Is it just us, or are all our zucchini plants growing out of control this year? It feels like every time we scroll through social media, we're seeing our friends and family with bundles of freshly picked zucchini. Despite the bountiful harvests, it's been tough not only coming up with creative ways to use it all up, but even harder getting kids to get in on the summer squash.
In fact, one of the biggest struggles we hear parents talk about over and over is dealing with picky eaters who won't switch up their palate except to exchange chicken nuggets for pizza. It's a frustrating struggle to get them to try anything new. It feels like when we're looking to introduce the kids to something healthy — like a vegetable — they seize up further and refuse to give it a try. This whole battle appears to be even stronger when we insist the kids eat something like zucchini.
Zucchini is one of those veggies that seems to take a long time for our kids to warm up to even trying. While it's not the end of the world if they're afraid of one food or another, zucchini is rich in so many nutrients it would be a huge benefit if we could encourage them to eat it.
Thankfully, zucchini is one of those foods that can easily be hidden in a lot of different dishes. This means we can sneak that nutrition into the kids' bodies while they focus on how delicious the meal is, having no idea it's full of the "dreaded" zucchini.
We've rounded up 16 different things to make with all the zucchini the garden has given this season that the kids will eat and (hopefully) enjoy!
Zucchini Fritters
If the kids love to eat breakfast foods like pancakes or waffles, chances are they're going to enjoy zucchini fritters. They're simple to make with ingredients that will likely already be on hand. The most fun part about making these is being able to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini, which could be something the kids want to help with.
Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread may be the best food on the planet, and we're guessing the kids will agree with this, especially if they already love banana bread. This can be sliced up and enjoyed warm with some butter or cut thinner and served as the bread in a peanut butter sandwich. They'll legitimately be sad when the loaf is all done.
Zucchini Lasagna
Pasta is usually a hit with kids, but if we're trying to cut back on simple carbs in the kids' meals, getting creative with pasta substitutes can lead to some amazing new dishes. This lasagna replaces the noodles with thinly sliced zucchini. If that's too much for the kiddos, the zucchini can be cut in thin circles and added into the mix while keeping the traditional pasta noodles.
Sautéed Zucchini
This way to eat zucchini isn't hidden, but it is one of the best ways to show off the flavor of the summer squash. The zucchinis can be cut into any shape or thickness, depending on what the family prefers. Garlic and onion are classic additions to sautéed zucchini, but it's also possible to experiment with all kinds of spices and herbs.
Zucchini Noodles
Another way to use all the zucchini that came out of the garden is another pasta hack. Instead of the traditional pasta, use a spiralizer to make small ribbons of zucchini and top it with marinara sauce and meat, if that's how the family usually has a pasta dish. The "zoodles" can also be topped with Alfredo sauce, if that's something the kids would be more likely to eat.
Baked Zucchini Fries
Nearly all kids love to eat french fries — they're delicious and crunchy. Try zucchini fries to see if the kids will go for them. Serve the fries as a snack or as part of a full dinner. Put out whatever the kids usually dip their fries in, whether it's ketchup or ranch dressing. There is a slightly different texture to the zucchini fries than classic potato fries, but they're fun to dip and eat just the same.
Zucchini Boats
If the family loves tacos or burritos, then zucchini boats will be an easy thing for the kids to try. These can be stuffed with any mix of foods – they can be taco flavored to keep with what the kids love or switch it up to an Italian or Greek vibe.
Summer Zucchini Tart
Some people favor cake while others enjoy pies, but tarts are often forgotten. A savory tart made with zucchini is a perfect make-ahead dish for meal prep or for nights when there's no time (or desire) to cook. It's a perfect mix between light and filling, and the kids are going to want to give it a taste simply because it's so pretty to look at.
Fried Zucchini Sticks
We know that frying vegetables seems counterintuitive to the the goal of eating better, but if this is what it's going to take to use up all the zucchini the garden produced this year — and the kids will actually eat these — we consider that a win. Just like the baked version, this can be paired with a ketchup, ranch, or a spicy mustard dip.
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
Ever wonder what happens when one mixes zucchini and Parmesan crisps? The result is a magic mix of salty zucchini goodness that the kids are going to love. These can be sliced really thinly, like potato chips, or cut thicker and then dipped with a marinara sauce before taking a bite.
Zucchini Pizza Crust
What kid doesn't love pizza? We've seen a surge of recipes that play with the crust to make the nutritional value or composition a little different. That's how we were introduced to cauliflower pizza crust and now there's a recipe to make the crust of the pizza out of zucchini. This is an interesting way to hide the vegetable from the kids since it can't really go wrong topped with all the pizza sauce and cheesy goodness.
Zucchini Flatbread
We love a good tortilla, and this zucchini flatbread recipe really reminds us of that both in look and texture. Whipping up a batch of these takes a lot of zucchinis, which means there will be no worry if there's been a whole lot of zucchini produced in the garden this year or purchased at the farmers market. These can be dipped in garlic butter or eaten on their own. Serve them as a side dish or as a snack for the kids.
Zucchini Tacos
We know most of the time our tacos are made with guacamole, peppers, tomatoes, and the quick and easy taco seasoning packs, but the taco is super versatile. This means we don't have to stick to the same toppings, week after week — experiment with new combinations like this one that calls for zucchini to be sautéed and added to the mix.
Cucumber Zucchini Ribbon Salad
This dish is a great way to use up all the zucchini in the fridge because it's being spiralized. Make up a big batch to serve for a few days. This dish would be a show stopper at any family picnic or summertime buffet event.
Zucchini Cheese Muffins
Kids will usually eat muffins, and if they love zucchini bread, they're going to love these muffins with zucchini and cheese. It's an amazing combination. These don't taste like zucchini (which, let's be honest, just tastes like water) so if the kids are wary of trying anything green, these can be passed off as cheese muffins with the hidden nutritional value of zucchini.
Zucchini Meatballs
Classic meatballs are so versatile: Serve them on their own or over pasta. This vegetarian version made with zucchini is just as adaptable. This recipe uses zucchini as the main ingredient, but adding cheese makes it saltier and creamier, and more appealing to the kids.
