On days when you really don't want to cook try this easy grazing style dinner for the kids instead. Lots of variety of foods and it's a great way to clear out the fridge too!
We all have days when we just can't be a**ed to cook dinner! I cook for a living and I have plenty of evenings where I've completely run out of energy and making up a full dinner for the kids just feels too much. So I really do get it!
On days like this a grazing style dinner with lots of different no cook foods is brilliant. Apart from a bit of chopping it requires minimal effort and the kids absolutely love it.
Why I Love Grazing Style No Cook Dinners
- Mentally they are so much easier than cooking a full meal
- Apart from chopping up some of the ingredients they are very low effort
- It's a great way to use up lots of food in the fridge like fruit, veggies, cheese etc
- They look inviting to kids, very visually appealing and inject a little bit of fun into dinner time if you find that this meal can often be a battle
- It's a great way to introduce some new foods to fussy eaters as you only need to offer up a very small portion of every food item
What Kind Of Muffin Tin Should I Use?
Any type of muffin tin will work just fine for this - metal, silicone etc.
I'm using one of my own products - this Square Mini Muffin Tin - I find that it's fits the perfect amount of foods for the kids for dinner.
You could also use a Divided Plate or several silicone muffin cases placed on a regular dinner plate.
What Foods Should I Include In A Grazing Dinner?
This is the brilliant thing about no-cook grazing meals; you can use whatever food you have that needs using up and whatever you think your kids might like. For this one I used:
- Blueberries
- Cucumber
- Carrots
- Rice Crackers
- Hummus
- Cheese
- Strawberries
- Cocktail Sausages
- Apple
- Chocolate Pretzels
- Yogurt & Granola
- Mango
🥦 Hidden Veg Hub 🥦
Struggling to get veggies into your kids?
I have lots of info on Hidden Veg in my Hub.
Hidden Veg Dinner, Lunchbox and Snack Recipes
Tips and advice for feeding kids and help with fussy eaters
Are Grazing Dinners Good For Fussy Eaters?
100% yes!
Grazing meals like this look great to kids - they are very visually appealing. All the different foods are also separated which can have a really positive impact when trying to introduce new foods.
As I always advise, I would make the 80% of the tray foods that your child already knows and likes. And the other 20% can be new foods or foods that aren't so keen on but you are hoping they will learn to enjoy them. This keeps the meal low stress if most of the foods they see are favourite or "safe" foods.
Help With Fussy Eating
I have lots of practical Tips For Fussy Eaters here if you would like some more information about this.
Product Recommendation
Our Mini Baking Trays are brilliant for a No Cook Grazing Dinner. They come in three different shapes and fit the perfect amount of food for kids.
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