Munch Menu V.8
Is it a good thing when your kid doesn’t like "kid food"?
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.
Happy two-month munch menu-versary to me! This is the 8th installment of these menus, and now that we have so many to play with, I would love your feedback. What about the format is working for you, and what could I do better? Are you using these graphics as inspiration or executing the full game plan?
Today I want to talk about a curious thing: because so much of feeding my munch involves home cooking, and because so much of my home cooking revolves around whole foods, it took my daughter a little while to get on board with traditional “kid” foods.
For a long time, she rejected pizza. She is still not 100 percent committed to boxed mac. And it wasn’t until this past weekend that she tried a grilled cheese. That went well (thank god).
I bring this up because I haven’t always found this to be an unequivocally *good thing.*
Sure, if you asked me 28 months ago if I would cry with relief if my child chose to eat a cucumber instead of a noodle coated in orange powdered cheese, the answer would be YES. But when we are out in the world—at restaurants, kid’s birthday parties or friends’ houses—sometimes I wish that she would also embrace the usual suspects.
A few weeks ago, I talked about the difference between pickiness and rigidity. Even though my daughter eats so many different vegetables, often times when we are out and about, she will be at her most rigid. If those favored foods appear any different than she is used to, she’ll reject them.
And that is where the kid menu tends to be a savior. Because usually a slice of cheese pizza or a buttered noodle or a grilled cheese doesn’t come in that many wildly different permutations. Though she loves chicken and there’s chicken on every menu, it’s a pretty big question mark as to whether or not she will deign to eat THAT chicken.
Of course, like everything, balance is key. I’m not looking to get my daughter completely addicted and hooked on these dishes. But I do make an effort to incorporate them on Fridays (see last week’s chicken fingers) because they tend to be a low lift at the end of a long week, a treat for all of us, and I want her to be just as familiar with pizza as she is with cucumbers.
I’d love to hear how you incorporate “kid” food at home or face “kid menus” when out to eat.
And on that note, this week’s menu features a grilled cheese option for Friday.
Happy munching!
Phoebe
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THE GAME PLAN
Store-Bought Spotlight
(elements you can buy)
Pita Chips: I always think incorporating bread, chips or crackers as a meal’s carb is a fun way to switch things up, especially if your kid loves to dip. I use Simple Mills’ pita-like crackers, but Stacy’s pita chips are great too and a little sturdier.
HeyDay Corn Chowder: Are you sick of me recommending HeyDay products yet? They truly are fabulous. Feel free to substitute any canned soup your munchkin loves. Mine is partial to any dish with corn in it, so this chowder is a favorite. You can also make the shrimp and corn chowder recipe from my cookbook CARBIVORE if looking for a from-scratch option, or this 5-ingredient corn soup.
Pickles: I’m not brand loyal, but I tend to buy the cutie cornichons from the olive bar at the supermarket. My munch loves anything “mini” and these fit the bill.
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 option. A small price to pay for someone to do all the planning for you!
Meal Prep
(elements you can make in advance)
Grilled Chicken: Grilling chicken thighs takes about 15 to 20 minutes, which means this could also be put in the night of “quickie” category. I’ve included a recipe in the family meal plan below that is easy and flavorful, but you could also use this all-purpose gluten-free grilled chicken marinade. And if you haven’t broken out the grill yet, simply swap with a rotisserie chicken.
Smashed Potatoes: Bring 1 pound of baby red-skinned potatoes to boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pot along with 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and ¼ cup chopped green herbs of your choice (chives, basil, dill or a mix). Lightly smash it all together until coarsely combined. You’re not going for a smooth mashed potato. Add more salt or butter/oil as needed.
Artichoke Hummus: If your munch loves hummus, this recipe is a fun way to sneak another fiber-rich veggie in there. You basically add a can of artichoke hearts to any normal hummus recipe and puree. Mine is a fan favorite on my site. If you can’t be bothered, just use store-bought hummus.
Quinoa: Bring 1 cup to a boil with 1 ¾ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Turn to low and cook for 15 minutes covered. If you want a more involved option, try this chorizo pilaf! Just make sure to omit red pepper flakes.
Curried Cauliflower: An amazing simple side to have in your arsenal. I published the recipe last month!
Quickies
(non-recipe recipes you can cook the night or day of)
Sugar Snap Peas: You can either serve these raw for munching, or do a quick pan-fry in olive oil until tender and blistered, about 5 minutes. Salt to taste.
Pan-Fried Fish: Dredge a thin white fish fillet (sole, catfish, tilapia, flounder) in flour (I use GF millet flour). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large cast iron pan. Pan fry over high heat until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and season with salt.
Mango-Avocado Salsa: Finely chop 1 mango and 1 avocado. Toss with the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
Grilled Cheese: Don’t try to healthify this – embrace the treat! Good bread. Slices of cheddar. Butter on both sides. If you want a more gourmet version, use this recipe as a guide.
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.
Spanish Cod Stew: This is one of those stews that transcends the seasons, especially since it’s made with summer vegetables like bell peppers and fresh tomatoes. The poblanos are mild enough for a munch, but feel free to omit along with the red chili flakes. The mild white fish and potatoes can be plucked out by little fingers, and the sauce is delicious when soaked up with a side of crusty bread.
Ali’s 3-Ingredient Grilled Chicken: My friend Ali Stafford uses a store bought shortcut for her grilled chicken that is absolutely brilliant (spoiler: it’s taco seasoning!). You can usually find mild versions, which bulk up on other tex mex spices like paprika and cumin. If you’ve already broken out your grill for the season, this is the perfect weeknight chicken to throw on there.
My latest cookbook is your culinary and dietary road map to reclaim your favorite comfort foods without the consequences (complete with 130 anti-inflammatory gluten free recipes…that are also family friendly!). Ina Garten says “I love this book!”—listen to the queen and order your copy!
My 4yo doesn't like potatoes--she won't eat french fries, mashed potatoes, tater tots. Sweet potatoes? All day every day. Asparagus? Artichokes? Butternut squash? Yes, yes, yes. Potatoes, no. Not for lack of exposure too. I've just accepted that potatoes aren't preferred and I don't push it, but still offer whenever they're on the menu.
As for restaurants/kid parties/friends houses we always bring a stasher bag full of "safe" fruit and veg. Perhaps because we've done this so frequently, our kid is actually quite open to trying new foods in these settings, knowing that we always have back up snacks that she'll enjoy.
Everyone’s got their preferences (adults included), and I’ve just had to accept that some of the kid foods don’t appeal to my particular kid. For me, not being able to rely on things like chicken fingers has meant figuring out other super-fast options work for us (dumplings, hummus).