Tips to Add Mediterranean Flair to Your Meals and Make Them Kid-Friendly

Spreadable, dippable: Hummus is yum-able! Credit: whitneyinchicago

Today’s post comes to you from Georgia Orcutt, program manager, Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance. If you need ideas for bringing more colors and flavors to your meals, look no further! 

No question about it. Feeding kids is a full-time job. Would you like to make that job easier? Here’s an idea that’s absolutely guaranteed to do just that, and maybe even give you time to see a movie or read a novel. Ready?

Adopt the Mediterranean Diet and provide everyone in the family the same food, today, tomorrow and for all your future meals together.

How easy is that?

We all want our kids to thrive, and this style of eating comes up as a nutritional winner again and again for kids of all ages. The Mediterranean Diet features lots of colorful fruits and vegetables (to stimulate the eyes and those little appetites!), whole grains, seafood twice a week, heart-healthy fats and some dairy products. And serving the same food to everyone in the family means no one becomes a short-order cook or constantly caters to picky eaters. Here are a few techniques, or should we say “Mediterranean Methods,” to get everyone in the family on board!

Tips for Making Family-Friendly Mediterranean Meals

1. Make small changes. If your kids are in the habit of eating foods that are high in salt, sugar or unhealthy fats, wean them gradually away from these familiar tastes.
• If hamburgers are popular fare in your household, bring home several varieties of veggie burgers and ask your family to choose their favorite.
•Use hummus instead of mayonnaise in sandwiches and wraps, and serve fresh fruit in place of sugary fruit snacks.
• The Mediterranean Diet recommends eating fish twice a week. If you haven’t been a fish-eating family, serve small helpings of mild-flavored mahi-mahi, cod, or tilapia and experiment with flavorful Mediterranean marinades using oregano, garlic, lemon juice and basil.