Do you have a child that is against eating seafood? If yes, then this blog post will show you 8 creative ways to serve seafood to your kids. However, kids are notoriously picky eaters and they know what they like and what they don’t like. Many parents worry about how to get them on board with eating healthy and well-balanced meals. Try out the ideas below and you’ll see it’s actually easy to get your kids to like seafood, while getting the awesome benefits like the protein in salmon, and the omega-3s in cod.
#1 Seafood Sandwich
If you’re looking for a simple and delicious recipe, the seafood sandwich is perfect.
This can be made with canned tuna or crab meat. Spread it on bread along with lettuce leaves, pickles (optional), sliced tomato, mayonnaise, and salt/pepper to taste. If you want to make this even more appetizing, cut up some celery sticks and cucumbers too! This will make eating healthy enjoyable as well as easy for your child’s palate.
If you prefer to make an authentic seafood roll, you can order the Jonah Crab roll kit from Get Maine Lobster which comes with 2 Lbs. of flash frozen, sweet minced Jonah Crab meat, with 8 locally baked New England style “split-top” rolls.
#2 Seafood Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza? The next time you’re looking to cook some seafood for your kid, try using it as a topping on a pizza!
This one is especially good for those days when you are looking to make your children their own dinner or lunch and don’t have the time, energy, or ingredients to do anything else too elaborate! All you need is some canned tuna; just mix it with tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese (optional), mozzarella cheese (optional) as well as any other toppings that they may enjoy such as bell peppers, onions etc., then spread it on top of bread dough in a circular motion before baking which will give your child an opportunity to create their very own seafood pizza. What’s even better? You can serve this dish hot or cold depending on what suits your needs best.
#3 Seafood Taco
Seafood tacos are a great way to introduce more seafood into your child’s diet because it is a familiar dish that they are sure to enjoy! All you need for this one are flour tortillas along with any other taco toppings such as tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream. You can then top these with cod, salmon, or shrimp with a hint of lemon juice for a fresh summertime meal.
#4 Teriyaki Seafood
If you’re finding it difficult to get your kid to get seafood, try making them something a little sweeter than usual. Teriyaki sauce is a great crowd-pleaser with a sweet and tangy flavor that will have your kids begging for more! All you need to make this dish are rice noodles, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, or coconut aminos. Add red pepper flakes and honey if you want an extra kick of sweetness in the mix too!
Then all you do is add whichever seafood suits your fancy: chunks of cod or salmon work well here because they cook quickly with some veggies such as broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and onions tossed into the wok with them. Serving your teriyaki seafood in a bowl also adds an additional level of fun, as your kids get to dig in with their forks and discover all the ingredients hiding underneath the fish.
#5 Seafood Nuggets
Chicken nuggets are one of those foods all kids love. Shaping battered fish into nuggets is a great way to bridge the gap from familiar to new. Besides being fun, it’s a great way to ensure that they’re getting essential omega fatty acids in their diet. And just like the chicken ones, you can customize them with zesty spices and different dipping sauces for endless fun.
#6 Fish Burger
Fish burgers are a great way to mix up your meat-centric meals. Serve them on buns with some avocado, lettuce, and tomato for an easy summer meal that’s easy to make.
#7 Fish Sticks
Fish sticks are a delicious alternative to chicken strips and are a great way to introduce seafood into your kids’ diet. Whether you fry them or bake them, these crispy strips of goodness will make their taste buds wonder what they’ve been missing all this time. Serve with some tartar sauce for dipping and never look back!
#8 Sauces
Dinner with your kids can be a fun activity. If you need to get your kids excited for seafood night, try making a game out of it! Put all the fish in one bowl with some sauces and have them pick which ones they want to eat first. This will help cater to their specific tastes while also getting them excited about what’s coming next.
Keeping things interesting is key when cooking food that can sometimes be too bland or boring. Keep exploring new spices and flavors by adding different herbs such as dill, tarragon, or thyme into the mix. Experimenting can lead not only to better tasting dishes but healthier meals as well.
Closing Thoughts
These days it seems like kids have a different opinion on everything from what they want for dinner to their favorite TV show, even the clothes they wear or activities they do outside of school. However, you’ll find seafood can be an easy way to introduce something new into your child’s diet without them realizing it at first.
Seafood is a great source of nutrients, and many parents should try to incorporate them into their kids’ diet. Seafood is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals that are crucial for kids to grow up strong and healthy!
