9 Salad Recipes for Picky Eaters
That’s right: salads that kids will love. That kids do love. We have four small fry at my place, and believe it or not, they’re totally becoming salad converts. These recipes are the reasons why.
Rachael Ray’s Greek Salad (pictured above)
This is one of those dishes with tons of ingredients that would work well for assembling a base ahead of time (tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing) and then letting kids add their own toppings at the table (olives, feta cheese and bell peppers).
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Cheery Cherry Tomato Basil Salad
If you ever wondered what summer tastes like, this is it! And, thanks to all those greenhouse grape tomatoes available at this time of year, you can have a preview tonight. Tip: Leave the slices of red onion whole — that way they’re just easier for kids to avoid without having to say a word.
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Spinach Salad with Kid-Friendly Shapes
This is just Kid-Friendly 101: Make it cute. Use a veggie cutter (the best $4 I’ve spent in ages) to put a few fun shapes in your salad bowl, and make sure that everyone gets at least one star (aka carrots) and one flower (aka cucumbers).
With just six ingredients, this make-ahead salad calls on a delicious combination of vinegar and sugar to wilt cucumber slices just enough for a juicy result that’s still got a perfect crunch.
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Grated Carrot Salad with Dijon Dressing
Nothing’s easier than emptying a bag of matchstick carrots into a bowl (Yay for parents!) and pouring on the tastiest little Dijon mustard dressing you’ve ever had (Yay for kids!).
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Fruit? Check. Crunchy lettuce? Check. Sweet orange dressing? Oui! This salad was inspired by the book French Kids Eat Everything and might help your kids get there too.
Straccetti: Steak & Arugula Salad
When we lived in Italy, I ordered this every time it appeared on a restaurant menu — then I figured out how to make it at home. The simple process involves thin strips of beef cooked quickly, served over bitter greens with curls of Parmesan cheese on top.
The Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Spinach Salad
Start with sizzling bacon, add perfectly hard-boiled eggs and top with caramelized onions plus a drizzle of homemade Dijon dressing.
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The Balsamic Maple Syrup Dressing That Made Our Kids Love Kale Salad
It’s all about the dressing here. Really.
Charity Curley Mathews is the mother of four small kids and founder of Foodlets.com, a site about teaching toddlers, preschoolers and kids to eat, love and even cook (!) good food. Follow Foodlets on Facebook and Twitter and you’ll never miss a new recipe or idea.