The Potato – Children’s Healthy Food

Contrary to popular belief, a potato can actually be considered as part of a kids healthy diet. They provide carbohydrates (which fuels brain function and also converts to energy for activities like sports), niacin (for skin and digestive system maintenance), folate (again, good for the brain, plus this produces healthy red blood cells), fiber (to prevent constipation), B vitamins (that helps carbohydrates and niacin consumption; also maintains a healthy nervous system) and Vitamin C (for healthier hair, skin, gums and bones).

Another property of the unassuming potato is that it is low in fat and as aforementioned, is full of vitamins and other nutrients to help sustain your child’s growing body – which is probably the reason why potatoes are considered to be an American staple. Also, potatoes are versatile – you can practically do anything to them: fry, boil, mash, bake, etc. You can make them a meal in itself or as a side dish, sometimes even as a dessert.

A loaded baked potato is usually the most enjoyable way to eat a potato. After washing the potato, rub some olive oil on its skin before baking it. Bake until slightly brown. Scoop the potato out of the skin, put it in a bowl and mix it with anything ingredient your child likes.

My children usually goes with some bacon bits, salsa, ham, some veggies cut up into really small pieces that are almost minced (carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are just some of them), some butter or margarine, sometimes we put in ground beef or chicken too, and they go and top it off with cheese. After mixing, we scoop it back in the skins and we bake them until the cheese melts. Perfect heaven for the kids, and a perfect, hassle-free lunch preparation for me, since it’s already a meal in itself.

But there are other potato recipes too. Here are some of the many ways your child can enjoy a potato:

Potato Volcano.

Ingredients:

1 lbs. minced lean beef
1 egg, beaten
Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
400 grams chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder (or mixed herbs)
4 button mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 lbs. potatoes
1 pint milk, warm

Instructions:

Prepare the “rocks” first by mixing 1 pound of minced lean beef, 1 beaten egg, some Worcestershire sauce and some salt and freshly ground pepper.
Roll into small meat balls. Fry it for about 5 minutes or until they’re brown all over.
Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
Re-use the pan. Put chopped tomatoes (you can use commercially bought tomato sauce as well), a tablespoon of chili powder (or mixed herbs, if your child is into that), 4 sliced button mushrooms and chopped green bell pepper.
Add the meatballs.
In a different pan, boil 2 pounds of potatoes (put some salt in the water) for about 20 minutes or until tender. Take out from the heat, drain out the water and put in a pint of hot milk.
Mash and put in dashes of salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the potato like a volcano spewing out lava, putting a depression in the middle for your meatballs and sauce. (For children, especially picky eaters, sometimes presentation is everything.) Makes 4 individual servings.

Fries and Tomato Dip.

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen french fries or potato chips
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
salt

For the dip

4 tablespoons tomato catsup
1/4 teaspoon chili poweder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put a frozen bag of potato fries or chips in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, a dash of salt and ½ teaspoon of mixed herbs. Toss to coat.
Spread out on a baking tray and bake until crispy.
For the tomato dip, mix 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, ¼ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Serve with the fries (and you can also try to put in some vegetable sticks too).

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