Sandwich Lunch Ideas Sandwiches are one of the go-to lunches around because they are easy. They can be very quickly become boring and it can take time for little kids to learn how to manage the mix of textures, so for all of those reasons, this post is here. You’ll find over a dozen easy sandwich ideas for lunch that you can pack for daycare, preschool, or elementary school—or that you can pack for yourself for work....
Spinach Pesto My family adores pasta (like so many families I know), and this Spinach Pesto is one of our go-to sauces. I like it because the color stays bright green, the ingredients are straightforward, and it packs a serious punch of vitamins and iron from the spinach. This is, hands down, my favorite way to serve up greens to my kids—that us adults enjoy, too. TIP: Find the rest of my favorite ways to serve greens to kids....
My kids are huge fans of buttered pasta and while we do have that regularly (comfort food for the win!), I do also like to make sure I’m offering them veggies too. (At least some of the time!) This kid-friendly soup is easy, straight forward in flavor, and is a fun way to change up their plain pasta. It reminds me of the pastina soup that my mom made for me as a kid (with tiny star pasta!...
Made with just a few wholesome ingredients, these healthy oatmeal cookies are a great baby snack. They’re also a perfect way to use up homemade baby food purees, which can be handy if you find yourself with extra. I have three main flavor options—banana, sweet potato, and apple—but you can really use any flavor of puree that you or baby likes. With a simple method and quick cooking time, you can meal prep this snack to have on hand (in the freezer, even) for babies and one year olds....
All year long, but especially in the summer, I make a lot of frozen treats and frozen dessert recipes. Part of this is simply because they are yummy, but the other reason is that they are so darn easy. Without cooking or baking, you can make snacks and desserts to share with the kids (and other adults) in almost any flavor you like. In this post, you’ll find my best popsicles (for toddlers and also baby popsicles), frozen yogurt, ice cream, frozen novelties, and more....
Ground Turkey Tacos I’m always looking for satisfying options for taco night in our house, and while we often keep that meal vegetarian by relying on beans, we sometimes incorporate less expensive proteins like ground turkey for our taco meat. This meal comes together easily in a skillet, has a veggie in the mix, and has plenty of flavor (without being too much for the kids). It’s great in taco shells, or you can even serve it with rice....
Fruit Slushie I am always looking for ways to keep the kids hydrated on warm days and offer produce in ways they might enjoy. And these slushies are a great solution on both accounts. They’re made with just 2 simple ingredients, they are endlessly adaptable in terms of flavors and fruits you use, and they are so delicious. Blending up frozen fruit and juice is a really simple way to make a slushie at home....
Lunch Wraps Whenever my kids decide they no longer want a sandwich, or I’m out of bread, we turn to wrap sandwiches. These ideas are easy to make with tortillas (any type you prefer) or flatbread and can be packed for lunch or as homemade lunch ideas. Sometimes, just a simple change can make all the difference to kids…and to us! They make an easy dinner idea, too, so save this for whenever you need it....
We usually make pancakes each Sunday, and we tend to rotate flavors throughout the year. A favorite is Pumpkin Pancakes, which are fluffy and nicely spiced from pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. I love these as a way to vary our weekend breakfast, include a veggie in our first meal of the day, and have a festive holiday breakfast option. (They work as well for Halloween Breakfast as they do as a Thanksgiving recipe for kids and as a Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Idea!...
I love serving nutritious ingredients in all sorts of ways and these frozen yogurt bites have become a fun afternoon snack we turn to in my house often. They are a simple mix of ingredients in a fun shape and form—much like my Strawberry Popsicles. This toddler snack can be served at any time of the day, and it works for a variety of ages. This is one of our favorite frozen dessert recipes and is so easy to make and the only thing to keep in mind is that the texture is best if you let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes so they soften just slightly....
