ProudGrandma Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 almost every Friday night at our house is movie night, where we sit on the floor in the livingroom and watch a movie together as a family. Most of the time the food is "junky" type foods...chicken nuggets, hot dogs, cheese and crackers, chips, etc....and I want to make it way more healthy....but I am at a loss as to what is healthy finger food that the kids will eat...so I figured if anybody would know...it would be you guys...so please give me all of your awesome ideas!! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 How about nachos? Okay, maybe the chips aren't the most healthy, but you can find some good quality, stone ground ones. Layer cookie sheets with the chips. Mix some salsa into a can of refried beans until it is a bit soupy (about 1/2 a jar), add some cumin and chili powder, then drop that over the chips. Top with cheese, onions, peppers, etc and broil (on the second rack so the beans will heat before the top stuff burns ;)) for a bit. Serve it with veggies and dip and some fresh fruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 One of our favorite movie night dinners is nachos. We use all-natural or organic chips, cheddar, salsa, sour cream; I make guacamole, etc. We also make quesadillas that could work too. I haven't found a homemade chicken nugget recipe that I like, but I buy Bell & Evans chicken nuggets at Whole Foods when they're on sale (and sometimes when they're not :D). They're delicious, and the kids love them. I wouldn't worry too much about making it super healthy unless you're eating poorly the rest of the week too. It's supposed to be a treat, so unless you're eating pork rinds and drinking root beer all night, you could just let a treat be a treat. Guacamole is healthy fat, you could go lighter on the cheese/sour cream and heavier on the salsa, give them a platter of fresh veggies and dip as an appetizer while you prep dinner, etc. ETA: :lol: Laura! Great minds think alike, I guess :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 I wouldn't worry too much about making it super healthy unless you're eating poorly the rest of the week too. the one thing I think about is that we do eat healthy all week and becasue we do, when we don't eat healthy foods, our bodies all feel it the next day...so I am just trying to make healthy foods fun too. thanks for the ideas...hoping they keep coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I wouldn't worry too much about making it super healthy unless you're eating poorly the rest of the week too. It's supposed to be a treat, so unless you're eating pork rinds and drinking root beer all night, you could just let a treat be a treat. Have you tried: *ham and cheese roll ups *Chinese dumplings *pizza rolls *sliders *hard boiled eggs *apple-cheese quesadillas *ants on a log *mozzarella sticks *sausage balls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 You might try homemade versions of all your favourite packaged junk foods. Homemade pizza with a whole wheat crust and fresh ingredients is yummy and can be reasonably healthy. Super yummy chicken nuggets can be made with strips of chicken breast dipped in a mixture of egg yolk and milk, rolled in cornflake or bread crumbs, then fried in a hot pan with a little olive oil or baked in the oven. Sweet potato fries are a great alternative to the regular french fry. Julienne the sweet potato, toss in olive oil (light coating) and a little salt, and bake in the oven. Soooooo good! I make a guacamole salsa that is really yummy and great for dipping. Throw together mashed avacado, crushed garlic, a little lime juice, s&p, diced tomato, and diced sweet onion. Or if you have a favourite healthy, fresh salsa you like to buy you can just mash up an avacado and stir it in. This is realy great with corn chips. (We buy an organic brand that is basically nothing other than corn and a little oil.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 super duper ideas...thanks...I am taking notes...keep them coming!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Our favorite Friday night meal is homemade pizza, that is not very messy. But for finger food along those same lines you could make cheese calzones with the dough, smaller sized for kid-size fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 SUSHI!!! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 My son has a new favourite -- Take a tortilla, spread with cream cheese and a dollop of raspberry jam, roll up and eat! You can also cut it into little pinwheel rounds, which are quite pretty, though I find the cutting to be a bit of a pain. For a more savoury approach, replace the jam with salsa. Mini-quiche is always good. You can also make a crustless quiche in fun shapes using silicon baking cups. (This is basically a baked omelette.) We have these great silicon molds in bell, tree and star shapes and it makes for a really pretty finished product that can be eaten as finger food at room temperature. Let's see... there's also French toast sticks dipped in maple syrup, bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, cold meats (real turkey or chicken rather than processed meats), deviled eggs, lettuce wraps (fill with salad/sandwich ingredients of your choosing), chicken wings, cheese and fruit plates, bruschetta, trail mix, shrimp rings... I love snack and finger foods; it's my favourite way to eat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicHSmom Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I agree - nachos homemade pizza quesadillas What about - hummus with veggies fruit with yogurt dip finger sandwiches Maybe not healthy, but I love cheese fondue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Thought of some more: Stuffed potatoes - or baked potatoes with toppings like broccoli, cheese, etc. Subs - a (couple) big loaves of french bread packed with turkey (or ham or whatever), cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cucs, olives, etc. Ditto on the homemade pizzas - you can switch up the toppings, too, so its not the usual pepperoni and sausage type. Maybe Mexican or Mediterranean. Sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy, I just buy cheese pizzas and add the toppings we like at home before I bake them. And of course, serve everything with fresh veggies and sliced fruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 I am bumping this through one more time to see if any other great ideas are added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Try the prepared foods section of your local Whole Foods, Trader Joes ... They often feature great, inexpensive dinners with all organic ingredients. While it's not finger-food; it is no prep, no clean-up convenience for Mom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runamuk Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 We make homemade pizzas with different toppings. My daughter's favorite is roasted butternut squash, carmelized onions and goat cheese. My son loves olives, carmelized onions, tomato slices and mozza cheese. We've added sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, spinach, whole cherry tomatoes, and other veggies, along with different kinds of cheese. I've also set out a variety of things for them to pick and choose from: bagels, french bread slices (toasted and not), pitas hard and spreadable cheeses olives, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, etc fruit kebobs (different kinds of melon, strawberries, apple pieces, etc) leftover meat (chicken, pot roast) or salami hummus and pita wedges You can use whatever you have on hand. They love eating with their fingers and I love that they're enjoying a healthy meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mrsjamiesouth Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/category/high-five-recipes This is a great blog, here are her High 5 recipes which would be great for movie night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 We do this from time to time too, and I generally set the "table" with celery and cream cheese and/or peanut butter, squares of cheese, or string cheese, fruit pieces (apples bananas and oranges generally, but whatever I have on hand works) on kebab sticks, pretzels and hummus, homemade "pizzas" on tortillas shells, and the old stand by, popcorn. In fact, I don't really feel like cooking tonight, so...:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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