Campbell's Kitchen Home

If you have kids, chances are you’ve dealt with at least one phase of picky eating. Getting children to try new foods and develop good eating habits can be tricky, but there’s hope! Try these simple tips:

• Rename foods to capture young imaginations. For example, try calling broccoli “baby trees,” and melon balls “little basketballs” or “beach balls.” Peas and baby carrots might be “baseballs and bats;” orange wedges “sunshine slices;” cherries with stems “tire swings;” cauliflower “snow-covered trees;” pickle slices, “lily pads;” and celery “little slides.” The fun names make eating more interesting for kids.
• Add fruit to different foods to make fun faces. Use melon to make smiley pancakes, or use strawberries and bananas to make a friendly face on a peanut butter sandwich. Better yet, have the kids make the fruit faces!
• Cookie cutters aren’t just for cookies—use them to cut sandwiches into hearts, stars and other fun shapes.
• Kids can't resist dips! Dunk fruits, vegetables, pretzels or whole wheat crackers into things like yogurt, low-fat flavored cream cheese or peanut butter. Then dip them again into granola, chopped nuts or shredded cheese.
• Plan a “New Food Night”! Prepare great tasting new foods children may not have had before, like couscous, mango, kiwi, blood oranges, pomegranates or spring rolls. Let them touch them, then explain where the foods come from along with a little history.
• Put anything in a hot dog bun—kids will eat it!

We all know that eating a good breakfast is important—especially for kids. A good breakfast can improve concentration, and lead to higher test scores and better behavior. Unfortunately, the reality is that getting kids to slow down and eat breakfast can be tough—mornings are rushed, and some kids just aren’t in the mood to eat first thing in the morning. But with a little planning, you can get your kids’ day started on the right foot. Here are a few simple ideas:

• Spread peanut butter on a piece of toasted bread or waffle, then sprinkle with dried cranberries or sunflower seeds.
• Top Pepperidge Farm® Cinnamon Swirl bread with cream cheese.
• Toast 2 slices of bread, and while the toast is still warm, place a slice of cheese in the middle. The cheese will melt from the heat of the toast, making a warm and delicious breakfast melt.
• Mix crunchy granola with your favorite yogurt and some cut-up fresh fruit.
• Make a breakfast smoothie. Try our Banana Blast Smoothie for a perfectly portable (and tasty!) breakfast.
• Make oatmeal-raisin cookie sandwiches with light cream cheese filling. For another variation, use peanut butter cookies and all-fruit jam filling.
• Core an apple and fill the center with peanut butter and raisins for a walking salad.
• Buy paper cups with lids and straws at the warehouse store for sipping fruit and yogurt smoothies on the go.
• Attach snack-size bags of cereal and nut mix to individual bottles of V8® V-Fusion® with rubber bands. Put them in a handy basket on the counter.
• In the winter, make snowman pancakes; in the summer, beach ball pancakes.
• Add a few drops of food coloring to milk for an extra colorful bowl of cereal.
• On the weekend, make a “smoothie bar” with a variety of fresh or frozen fruits, juices, yogurt and milk. Let the kids pick out what they'd like to put in their own smoothie, then buzz in a blender.

Make it easy for your child to make smart snack choices. Try packing these snacks in lunchboxes, and keep a few available for after school snack attacks.

• A simple snack of cheese and crackers, with reduced-fat cheese and whole-grain crackers, is always a hit. Those little individual cheeses are especially appealing to little hands.
• Popcorn is delicious, crunchy and filling. Pop your own, and skip the butter, or try reduced–fat microwave popcorns.
• Soup is another great snack for after school, and a good way to hear about your children’s day while they sip away.
• Dried fruit is a sweet, high-fiber snack for kids and adults alike. Just be sure to check the nutrition content. Some dried fruits (like banana chips) can be high in calories.
• Snacks like pretzels and Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers are delicious options when kids are craving something crunchy.
• Try spreading some low-fat cream cheese on a tortilla, fill it with fresh veggies and Pace® salsa, roll it up, and cut it into snack-size pieces.
• Cut up fresh fruit into chunks and set it out with a small bowl of vanilla yogurt for dipping.
• Portion snack foods in resealable bags and keep in the refrigerator and cupboard, so snacks are good-to-go right after school or an outing.
• Make homemade trail mix and keep it in a place kids can get to. Include items such as pretzels, Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers, nuts, seeds, different cereals and dried fruits.
• Leaving a bowl of ready-to-eat fruit on the kitchen counter does wonders for children—and adults! It's so easy to wander into the kitchen looking for a snack, but seeing a bowl of fruit ready to go makes healthy decisions an easy choice.

