Potatoes are a standard of the American diet. This is due to the fact they are such a handy food. Potatoes can be boiled, fried, mashed, baked, or turned into chips. We won’t be frying any potatoes today, but by using the other ways a potato can be prepared, you can turn it into a meal your kids will love.

Let’s prepare a baked potato deluxe. To make the skin of the potato peel back easier rub them with olive oil before you bake them. I personally like that better than using the aluminum foil wrap. I’ve seen people cut the potato prior to removing the aluminum and I wonder how many small pieces of that aluminum are in that potato. While the potatoes are baking, enlist the help of your children to help you prepare the potato bar. Let them add a few of their favorites to your list. I would recommend that a good list start with: shredded cheese, bacon crumbles (they taste better than bacon bits), chopped green onions, salsa, butter spray or reduced calorie margarine, and sour cream. While the potatoes are still hot, split them open and add the butter spray and the cheese to allow it a chance to melt. Then, add the other items if desired. This loaded baked potato doesn’t require anything else unless you want a salad. Kids will like that fact that they get to fix their own meal.

For a lighter lunch, scoop the potato out of the baked skins. Mash the potato and mix it with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, green onions, and reduced-fat margarine. Refill the potato skins and bake again until the cheese is melted. Cut the potato into four pieces to make it more manageable for your children to handle. These twice baked potatoes are yummy.

Soup's On! Potato soup is tasty. It is best in the fall or winter to warm you up on a chilly day, but on a spring evening, it can be a nice change of pace. But, potato soup can be bland with only the potatoes. Here’s another chance to make a meal for your children using a potato. Add a few tasty items to your soup. You can almost add the same things to the soup that you can add to top a baked potato. My favorite toppings for potato soup are shredded cheese, broccoli florets, bits of ham or bacon, chives, and green onions. The meat gives it more protein to sustain your kids until the next meal. Potato soup can be consumed as a lunch meal or a light dinner. All of the additions give it great taste for the children.

The potato even works in a salad. Everyone makes their potato salad with subtle variations, but however they do it, it is great to eat on a warm summer’s day for lunch. Potato salad is generally a side dish item at picnics or housewarming parties. Now we will transform it into a light meal for the children and you. To add a little crunch, add chopped celery and onion to the salad. For the meat, use sliced shrimp for a seafood twist or ham cubes. The potato chunks should still be the biggest thing in the bowl since it is the main character of the dish. Mayonnaise and mustard round out the list of ingredients with salt and pepper added to taste.

Potatoes are delicious and wallet friendly. There are so various ways that they can be cooked which contributes to their appeal. If you are looking for a way to fix them that will be yummy and satisfy your kids, try the ideas above along with some of your own.

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About The Author:  Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning. Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! Click here to receive your Free Sample Menu And Grocery List.

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