Healthy and Fun Family Recipes

As parents and caregivers, you make a big difference in what your kids think and do. When children see you making healthy choices—such as eating right and being active—there’s a good chance they’ll do the same.

Nutritious food doesn’t have to be bland or take a long time to prepare. Get the whole family to help slice, dice, and chop, and learn how to cut fat and calories.

To reduce fat content in meals, try these tips: Choose fat-free or low-fat milk products; add salsa on a baked potato instead of butter; try baking, broiling, boiling, or microwaving instead of frying; choose lean cuts of meat; and remove and don’t eat the skin from cooked chicken or turkey.

For inspiration, NIH offers a series of more than 60 healthy and Fun Family Recipes—including oatmeal pecan waffles, pita pizza, barbecue chicken, and oven french fries. Download free 4-by-6-inch recipes cards or full-page PDFs of healthy options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.