Munch Menu V.5

How I get my kid to eat fish for dinner (hint: it involves breakfast cereal)

May 23, 2025

If you’re new here, welcome! To get started, check out my first munch menu, which includes my dietary philosophy and an overview on how to use these weekly meal plans. Also, make sure to stock up on my (mostly) non-toxic munchkin kitchen essentials which help make meal prep much easier.

I suppose every year of toddlerhood poses new food challenges. We are currently in the phase where vegetables are not the enemy of the people (I know, I know – talk to me when she’s 4), but animal protein has been an uphill battle.

Besides anything in ball form (like this week’s chicken soup meatballs), the most reliable option has actually been fish. A basic baked salmon, as you might have noticed from past munch menus, is usually in the rotation.

During the summer months, when we can get our hands on thin little white fish fillets (yellowtail or sole on the east coast), she’ll also gobble those up dredged in a little millet flour and pan-fried (there’s a recipe in my book CARBIVORE for that one).

But all tides turn eventually, my friends. And now I find myself in the middle of a fish strike.

Recently, I’ve been pulling out all the stops to right the ship. Mainly, using a faux fried food technique that she loves when I make at home nuggets.

It’s cornflakes, baby.

We don’t eat cereal for breakfast in my house. Even growing up, I hated milk, so cereal was mostly an afternoon snack straight out of the box. Now I keep a few savory varieties on hand for breading things. Brown rice crispies and cornflakes are the top two contenders. But if you want to venture outside the world of cereal, potato chips, pretzels and even crackers also work well.

The technique is simple: pulse in a food processor. Coat your protein with a condiment - Dijon mustard, mayo or yogurt (whatever you like). Dredge the protein in the cornflakes / rice krispies / pretzels / etc. Bake in the oven until the protein is cooked through.

This works especially well with fish since the cook time usually isn’t long enough for breadcrumbs to get extra crispy. With cereal, it’s crispy to begin with and only gets more so.

Not only is the faux-fried crunchy finish super satisfying (for munches and adults alike), but it also gives you the opportunity to re-brand fish as something associated with a favorite snack food. Pretzel fish, anyone?

I’ve included the cornflake version in this week’s menu, but like all these non-recipe recipes, it’s a fun opportunity to try whatever fish / topping variation might speak best to your little tyrant.

That is, until the tide turns again and you have to go back to the drawing board.

Happy munching!

WEEKDAY MUNCH MENU V.5

THE GAME PLAN

Store-Bought Spotlight

(elements you can buy)

Amy’s Refried Beans: I’m not brand loyal when it comes to refried beans, but you can never go wrong with Amy’s.

Stonewall Kitchen Lemon Herb Aioli: Stonewall Kitchen never misses in the flavor department. This is one of many favorite sauces of theirs. If you want to keep things simple, you can use mayo with a squeeze of lemon as a dipping sauce, or even hummus. Maazah below also makes a delicious lemon aioli.

Maazah Mango Chutney: I discovered this brand recently at CherryBombe’s annual event. It’s women owned (sisters!) and began at the Mill City Farmer’s Market in Minneapolis (one of my favorite markets!). All of their sauces and dips are phenomenal.

Cappello’s Frozen Pizza: During the pandemic, my husband and I used to have TGIFPN – Thank god it’s Friday (or insert other expletive) pizza night. We ate a lot of gluten-free frozen pizza’s that year, and Cappello’s is still my favorite as a blank canvas to add my own toppings to. Note, it’s got nuts in the flour mix. Serve whatever you love and your kid will enjoy. It’s pizza night, after all. Let’s not stress about the healthy option.

P.S. Have you been enjoying Munch Menus as a free subscriber? It takes me many many hours to put together these game plans every week. If you love them, it’s a very reasonable $1.50 per week if you do the annual plan. A small price to pay for someone to do all the planning for you!

Meal Prep

(elements you can make in advance)

Chicken Soup Meatballs: This week’s paid subscriber recipe!

Sweet Potato Wedges: Cut into fat wedges, season as you like, drizzle with oil, bake at 425 F for 25 minutes, until caramelized.

Coconut Rice: Combine 1 ½ cups sushi rice with one can of full fat coconut milk, 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. This makes rice for 6 people, so incorporate into adult meals or freeze portions for down the road.

Curried Cauliflower: Last week’s paid subscriber recipe!

Roasted Carrots & Bell Peppers: Cut both into thin strips, toss with olive oil and salt. Roast on a sheet pan at 425 degrees F (can be with the cauli or potatoes) until caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Quickies

(non-recipe recipes you can cook the night or day of)

Buttery Egg Noodles & Frozen Peas: Cook the noodles according to packaged directions, drain and immediately toss with butter and frozen peas in a bowl. Both should be defrosted/melted after stirring for a minute or so.

Refried Bean Quesadilla: Lay your tortillas flat on a work surface and slather with the beans. Add a sprinkle of shredded jack or cheddar cheese (and any veggies you want to hide in there – a few spinach leaves work well). Fold the quesadillas and pan-fry until melted.

Cornflake Fish: Pulse a handful of cornflakes (or other cereal, cracker or chip) in a food processor (or crush by hand). Arrange the fish on a sheet pan and slather with mayo, Dijon or yogurt. Season with salt. Spoon the cereal over the fish so it adheres to the top. Bake at 400 degrees F until cooked through (5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish). Salmon may be more like 15.

Tofu with Mango Chutney: Cut extra firm tofu into cubes and add to a small saucepan. Cover with the chutney, adding a little water as necessary to create a sauce. Heat over medium-low heat until just simmering so the tofu is warmed through.

Steamed Asparagus: You can boil, steam or roast the asparagus if your munch prefers a crispy texture. I think it’s best to try these in spears if you’re introducing them for the first time so they can at least play with them. But use whatever approach you think will be most embraced!

Munch Menu Version 5

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FAMILY MEAL IDEAS FOR WEEKENDS

If you’re someone who goes the family dinner route, don’t worry, I still got you! Every week I’ll add two ideas from my archives or the internet that have been kid-approved in my house. You can make them on the weekends or rotate them into a munch menu.

One-Pan Street Corn Inspired Chicken and Rice: My friend Jenn Lueke of the uber popular eat goood newsletter on Substack is the queen of meal prep and quick weeknight meals. If you don’t already subscribe to her, DO IT. And add this chicken and rice dish inspired by Elote to your rotation.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash: This hash is an all-time reader favorite over on my recipe site Feed Me Phoebe. While my child will steer clear of the spinach (I try to chop it extra fine), she will usually polish off the sweet potato and beans. If your kid loves those two ingredients, it’s a great way to introduce them to new spices. Use a mild chili powder or omit. To make a complete dinner, add a fried egg on top.

TELL ME: hop over to the subscriber chat and tell me your go-to technique for getting your munch to eat animal protein!