As someone who loves pretty much ALL the fruits and veggies, I typically only love salads in the warm months. Recently, I’ve been on the hunt for some kid-friendly salad ideas. (Because, kids!)
Memorial Day is behind us and summer has unofficially kicked off. For our family, that means it’s salad season! Everyone in the family is craving lighter, seasonal foods. (ALL. THE. STRAWBERRIES!)
Build-Your-Own Salad: A Kid-Friendly Activity for Summer
We recently got a chance to try out some fun products our friends Greenjoy sent us. We set up a “salad bar” for the kids and let them build their own plates. I know what you’re thinking. “My kids won’t touch a green leaf with a ten-foot-pole!” Simmer down. They might surprise you. Plus, if they’re not exposed to something, they’ll NEVER learn to like/love it.
Tips for Trying out A Kid-Friendly Salad Bar
Here are some tips that may help. I’m going to preface this by saying I’m not an expert. I’m not a dietician or a chef. This sister is just a remarkably average mom with three kids who sometimes finish all their veggies. That said, here are a few suggestions for getting kids to try something new.
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1.) Serving everything family style gives kids a sense of agency. They love to make their own choices! You can control the ingredients you put out, but let kids fill their own plates or bowls. I chose to use the RePlay divided plates, because sometimes deconstructed versions of dishes work better than everything mixed together.
2.) We offered plenty of fruit. So much is in season right now, and it can make eating the green stuff more appealing. 🍓🍍🍊 We chose an organic salad spring greens mix, a container of organic baby spinach, organic strawberries and blueberries, and diced pineapple and mandarin oranges. I like to keep a ton of fruit options washed and ready to eat in these simple prep containers.
3.) The superfood mixers from @greenjoylife added crunch, a big pop of flavor, and of course added superfood nutrients. They are packed with nuts and seeds. Everyone’s favorite flavor? Classic Garlic! (Followed closely by Cinnamon Coconut!)
4.) Have a few dressing options. We really loved the Orange Poppyseed with these salads, but the Pomegranate Balsamic was a close second. I love that the dressings are olive-oil based with no yucky fillers. They have 10 flavors to try!
We also added the honey goat cheese log from Aldi into the mix. It’s soooo creamy and delicious.
Break Up Dinner Monotony w/ Family-Style serving
We find ourselves turning more and more to family-style dinners. The kids just have so much fun picking out their own ingredients. Even if it’s just the extra raw veggies we try to serve with either lunch or dinner, I’m continually surprised with how many veggies they choose on their own. This kind of “dining experience” also works great for taco night or build-your-own pizza night.
Keep an open mind. Know that things will most likely get messy. It’s not something you have to do every day. Break it out on a yucky rainy day, a weekend night, or a special occasion. It’s a great way to break up the monotony of being at home ALL. THE. TIME! (And you can still stay in your slippers most of the day… 😉 )
Try it Out at Home!
Do you think your crew would be into this kid-friendly salad bar? It was so much fun! 🥗🥰 P.S. You can pick up Greenjoy products at @wholefoods , @publix, @wegmans & more. Besides salad dressings and superfood mixers, they also offer “pressed salad bars”! You can buy those online here.
Looking for more kid-friendly food ideas? Try these Trail Mix Oat Bites or one of our kid-friendly Aldi meal plans.
Help a sister out 😉 Please pin or share this idea to your favorite social media channel! Thanks friends!
