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designing4you2003
07-28-2008, 09:25 PM
Hi,

I'm new to the board. I am probably about 75% raw. I have been trying to transition my children (ages 7 and 28 months) to more raw foods. My most difficult meal is lunch. I don't know what to give my children besides a salad and fruit that would be filling for them. The one day I had them eat fruits until they told me they were done but then by snack time my 28 month old was starving.

Because I don't know what to give them, as they don't like avocados (although my 28 month old will eat it when mixed with a banana) and I don't want them to get tired of eating the same salad everyday, I usually give them grilled cheese sandwiches (sprouted bread and rice or veggie cheese), almond butter/jelly sandwiches (on sprouted bread), salad and sometimes leftover dinner (rice and beans, soup, noodles).

I need help. I've looked through multiple recipe books but none of the recipes look appealing for children (as we know how picky they can sometimes be {my 7 year old is very picky}).

I would appreciate any suggestions.


P.S. For breakfast I do let them eat cereal and whole grain oatmeal only because of my fear that fruit alone won't be enough to fill them up. Before they eat I give them each a glass of juice made from carrots, apples and some greens (kale or spinach), and celery.

Thank you.

Thick
07-29-2008, 10:56 AM
What comes to mind is=

1. Let them help choose and prepare the meal. They will own it and be less critical.

2. Make lunch just another big snack time.


celery or apples w/ raw nut butters
walnut taco meat tacos
"Ritz cracker" sandwiches like eggless egg salad, nut butter & honey w/cinnamon or avacado/sprouts
chili
pizza
zucchini spaghetti

Lunch is one of the meals that I can make raw for my kids easily because usually my dh isn't around with junk or wanting to out to eat. I usually use a partition plate and give them very simple things like walnuts, grapes,avacado or whatever each of them likes. You are so lucky that they eat salad!

Rinda
07-30-2008, 09:38 AM
You can feed this as a snack or lunch....whenever you want. ;)
My children (7, 4, 2) absolutely love this:

Dilly Dip

3 cups Filtered Water
3/4 cup Raw Cashews
3/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
2 tsp Salt
8 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1 clove Garlic
3/4-1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dill (not the fresh)
8 Tbs Lemon Juice
2 Tbs Psyllium
1/2 - 1 cup Pimento or Fresh Red Pepper (Sweet), optional

Blend everything except the Psyllium in blender until smooth. Then, add Psyllium. Blend a little more. Pour into containers. Set in Fridge to thicken for several hours.

Serve with fresh cut veggies of their choice!

It's definitely worth the small effort to make this. If you're not too sure about it, just cut the recipe in half.

Also, I've never put in the red pepper yet, due to not having any. But, it's probably really good with it, I imagine.

Rinda
07-30-2008, 09:49 AM
Just as another suggestion.... if you have a dehydrator, you could make the Onion Bread found here on Raw Food Talk or the Even Better Onion Bread found at goneraw.com: http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/585-EVEN-BETTER-ONION-BREAD (I have plenty of summer squash to keep after so I use the recipe from goneraw, but I skip adding the carrots in it.)

Then, make sandwiches with that (tomato, lettuce, mustard.....)! My children really like this too!!

It's learning what works for you and your children. I, too, struggle with what to feed them at times with the raw food lifestlye.

Hope this helps a little!!!!

bsqmurphy
09-05-2008, 06:29 PM
I like the suggestion of having your kids be involved in making the decisions. Provide several RAW options to choose from so all choices are good choices.

A few more ideas...
My son (17 months) loves:
- nut pate (mock salmon & sunny are our favorites) - by the spoonful or spread on apple, in nori roll with sprouts, on raw crackers (made with walnuts, flax, zucchini)
- denser fruits: banana, fresh green coconut (can be blended with other things for flavor), avocado
- green smothie (I add avocado, nuts, seeds so it's more filling for him)
- nut/seed butters on raw crackers

I hope this helps with some ideas...
Bri.

bsqmurphy
09-05-2008, 06:31 PM
Oh - he also loves dehydrator goodies - mock chicken patties, pizza, etc. which generally have some kind of more filling/heavy nut/seed ingredients and pack well if lunch is not at home.

Bri.

MiahTay
09-05-2008, 08:39 PM
Mine are 9 & 11 yrs. old. Some of the things that have worked for us are ...

Cacao/Banana Smoothie (thick like ice cream)
Fruit Parfait (make fruit salad and blend 1/2 with some nuts and honey, then layer)
Gorilla Sandwich (hollowed out cucumber and filled with pate and veggies)
Raw Dessert of any kind
Fruit Salad with Chocolate sauce
Zucchini Spaghetti with EVOO/Salt/Pepper and sprinkled with Nutritional Yeast powdered with Sunflower seeds

Best of Luck!
Heather