I’ve put together the perfect list of healthy food recipes for those picky eaters who are focused on losing weight and looking to eat better. You see, you can find all kinds of healthy-sounding food recipes online (or from magazines or TV shows) that may have too many calories or too much fat to be considered truly “healthy”. While these are well-meaning suggestions, they often result in meals that aren’t practical for people who really want to lose weight.
Healthy Food Recipes To Lose Weight For Picky Eaters
Are you on a diet, ravenous, and a fussy eater? You’re in for a treat then, great! These 34 delicious and nutritious low-calorie meals are perfect for picky eaters, I assure you. And these low-calorie, low-fat meals for picky eaters have you covered whether you’re hungry breakfast, dessert, or anything in between!
For the majority of us, eating well is not always easy. It takes more planning and effort than just grabbing anything from the vending machine, picking whatever appeals to you on the menu, or making your go-to comfort meals. If you (or the people you prepare for) are picky eaters, this is especially true. For picky eaters, both adults and children, there are delicious, healthful meals that you’ll want to lick the plate clean!
There are low-calorie meals for picky eaters all over the world and nutritious recipes thanks to the Internet. You don’t trust me? See if you can visit a website like Pinterest for even 10 minutes without using your food planner. You can’t, I bet!
It’s actually never been simpler to eat healthily, regardless of dietary limitations or personal tastes. You practically have a million meal options at your fingertips! Take advantage of these 34 low-calorie and low-fat meals for finicky eaters by gathering a few (or two) printable recipe cards, tying on your bib, and digging in!
Bon appétit!
Healthy and Low Calorie Meals for Picky Eaters: Breakfast Recipes
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so be sure to start your day off right with nutritious, delicious, and healthy meals like these!
1. Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Smoothie (Freebie Finding Mom) – Need breakfast on the go? Skip the drive-thru queue and grab this gluten-free breakfast smoothie instead! It’s a fast, easy, chocolate-y and healthy meal for picky eaters, adults and kids alike!
2. Coconut Oil Granola – Take advantage of the health benefits of coconut oil first thing in the morning with this scrumptious granola. I love that this recipe can easily be customized to you (or your family’s) preferences by swapping in different flavorings, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.
3. Breakfast “Sushi” – This fun breakfast idea is perfect for vegetarians and a great way to use up leftover tortillas. Since you control what goes into your “sushi,” this can easily be a low calorie and/or low fat meal for fussy eaters! Simply swap out the ingredients that you or your kiddos don’t like or that aren’t diet-approved.
Bonus: Another thing to like about this healthy recipe is that the kids can help out (except for the slicing). If your kiddo fancies himself or herself a chef, this is definitely a recipe that they can get their hands dirty with (literally and figuratively).
4. Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs – Trying out the paleo lifestyle? Then the ingredients for this potato hash recipe should definitely be on your printable grocery list. Oh, and this hash isn’t just for breakfast; it’s actually scrape-the-plate get-every-last-crumb good anytime! 😉
5. Simple Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie – Get in an early morning dose of omega 3 fatty acids with this colorful, flavorful smoothie. Seriously, it tastes like summer, and might be one of the best low fat meals for picky eaters to chase away the winter blues!
6. Dark Berry Chia Smoothie – Smoothies are the perfect option for a busy morning, and this smoothie in particular is a great way to jump start your day. It’s sweet with just a touch of tartness and packed full of good for you stuff including Chia seeds, berries, and coconut oil.
7. Spiced Pumpkin Beetroot Muffins – Okay, we all love Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte but what about pumpkin in other foods? This seasonal superfood has amazing health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and improving sleep so you should take advantage of it whenever you can … like with these spiced pumpkin muffins.
Healthy and Low Calorie Meals for Picky Eaters: Lunch and Dinner Recipes
When your coworkers head out for lunch or when the day gets away from you and the drive-thru at your favorite fast food restaurant is calling, turn to these easy, tasty, and healthy meals for pick eaters, adults or kids! By the way, opting to pack your lunch or eat at home is healthy for your body and your budget. Yep, it’s a great way to save money.
8. Goldfish Encrusted Chicken Nuggets – Looking for a secret weapon to help you win the war with your picky little eater? Look no further! My son loves these goldfish encrusted chicken nuggets, and I feel good about the fact that they are baked (versus fried) with no added preservatives.
9. Instant Pot Chicken Noddle Soup – Low calorie meals for picky eaters can still be comfort food. Skeptical? This meal is sure to make you a believer! It’s healthy, hearty, warming, and ready in less than 30 minutes if you have an Instant Pot.
10. Low Calorie Lasagna with Zucchini – Who doesn’t like homemade, ooey-gooey, cheese filled lasagna? And thanks to the zucchini, fat free cheese, and lean ground turkey, this recipe definitely qualifies as one of the low fat meals for picky eaters!
11. Low Carb Air Fried Chicken – Fried chicken is a staple of summer picnics and get-togethers, but if you’re on a diet, you probably thought fried chicken was off the menu for the foreseeable future, right? Luckily, thanks to the air fryer, it’s entirely possible to make low carb, healthier fried chicken.