Work more vegetables into your child’s diet using these simple tricks:

• Have your child help make the salad and choose the dressings. Kids are more likely to try something they have helped to make.
• Make "veggie animals" for young children. Kids love fun food.
• Dip raw veggies in peanut butter for a snack.
• Add a sprinkling of cheese to vegetables to make them more appealing.
• Purée some veggies into a sauce for pasta or meat.
• Add chopped carrots and celery to your meatball mixture.
• Let kids help pick out their vegetables. Bring them along to the farmer's market, grocery store or your backyard garden. They can bring their own bucket or basket and will be more likely to eat (or at least try!) what they select.
• Flower pot vegetables are fun. Buy small plastic flower pots, fill them with dip (not dirt!) and do some container gardening: “Plant” carrot sticks, broccoli trees, cucumber flowers, fruits, etc.
• You've heard of potato latkes—why not make vegetable latkes with grated zucchini, summer squash or carrots?
• Children may be more apt to eat their vegetables if you mash them in with potatoes. Try cooking carrots or sweet potatoes with regular potatoes and mashing as usual. Or add spinach to the potatoes just before draining, then mash it into the potatoes.

Get the kids involved before the cooking even starts by outfitting them in their own chef's clothing! If they look like a chef, they'll be excited to cook, serve and eat. Once decked out, you won't be able to keep them out of the kitchen!

• Look for kids' cooking clothes (hats, aprons, jackets) at kitchen shops or on the Internet, then let the kids decorate and personalize them using fabric markers.
• Find small utensils for kids to use, like little whisks, rolling pins, spoons and spatulas. Give each child their own bucket or crock to put them in, then place the bucket on a low shelf that they can reach easily.
• Set up a work area just for them—perfect for keeping the kids occupied and in one spot while in the kitchen.
• Professional chefs are awarded ribbons with medals displaying achievements. Make your own award ribbons for your kids for best cleaner, most creative, best eater, etc.

Anything that piques your young eater's interest in food and cooking will help make mealtimes enjoyable, anticipated affairs. Try one or two of these tips to keep things fun for them—and for you!

• Use a three-ring binder to make a personalized kid's “cookbook.” Copy recipes and photos from the Internet, put them in the binder and give them star stickers to “rate” each recipe after making and eating it. This way kids can help plan meals for the week by flipping through their very own cookbook.
• Throw a blanket on the living room floor on a rainy day and have an indoor picnic!
• Plan a game or movie night and let the kids help make their favorite snack and finger foods.
• Dedicate one night as “Fancy Night.” Let the kids set the table with good china and full settings of silverware, then teach them proper dining etiquette, from holding the chair for Mom to eating with the proper fork. They'll thank you for it when they're in their 30s and at a business dinner!
• Have them design the menu for the night. They'll learn about ingredients, as well as build self-esteem when they get to show off their work to the rest of the family.
• Play restaurant. On casual nights, the kids can take dinner orders, deliver food and present imaginary checks. They really get a kick out of this—and it's fun for Mom and Dad too!
• Light a few candles for the table (be sure to keep them out of kids' reach). Kids really get into dinner anytime they can eat by candlelight.
• Play games during dinner to help reinforce good manners and eating habits. Whenever they say “please” and “thank you” or eat their peas, reward them points good toward taking a night off from helping set or clear dishes.
• At dinnertime, encourage conversation by asking kids to share their favorite things about different foods and cuisines. What's your favorite fruit, vegetable, drink, restaurant, Mexican meal, pizza, etc.? Why?
• Make dinner interesting by hiding something under the dinner plates (no peeking before dinner!). If they eat their dinner, they'll get the prize written on a slip of paper under the plate.
• Help kids plant an herb garden, for both eating and tending!

Kids love to get involved in the kitchen, but their safety is key. Here are some ideas to get them involved without much risk.

For kids up to age four:

• Let them help assemble simple dinner items—it's fun to sprinkle cheese on lasagna, pizza or quesadillas before they go into the oven, or tear lettuce for salads or wash potatoes or carrots.
• Kids are good at stirring items in a bowl or pitcher, such as punch, lemonade, salads and loose batters. Younger children often have fun just stirring together dry beans and uncooked rice of different colors.

For kids ages four to eight:

• Place a variety of toppings in tin muffin pans and let kids top their own salads, soups, nachos, pizzas, pastas and cookies.
• Give kids fun jobs like shucking corn, mashing avocados, peeling and slicing bananas with a plastic knife, snapping beans, etc.
• Eggs are a favorite—fun to crack, easy to stir, quick to cook. (Make sure children wash their hands after handling eggs to prevent cross-contamination.)
• Measuring is a safe and fun activity that can really help with math and counting skills. It's even more fun when you use colorful measuring cups and spoons!
• Rolling, spreading, pouring and peeling are all techniques that younger chefs can practice.
• Kids like it when adults sauté and flip things in a skillet. Give them an eight-inch skillet and let them try flipping dried beans or a slice of bread in it. They can do this at a table or counter so they don't have to be anywhere near the hot stove.

