For all those busy moms out there! I know you are always finding it hard to make that picky eater in your family have their meals! But can you believe that you can make small changes in your meal planning that also include incorporating healthy foods plus it’s going to be tastier too! Picky eaters are usually the ones who avoid trying new foods due to appearance, taste, and texture. Fortunately, the connection between picky eaters and nutrition can be transformed into an opportunity.
By exploring a wide range of ingredients and creative meal options, you can overcome this barrier and enhance your overall nutritional intake. Planning for a last-minute meal Plans for picky eaters is going to be less stressful! Also, it will be a great treat for their taste palate as well.
Healthy meal plans for picky eaters
Divide the basics of meal preparation to make things easier! Plan your meals accordingly, and sit and think about the meals you wish to make for the whole week. Consider the likes and dislikes of the eater you are cooking for. List down the list of dishes and ingredients you need. Check whether you have everything in your fridge or pantry.
Monday
- Breakfast – Whole Grain toast and peanut butter is an excellent option for breakfast! It is super filling and drizzled with honey. For kids, you can add chocolate syrup or offer them 1 hot chocolate with milk. Serve a fruit. It can be any citrus fruit of your choice.
- Lunch – Pasta with chicken along with some leafy green veggies which are loaded with feta cheese, tomato, and avocado can be nutritious. You can also dress this salad with olive oil and vinegar.
- Dinner – Lamb chops and sweet potato mash – Trim and shallow fry the lamp chop in oil. Serve it with sweet potato mashed with some warm milk. You can also add cooked veggies to it.
- Dessert – Fresh fruit and cheese
- Snack – Nuts or seeds
Tuesday
- Breakfast – Chia Seed porridge with rolled oats and milk. You can serve it with any fruit like banana or pear.
- Lunch – Salad Wrap with boiled eggs, cheese and avocado. Add some vegetables like capsicum, carrot sticks, cucumber, or lettuce to the wrap. The wrap can be either a whole wheat tortilla or any bread of your choice. This wrap makes 2 servings. Alongside give one glass of fruit juice without sugar. Freshly squeezed is always better.
- Dinner – Baked Salmon and Veggies – Bake the salmon fillet and sprinkle it with some olive oil. Now add sesame seeds and couscous along with veggies. You can serve this with hummus.
- Dessert – Fruit salad with ice cream
- Snack – Nuts or toast with fruit jam
Wednesday
- Breakfast – Omelet with mashed potatoes. Serve hot chocolate or café later with full cream milk.
- Lunch – Make a hearty soup with some chopped veggies which include onion, celery, pumpkin, or carrot. You can serve this soup with a dollop of yogurt with any fruit.
- Dinner – Spaghetti Bolognese loaded with cheese along with 1 cup of salad with baby spinach and cucumbers with olive oil dressing is an excellent choice for dinner.
- Dessert – Fruit smoothies with mangoes berries and nuts
- Snack – Wholegrain crackers with cheese (not more than 20g)
Thursday
- Breakfast – Cereal with fruit and milk with six dried apricots and small prunes
- Lunch – Noodles with chicken. Add a cup of vegetables like carrots, spinach, or what your picky eaters love to eat. Be a bit creative in mixing and matching other ingredients to bring out a delicious lunch on the plate.
- Dinner – Veggie loaded meatballs with 2 cups of salad
- Dessert – Fruit pop. This can be made at home with fruits and Greek yogurt.
- Snacks – One fruit with a cup of hot chocolate
Friday
- Breakfast – Waffles or pancakes with a fruit on the side.
- Lunch – Pita Pizza made from whole wheat pita with mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. You can add tomatoes, green peppers, or mushrooms. Pepperoni is also an excellent choice for this homemade pizza.
- Dinner– Baked Chicken Fingers with some garlic and onion powder sprinkled on top with salt makes a fabulous choice for picky eaters. Why deep-fried chicken when you can make baked chicken fingers? Eating fried foods can increase the risk of many diseases. Instead, make this! Serve it your favorite green salad
- Dessert – Yogurt Parfait with rolled oats or muesli topped with a handful of nuts or seeds
- Snack – Smoothie of your choice
Saturday
- Breakfast – Cold fortified cereal can be anything made from whole wheat. This can offer the needed iron, zinc, and vitamin B required for the day.
- Lunch – Tuna and Quinoa Salad – Mix it with bean mix, salad veggies, cooked quinoa, and any dressing of your choice like olive oil and vinegar!
- Dinner Crock Pot salsa chicken with some veggies for that extra nourishment is needed. Make this easy and delicious dinner just by tossing chicken, taco seasoning, and salsa in your crockpot. This will be a hit for sure.
- Dessert – Chocolate avocado pudding
- Snack – Apple slices with hazelnut spread
Sunday
- Breakfast – Blender oatmeal banana pancakes
- Lunch – Chicken pasta is very easy to make. It is made just in a pan with some shredded chicken, bacon, and BBQ sauce with some Monterey Jack cheese.
- Dinner – Burger with whole wheat buns and patties made from ground turkey or beef. Add cheese to it and for the sides include sweet potatoes or regular potato fries. You can also serve fresh fruits with it.
- Dessert – Fruit crepes drizzled with honey or syrup
- Snack – Yogurt with nuts and seeds
Conclusion
Dealing with fussy eaters will not be overwhelming! These meal plans for picky eaters are curated following the simple strategy of being a bit creative. These are just ordinary meal plans but they will be satisfying and enjoyable for them. The idea is to plan and incorporate the one–like along with veggies to make meals pleasing.