Picky Eater Approved Recipes
Healthy Cheeseburger Bites
Enjoy all the best parts of a cheeseburger without all the calories (or vegetables).Get the Recipe
High Protein Creamy Taco Soup
This might be the most loved recipe on my blog. It’s highly customizable so you can leave out anything your picky eater doesn’t like without sacrificing flavor.Get the Recipe
Firecracker Ground Chicken
Other than being a tiny bit spicy, there shouldn’t be anything to pick at in this simple ground chicken recipe. You can pair your own servings with lower carb options like cauliflower rice, and your picky eater’s servings with the real deal.Get the Recipe
Tex-Mex Ground Beef and Rice Skillet
A simple, one-pan ground beef and rice skillet with black beans, corn, cilantro lime diced tomatoes, two types of rice, and melty cheese. For serious picky eaters, swap diced tomatoes for tomato sauce and go 100% rice instead of half cauliflower rice.Get the Recipe
Loaded Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet
A one-pan recipe for cheesy potatoes with crispy, seasoned ground beef and bacon. Picky eaters will have trouble finding anything to complain about here.Get the Recipe
30-Minute Cheeseburger Soup
A low fat ground beef and veggie soup blended with a 2-ingredient cheese sauce. Okay, you could probably pull one over on your picky eater here with super finely diced onion. You may have to omit the carrots, though!Get the Recipe
Baked Chicken Tacos
Cooked chicken and other fillings stuffed inside corn tortillas and baked until crispy. Perfect for a quick meal or prepping in bulk. You can fill these with anything and everything.Get the Recipe
Spicy Popcorn Chicken
A lower carb, lower calorie recipe for spicy popcorn chicken in the air fryer or oven. And don’t worry, it’s not very spicy.Get the Recipe
Healthier KFC Famous Bowls Copycat
Put your popcorn chicken to good use with these bowls made from frozen cauliflower. For serious picky eaters, just swap the cauliflower for potatoes.Get the Recipe
The Best Oven Baked Tacos
Here’s another chance to sneak some veggies in!Get the Recipe
BBQ Chicken Meatballs
The base recipe calls for a sriracha bbq sauce, but you could easily swap for a non-spicy sauce for any spice sensitive eaters. Other than that, everything should be picky eater approved.Get the Recipe
Healthy Dinner Plan for Picky Eaters
A week’s worth of wholesome food suggestions for picky eaters among children and adults.
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It is a little harsh to refer to someone as a “picky eater” because it implies a certain sourness toward food. My children are definitely not picky eaters. People adore it! They merely desire to have control over what they consume. Everything is fine and excellent up until the point where, for instance, my son’s desire to eat only steak for supper and my desire for him to eat a balanced meal conflict. Frustration inevitably follows—on both sides of the debate.
So how can you provide a hungry family with wholesome dinners every night that please everyone’s palate? Provide options without preparing four separate dinners for everyone. Offer a dish in its component components so that each person can choose what they want to put on their plate. For those fussy eaters, just set some clear guidelines: everyone’s plate must contain a nutritious protein, vegetables, and whole grains (sometimes, we’ll substitute starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or corn on the cob). We also offer traditional kid favorites like pizza and chicken tenders with a healthier spin.
Water, milk, and unsweetened nondairy milk are all excellent beverage options to complement the meal. However, some finicky eaters could find the flavor unpleasant. For a DIY “soda” that children will like, try adding a splash of 100% juice to regular seltzer water. Alternately, prepare your own chocolate milk so you can manage the sugar content. To wean your finicky eater off the sweetness, use less chocolate each time.
Different “picky eaters” have different discriminating tastes. A young child may come to adore salad after initially detesting it. But hopefully the ideas below will inspire you to avoid becoming a short-order cook.
Fun Meal-Time Tools for Kids
Sunday: Sheet-Pan Mini Meatloaves
Everything in this sheet pan dish is cooked simultaneously but individually, which is brilliant and important for certain picky eaters. So that everything is ready for the dinner table at the same time, the healthy meatloaf recipe and side dishes are all prepared in the oven on two sheet pans. The little meatloaves and green beans are prepared and placed in the oven halfway through the roasting of the potatoes.
Picky-Eater Tip: Serve with a side of ketchup for dipping.
Monday: Classic Mac & Cheese
No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese’s salty tang. Serve with simple roasted broccoli.
Picky-Eater Tip: Top the broccoli with a small pat of butter, then watch your kids gobble it up. Omit the ground pepper from the mac & cheese and let everyone add their own at the end, if they choose.
Tuesday: Taco Night
Taco night is the ultimate meal for picky eaters, because everyone can choose their favorite taco toppings—or just keep it plain. Mixing mashed canned beans with whole beans and seasonings makes an incredibly simple taco filling from your pantry. Top these speedy five-ingredient tacos with lettuce, tomato and salsa or any of your favorite taco toppings.
Black Bean Tacos
Mexican Rice
Sliced red & yellow bell peppers
Shredded lettuce
Salsa
Picky-Eater Tip: Let everyone choose their own toppings—they’ll be more likely to eat what’s on their plate.
Wednesday: Chicken Tenders
Ever-popular kids’-menu fare, crispy chicken tenders are an easy dinner the whole family will love. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping, steamed green beans and quinoa.
Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders
Steamed Green Beans
Quinoa
Picky-Eater Tip: Try seasoning the quinoa with a pinch of salt and a small pat of butter to mellow out the flavor.