As a parent, it is not easy to think about healthy meals that do not have meat that your children will enjoy. Besides, one of the keys to success is introducing your children to various options of foods, and vegetarian ones, in particular, to help them develop lifelong healthy eating habits. This is where Creative Pea comes in. We are a group that is dedicated to offering delicious kids’ vegetarian options. Our speciality? Developing amazing pea protein based meat substitutes.
Creative Pea’s lineup is not just packed with nutrients, very easy and quick to prepare, but is also designed to satisfy everybody at your dining table. In this article, we are going to look at some of the best meat-free dishes recipes that will definitely make your little ones happy. Get ready to add some new favorites to your weekly meal rotation!
Advantages of Vegetarian Meals for Children
Meat-free meals offer a range of benefits for children’s health and wellbeing:
- Variety in Diet: Meat-free meals can add variety to your child’s diet by presenting such vegetables, grains and legumes that they don’t usually eat.
- Nutritional Value: Of greater importance particularly in the food table, plant based foods are nutritional superfoods. They’re rich in nutrients and those include fiber, antioxidants, a whole range of vitamins which all play a part in keeping your health and well-being up to standard.
- Promoting Sustainability: We can achieve this by promoting a diet with less emphasis on consumption of meat as we educate the children on the importance of sustainable development and how their diets help to conserve the environment.
- Preventing Health Concerns:Through preventing complications such as obesity and heart disease, plant-based diets give an avenue to a lifetime of healthy living.
- Developing Palates: It helps also to introduce more flavors and ingredients into their diet, giving them more adventurous palates. It may also help them become more adventurous with foods later on.
Best Meat-Free Dishes For Kids
Now that we’ve explored some of the benefits of meat-free meals, let’s take a look at some of the delicious recipes Creative Pea has to offer:
A perfect vegan BEEFFREE hamburger!
Ingredients:
- 500 g mass prepared from the BEEFFREE mixture
- A bunch of chopped parsley/coriander
- 1 finely chopped white onion (there is an option for fried onions if you want to strengthen the flavors)
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 flat teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 tsp Bharat
- Olive oil for brushing the pita bread
Preparation:
- In a bowl, mix the mass of the BEEFFREE mixture with the rest of the ingredients.
- Knead the mixture with your hands for a minute or two, preferably by hand as you would with dough.
- Using your hands, form hamburger patties with greased hands or with a round cutter.
- Fry in a pan on a medium-low heat with a little oil, browning for about 3 minutes on each side.
CHICKENFREE nuggets
Ingredients:
70 g of chicken-like mass is ready Salt: to taste
Method of preparation:
- Take the desired amount of the mass you prepared according to the instructions written on the back of the wrapper
- Add salt and mix well (it is recommended to knead with your hand to get a uniform and homogeneous mass or with a spoon)
- watch breadcrumbs.
- In a deep pot of oil at a temperature of 170 degrees, fry the nuggets until golden
- and serve immediately hot with ketchup chips and mayonnaise
Meat-Free Ingredients Kids Love
If you are a beginner and just entering the realm of meatless cooking, you may be wondering what ingredients to incorporate into your meals. Fortunately, there is a wide selection of child-appropriate choices!
- Sweet Potatoes: They are naturally very sweet and children love them even more as they are also loaded with Vitamin A. These root veggies can be baked, mashed or made into beautiful fries, giving a healthier option to regular potatoes.
- Peas: These little green gems are not just enjoyable to munch on but also offer a generous dose of both protein and fiber. Whether thrown into a pasta or vegetable fried rice, they add some homely touch.
- Avocado: avocados are also easy to incorporate in many varied food preparations because they are creamy and satisfying to eat especially when applied in sandwiches or when used as natural thickening agents for smoothies. Full of good fats and fiber, they keep the children full for a long time and give energy.
- Beans and Lentils: These are great protein and iron sources. Their flexibility is also exhibited from the great number of uses where they can be used in several recipes, from soups and salads to even be used in baking muffins, allowing to add some nutrition value to any food.
- Tofu: A protein that is oven-baked, deep-fried, or pan-fried, and an ideal all-purpose side to go with any meal. It takes in the flavors of other ingredients while cooking and it is therefore a suitable component for various cuisines.
- Quinoa: Quinoa is particularly recommended for this purpose, as it provides perfect protein and is a good source of fibers. In some recipes, it can easily replace rice or pasta.
- Berries: These nutrient-packed bulbs contain antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber. They can be eaten on their own as a tasty snack, or in combination with cereal, or even yogurt.
- Spinach: While kids might not initially favor this leafy green, incorporating it into dishes like lasagna, smoothies, or omelets is a sneaky yet delicious way to introduce its nutritional benefits. They won’t even realize it’s there!
Conclusion
In wrapping up, it’s clear there’s no shortage of the best meat-free dishes that are sure to be a hit with your kids, especially with companies like Creative Pea leading the way. In addition to that, when you blend in a variety of colorful and healthy food, you are not only instilling proper feeding habits in your children but also helping in environmental conservation.
So, why not try some of Creative Pea’s recipes and discover how easy and tasty cooking without meat can be yourself? And if you are wondering about Creative Pea or have any questions, feel free to check out our website or contact our friendly customer service department. To happy and healthy cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can parents introduce meat alternatives to children's diets in a fun and appealing way?
Parents can introduce meat alternatives to children by involving them in the meal preparation process, letting them choose meatless recipes they find exciting, and creating visually appealing, colorful dishes. Making mealtime enjoyable and engaging, like turning it into a family cooking activity or themed meatless nights, can make the transition fun and appealing for kids.
Are there any specific health benefits for kids who consume meat alternatives?
Indeed, there are separate health effects for children who eat meat substitutes. The products of the meat alternatives are more likely to have less saturated fats and cholesterol hence contributing to the well being of the heart. Also, they give them the required nutrients such as proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals thus providing them with a very balanced and healthy diet.
How can parents ensure that their children are getting enough protein when they opt for meat alternatives?
Varieties of plant proteins incorporated in food can help parents guarantee that their children obtain adequate protein from alternative sources other than meat. This may involve, among others, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds. Observing quantities and seeking advice of health workers or dieticians regarding developing children is key in the introduction of meat-free meals to ensure protein uptake.
