We'll admit it: We are way, way too into the spiralizer. It's the kind of gadget we think we're just going to buy and then forget about, but in reality, this thing has made healthy options so much easier. It takes only seconds to spiralize an entire zucchini, and we love the fun, playful texture that kids adore, too.
While we have spiralizer recipes here for everything from beets to sweet potatoes, zucchinis are the classic spiralizer item — zoodles, or zucchini noodles, are the basis of a lot of formerly pasta-only dishes, and we love them. They're healthy, inexpensive, and delicious. Our biggest pro tip for great zoodles: These are naturally water-heavy veggies, so make sure to press the water out of them before cooking. Don't boil or steam them, but instead lightly stir-fry, and they'll turn into yummy noodles, not waterlogged messes.
Anyone trying to get their kids to eat more veggies may be interested in checking out some tips, which are frankly super impressive. And anyone who's looking to learn more tricks for getting kids to eat veggies without necessarily falling in love with them (that's a whole other level!) there are ways to sneak vegetables into kids meals.
Adding more veggies to our diet is a good health goal for the whole family, not just for the kids. Think about trying a few vegetarian meals each week. For seasonal produce, think about vegetarian barbecue recipes to enhance grilling this summer with some awesome sides and mains.
Spiralized Sweet Potato Waffles
Spiralized sweet potato waffles are beyond amazing. Aside from taking 20 minutes top to bottom, this recipe makes waffles into a freakin' health food. We're extremely into it. Top with berries for a sweet treat or a fried egg for added protein.
Lighter Baked Chicken Parmesan With Zucchini Noodles
Lighter baked chicken Parmesan with zucchini noodles is maybe the best "gateway zoodle" recipe we know. Chock full of flavors kids positively adore, it's totally conceivable they'll scoop up the zoodles and enjoy their texture without even realizing they're not regular pasta when it's topped with chicken Parm.
6-Ingredient Butternut Squash Noodles
This recipe for six-ingredient butternut squash noodles is low-fuss, fast, cheesy, nutty, and delicious — something both kids and parents can get behind. Up the protein content with some leftover rotisserie chicken, tofu, or steak.
Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole
Spiralized sweet potato enchilada casserole is loaded with veggies and healthy proteins, plus it's full of flavors kids and parents already love. This is a great one for introducing the whole family to a new, healthier way to eat.
Zucchini Noodles With Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Zucchini noodles with sun-dried tomato pesto helps use up that giant crop of basil from the garden to make a healthy zoodle dish that kids are going to love. Throw some leftover rotisserie chicken in for a protein boost!
Zucchini Noodles With Simple Bolognese Sauce
This recipe for zucchini noodles with simple bolognese sauce is so perfect for families who love a traditional meat sauce, but know they should be adding more veggies to their diet. Also for vegetarians, simply sub out the meat with Quorn "beef" and it'll taste delicious!
Spiralized Sweet Potato Egg in a Hole
Spiralized sweet potato egg in a hole is a slow-carb, healthy dinner-for-breakfast option (or, of course, a breakfast-for-breakfast option). We love how quickly sweet potato cooks when it's been spiralized — way faster than normal!
Zucchini Noodles With Grilled Shrimp
Zucchini noodles with grilled shrimp is a simple comfort food dish that's easily made on a weeknight, and is made with yummy, kid-friendly flavors — top with a big helping of Parmesan for added kid friendliness.
Zucchini Noodles With Pine Nuts & Feta
We love this recipe for flavorful zucchini noodles with pine nuts and feta just as it is, but this is also one of those recipes that's perfect for dumping in leftover cooked broccoli, chicken, or whatever else is in the fridge that should get used up.
Spiralized Beet Noodles Over Whipped Feta
Spiralized beet noodles over whipped feta looks so elegant, but the sweetness of the beets can convince kids to get into it. We'd suggest not pushing it with the broccoli sprouts for kids' palates, and instead giving them the option to top with some grated cheese.
Spiralized Sweet Potato Latkes
Generally, it's pretty easy to get kids to eat latkes — they're fried potatoes, after all. But spiralized sweet potato latkes may still be fried, but they definitely pack a more nutritive punch — and food should be fun, after all.
Zucchini Fettuccine With Butternut Cream Sauce
Zucchini fettuccine with butternut cream sauce is so creamy and sweet, kids are bound to adore it, but it's actually really, really secretly healthy. This is an opportunity to also toss in some leftover steak or chicken.
Quick Spiralized Zucchini & Grape Tomatoes
Quick spiralized zucchini and grape tomatoes is a dish that's full of incredible summer flavors — zucchini, those snackable little tomatoes, and basil. It's a combo kids will find familiar enough they won't mind that the noodles aren't "real!"
Spanish Zucchini Tortilla
Traditionally, Spanish tortilla is a big fluffy omelette filled with potatoes. But this Spanish zucchini tortilla replaces some of the potatoes with spiralized zucchini, which lowers the carb count while adding vitamins. Win-win.
Zucchini Shrimp Scampi
Zucchini shrimp scampi tastes exactly like regular shrimp scampi, so if they're fans of this classic Italian dish, they're going to be fans of the zoodle version. Works well with spiralized yellow summer squash, too!
Ground Turkey Pesto Yellow Squash & Zucchini Noodles
Ground turkey pesto yellow squash and zucchini noodles is a great way to introduce kids to spiralized veggie noodles because so many of the flavors are familiar and loved, including lots of pesto and Parmesan.
Carrot Pasta With Ginger-Lime Peanut Sauce
Carrot pasta with ginger-lime peanut sauce is a sure way to bring more veggies into kids' lives. The peanut sauce is familiar and yummy for both kids and adults, and would be perfect with some chicken, shrimp, or tofu, too.
Cheesy Zucchini Pasta Quinoa Bake
We love a good five-ingredient recipe, and this cheesy zucchini pasta quinoa bake is topping the list right now because of how healthful and simple it is — it really is a handy "dump it all in a casserole dish and pop it in the oven" recipe. So delicious and so healthy, too.
Creamy Cashew Chicken Alfredo & Butternut Squash Noodles
Creamy cashew chicken Alfredo and butternut squash noodles is an entrypoint dish on its own, or even use a traditional creamy Alfredo sauce for an introduction — it'll still be healthier than with traditional pasta!
Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Zucchini chocolate chunk muffins are maybe the best argument for a spiralizer when it comes to kids. These muffins are secretly full of zucchini, but kids will never be able to tell — and those extra veggies just got snuck into dessert.
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