Image: MomJunction Design Team
Children can be fussy about eating vegetables. You must have received hostile responses every time you propose to cook carrots. Fret not, for we give you some delicious and easy-to-prepare carrot recipes for kids that will make them look forward to lunch and dinner.
A simple carrot cake or a warm bowl of carrot soup from our list may win your child’s heart and help you include all the goodness of carrots in their diet. So, read on and try out the different quick and easy recipes to amaze your children.
11 Easy Carrot Recipes For Kids
1. Carrot and apple salad
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This simple dish packs a punch of nutrition. Bonus: it is super easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple
- 2 tart apples
- 3 cups carrots
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 3 tbsp flaked coconut
- 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
How To Make:
- Drain the pineapple juice and coat the apples in it.
- Now take a bowl and combine the pineapple, carrots, raisins, coconut, and apples.
- In a smaller bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and with the carrot mixture. Give it a good toss.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate until chilled; you may serve it as a side dish with a meal.
2. Creamy carrot rice
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Looking for a recipe that will make a delicious and nutritious meal? Try this yummy dish!
Ingredients:
- One can chicken broth
- 1 cup carrot juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 small onion
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp parsley
- Butter
How To Make:
- Combine the chicken broth, carrot juice, and two cups of water in a pan.
- Place the pan over low heat and bring to a simmer.
- Melt some butter and add onions to it.
- Cook the onions for about five minutes over low heat and then add salt and pepper.
- Now raise the heat a little and add rice.
- Cook for about three-four minutes.
- Now add half a cup of hot chicken broth and stir until it is absorbed. Repeat the step until the rice is almost cooked. Make sure not to overcook your rice.
- Add the remaining butter and Parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve
Another delicious way to incorporate carrots in rice, especially in an Indian traditional way, is to add paneer (cottage cheese) to the recipe. Priya Suresh, a mother and an Indian food blogger, shares a simple carrot paneer rice that can be prepared quickly, “Freshly grated carrots, when spiced with usual spice powder, once sauteed and mixed with rice makes quick carrot rice. If you add some cubed paneer to this simple rice, trust me, this quick carrot rice will get another avatar and become a calcium-rich rice dish. If you have leftover cooked rice and cubed paneer in your fridge, this rice gets ready within less than 10 minutes (i).”
3. Carrot cake pancake
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Most kids love to eat pancakes. This easy carrot cake recipe for kids here will surely appeal to their sweet tooth and serves as a great after-school snack.
Ingredients:
a. Pancakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- One tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tbsp ginger
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- One tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 3 tbsp butter
b. Cream Cheese Topping:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
How To Make:a. Cream Cheese Topping:
- Beat the cream cheese in a small bowl.
- Add the sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat together.
b. Pancakes:
- Take a large bowl and whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Take another smaller bowl and mix the egg, brown sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Now add the carrots and mix it with the dry ingredients.
- Next, melt about one tbsp butter over medium heat in a pan.
- Take a ladle full of the pancake batter and pour it into the pan.
- Flip once and let it cook till the pancakes are brown on both sides.
- Serve with the cream cheese topping!
Quick tip4. Carrot chips
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Kids love chips. But as a mother, you want to promote healthy eating habits in your little one. Here’s the compromise – healthy chips!
Ingredients:
- Carrots
- Coconut oil (or oil of your choice)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cinnamon
How To Make:
- Slice the carrots paper-thin.
- Pour the oil into a pan and heat over medium flame.
- Fry the chips till the edges curl and they look brown.
- Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
- Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
- Watch this fun food vanish within minutes!
5. Carrot coconut pineapple muffins
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There’s one thing we can promise about this carrot muffin recipe for kids. Your children will badger you to make more of them!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- Two tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- Two tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups carrots (grated)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut (shredded)
- 6-ounce pineapple Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup milk
How To Make:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grab your muffin tin and line it with paper liners.
- Take a large bowl and add flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
- Now add the carrots and coconut. Mix and set aside.
- You’ll need a separate bowl to mix yogurt, eggs, coconut oil, and milk. Stir well to ensure all the ingredients have combined well.
- Now that the batter is ready, spread it into the muffin tins.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Let the muffins cool down.
- Serve!
6. Maple glazed carrots
Image: Shutterstock
Now this is one recipe that will surely get your kid drooling!
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds carrots
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- Two tbsp unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper
How To Make:
- Add carrots, syrup, butter, 1/3 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a skillet.
- Bring to a boil.
- Now reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are tender. By now the liquid should be just a glaze.
- And you are done! Let it cool down and serve!
7. Carrot soup
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Did you end up buying too many carrots from the market? Don’t worry! Here is a great way to use the extra carrots.
Ingredients:
- One tbsp butter
- One tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- One onion
- One stalk celery
- Two cloves garlic
- One tsp parsley
- Five cups chopped carrots
- Two cups water
- Four cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
How To Make:
- Melt butter and oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and celery. Cook until they are soft.
- Now add garlic and parsley and cook for around 10 seconds.
- Next add the carrots as well as water and broth.
- Let it simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Puree the soup in a blender until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper.
8. Carrot puree with hazelnut tapenade
Image: Shutterstock
Easy to make, this recipe will come handy when you are running short of time.