Graham Crackers Recipe I absolutely would never advise you to make a food that’s readily available at the supermarket unless the homemade version was truly delicious enough to be worth the effort. And these homemade Graham Crackers? They are insanely yummy—which I admit surprised me because my kids think the store-bought ones are sort of meh. With just enough sweetness, a pleasant crunch (that’s not too firm or crisp for younger toddlers), and a wonderful flavor, these homemade crackers are a really excellent snack to share with the kids....
We love grilling AND Mexican food! If you do too, you might also want to try our Horchata, Authentic Carne Asada Recipe, Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor and Homemade Churros for dessert! Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas My first real job was in high school when I got hired to work as a server at a little Mexican restaurant in North Platte, Nebraska. I really enjoyed that job: taking orders from customers, always having a little cash in my pocket, as many fresh chips as I could eat....
For more amazing burger creations, check out our Red, White, and Blueberry Bacon Burger with Basil Aioli, Bacon Jam Burger, and our Soy-Glazed Mushroom Swiss Burger. Poblano peppers are a moderately spicy pepper often used in Southwestern cooking. With an earthy, smoky flavor and slight sweetness that is brought out by grilling or roasting the peppers until the outer skin is blackened and charred, the peppers are easy to peel and use after covering the hot, charred peppers in a dish with plastic wrap for 15 minutes....
It’s always fun to make a cake to celebrate and share with the littles and this cake is one of our favorites for toddler birthdays or a first birthday party idea! It’s easy to make, includes nutritious ingredients, is super moist, and is just sweet enough. And grownups will enjoy it too! This easy banana cake comes together in a food processor, so it’s super easy to make—even if you have the kids around while you are making it....
It might seem straightforward, but it’s surprising how many times the reason a cake turns out dry or a cookie dough is crumbly or a bread is too dense is because of inaccurate measuring techniques. This post is meant to be a helpful reference guide with in-depth information to anyone who is new to baking, wanting to become a better baker, or who has struggled with inconsistent results when making recipes....
It’s the ultimate comfort food for chilly nights, or just anytime I want something delicious! Although neither of us knew much about Hungarian cuisine growing up, since starting this culinary food blogging journey we’ve discovered that this central European country has some amazing food. I absolutely love their Chicken Paprikash, and Hungarian Goulash is one of the most delicious stews you’ll ever eat. While those recipes set the bar high, this golden-colored soup certainly did not disappoint!...
Kitchen sink cookies are really anything you want them to be and are a great way to use up random mix-ins in your pantry like partial bags of pretzels or chips or half bags of milk chocolate chips leftover from another recipe. I have made this easy Kitchen Sink Cookies recipe dozens of times and it is one of my family’s favorites! I recently made some for Paul to take to work and another batch for a planning meeting for the Girls’ Camp this summer, and I have had multiple requests for the recipe since then....
This recipe is perfect for summer, when corn season is at its peak. It will become the new star side dish at your cookouts and potlucks. It’s sweet, it’s savory, and it’s just a little bit spicy… They sure know how to make some tasty food in Louisiana, even when it comes to side dishes. Our Dirty Rice and Creole Coleslaw are two such sides. This Maque Choux has become one of my favorites for summer, because I love corn, and that’s when it is at it’s peak....
Long-time readers of this site will know of my love of all things Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday and we have thrown an annual Halloween party for well over a decade now where we invite friends and neighbors over to engage in all kinds of Halloween fun. One of my favorite approaches to Halloween recipes is to take something we already know and love like chicken pot pie and spook-ify it with those fun candy eyeball sprinkles that you can find in any craft store and most grocery stores during October....
Nut-Free Granola Homemade granola is a staple in our house. It goes so well with yogurt and it stores super well in the fridge, so we try to make a batch about once a month. But for a while when my first child was new to solids, I wasn’t comfortable giving it to her since I worried that it would be too crunchy. Enter: this granola recipe! The secret to this granola recipe is I use small seeds, which aren’t as crunchy as chopped nuts....
