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7 Easy and Healthy Recipes to Get Kids Involved in the Kitchen

Cooking with kids is a great way to expose them to new foods and teach them the importance of healthy eating. As you check out our seven recipes, look for these age-appropriate ways that children can help you in the kitchen:

2 YEARS OLD

  • Wipe tables
  • Hand items to adult to put away
  • Place trash in garbage, recycling or compost bins
  • Tear lettuce or greens
  • Rinse vegetables or fruits

3 YEARS OLD

  • Mix ingredients
  • Talk about cooking
  • Scoop or mash potatoes
  • Squeeze citrus fruits
  • Stir batter
  • Knead and shape dough
  • Name and count foods
  • Help assemble a pizza

4 YEARS OLD

  • Peel eggs and some fruits
  • Set the table
  • Crack eggs
  • Help measure dry ingredients
  • Help make sandwiches and salads

5 YEARS OLD

  • Measure liquids
  • Cut soft fruits with a dull knife
  • Use an egg beater
 

The Recipes

With these seven easy recipes, you’ll be able to include your children in the cooking process! Click a dish below for the full recipe! 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground all spice
1 cup skim milk
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Directions

  1. Lightly spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. In large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and all spice.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together milk, oil, applesauce and egg. Mix this into flour mixture, just enough to combine, but do not over mix.
  4. Stir in blueberries.
  5. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.
  6. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition Information per Muffin = 123 calories, 3 grams fat, 2 grams dietary fiber

Adapted from "Moving Toward a Plant-Based Diet: American Institute for Cancer Research"

Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers

Makes 2 – 3 servings

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (6 oz. each), each sliced into 3 pieces
1⁄2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Mix bread crumbs, garlic powder, cheese and pepper in a bowl.
  2. Dip each chicken piece into the crumb mixture, coating on all sides.
  3. Place in baking dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
  4. Bake at 375° for 35 – 40 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Nutrition Information per 2 Pieces = 146 calories, 1 gram fat

English Muffin Pizza

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

1 wheat English muffin
1⁄4 cup tomato/pizza sauce
1⁄4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1⁄4 teaspoon oregano
Optional: cooked ground turkey, chopped vegetables such as broccoli or peppers. 

Directions

  1. Slice the muffin in two.
  2. Spread the sauce on each muffin half.
  3. Sprinkle cheese on top. Top with oregano.
  4. Place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven or toaster oven at 400°.
  5. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Nutrition Information per Serving = 236 calories, 6 grams protein, 3 grams fiber

Turkey Meatballs

Makes 16 meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey – 98% fat-free
1 egg
1⁄4 tsp. parsley flakes
1⁄4 tsp. ketchup
1⁄4 tsp. basil
1⁄2 tsp. Italian seasoning
A pinch of onion powder, garlic powder and pepper

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.
  2. Form mixture into small balls.
  3. Spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  4. Cook meatballs over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, turning to cook on all sides. The inside should not be pink and juices should run clear.

Nutrition Information per 2 Meatballs = 120 calories, 6 grams fat 

Adapted from “Maine Kids Eat Smart, A Recipe Booklet Just for Kids,” Maine Nutrition Network

Tortilla Wrap

Ingredients

Flour or corn tortilla
Possible fillings include: Sliced meats or cooked meats, fish or eggs (chicken, turkey, ham, beef, pork, tuna, etc.)
Beans (black, pinto, kidney, etc.)
Chopped vegetables (peppers, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, grated carrots)
Spreads: Honey mustard, hummus, low fat sour cream, cranberry sauce, salsa

Directions

  1. Place your favorite ingredients in the middle of the tortilla, roll up, and enjoy!

Adapted from “Healthy Foods You Can Do,” Maine Nutrition Network 

Fruit Slaw

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. can of pineapple chunks
2 cups shredded cabbage
2⁄3 cup chopped apple
1⁄2 cup shredded carrot
1⁄4 cup chopped green pepper
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1⁄8 tsp. ground ginger

Directions

  1. Drain pineapple, but set aside 2 Tablespoons of the juice.
  2. In large bowl, combine pineapple, cabbage, apple, carrot, and green pepper.
  3. In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine pineapple juice, oil, honey, lemon juice, and ginger. Cover and shake well to mix. Pour over salad and lightly toss.
  4. Chill 24 hours & toss before serving.

Nutrition Information per Serving = 104 calories, 4 grams fat, 3 grams fiber

Adapted from the “Better Homes & Gardens New Dieters Cookbook” (1992)

Broccoli Salad

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1⁄2 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
1⁄2 cup low fat Italian dressing
2 Tbsp. dry-roasted sunflower seeds

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss to coat.
  2. Refrigerate 1–2 hours to allow flavors to blend.
  3. Toss, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information per 1 ⁄ 4 Cup Serving = 75 calories, 3 grams fat, 2 grams fiber

From the Let's Move Pittsburgh Blog

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Making healthy choices while dining out calls for tough decision making, but we have some tips to ensure you have a nutritious meal.

Fiber is an essential nutrient, and it is important that we eat enough each day for it to work at its full potential.

Let’s Move Pittsburgh Healthy Lifestyle Tips, Recipes and Resources for Your Family

About Let's Move Pittsburgh

Let's Move Pittsburgh — modeled after Former First Lady Michelle Obama's national Let's Move! campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of healthy foods, increased exercise and decreased screen time — is a program of Phipps and a collaborative effort to improve the health of children in southwestern Pennsylvania. Engaging communities with an interest in and a capacity for making a difference, Let's Move Pittsburgh ultimately seeks to better understand childhood health issues, and then tackle them with a unified approach that anyone can follow to meet a common goal. 

Let's Move Pittsburgh Is Sponsored in Part By

Visit the UPMC MyHealth Matters Blog for More Health Tips

Select photos © Mark Regan, Paul g. Wiegman