Striving to get the kids to eat healthy is always of upmost importance however, it does not always come easy. Healthy meals for kids can sometimes take some coercion and creativity. I’ve pulled together some really great options that might help you in persuading the growing littles in your life to expand their cuisine and even maybe have fun eating healthier!!!
Keep your options fun! A creative plate will keep them intrigued and more willing to munch on something on something with more nutrition.
Colorful ingredients can really brighten the plate.
Cutting or shaping food into fun patterns and shapes will spark curious minds.
Opting out of refined sugars and adding in cleaner ingredients like fresh fruit, sweeter seasonings like cinnamon or vanilla or even honey and maple syrup can help in making a dish more desirable for little taste buds.

“Food” by Sean MacEntee is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Healthy Meal Ideas For Kids
Pizza Pinwheels (with hidden veggies) by Baby Foodie
A fun finger food that can be dipped in a good marina sauce will keep dinner easy to prep and interesting to munch on!
Tuna Stuffed Avocados by The Stay At Home Chef
You can add avocado to anything to amplify the flavor but, have you ever simply stuffed an avocado before? Yum! Get the spoons and dive in! This recipe is a blast for the kids to try and is a really big nutrional booster!
Rainbow Veggie Flatbread Pizza by Gimme Some Oven
A feast for the belly and eyes! This flatbread is packed with gorgeous flavor. It is fun to prep AND eat!
Rice Salad Pots by Eats Amazing
These rice salad pots are a perfect pack in style lunch. You can easily POP in some protein! These cups are filled with all the healthy goodness you could ask for.
Zucchini Taco Boats by Clean & Delicious By Dani Spies
Zucchini boats are a go- to for our house, especially during the months our garden beds are abundant in big zucchinis. A fun, crunchy spin on Taco Tuesday.
Chef Salad On A Stick by Pocket Change Gourmet
Everything is more fun with you skewer it! Skewer lunches are really endless with options. A chef salad deconstructed like this will keep the kids minds busy while eating that before you know it they’ve eaten an entire salad without realizing! Win!
Sweet Potato, Sausage and Kale Breakfast Casserole by The Roasted Root
The sweet potato in this dish will help sweeten up the outcome. It will also bring a pop of color to their plate! Both things are so helpful in getting tiny tots to munch on!
Banana Kale Waffles by Jane Blog
A fun spin on your average waffle. This recipe brings the color creation up another level. Additionally, it hides some packed protein and nutrition right in.
Cauliflower Popcorn by Curry Trail
Looking to expand the horizon with veggie intake? This cauliflower popcorn recipe might be the ticket. It is packed with the good stuff and you can barely tell!
Creamy Avocado Pasta by Running in a Skirt
A delicious and creamy pasta. You really cannot go wrong! This recipe is going to have them asking for more!
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil by Eazy Peazy Mealz
We love a good one pan meal!!! With this recipe, it can go right on the center of the table. Family style offerings! The kids will get a kick out of the experience and also fill their bellies too.
When the meal is done, sometimes they might be looking for a sweet treat to finish! Here is a list of just that….but on the healthier side!
- Peanut Butter Oat Balls – Twin Mom Refreshed
- Frozen Banana Yogurt Pops – The Produce Moms
- Healthy Homemade Fruit Rolls Ups – The Soccer Mom Blog
- Strawberry Mango Popsicles – The Clean Eating Couple
- Chocolate Dipped Fruit Cones– My Fussy Eater
- Brownie Batter Chocolate Hummus – eat with Clarity
Remember – healthy eating isn’t impossible even with fussy eaters.
Foods taste differently when prepared in different ways.
In our home we encourage the “one bite rule” but also always respect personal palettes! Our girls have been pleasantly surprised that the vegetable they hated a month ago was AMAZING, to them, prepared/seasoned differently.
Encourage food curiosity and exploration with healthy meal ideas for kids! Our bodies thrive off of good input.
We exhale what we inhale. Bring in the good to output the great! Feed those tiny bodies and minds to grow big and strong!
You Might Also Like…
- Bacon Spinach and Tomato Quiche Recipe
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes with Maple Bacon Balsamic Glaze
- School Lunch Ideas
Love, light and a little grace…
-Olivia

Olivia Whalen is mama to three young girls who is devoted to creative learning, exploration and free range imagination. Olivia enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to preparing homemade baby food or meals for her family. She most enjoys allowing the little minds in her life to flourish and with that you will see her write about creative kid crafts, recipes that fit a family budget and keep everyone asking for more, tips and tricks for a tiny babe, and beginner homesteader fun! Some of her hobbies include gardening, hiking, reading, cooking or just basking in motherhood.