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Do you ever wonder what kind of plant-based recipes kids will likely want to eat up without a fuss? Here I have some recipes to share with you of my own as well as submitted by a few of my food blogging friends!

If you are starting from scratch with picky kids, first read my article 5 Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Plant-Based Meals. These plant-based recipes for kids are in a random order, but are each denoted as “Transitional“, “Economical“, and/or “Easy“. “Transitional” is a good option for picky kids; “Economical” is cheap to make and double servings; and, “Easy” is well… easy! 😉

Transitional

Economical

Easy

Transitioning Your Kids to Plant-Based Recipes for Kids

good option for picky kidscheap to make and double servingseasy to make, even the kids can do it!

Depending on how picky your kids are currently, you may have to start out slow. Try incorporating some vegetables into your child’s favorites, such as adding onions and bell peppers to spaghetti or steamed cauliflower to mac and cheese. Also, kids are drawn to food that is “fun”, so being creative with shapes and presentation of the food can be very helpful. You can make a face on all kinds of dishes and use cookie cutters to form shapes! I have denoted dishes as “Transitional” if they are good picks for your first plant-based recipes for your kids. Many of them will be devoured by your picky eater.

Plant-Based on a Budget

At the time of this writing, we are facing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic around the world. Due to this, it’s more important than ever that we pay close attention to our health. Immunity is heavily influenced by how we treat ourselves and what we put in our bodies. Also, due to the pandemic, people are more worried about their cost of living.

There is a common misconception that plant-based groceries are expensive. If you stick to basic whole food ingredients, you can save some serious money. The less prepared it is when bought, the more affordable it generally is. A bag of brown rice and dry black beans is a whole lot cheaper than a pound of chicken. Bananas as a snack (or other in season fruit) are cheaper than beef jerky. Cheese of decent quality is never cheap! For some plant-based grocery ideas see Plant-Based Diet Grocery List.

Produce purchases can add up if you aren’t smart about what and where you shop. In season and locally sourced are going to be the most cost-effective. The farmer’s market is usually going to be more affordable than your health food store. I’m also a huge fan of services that deliver produce that didn’t make it to the grocery store! These services are affordable and good for the environment. I have been in love ❤️️with my Misfits Market produce deliveries.

Use this code for 25% off: COOKWME-GW8YHS.

The plant-based recipes for kids you decide to make can also affect cost. I sometimes like to cook recipes with more “exotic” ingredients, but there are plenty of plant-based / vegan or vegetarian meals that you can cook on a budget. You may also want to make plant-based recipes for a large family or make enough for leftovers the next day. Cost per serving can be quite affordable with some of these recipes. The ones I think have affordable ingredients (even when doubling the servings) are denoted as “Economical”.

Plant-Based Recipes for Busy Families & Plant-Based Recipes Kids Can Cook

There are plant-based recipes for kids of all different levels of expertise and time availability. Most of us with kids are busy. Unless, you just feel like cooking a gourmet meal and have the spare time (what is that), busy families are likely looking for recipes that are simple, quick, and easy. The recipes below that I think are relatively effortless are marked as “Easy”. Some of them with oversight your kids can cook!

Chia Berry Maple Syrup Easy

Transitional Picky eaters! Listen up close as I am about to share with you an amazing and unique maple syrup recipe. You can make healthy and nutritious Chia Berry Maple Syrup at home, and the kids will love it! I always like to think of new ways to top my Fluffy Whole Wheat Vegan Pancakes and waffles. When I came up with this recipe, it simply made everyone’s day in the house! I even use this syrup to garnish a number of my favorite vegan desserts and vegan snacks – such as toast or chia pudding. With this syrup, you can enhance all your favorite vegan treats. Chia Berry Maple Syrup Recipe

Fluffy Whole Wheat Vegan Pancakes Easy

Economical

Transitional These fluffy pancakes are dairy-free, egg-free, and 100% whole grain. They are so fluffy, you won’t know the difference! I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different kinds of pancake recipes and most of them have been awesome, until I came up with these fluffy whole wheat vegan pancakes! I was worried that baking powder wasn’t good for you, so I was avoiding it altogether. I did a little research on the science behind how to get baked goods to rise and if there are any health concerns in regards to consuming it. Looks like we are in the clear! It’s really necessary to use baking powder or baking soda with something acidic for fluffy pancakes – in this case, the apple cider vinegar. Fluffy Whole Wheat Vegan Pancakes Recipe

Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad with a Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette Easy

Transitional This watermelon berry fruit salad is a refreshing treat that can help you endure the heat this summer. This salad offers you all the right nutrients that you need for healthier living. The thing I like the most about this recipe is that it only takes a few minutes to prepare. All you need to do is prepare the fruit and the refreshing lemon vinaigrette. Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad with a Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette Recipe

Kombucha Smoothie – Boosting ‘Bucha, Berry, Banana and Beat Easy

Transitional This mood boosting smoothie is a lovely marriage between two of my favorite things – kombucha and smoothies! I am addicted to kombucha. Kombucha contains probiotics since it is fermented and consuming it improves the health of your microbiome. Since the gut and the mind are connected, a healthy gut means a good mood. Well, that’s why I think I just can’t get enough! Kombucha Smoothie – Boosting ‘Bucha, Berry, Banana and Beat Recipe

Homemade Spicy Nacho Doritos Seasoning for Healthy Snacks Easy

Economical

Transitional Trying to avoid butter and oil can be hard when you are trying to follow a whole food plant-based diet. Especially when avoiding it compromises having your favorite snacks, like tortilla chips and popcorn. Try this Spicy Nacho Doritos® seasoning recipe and you won’t miss the junk food! This homemade copycat Spicy Nacho Doritos® Seasoning is easy and light. What you spray on your snack to get it to stick is up to you. You can use spray oil and try to keep it light, or you can spray it with diluted lime. Homemade Spicy Nacho Doritos Seasoning for Healthy Snacks Recipe

Strawberry Detox Lemonade Easy

Transitional A refreshing and healthy detox drink is a thirst-quenching and nutritious way to hydrate and recover this summer. If you are wondering where you can buy detox drinks, then don’t! This strawberry detox lemonade is a simple and easy detox drink recipe that you can prepare at home quickly. This is one of my favorite summer drinks as it has naturally detoxifying ingredients that boost metabolism and make your skin glow. I have been trying some other detox drinks recipes as well, but this strawberry lemonade has some amazing benefits. While kids might not need the “detox”, it’s a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional lemonade. Strawberry Detox Lemonade Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies Easy

Economical

Transitional Craving pumpkin pie as the fall season approaches and looking for a quick whole food-on-the-go breakfast recipe to fuel your run, cycle, swim, or just life!? Look no further! These Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies (with Dark Chocolate) will curb those pumpkin pie cravings with a healthy alternative cookie recipe and give you a quick energy boost for your endurance training! Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies Recipe Next Page > Also, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any future recipes: Join my email list Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

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