12 Healthy Nachos Recipes For Kids

Image: Shutterstock

Nachos are fried or baked tortilla chips often served with melted cheese and different toppings. They are often a favorite snack time option for kids. Hence, we have put together some easy nacho recipes for kids to give a creative and healthy twist to your children’s snack of choice. By adding a healthy portion of vegetables, you can turn this snack into a nutritious one.

Read on to make these dishes as is or create your own versions by experimenting with different ingredients or customizing them according to your little one’s tastes.

12 Simple Nachos Recipes For Kids

Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or some easy yet delicious kid’s party food ideas, these nacho recipes are sure to be a hit.

1. Easy Nachos Recipe:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Tomatoes
• Corns
• Kidney beans
• Ground cumin and paprika
• Onion flakes
• Diced bacon (or any meat of choice – you can also skip this to make it a vegetarian recipe)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Corn chips
• Salt and pepper

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C. Spray some cooking spray on the oven tray and line the corn chips.
2. In a pan, cook the meat and keep aside.
3. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and mash with your hands to create a lumpy texture. Add the corn, kidney beans, cumin, paprika flakes, and meat pieces. Mix well.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, and ensure the mixture is not too spicy for young kids. Stir well. If it gets too liquidy due to the tomatoes, drain some of the juice away.
5. Place this mix on top of the corn chips in the oven tray. Top with cheese.
6. Bake this in the oven for about twenty minutes or till the cheese melts.

2. Healthy Avocados Nachos Recipe:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Corn chips
• Cheese
• Black or red kidney beans
• Sliced avocado
• Sour cream

For the salsa:

• Chopped tomatoes, green and red capsicum, red onion, coriander leaves, sugar, salt and pepper.

How to:

1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the salsa and keep aside
2. Heat a grill. Place the corn chips on a plate and add some cheese. Now add the beans and a bit of the salsa. Keep layering in the same way.
3. Place it in the oven and grill it for about 3 to 4 minutes or till the cheese is melted.
4. Serve this with salsa, avocado, and sour cream. This preparation is among the healthy and tasty kids-friendly appetizers for parties.

Did you know?

Avocados contain carotenoids that are associated with lower risk cataracts and macular degeneration (1).

3. Cheese Nachos:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Mild taco sauce
• Shredded cheese
• Nacho chips
• Sour cream optional
• Black olives sliced

How to:

1. In a microwave plate layer the chips in a single layer.
2. Add the taco sauce over the chips. Sprinkle it with cheese. Add the olives.
3. Microwave this for about a minute or till the cheese melts.
4. Serve the sour cream as a dip.

Alternatively, you can swap out cheese for chocolate, just like this blogger and nanny did. She describes her process of making chocolate nachos for kids: “All I did was place the pita chip on a large plate (in a thin layer) as I would for nachos. Then, cook the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-45 seconds or until melted. Then I did the same with the chocolate chips, added the chocolate syrup, and stirred them together. I then drizzled the white and chocolate melted sauces over the pita chip and placed them into the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the chocolate had hardened and created a coating. The kids went crazy for these, and although they aren’t the healthiest snack, they make a really fun dessert for the family or a group of kids (i).”

4. Baked Nachos:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Tortilla chips
• Black beans
• Meat of choice
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• For topping – lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, black olives, onion, jalapeno pepper, salsa and sour cream

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover a baking dish with foil and spray with some cooking spray. Add the nachos at the bottom of the dish in a single layer. Layer with meat and beans. Add the cheese on top.
3. Bake this for about ten minutes or till the cheese gets melted. As it is baking, chop and dice the topping ingredients.
4. Get out of the oven and add the toppings.

5. Vegetable Nachos:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Olive oil
• Chopped onion, tomatoes, garlic, fresh coriander or cilantro
• Pinto beans
• Corn chips
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Sour cream

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about five minutes. Add the tomatoes and beans. Add some water or let it cook in the juice of the tomato. Let the mix come to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook on simmer for about fifteen minutes or till the mixture becomes thick.
3. Place the corn chips on an oven plate. Add the mix on top and sprinkle cheese.
4. Bake for about ten minutes until the chips turn golden brown and crunchy and the cheese melts.
5. Serve with the sour cream garnished with coriander/cilantro.

Quick tip

You can replace corn chips with homemade sweet potato or plantain chips to make the dish healthier and more flavorful.

6. Minced Meat Nachos:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Minced meat of choice (ground beef or mutton)
• Beans
• Mexican styled tomato mix
• Nacho cheese corn chips
• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Chopped chives or spring onions

How to:

1. Heat oil in a pan and cook the meat. Add the beans and tomato mix. Cook on simmer for about ten minutes.
2. Place the chips in a bowl and layer with the minced meat mix. Add cheese on top. You can grill this for about a few minutes till the cheese starts to melt.
3. Add the sour cream and chopped chives or spring onions.

