Non ultra-processed meal ideas for picky kids

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Just that really! My 3yo is a very picky eater and we've fallen into bad habits of giving fish fingers, baked beans, ham sandwiches etc fairly regularly. Jumping on the ultra processed people bandwagon I'm now feeling really guilty! I'd appreciate any more ideas of non ultra processed meal ideas a picky toddler will happily consume. He won't eat meat and 2 veg, it always has to be mixed into a pasta sauce or something.

Thanks!

do they like cheese? Or dippy things? (Hummus, yogurt, tomato dip, with veggies, falafel, pita bread etc)

i use the airfryer for Homemade potato wedges. Sometimes I do a batch of homemade baked beans and freeze. I also do a lot of eggs (dippy) and homemade meatballs

my kids like salmon fillet (if just baked and not messed about with) and fish pie

they also like rice, peas, carrots, chicken fajita in wraps, roast meats, Yorkshire pudding, and corn on the cob

all stuff that’s pretty healthy I think, and not too processed

Great ideas, thanks so much @Gpnever ! Definitely going to do the potato wedges as he loves chips and he does like eggs too, thank goodness. I desperately wish he'd eat a roast but he just won't, other than roast potatoes. I'll keep trying. Weirdly he likes poached salmon flaked into pasta but not a salmon fillet - it's silly things which aren't to do with taste but about exerting control and not being willing to try something presented in a new way. And DEFINITELY a good idea on the home made baked beans, I often think he'd waste away to nothing if it wasn't for beans...

Salmon pasta
sausage pasta
chuck everything in pasta (I’ve done steak!)
chicken stirfry - lots of different sauces
chicken curry (I use sauces which might be UP but I won’t die on that hill if good meat and veg)
spaghetti Bolognese

Also if you can afford ityou can get better quality ‘processed’ food such as M&S chicken munchies (breast in breadcrumb, no rubbish) and cod fingers.

in answer to how to get them to eat better give them what they’re used to with one new thing but don’t force them to eat/ try.

We make our own pizza, sometimes with our own dough, sometimes shop bought frozen ready rolled out pizza dough, sometimes using pitta bread as a base. DS is 5 and loves making it himself by spooning on a (healthy) tomato sauce and adding toppings. All individually healthy ingredients that add up to him being happy that he has pizza, and he cooks it.

There is quite a good bit in Nigella's 'How to Eat' about quick and easy meals for children.

I used to make my own breaded chicken for my dc by dipping chicken tenderloins (or whatever they are called) in a beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs and freezing them. I put them on chopping boards so they didn't stick together and then when they are frozen you can put them in a bag.

I'm a childminder so have plenty of experience with little ones. I find generally they like dinner flavours then people expect and they often have a fussy phase when you try to move from all stirred together mush to separate foods. I don't serve any processed food diary from shop bought bread at snack time.
The most popular meals here are chicken/veggie curry (pataks tikka masala paste) , chilli, pasta (loads of veg in the sauce), cottage pie, Bolognese, goulash, casserole etc. Things which are soft. It's often a texture/chewing thing rather than a flavour thing.

• celery sticks with peanut butter inside the concave bit
• celery/carrot sticks with homous
• Courgettes, beetroot and carrot can all be grated and 'hidden' in cakes for a veg muffin (courgettes keep them really moist actually) and you'd never know there was veg inside
• Home made salmon fish fingers Homemade Salmon Fish Fingers {30 Minute Meal} (tamingtwins.com)
• This black bean 'nutella' BBtella (Healthy Nutella) Spread Recipe (oprah.com)
• A frozen banana on a stick in summer (plus or minus peanut butter or the BBnutella above)
• What about the food in shapes/faces? Look up omelette funny faces or creative ideas with toast and various toppings to make a 'picture'

Also agree with @Shadyladyo that we buy the best we can. He eats chicken pieces in breadcrumb, so we buy the adult ones made of whole strips of chicken breast and we buy the gastro fishfingers as there’s more fish in them. Also we buy organic pasta from the health food shop, often with spinach in and occasionally made from things like lentils if I can get it past him.

Have you also considered that he might be sensitive to texture/appearance? It’s interesting that you mention he’ll eat salmon mixed in but not as a fillet. It might not be so much a control thing as a sensory issue.

Mine also absolutely loves a picky plate - lots of things that he likes on one plate, such as a hard boiled egg, sandwich, grapes, apple, babybel, yoghurt pots, a wrap or pitta bread fingers with some fruit spread or chocolate spread (on desperate days), as well as any kind of those Bear snacks or raisins. The HV came to see DD at lunchtime one day when DS had a picky plate and I wondered what she’d say but she said “that looks very healthy” so I occasionally let it pass for dinner. Incidentally he’s now at school and has school lunches and will eat all sorts of things at school that would never pass his lips at home 🙄

Thanks for all these ideas. I do tend to buy the fancier versions of fish fingers etc - breaded goujons for example. But does this still count as ultra-processed?
Love the pitta pizza idea.
And I'm DEFINITELY going to do the veggie muffins, he'll like them.

@Cinderellasfeatherduster yes I wonder if it's a bit sensory too. I'll just keep persevering with exposing him to new foods and flavours.

Will he eat chicken?

Quick update to say thanks to everyone who gave advice - I did take it on. This week he's eaten

• baked sweet potato and homemade baked beans (soooo much easier to do tinned beans obvs but even if I do homemade half the time that's better than before)
• homemade Mac+cheese with butternut squash (sniffed at squash but did eat it in the end)
• quesadillas with beef mince and kidney beans (had to pick out the kidney beans, but oh well)

It's been a lesson in not just assuming that he won't eat things and therefore not offering them, he's surprised me in being quite up for all these new meals!

So thanks again for the inspiration and advice.

Ps I'm aware that to many people these won't sound like amazing healthy meals for a 3yo but for him these are very adventurous!

I have a fussy five-year old. I have found that when I use a take-it-or-leave-it approach it can work quite well for getting him to try things. Basically this is what I'm offering, it's up to you if you want to eat it - invariably he does! Check out Ellen Satter for more detailed information on this.

The meals you gave your little one this week sound lovely by the way!

Gnocchi with hidden veggies sauce, sausage and mash. With regards to the beans blend them and cook into the mince next time. He'd never know.

My fussy four year old loves lamb mince fried with onion and a touch of curry powder and cumin served with veggies in a pitta bread.

Also I know tofu is processed but I don't think ultra processed? Happy to be corrected but he loves that. We do it coated in cornflour and stir fried with noodles and vegetables.

Wrap with chicken pieces (or shredded maybe?), grated carrot, avocado (sliced or mushed), toasted Halloumi, hummus.

Delish!