salad as a sandwich filling.***

Answer 6

I'd have to agree with Rod........for your own sanity, you have to make things that they all like, but don't make different dishes at each meal. You will drive yourself nuts and reinforce this behavior.  Your 4 year old only wants nuggets or stick because that's what you give them.  

Answer 7

Cheeseburger Macaroni --

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 onion, minced

1 cloves garlic, minced

14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cups raw macaroni, (cook according to package directions and drain)

1 can Campbells Cheddar cheese soup

salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add the ground beef and brown. Add the diced tomatoes, including the liquid in the can. Simmer until the liquid is mostly reduced...5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the macaroni and Cheddar cheese soup. Heat through.

You can always add more cooked macaroni if you need to stretch the dish a bit.

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Spaghetti Pizza:

A Kid Favorite:

1 pound box spaghetti noodles

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 Jar Marinara Sauce

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

13 x 9 glass baking dish

In a large stock pot boil water to cook spaghetti, follow package directions. Drain. Measure milk in large bowl, add egg, mix well, add spaghetti and mix well.

While spaghetti is cooking brown lean ground beef in large saute pan. Drain excess fat, return to pan and add the marinara sauce. Simmer on low.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Pour spaghetti into dish, top with meat mixture and spread cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes uncovered or until cheese has melted.

You could use a mild sausage or turkey sausage for a different twist.

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Italian Appetizer Bites

2 packages (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

½ pound sliced deli salami

½ pound sliced deli ham

½ pound slide deli provolone cheese

7 eggs

1 cup parmesan cheese

2 jars (12 ounces each) roasted red peppers, drained

MAKES: 32 pieces. PREP: 15 minutes.

BAKE: at 350° for 60 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°. Coat 13x9x2” glass pan with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll 1 package of the crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan. Pinch seams together.

Cover rolls with half of the salami, provolone and ham. Lightly beat together 6 eggs and the parmesan cheese; pour half evenly over top. Top with half of the roasted red peppers. Repeat layering with remaining salami, cheese, ham, egg mixture & peppers. Top with remaining package of crescent rolls.

Lightly beat remaining egg and brush over top. Cover dish with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes. Cool for 1 hour; cut into 32 squares & serve.

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Bread Dip

1/2 cup mayo

2 cups sour cream

1 lbs corned beef, chopped fine

2 tsp beau monde spice

2 tsp dill weed

2 tbls chopped onion

2 tbls dried parsley

Mix all together and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

I loaf of round, pumpernickel bread. Hollow out the bread into a bowl, cutting the pieces into dipping size. Put the dip into the hollowed out bowl.

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*Grilled Camembert Cheese with Peach hors devours

2 lbs. fresh diced peaches

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper

1/4 cup raisins

1 jalapeno pepper (diced and seeded)

2 slices fresh or candied ginger

2 Tbsp. seeded, diced lemon including the rind

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar (to taste)

3 Tbsp. Brown sugar (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cloves

Simmer until peaches are soft 10-15 minutes. Refrigerate.

Cut off top rind of the cheese.

Spread the cheese with 1/4 cup chopped nuts.

Grill the cheese over a cedar plank 12 -20 minutes.

Top with the peach chutney.Serve with your favorite crackers or bread chunks.

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White cheese chicken lasagna - It has a white cheese sauce that's wonderful!

INGREDIENTS

9 lasagna noodles

1/2 cup butter

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly.

Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

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Chocolate stuffed french toast

Ingredients:

French bread

chocolate chips or chunks/morsels/etc

5 eggs

1 C milk

1 ts each cinnamon & vanilla

The night before you want to serve this:

Cut a loaf of French Bread into very thick slices. In each slice make a 3/4" cut to make a pocket. Spoon 2 heaping ts chocolate into the pocket. Close pocket with a pinch of the bread.

Place into greased 9x13" baking dish. Mix up the eggs, milk & cinnamon/vanilla. Cover & refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake 20-25 minutes uncovered.

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Pancake S'mores

1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

7 tablespoons marshmallow creme

7 tablespoons milk chocolate chips

Following your favorite pancake recipe::::

Cook until bubbles break on surface. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon graham cracker crumbs over each pancake. Turn; cook until golden. Remove from griddle.

Spread about 1 tablespoon marshmallow creme over the crumbs side of each of 7 pancakes; sprinkle about 1 tablespoon chocolate chips over marshmallow creme on each. Top with another pancake, crumbs side down.  

Answer 8

How about not making anything for a three weeks, except corn flakes and milk. Then see who's a picky eater after that.

Answer 9

well it starts with YOU.  since u are the adult, if you are setting a bad example and being a picky eater, then it only makes sense that ur kiddies will be picky eaters too.  open up ur mind to trying new things, and ur kids will too.

Answer 10

They might like this;

Fried Chicken with Creamy Gravy - if they don't like the gravy, they can just have the fried chicken, it's really tasty.

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces

3 cups vegetable oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup milk and egg. In a resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, garlic salt, paprika, pepper and poultry seasoning. Place chicken in bag, seal, and shake to coat. Dip chicken in milk and egg mixture, then once more in flour mixture. Reserve any remaining flour mixture.

In a large skillet, heat oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place coated chicken in the hot oil, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking chicken until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet, and drain on paper towels.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Over low heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture. Stirring constantly, cook about 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock, scraping browned bits off bottom of skillet. Stir in 1 cup milk, and bring all to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the chicken.

Serves 8.

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