Recipe Repertoire – A collection of go-to websites for kid-friendly recipes and more

By Brittany Sinensky

In the sea of resources on the internet, we often become overwhelmed with the amount of information available to us, including sources of healthy cooking tips and recipe ideas for kids.  It’s true I don’t have my own little ones just yet – but I do have some valuable, recent nannying experience for three kids whose palates were pickier than the next.  My commitment to proving to my employers (aka parents) that their kids would eat a diverse array of foods, along with my studies of nutrition and dietetics over the past three years, led me to find and often utilize these great websites for the kiddos … (and, admittedly, often for myself):

• ChopChop (http://www.chopchopmag.org/) – A nonprofit corporation, ChopChop’s mission is to inspire kids to cook real food with their families, with a vision towards reducing childhood obesity.  Many of their kid-focused recipes are available on their website; however, they also offer a quarterly hard-copy magazine (in Spanish and English) that can be purchased for $14.95 for a 1-year subscription or $24.95 for a 2-year subscription.  Think of it as a perfect holiday gift!
• Green Lite Bites (http://greenlitebites.com/) – A great source of lite (as the name implies) recipes that are good for children and families alike.  The website is not solely designed for little ones, but there is a great kids section which details the trials and tribulations of trying to pack a healthy, appealing lunch and what actually makes it into the belly versus what comes home.
• Kids Eat Right (http://www.eatright.org/kids/) – A reliable source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information for children, kidseatright.org is a joint initiative from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation that supports the efforts of the White House to end the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation.  It provides articles, recipes, tips, and lots more for kids of all ages – from newborns to teens.
• Super Healthy Kids (http://www.superhealthykids.com/) – A website and blog run by two Nutrition Educators who have kids of their own.  By “liking” Super Healthy Kids on Facebook (look for their signature strawberry icon) you can scroll through their posts of delicious, simple recipes and timely tips for school lunches, quick dinners, etc.

Brittany Sinensky was an intern with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program during the Summer of 2013 and is currently a Dietetic Intern at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.  She grew up on Long Island and received her BS in Nutrition from C.W. Post, Long Island University in September 2012.