Family Meal Times
In our house, meal times aren't like they used to be. Before we had two babies to contend with we were constantly having sit down meals that I was able to spend as much time as needed on them. We were all able to sit down and eat together. Now, during at least one of the family meals one of the toddlers are napping or Sean isn't home yet from work. Our table isn't big enough for all of us to top it off. However, even if I have to stand while the kids eat and talk with them, they are important.
Unfortunately, finding a quick and easy recipe that suits all the kids tastes or dietary needs can be super frustrating. On most days I take the quick and easy route and pop open a can of sauce and boil some pasta. I'm drained and who wants to make anything more complicated then that when your tired, but more and more I find myself looking for different kinds of meals that are quick, have minimal ingredients, and most importantly taste good. We have a pretty big diary allergy in our house. Where Sean and Dominick can choose to ignore them, Theo and Julien can not. Theo also has an allergy to bananas and Dom and Markus have extreme sugar sensitivities. Markus wont touch anything with: Mushrooms, Celery, Olives, Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Pineapple, and he almost always refuses to eat meat. Dominick: Olives, any Beans, Rhubarb, Yellow or Red Peppers, anything made with cooked Peanut Butter (uncooked Peanut Butter is fine), Quick Potatoes, Mayo, Sour Cream, almost all cheeses, and Avocados. Theo wont touch Carrots or Peas. Julien wont touch any meat that isn't Chicken.
Now the kids know that sometimes they are going to have to eat something they don't like. Most of the time they will eat it with grace and minimal complaint, unless your Dominick eating cheese. Some meals we do more than others because they kids can pick what they want on it and leave off what they don't, like: tacos, homemade pizzas, burritos, and omelets. There are days however that I need the help of Pinterest. Here are a few recipes that we have found are a hit in our house, maybe they will be in yours as well.
Snickerdoodle Pancakes
Crock Pot Monkey Bread
Blueberry Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Smoothie Bowls
Taco Pizza
Spaghetti Squash With Bacon, Spinach, and Goat Cheese
Butternut Mac and Cheese
Baked Parmesan Herb Salmon
One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles
Roasted Vegetables with Quinoa
Cream Cheese and Chicken Taquitos
Apple Donuts
Slow Cooker Chex Mix
Elephant Ears
Basic Granola
Mexican Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
Peach Frozen Yogurt
Banana Ice Cream
A lot of these recipes I switch out milk for Almond Milk or Soy Milk. I also use coconut oil to replace butter or honey to replace sugar in a lot of them. Lunch is kind of a free for all, eat what is left over or make a sandwich. We try to take requests from the kids to see what they are feeling to make sure we aren't going to make something that they are going to stare at instead of eating. We are not perfectly healthy. There are nights where we haven't done groceries and Sean is home too late to make something, so we just pick up fast food. There are days where I am so frustrated that I pull out the cereal and say "Have at". However I can say we do not make a different meal for everyone. We make one meal and everyone sits down to eat it. We have a two bite limit, so if there is a new food that they have never eaten before, they have to take at least two bites before politely stating they don't like it.
Unfortunately, finding a quick and easy recipe that suits all the kids tastes or dietary needs can be super frustrating. On most days I take the quick and easy route and pop open a can of sauce and boil some pasta. I'm drained and who wants to make anything more complicated then that when your tired, but more and more I find myself looking for different kinds of meals that are quick, have minimal ingredients, and most importantly taste good. We have a pretty big diary allergy in our house. Where Sean and Dominick can choose to ignore them, Theo and Julien can not. Theo also has an allergy to bananas and Dom and Markus have extreme sugar sensitivities. Markus wont touch anything with: Mushrooms, Celery, Olives, Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Pineapple, and he almost always refuses to eat meat. Dominick: Olives, any Beans, Rhubarb, Yellow or Red Peppers, anything made with cooked Peanut Butter (uncooked Peanut Butter is fine), Quick Potatoes, Mayo, Sour Cream, almost all cheeses, and Avocados. Theo wont touch Carrots or Peas. Julien wont touch any meat that isn't Chicken.
Now the kids know that sometimes they are going to have to eat something they don't like. Most of the time they will eat it with grace and minimal complaint, unless your Dominick eating cheese. Some meals we do more than others because they kids can pick what they want on it and leave off what they don't, like: tacos, homemade pizzas, burritos, and omelets. There are days however that I need the help of Pinterest. Here are a few recipes that we have found are a hit in our house, maybe they will be in yours as well.
Breakfast
Vegan Brown Sugar & Maple Apple Crumb MuffinsSnickerdoodle Pancakes
Crock Pot Monkey Bread
Blueberry Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Smoothie Bowls
Dinner
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower TacosTaco Pizza
Spaghetti Squash With Bacon, Spinach, and Goat Cheese
Butternut Mac and Cheese
Baked Parmesan Herb Salmon
One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles
Roasted Vegetables with Quinoa
Cream Cheese and Chicken Taquitos
Snacks/Dessert
Flourless Applesauce BrowniesApple Donuts
Slow Cooker Chex Mix
Elephant Ears
Basic Granola
Mexican Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
Peach Frozen Yogurt
Banana Ice Cream
A lot of these recipes I switch out milk for Almond Milk or Soy Milk. I also use coconut oil to replace butter or honey to replace sugar in a lot of them. Lunch is kind of a free for all, eat what is left over or make a sandwich. We try to take requests from the kids to see what they are feeling to make sure we aren't going to make something that they are going to stare at instead of eating. We are not perfectly healthy. There are nights where we haven't done groceries and Sean is home too late to make something, so we just pick up fast food. There are days where I am so frustrated that I pull out the cereal and say "Have at". However I can say we do not make a different meal for everyone. We make one meal and everyone sits down to eat it. We have a two bite limit, so if there is a new food that they have never eaten before, they have to take at least two bites before politely stating they don't like it.
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