Ingredients:
- One pound carrots
- Two red potatoes
- Two tbsp hazelnuts
- Two tbsp green olives
- Two tsp orange zest
- One clove garlic
- Two tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
How To Make:
- Take an inch of water in a large pan.
- Now bring the water to a boil.
- Steam the carrots and potatoes for around 12 to 15 minutes in the boiling water. You can use a steamer for it.
- Now bring out the yummy hazelnuts and mix with olives, orange zest, garlic and one tbsp of oil.
- Put the carrots and potatoes into a food processor, along with one tbsp oil and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Garnish with hazelnut tapenade and serve.
This kid friendly carrot recipe will leave your little ones wanting for more!
9. Carrot croquette
Image: Shutterstock
We love this recipe. You would too. Just give it a try!
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups steamed carrots
- ½ egg white
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Spice
- Breadcrumbs for coating
- Parsley
How To Make:
- Mix all ingredients. But do leave some bread crumbs for coating.
- Shape mixture into cone-shaped carrots.
- Now roll in breadcrumbs and set on a platter.
- Fry the croquettes over medium heat for about three minutes per side.
- Add parsley on top and serve!
10. Carrot French fries
Image: Shutterstock
Carrot French fries? Yes, they are a thing!
Ingredients:
- One pound carrots
- Two tsp oil
- ½ tsp salt
How To Make:
- You know how to get the French fry shape? Well cut the carrots to get as close to the original French fry look as possible.
- Put the slices in oil along with some salt.
- Bake at 450’F for 10 to 12 minutes.
- The perfect snack is ready for your kid!
Quick tip11. Carrot muffins
This yummy muffin is a mini replica of the seasonal carrot cake.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups carrots, grated
- ½ cup coconut, grated
- Olive oil or canola oil
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- ½tsp baking soda
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1tbsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
- ¼tsp sea salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
How To Make:
- Grease a muffin pan with olive or canola oil.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Add egg, orange juice, and applesauce in another bowl and mix it well.
- Fold in the grated carrots and coconut, followed by the dry ingredients, till a smooth batter forms.
- Spoon the batter into the greased muffin pan and fill until ⅔ full.
- Bake for roughly 20 minutes; let it cool before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I make carrots taste better for children?
Carrots have an earthy, sweet taste with a fruity aftertaste. You can enhance your carrots’ flavor by adding herbs, spices, and seasonings, such as garlic, pepper, cinnamon, parsley, and oregano. Try cutting them into fun shapes with cookie cutters or spiralizing them into noodle-like strands. Sneak carrots into smoothies with fruit to hide the veggie taste, or bake them into muffins and cakes. Get kids involved by letting them help wash and prepare carrots, making them feel invested. Cooking methods such as roasting, grilling, boiling, baking, and sauteing can also improve its taste. So, experiment with different cooking methods to make carrots tastier and healthier for your children.
2. How can I make carrots interesting for picky eaters?
Picky eaters have specific food choices, so they abstain from certain foods or food groups. If you have a picky eater who avoids carrots, try preparing them using different cooking methods and ingredients that enhance their flavors, such as onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, spices, and seasonings.
Experiment with textures and use mashed, grated, and sliced carrots to make delectable dishes. Furthermore, you can pair carrots with your child’s favorite foods to improve their acceptability. For instance, if your child likes to eat yogurt, serve grilled carrot sticks with a yogurt dip.
3. Can children eat carrots every day?
Children aged two to three and four to eight years should consume one and 1½ cups of vegetables, respectively, per day. On the other hand, children between 9 and 13 years need 2 to 2½ cups of veggies per day (1). To meet this requirement, you could give your child various seasonal vegetables, including carrots, every day.
Carrots are known to help improve vision and are good for the health of teeth and skin in children. But carrots and children usually do not belong in the same line. Thus, we have prepared this list of healthy and easy carrot recipes that you can feed your children. These kid-friendly recipes do not take much time to prepare and can be a wholesome meal for your little one. To make carrots for kids irresistible, grate them for a salad, make a pancake, or roast them to make finger foods. Your children are sure to relish these delicious carrot dishes within seconds.
Infographic: Tasty Carrot Dishes For Children
Carrots may not be your child’s best friend, but they have many good properties you don’t want to miss out on. To keep your child happy while feeding them healthy veggies, we bring you some fresh and unique ideas to incorporate carrots into your child’s diet. Have a look at this infographic to know what they are. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Children may be choosy about consuming vegetables, including carrots.
- Carrot’s taste can be improved by adding herbs, spices, and seasonings.
- Different cooking techniques and combining with preferred foods can make carrots more palatable to picky eaters.
- Children should consume a specific quantity of vegetables daily, including carrots, which aid in better eyesight and overall well-being.
Illustration: Healthy And Easy Carrot Recipes For Kids
Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team
Introduce your little ones to a delightful assortment of 10 effortless and nourishing carrot recipes. Prepare these delicious and quick meals to foster a newfound appreciation for carrots in your children.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Carrot paneer rice.https://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/2018/04/carrot-paneer-rice.html
References
- Fruit and Vegetable Servings for Children.
https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/sports-articles/sports-nutrition/fruit-and-vegetable-servings-for-children/
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