Getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables is often a parents’ dream. Filled with nutrients kids need, it’s great to say “I want my kids to get the 5 a day they’re supposed to have.” But getting them to eat it is a bit harder. Sure, it’s easy in summer when fresh watermelon and other sweet fruit treats are readily available, but come fall, it’s still important to get those nutrients in your child’s diet.
The best possible way to do this is to use fresh, seasonal produce. Because seasonal produce are more affordable, and tend to be better tasting, it’s a great idea to get them to eat it. But what do you do when your child isn’t a fan of the seasonal produce available for them?
You get sneaky, and add it into foods they love already, and with these meal ideas at every stage in the day, you’ll have no problem ensuring they’re getting 5 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Featuring pumpkin puree, apples, and whole wheat flour.
The thing about kids who love pancakes is often, they love pancakes, and it doesn’t matter what those pancakes taste like if they’re covering them in their topping of choice anyway. The great thing about pumpkin pancakes is that they’re just as easy to make as regular pancakes are, and they’re perfect for kids and kids at heart.
Start by mixing 2 cups milk with 4 Tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, 4 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar. Once combined, slowly add 2 cups of whole wheat flour (you can substitute all purpose flour here if you prefer) and whisk until you have a pancake consistency– smooth, but okay with some lumps. Then, prepare as you would normal pancakes in a skillet. Consider encouraging your child to top them with nuts for added protein, or making a funny face out of favorite fruits and yogurt. Or, serve warm with cinnamon sugar butter and sliced red apples.
Harvest Rice Pudding
Features apples, cranberries, and pumpkin puree.
The thing about rice pudding is that a good portion of people who will eat oatmeal also enjoy rice pudding. And the nice thing about this rice pudding is it’s deliciously sweet, but has all kinds of good seasonal produce packed inside.
To make it, you’ll combine 3 cups of milk, 1 cup of Instant rice/Minute rice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup Craisins, 1/4 cup diced apples, a small handful of nuts, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan. You’ll bring it to a boil, stirring non-stop, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, making sure to stir it often. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 eggs, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. You’re going to temper the eggs by adding a little bit of the hot mixture into the eggs, just a spoonful at a time, increasing the temperature of the eggs slowly to avoid having scrambled eggs in your rice pudding. When the eggs are closer to the temperature of the hot mixture, stir the eggs into it, and continue to stir on low for one minute without allowing the mixture to boil. Remove the rice pudding from the heat and let it stand for 20-30 minutes, allowing the rest of the liquid to absorb before finishing with walnuts on top.
Mushroom Mini-Pizzas
Features pumpkin puree, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
If you keep scrolling down, you’re going to find a delicious recipe for dinner, a spaghetti with hidden pumpkin sauce. The thing is, that recipe makes enough servings for not only dinner, but a delicious lunch the next day. If you’re at home, use some of my homemade pizza crust with sauce, mushrooms, and cheese to make a yummy pizza. Not at home? That’s okay! My homemade pizza crust post talks about how to turn it into a homemade pizza Lunchable. Just send your child along with the hidden pumpkin sauce and some pre-sauteed mushrooms.
Seasonal Fruit Salad
Features apple, pear, and cranberry.
Looking for a delicious side dish that no one can resist? Dice apples and pears, squeezing a little lemon juice over them to prevent browning, and toss some Craisins in. Your result is a perfect seasonal fruit salad that makes a great side dish to any lunch.
Mushroom Burgers with Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
Features mushrooms and sweet potatoes.
Few things appeal to kids quite the way french fries do. Who doesn’t love fries dipped in ketchup? The best part of these sweet potato fries is that you can keep them pint-sized with a little sea salt sprinkle and dip them in ketchup, or you can adultify them for a more seasoned palate by using fresh rosemary, garlic, and sea salt.
Start by chopping sweet potatoes into french fry sized slivers. I choose not to peel mine because of the nutrients in the skins, but you do what feels right for you. Make sure they’re fairly evenly sized. I prepare about half a large sweet potato per person. Once sliced, heat some oil on the stove (olive oil is delicious for this, but if you’re short on it, any oil will work just fine). Add minced garlic, rosemary, and sea salt to taste to the oil, then throw in your sweet potato fries. Turn them occasionally until they’re nice and crisp. You may choose to add a little more seasoning before serving. These can also be oven-baked at 450 for about 20 minutes if you turn them occasionally.
As for the burgers, go ahead and make them however you prefer making burgers, whether that’s on a grill in the cool fall air, or inside in the oven. While the burgers cook, saute mushrooms in a little bit of butter on the stove, just melting the butter, putting in the sliced mushrooms, and stirring/tossing until they’re nice and tender. Top the burgers with sliced mozzarella while they’re warm, and then pile on the mushrooms!
Spaghetti with Hidden Pumpkin Sauce
Features Pumpkin Puree
Shhh… don’t tell anyone, but this sauce has pumpkin in it. And trust me, if you don’t bring it up, no one is going to notice. My incredibly picky family had absolutely no idea– I’m serious, I got loads of compliments on the sauce, and no one was the wiser when it came to the pumpkin. You might not believe me, but the tomatoes and seasonings mask it so well, that this may just become your favorite sauce year-round.
In a saucepan, stir 1 can pumpkin puree (or fresh pureed pumpkin), 1 can tomato puree, and 2 cans diced Italian seasoned tomatoes. Add in minced garlic, finely diced onion, sea salt, and oregano to taste. Stir and bring to a simmer slowly as you prepare your favorite pasta. Serve with a little mozzarella or parmesan cheese, some sliced mushrooms, and enjoy.
Trust me, I know how hard it can be to sneak seasonal produce into your family’s food. That said, it can also be very delicious. And starting small, like with the hidden pumpkin spaghetti sauce, then working your way up to the harvest rice pudding, you may just find that they’re open to trying new things as a result.
If you love fall food, you’ll want to check out the Happy Fall, Y’all: Eat board on Pinterest! It’s full of yummy recipes and foods for fall!
Follow MamaPlusOne’s board Happy Fall, Y’all: Eat on Pinterest.
What’s your favorite seasonal produce?
