Cooking healthy and delicious food is a specialty of ours at Aurrum Kids. Our child care educators understand the importance of a healthy diet in child development and make careful choices to encourage healthy eating in each child. After all, food is what provides our young learners with the energy they need to make the most out of their daily activities.
Looking for some tasty and healthy food meals for toddlers and children to try out in your kitchen? Here are 10 of our favourite recipes at Aurrum Kids that children love to not only eat, but also help prepare.
Oodles of noodles
Oodles of noodles is a snack that is equally as fun to eat as it is to say out loud. This grain-based meal is fantastic for a picnic or on-the-go lunch. Serve in individual noodle boxes if you’re looking to make glamorously presented healthy toddler meals.
Ingredients:
- Noodles
- Lean shaved ham
- Corn
- Carrots
- Peas
Method:
- Pour water into a pot. Once it starts to boil, add in dried noodles.
- After the noodles are softened, remove from the stove and drain.
- Mix noodles with lean shaved ham and veggies (corn, carrots and peas).
Veggie roll ups
Healthy, tasty and perfectly portable – veggie roll ups are truly the triple threat of the snack world.
Ingredients:
- Wholemeal bread
- Hummus or avocado
- Piece of lettuce
- Chopped carrots
- Chopped cucumber
- Sliced tomato
Method:
- Spread mountain bread with hummus or avocado and top with lettuce, carrots, cucumber and tomatoes.
- Roll up firmly, cut into portions and serve.
Bananas in pyjamas
You can’t discuss healthy toddler meals without bringing up bananas in pyjamas, Bring the classic TV characters to life (or food) with this tasty snack that’s jam packed with potassium.
Ingredients:
- Slice of wholemeal or wholegrain bread
- Margarine
- One peeled banana
Method:
- Spread a slice of wholemeal or wholegrain bread with margarine and wrap around a whole peeled banana.
Pita chips
Pita chips are great to snack on alone or, if you’re feeling particularly hungry, they can transform into nachos with a dollop of baked beans.
Ingredients:
- Pita bread
- Grated cheese
Method:
- Cut pita into triangles, sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake until crispy.
Vegetable pikelets
Vegetable pikelets are fantastic as a warm entree to healthy toddler meals or as a morning snack when served cold with tzatziki.
Ingredients for 5 servings (10 pikelets):
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 teaspoon of parsley flakes (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon of paprika (optional)
- ½ cup of cornflour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 cups of zucchini (grated) or spinach (finely chopped), drained
- 25mg of margarine
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
Method:
- In a bowl, whisk together egg, water, parsley (if using), paprika (if using), cornflour and baking powder. Mix in zucchini.
- Heat margarine and oil in a fry pan. Place tablespoons of mixture into the pan and cook both sides until golden. Remove from the pan. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
Little pizza people
Time to get creative! Roll up your sleeves and get ready to unleash your inner Picasso by making Little Pizza People.
Ingredients:
- Pita bread, crumpets or muffin halves
- Tomato paste
- Your favourite pizza toppings (e.g. ham, mushrooms, tomatoes, pineapple, olives etc.)
Method:
- Spread small pita breads, crumpets or muffin halves with tomato paste and make a face using grated cheese and toppings (e.g. chopped ham, mushroom, tomato and pineapple).
- Bake or grill until hot and bubbly.
Herb and garlic bread
Few snacks can hold a light to the crispy, delicious garlic bread. Transform your dishes into healthy meals kids love with this delicious side that takes a unique twist on the classic garlic bread by introducing a new ingredient: fresh pesto.
Ingredients:
- Finely chopped basil
- Chopped parsley
- Clove of garlic
- Pinch of pepper
- Virgin olive oil
- Wholemeal bread, damper or pita bread
Method:
- Combine basil and parsley with garlic, pepper and extra virgin olive oil and blitz in a food processor.
- Spread the mixture onto sliced wholemeal bread, damper or pita bread and oven bake for 5-8 minutes.
Chickpea curry and rice
When it comes to healthy meals for babies and toddlers, few dishes can hold a light to curies. This hearty dish is perfect for warming up on a cold winter’s day. Eat it alone or serve alongside other curries for a smorgasbord of flavour.
Ingredients for 6 serves:
- 1 cup of uncooked rice
- 1 small brown onion
- 1 clove of chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1 x 400g can of salt reduced canned tomatoes
- 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas
- ¼ cup of natural yoghurt
Method:
- Cook rice according to packet instructions.
- Pulse garlic and ginger in a food processor until minced. Scrape down the sides and pulse again. Add onion; pulse until finely chopped but not watery.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Pulse tomatoes in the food processor until finely chopped. Add to the pan. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add chickpeas and garam masala, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more.
- Serve with rice and yoghurt.
Broccoli and pumpkin frittata
The broccoli and pumpkin frittata proves that deliciousness and nutrition can exist together in perfect, egg-based harmony.
Ingredients for 6 serves:
- 1 large peeled potato
- 1 small onion
- 200g pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon of olive or canola oil
- 1 cup of broccoli florets
- ½ cup of grated cheese
- 4 eggs
- 3 medium wholemeal pita bread slices
- 3 leaves of lettuce
- 1 medium tomato
Method:
- Boil potatoes until just cooked. Remove from water and allow to cool.
- Cut the pumpkin into 2cm cubes and roast.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Peel and chop onions.
- Cut broccoli into small pieces
- Slice cooked potatoes.
- Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Sauté until soft but not brown.
- Add pumpkin, broccoli and sliced potato, and gently stir through.
- Place mix into an ovenproof dish.
- Sprinkle grated cheese over the mix.
- Whisk eggs in a separate bowl, and pour evenly over vegetables and cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve with half a medium pita bread per child, and lettuce and sliced tomato.
Sweet potato cottage pie
Forget everything that you know about the traditional cottage pie. This recipe demonstrates that the humble sweet potato can transform a classic dish into the best version of itself.
Ingredients for 6 serves:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 carrots
- 500g of beef mince
- 1 cup of button mushrooms
- 2 zucchinis
- 1x400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup of water
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (low salt)
Method:
- Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and mash (add a small amount of milk if thinner consistency is needed).
- Finely dice onions, dice all other vegetables into 1 cm cubes or grate.
- Heat oil in a pan, add onions and carrots. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Add mince and brown.
- Add mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, water and tomato paste. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Place the mince mixture in a baking dish and spread the mashed sweet potato evenly over the top, sprinkle grated cheese over.
- Bake at 2000C for 20-30 minutes or until the mince mix is bubbling and the top is golden.
- Serve topped with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Healthy eating in our Aurrum Kids menu
Healthy eating plays a crucial role in child development, which is why the team at Aurrum Kids goes above and beyond to ensure that children develop healthy eating habits during their time at child care. In addition to creating a nutritious menu that incorporates the recipes listed above, our educators make a concerted effort to teach the children in fun and interactive lessons about the importance of nutrition. To find out more about how Aurrum Kids encourages healthy eating habits, explore our menu here.