7. Nachos Wrap:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Soft wraps or Indian rotis / tortillas
• Refried beans
• Diced or chopped tomatoes, onion, coriander
• Shredded cheese
• Avocado dip
• Mild Mexican sauce

How to:

1. Spread the rotis or wraps with the refried beans. In a bowl, add the tomatoes, onions and coriander. Mix well and place in the wrap. Top with cheese. Add some dip and sauce. Roll and close.
2. Heat a sandwich press and toast the wraps on each side for about three minutes or till it starts to turn golden brown. You can also do this in a pan. Serve with the sauce.
3. Transfer the wrap to a plate and serve with the sauce or homemade guacamole dip, a Mexican cuisine marvel that will make this recipe wholesome.

8. Nachos Salad:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Light sour cream
• Shredded barbecue chicken (optional)
• Corn chips
• Diced avocado
• Enchilada sauce
• Chopped fresh coriander
• Warm water

How to:

1. In a small bowl, add the sour cream and a little warm water. Mix well.
2. Place the corn chips in a dish and layer with chicken, sour cream mix, avocado, sauce and coriander. Place chips on top and repeat the layer again.

9. Strawberry Nachos:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Sliced strawberries
• Sugar
• Almond extract
• Sour cream
• Cinnamon
• Flour tortillas
• Melted butter
• Sliced toasted almonds
• Semisweet shaved chocolate

How to:

1. In a bowl mix the sugar, almond extract and strawberries. Cover this and refrigerate for about an hour.
2. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, some sugar and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush one side of tortillas with melted butter. Cut the tortilla into wedges and arrange on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Sprinkle the tortillas with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for about eight minutes or till crisp. Remove from heat and let it cool.
5. Top the tortilla wedge with the strawberry mix and sour cream. Top with the toasted almonds and chocolate.

Quick fact

Sour cream is a low-lactose food that contains about 0 to 2g of lactose per two tablespoons (2).

10. Nachos Casserole:

Image: Shutterstock

You need:

• Cheddar cheese soup
• Low fat milk
• Mild salsa
• Baked tortilla chips
• Refried beans
• Shredded cheddar cheese

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish, add the milk and soup to spread evenly. Add the salsa and chips. Layer with beans. Layer again with chips and salsa. Add the cheese.
2. Bake for about twenty minutes.

11. Cheesy Nachos With Jalapeno:

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 bag of white corn chips
• 1 jar of sliced jalapenos – optional
• 3 cups of freshly grated cheese

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chips in an oven-safe dish and add the cheese and jalapenos in layers. Repeat the layers as you want, with the chips, cheese, and jalapenos.
3. Once done, bake till all the cheese melts.
4. Serve the nachos with a homemade dip to create a yummy kid-friendly snack for your child.

12. Skillet Nachos

You Will Need:

• ½ medium white onion (chopped)
• 1 to 2tbsps olive oil
• 1lb ground beef (or any other minced meat of choice)
• 5tbsp cornstarch
• 5tsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ cup canned tomato puree or tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded yellow or white cheddar cheese
• 1 small bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 medium jalapeño (sliced)
• 1 large bag of corn chips
• Handful cilantro (chopped)
• Salt & pepper (as per taste)

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Keep a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add the oil.
3. Add two-thirds of the chopped onion to the hot oil and sauté until golden brown.
4. Add the ground beef, cornstarch, and Cajun seasoning to the pan.
5. Break the ground beef using a spatula and stir fry until it is fully cooked.
6. Add the tomato sauce so it coats the beef, and cook for another two to three minutes.
7. Add salt, pepper, and mix it and transfer it to a plate.
8. Clean or wipe the skillet with a damp paper towel to eliminate the excess moisture. In the same skillet, layer the corn chips.
9. Now place a layer of half of the cooked ground beef mixture and half of the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
10. Repeat the same process with just the remaining beef and cheese.
11. Bake in the oven for five to ten minutes or until the cheese melts.
12. Remove and garnish with the remaining chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeños.
13. If desired, add more corn chips around the pan and serve fresh.

Infographic: Tasty Nachos Dishes For Children

All children enjoy nachos, but basic nachos are merely munchies. Consider adding exciting toppings to transform plain nachos into super-crunchy, healthy snacks. Check this infographic to learn how to prepare delicious nachos for your children. Save and share it with your friends too!

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Healthy Nachos Recipes For Kids

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Embark on a culinary adventure to master the art of crafting irresistible nachos with this easy, kid-friendly recipe! Ideal for a quick snack or a joyous family dinner.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Shivani SikriPublic health and Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics

Shivani Sikri is the chief nutritionist and co-founder of Nutri4Verve and holds about 13 years of experience in the field of nutrition. After completing her Masters, Shivani Sikri did a postgraduate in nutrition and health education, a postgraduate diploma in public health and nutrition (PGDPHN), and a postgraduate diploma in nutrition and clinical dietetics.

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Ria SahaB.Tech

Ria is a techie-turned-writer and writes articles on health, with special emphasis on nutrition. She did her B.Tech from West Bengal University of Technology and was previously associated with IBM as SAP ABAP technical consultant.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Dr. Joyani DasM.Pharm, PhD

Dr. Joyani Das did her post-graduation from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra and PhD in Pharmacology. Previously, she worked as an associate professor, faculty of Pharmacology, for two years. With her research background in preclinical studies and a zeal for scientific writing, she joined MomJunction as a health writer.

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