Having kids is life changing. At least, that’s what everyone has been telling us. We’ve seen friends and siblings go through it, and heard advice from sage grandparents. For years Alex and I have been waiting to see how our family would be born. And this past February, miracle baby Larson came into our lives. Since then we’ve been getting a lot of questions: both about our lives as parents and whether we’ll start to share more recipes for kids. In the spirit of covering both, here’s an update on life with a baby after 4 months, plus a few of our favorite easy recipes for kids.
A few of the questions we’re asked about life with kids:
- How are your lives different now? It wasn’t that we felt as if something were missing before he arrived, but now that Larson is here we have a new sort of joy, fulfillment, and focus. It’s hard to describe in words how joyful it is to be around this little man; it feels incredibly right, in a way we didn’t expect. We’ve also made more space in our lives for family: less work, more family time. This new rhythm feels a lot more sustainable than our previous attempt at balance.
- What is Larson like? This is our first time living with a baby, but we are pretty sure we lucked out. Larson is generally very relaxed and super smiley. Of course he has his moments, but typically he only gets whiny when he’s hungry or dirty. Most people who meet him in person remark about how chill he is, or how his eyes seem to look deep into your soul (ha!). Currently he’s fascinated with books and music. Since we already have so much in common, I can’t get enough of him! He’s a truly special person to be around.
- What’s the most unexpected thing about parenting? It might sound odd, but I expected to be a lot more sleep deprived! Because we adopted, Larson is formula-fed, which made it easy for Alex and I to share feedings, and easier for Larson to eat more at one time and gain weight faster. He’s also a great sleeper, so with those factors combined, sleep hasn’t been nearly as bad as we expected.
- What products do you love? We’re trying the minimalist parent approach and so far, so good. We have a short list of things we’ve come to enjoy; let us know if that’s a topic you’re interested in and we’ll figure out a way to get the information to you.
- How did Larson come into your life? It’s a very long story! A good recap is over on the Feel Good Effect Podcast; I happened to chat with host Robyn Downs on how we got here in an episode released this week. Listen over on Real Food Whole Life, or search for “Feel Good Effect” in your podcast app or iTunes.
Now, for the recipes! We also tend to get the question, do you have any easy recipes for kids? Here are 10 easy recipes for kids from our collection. Here, easy means simplest of the simple, yet at the same time tasty enough for adults.
1. Vegetable Hummus Tortilla Rollups
It couldn’t be much easier than chopping vegetables, spreading a tortilla with hummus, and rolling it up! It’s completely customizable based on the vegetables you have on hand, and the novelty of eating something in a rollup (or pinwheel) is hard to beat. In addition to a killer snack, if you’re looking for dinner ideas for kids, this also might be an option for little ones. To us, easy recipes for kids should also work for adults as well; this one doubles as a tasty party appetizer.
{Vegetarian, vegan. GF with GF tortillas.}
2. Simplest Creamy Tomato Soup with Star Toasts
This tomato soup recipe the simplest way we’ve found to make tomato soup from scratch. We’re pretty picky about canned tomato soup and haven’t found a brand we love. So, this homemade tomato soup fits the bill. It’s made creamy using cashews instead of dairy–and who wouldn’t love star toasts alongside? As an adult, I’m still gaga over star-shaped foods.
{Vegetarian, vegan. For GF, use gluten-free bread.}
3. Pita Pizzas
A few more substantial dinner ideas for kids: pita pizzas! Instead of springing for carry out, pita pizzas can be made in the same amount of time and are healthier and cheaper. This one features tomatoes and goat cheese, but if your kids aren’t into those flavors, try these Roasted Red Pepper Pita Pizzas instead. Or, use the same method with toppings of your choice and a purchased marinara sauce.
{Vegetarian. GF with GF pita and vegan with vegan cheese. As a note, we’ve been trying a few vegan cheeses lately that are actually decent subs!}
4. Greek Quesadillas
Another in the dinner ideas for kids category! A Mexican and Mediterranean fusion, this one’s an old favorite of ours. You might scare some kids away with the black olives, so customize the vegetables for your audience.
{Vegetarian. GF with gluten-free tortillas and vegan with vegan cheese. See vegan cheese note above. We’ve also found that quesadillas can be made with hummus instead of cheese as a tasty substitute!}
5. Cinnamon Yogurt Fruit Dip
Let’s move on to dips, shall we? Dips are an instant easy recipes for kids, since they’re quick to put together and easy finger foods. This cinnamon yogurt dip is a naturally sweet, healthy dip that is supremely simple but tastes novel.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
6. Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
Another yogurt dip, this one’s savory and made without the standard packaged seasonings! It’s all natural, simple to whip up, and incredibly tasty.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
7. Very Verde Dip
If you follow us, you’ve probably seen us post about this dip. We’ve had people call it “life changing” and beg for us to make it. It’s a hit with the kiddos too.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
8. Dark Chocolate Hummus
Here’s another dip we love to share because it’s just that good! The kids in our life love this healthy, naturally sweet chocolate dip for pretzels, apple slices, and berries.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
9. Bliss Bites
This is our most well-loved recipe. It’s basically a homemade Reese’s peanut butter cup filled with oats, and it would be a great project with kids! Keep them in the freezer or refrigerator and nibble all week long.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
10. Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse
This one’s just 4 ingredients, with a secret ingredient that will keep taste-testers guessing. Some kiddos might be wary of the mystery ingredient, so make sure picky eaters try it first (or, that they never know!).
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
Did you make this recipe?
If you make any of these easy recipes for kids, we’d love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks.
More ideas?
Do you have other recommendations for easy recipes for kids that are tried and true for your family? Please let us know in the comments.
A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living
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