Fun Summer Recipes Kids Will Love

It’s always hard to make a dinner that will please your children, especially if you have more than one picky eater, and time is scarce. Luckily, in the summer months, there are tons of really fun food options that your kids will really love, even if you’re no gourmet chef. Try to choose recipes like these that are healthy, satisfying, and (perhaps most importantly) loved by your entire family:

Quesadillas

These are great for a whole slew of reasons: they’re insanely easy to make, fun to eat, and you can put just about anything in them. Plus, you can use different dips to add variety to the taste and make them more fun to eat.

When I make them myself, I usually just mix together chicken breast, peppers, green onions, and cheddar cheese served with guacamole, sour cream, and Newman’s Own Mango Salsa (I’m addicted).

Healthy Burger

Yes, we all love juicy burgers, but, let’s face it, sometimes, they’re not all that great for you. This recipe for Greek Bison Burgers, from Eatingwell.com, is still in keeping with the traditional food your kids crave, but is a heck of a lot healthier. And don’t be intimidated by this ingredients list, these delicious burgers only take about an hour to prepare and cook.

Burgers:

1 lb Ground Bison

½ cup Cooked Spinach, Squeezed Dry

½ cup crumbled Feta

2 tsps Chopped Fresh Dill

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Minced Garlic

¾ tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

Yogurt Sauce:

¾ cup Non-fat Greek-style Plain Yogurt

1 tsp Freshly Grated Lemon Zest

2 tsps Lemon Juice

1 Tsp Chopped Fresh Dill

1 tsp Chopped Fresh Mint

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Pepper

Kabobs

Kabobs are super fun – they’re on a stick – and can be really healthy. My mother used to make this recipe which is delicious, super quick, and delightful to eat.

2 tsp Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

2 tsp Dijon

1 tsp Grated Lemon Zest (I really like lemon, so I usually squeeze fresh lemon juice in as well)

1 tsp Fresh Thyme or Rosemary (I do a tsp of both)

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Ground Pepper

1-1½ lbs Beef Steak Tips

1 Bell Pepper

1 Vidalia Onion

The recipe doesn’t call for mushrooms, but I usually add those in as well as different colored peppers because, well, it makes the skewers look pretty.

So, to make the marinade, mix all the ingredients listed above the beef together in a bowl. Cut the beef, onion, and peppers into 1” pieces and place into a large Ziploc bag. (If you opt to use mushrooms, I just leave them whole). Pour the marinade into the bag, seal it, and sort of mix everything together by moving the bag around. Place this in the fridge for anywhere between 2 and 24 hours, and try to rotate it if you remember. When you’re ready, arrange them on skewers. If someone doesn’t like a certain vegetable, obviously, you can make skewers specific to tastes– or better – let them make their own! Everyone can choose exactly what they love and have fun in the process.

About the Author: Katie Straw is the Gourmet Scribe at GourmetGiftBaskets.com, one of the top suppliers of gift baskets in the nation, and currently resides in Manchester, New Hampshire.