For kids ages eight to 12:

• Simple soups and casseroles are great for budding chefs to “go solo” on.
• Cooking contests are all the rage on TV. Create simple contests for older kids by supplying basic ingredients in a brown bag and letting them develop their own recipe!

Getting some kids to eat anything can be challenging at best. If you find yourself hitting a wall with them, try some of these ideas to see if they “bite.”

• Stacked foods always taste better! You can do it or the kids can stack some of their foods into towers. Same goes for skewers—for big drama, thread meats, vegetables or fruits onto bamboo skewers, then stand them in a mound of mashed potatoes! (After presenting the food, take out the skewers for kids under age six.)
• Use naturally bright ingredients in recipes, such as blueberries or raspberries for smoothies, blue cornmeal, green spinach, blue potatoes...that's right, blue potatoes! Many grocery stores and farmer's markets carry them, and they make a lasting impression!
• Whenever you have the opportunity, use fun shaped foods, such as pasta, crackers, and fruits like starfruit.
• Go mini! Kids like things their size. Try tiny tacos, burgers and sandwiches.
• Serve breakfast for dinner.
• Let kids pick out their own plates and cups to eat from.
• Have a “special” plate for days of particular importance or achievements.
• Make “walking tacos:” take a lunch size bag of tortilla or corn chips, crush slightly, then open the bag and fill with taco-seasoned meat, grated cheese, shredded lettuce and sour cream, then top with Pace® Salsa or Picante Sauce. Eat it straight from the bag with a fork! It’s a great birthday party option for older kids around the age of seven or eight—plus, it's super-easy to clean up!
• Use one slice of whole wheat bread and one slice of white bread to make a sandwich. Slice the sandwich into nine squares, then flip over every other square to make a checkerboard.

Everybody eats with their eyes. It’s the first thing you notice about any food—if it looks good, it’ll taste good. Whether you’re six or 60, good-looking food rules!

• Challenge the kids with a goal...decorate your pizza to look like a caterpillar or arrange cut-up fruit look like a butterfly.
• Make fake “sushi” rolls using tortillas, cream cheese, rice, carrots, cucumbers and avocado. Kids get their vegetables and have tons of fun rolling and slicing their very own sushi!
• If tacos, quesadillas or burritos are on the menu, arrange a variety of toppings in small dishes and let the kids “personalize” their own dinner!
• Use a cookie cutter to stamp out shapes of jellied cranberry sauce to make a festive garnish for the Thanksgiving turkey.
• Help them make pepper “pots” for dips and sauces out of a hollowed-out bell pepper.
• Show them how they can garnish platters and plates with lettuce leaves or sprigs of fresh herbs. If you have an herb garden, take them outside to pick their own decorations!
• Make a cake or a batch of sugar cookies and let the kids have complete freedom to decorate any way they’d like. Supply them with all the decorative do-dads they need (pour them into the wells of a muffin tin for easy access) and let them go wild!
• Slice brownies longer and narrower than usual to make domino shapes. Frost and top with little candies for the dots.
• Frost cookies with thin white icing (called royal icing), then make lines of frosting in a different color on top. Give the kids toothpicks or skewers to draw lines through the colored frosting to make fun designs.
• Create an ice cream topping “bar” with sprinkles, cherries and bananas, and don't forget the can of whipped cream! Kids love to dollop their own ice cream sundae with a shot of whipped cream.

Why should grownups have all the fun appetizers? These kid-friendly twists on snacks are a fun switch from the usual after-school options.

• Sprinkle cheese on a pita and broil until golden and melty. Slice into wedges and serve with Prego® pasta sauce for dipping.
• Spread cream cheese on a tortilla and fill with salami or vegetables, roll tightly, slice into 1-inch-thick rounds. Attach each tortilla roll to a baby gherkin using a toothpick to make little snails.
• Melt chocolate and peanut butter together with a little vegetable oil to make a fondue. Serve with cut-up fruit, like bananas and apples, marshmallows, pretzel sticks and graham crackers for dipping (grownups like this too!).
• Wrap smoky hot dogs in crescent rolls with American cheese and bake—perfect for a slumber party!
• Serve deviled eggs with different garnishes to fit the season. For example, at Halloween, top them with sliced olives to make “eyes;” in the summertime, use small triangles of bell pepper to make sails on a boat; or, stick two thin slices of radish or cucumber in them to make springtime butterflies.