6 Great Fish Recipes for Kids

We all know that fish is a highly nutritious food. That’s why it’s important to include certain fish recipes in the family diet and, especially, in our children’s. With a little creativity you can prepare tasty and appealing fish recipes for children.

Remember that much of a meal’s success lies in its presentation. If we present our children with a dish that shows the whole fish, with eyes and everything, then children are highly unlikely to even taste it.

Fish recipes for children

There are many ways of cooking and preparing fish; it can be boiled, steamed, baked, grilled or fried. Most of these methods are fairly simple and healthy. Fish tends to have a very mild flavor that children find very easy to eat and tasty.

1. Salmon soup

Preparation

Although salmon is the best option for soup, you can also make it with several other types of fish. You can include as many vegetables as you want to make a really excellent soup dish. 

One option is to serve this soup in the traditional way, that is, with pieces of fish and vegetables. Another option is to blend all the ingredients to obtain a creamy soup.

• Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt.
• When the water reaches boiling point, turn it down.
• Cut the salmon into small pieces and be careful to remove all the bones
• Dice all the vegetables.
• Boil the pieces of salmon together with the potatoes, tomatoes, squash, leeks and carrots.
• Once ready, you can flavor it with fresh herbs.

2. Fish puree

Fish puree is also a very nutritious food. Thanks to its smooth texture, it can be an ideal food for children with a sore throat or something similar. Children often like to eat it accompanied by a bit of mayonnaise.

Preparation

• The fish can be boiled or steamed.
• Crumble the fish with a fork and remove the bones.
• Season it with salt and oil to taste.
• To soften the flavor, mix it with mashed potatoes, carrots and squash.

3. Noodles with fish balls

Children usually love noodles, and are used to eating them from a very young age. Because of this, a good idea is to introduce a new food with the known one. Serving the noodles with fish balls is usually a very popular idea.

Preparation

• Cook the noodles that the child likes best.
• Separately, choose fish with very few bones, if any, and put it on to boil.
• Once cooked, check it thoroughly for bones.
• Crumble the fish and season to taste.
• Form small balls with your hands and mix them with the noodles.

4. Tuna sandwich

This is another one of our fish recipes that children really do love. Tuna sandwiches are easy to prepare and very practical for mealtimes. Sandwiches always appeal to children. They can be served hot or cold.

Preparation

• Open a can of natural tuna and remove the excess oil.
• Mix the can of tuna with mayonnaise and ketchup.
• Cut a tomato into slices and slice some cheese of your choice.
• Toast the bread lightly.
• Spread tuna onto the slices of slightly toasted bread.
• On top of the tuna place the tomato, a lettuce leaf and the cheese.
• Cover with the other slice of bread.

5. Fried fish balls

Preparation

This is another fish recipe which is easy to prepare and to incorporate into a child’s diet. These fish balls can be made with any boneless fish. Cod is a very good option. The preparation is similar to that of a donut.

You’ll need 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour, salt and ½ cup of water to mix and form a paste. To this we will add 1 cup of cod, and some chopped onion, garlic and parsley. Make balls out of the mixture and fry them in olive oil until golden brown.

6. Hamburgers

This is one of the most fun fish recipes for children to make. It is a variant of the traditional meat burger, and hamburgers are one of children’s favorite dishes. The meat is replaced by shredded fish, and, in this way, becomes one of the most successful fish recipes for children.

Any fish is good for making burgers, but tuna or hake burgers are especially tasty and practical.

Preparation

• We’ll prepare the burgers with cooked fish; tuna or hake is a good option.
• Crumble the fish, add an egg, carrot and grated onion.
• Season with a little salt and pepper.
• Add bread crumbs and mix to form a dough.
• Use the mixture to make burger shapes, dip them into the rest of the breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot oil until golden brown.
• They can be served with salad, on their own, or in a burger bun with tomato, lettuce and hard-boiled egg.

Presentation: an important issue

The way to a child’s stomach is through their eyes. This is especially the case in very small children. If you present your fish recipes well then it will awaken their desire to eat.

Dedicating care and attention to the presentation is a good way to get them to eat fish without a protest. Making faces, animals, and landscapes with the food will turn a normal dish into a magically inviting one.

With creativity and patience everything is possible. If children get used to eating fish recipes from a young age, then they’ll keep it in their diet all their life. It may be difficult at first, but it’ll be worth it. The earlier this flavor is included in their diet, the easier it will be for them to accept it.