BWLO: Rice and Beans?

naylon511 · February 2012

We are struggling with finding food Jane will eat. It's made worse by having to pack "packable" things for school everyday (think sandwiches, etc). Combine with that that I don't cook a ton and....we're in trouble.

She used to happily eat leftovers when I did cook or pre-made stuff from TJs (like veggie lasagna for example) to break up the sandwich rut but now she won't eat any pasta, red sauce, etc.

Anyway, school suggested we try rice and beans b/c I guess she's shown interest in other kid's dishes and so I come to you. I googled and holy cow there are a lot of versions. I am looking for something easy, healthy and most of all kid friendly.

Help!

Mrs.MillerJune2008 · February 2012

DH likes black beans and rice. Around here you can buy them together in a bag pre-seasoned. I think the brand is Viggo or something like that - comes in a yellow bag and sold where you can find saffron rice.

LaurenSweat · February 2012

We have done this before with a package. We get zattarains, and we get the lower sodium version. It is in the rice aisle at the grocery. Have you tried stuffed peppers? Charlie digs them. How about plain meatballs without sauce? That is another one of our go to foods!

Cory's Wife · February 2012

Molly really likes pintos with kielbasa. I've never made it, but my mom always makes it for her. She tends to like spicy things though. I usually make chicken and rice (think fajita style) but Molly has a rice allergy so she can't eat it.

cnstarz · February 2012

Beans are one of my favorite things to make and I like that you can keep the sodium so low versus a can.

These white northern beans are very good and easy to freeze. They are not spicy, but you can omit the jalapeno if you are concerned. They are very thick, especially after freezing, so you can forgo the rice if you are short on time, etc. I really like these with saltines, if she likes crackers.

This is my go-to for pinto beans. I have also cooked black beans using this recipe. For a kiddo, I would swap the medium-heat Rotel for mild, or you could just dice up a couple of tomatoes. Be sure to add tomato products at the end of the cooking time, though, or they can prevent the beans from getting tender.

To break up the rice and beans routine, you could also try straining and mashing up some of the beans to make a tortilla roll-up. You could add a half-slice of cheddar if she likes cheese.

For at-home meals, black bean soup is really easy and only takes about 15 minutes to throw together. I would use a mild salsa for a little one or you could use a cup of tomato puree for less sodium. I would reduce the chili powder and cumin the first time I made it in case the flavor would be too strong for her. If she has texture issues, you can omit the beef and blend the soup so that it would be smooth.

Jennrs · February 2012

Neena loves any and all beans. Her fave combination is black beans, eggs, and brown rice with a bit of salsa mixed in. She also love chickpeas, quinoa, lemon juice, and feta cheese.

naylon511 · February 2012

Thanks all. I think since we (I) eat bland she's gotten that way too. I don't eat spice or salsa, etc.

I think I'll try a small recipe first to see if she'll eat it (i.e. I bought Hummus and she wouldn't even touch it and then I was stuck with it).

I am trying to hard to not infect her with my food pickiness - but it's happening!

BWLO: Rice and Beans?

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