Jan. 26 ~ The Salad Bar Theory of Feeding Kids

As a mom, one of my biggest clean eating challenges is feeding my often-reluctant children.

To combat this I have developed what I like to call the salad bar theory. You know those huge salad bar/buffet restaurants with the "All You Can Eat" theme? Well, we have that at home quite frequently. We have a basic item and the kids get to add their toppings/add-ins. The only rule is that they must have one food from the protein section and one food from the veggie section. Aside from that, I try valiantly to keep my paws out of it.

This morning I was delighted when DD9 jumped right in to making her breakfast her own creation. It made me realize how easy it is to expand the salad bar theory to all three meals. Here are some examples:

BREAKFAST

Bases: Oatmeal, whole grain toast or English muffin

Proteins: Variety of Nut Butters, Yogurt cheese

Fruit: Thinly Sliced Apples, Smashed Strawberries, Blueberries, crushed pineapple, sliced banana

Toppings: Honey, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, Chopped nuts

LUNCH

Bases: Wrap, pita or whole grain bread

Proteins: Hummus, Nut Butters, Thin Sliced Poultry or Steak

Veggies: Lettuce or Spinach, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Grated Carrots

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Oil & Vinegar Dressings, Mrs. Dash, Guacamole, Tzatziki

Salad:

Bases: Lettuce, Mixed greens, Baby Spinach

Proteins: Hard-boiled Eggs, Grilled sliced lean meat, kidney beans, chick peas, tuna

Veggies: Cold steamed broccoli or cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions

Toppings: Clean croutons, Oil and Vinegar dressing, Yogurt dressing, lime juice, chopped almonds or walnuts, dried cranberries, feta cheese

DINNER

Pizza:

Bases: Fresh pizza dough, whole grain pitas, tortillas

Proteins: Refried Beans, Grilled Chicken, Seasoned Ground Meat

Veggies: Pizza sauce, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Pineapple, Grated Carrot, Tomatoes, Spinach

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Olives, Roasted Garlic, Feta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Salsa

Tacos or Quesadillas:

Bases: Soft tortillas, tostada shells, hard taco shells, Pita bread

Protein: Refried Beans, Grilled Chicken, Ground Meat

Veggies: Lettuce, Spinach, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Salsa, Corn, Black Beans

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Feta Cheese, Guacamole, Plain Yogurt

You could go a lot of different directions with this: stir fries, pasta dishes - the sky is the limit! This type of meal is pretty well the most popular way to go in our house. I often use this method when we have company too - other kids seem to think it is pretty fun to pick their own stuff.

Engage your creativity and try putting out a spread for the kids. If you chop up your veggies and proteins and put them in Rubbermaid containers, you can use the same basic ingredients for several meals.