feeding kids during Pesach?

[jkuruppu]

Last year, my husband and i adopted two boys from Ethiopia, ages 5 and 3, and this year is the first Pesach that we have to get through with kids who can object to food, and question what they are given to eat (last Pesach, they didn't speak any English!). Fortunately, they love matzah, so that's one struggle that we don't have to wage...they like fruit, but don't do too well with veggies (what kid does??)

but, does anyone have yummy, easy ideas for lunches and snacks, especially to leave for our babysitter (who doesn't really understand daily kashrut, let alone pesach!!)?

[weinstein5]

Pizza matzah has always been big hit with my kids - it is as it sounds marinara and cheese on top of matzah and about 30- 45 seconds in the microwave.

[jkuruppu]

LOL - i was thinking i would do that tonight, as it happens!! i was planning on using the toaster oven, rather than the microwave...do you have a reason for preferring the latter?

[EmpireState]

Do they like egg salad or tuna? What about yogurt? We always make matza pizza in the
microwave and it comes out fine..

[weinstein5]

One reason for the microwave - SPEED

[craigcep]

If you don't need to rush it, pizza comes out a lot better from the oven. I find it gets too soggy in the microwave.

[DeisCane]

Our daughters love a dish that's bascailly inherently KP called rakot krumpli. it's a Hungarian casserole made with potatoes, cheese, hard boiled eggs, sour cream, butter, and onions.

[ferret]

There's a meat version that my kids were basically raised on (whenever they went to visit their Hungarian grandmother), sliced cooked potatoes, sliced cooked eggs, sausage or salami slices (and I like to top it with beef frye). Salt and pepper liberally and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the potato edges crisp.

[DeisCane]

Yes, we've made it fleishig as well but the girls love cheese/sour cream. When not in Pesach, we usually add tofu hot dogs and/or bacon.

[mamaleh]

I haven't had this dish in about 25 years. Can you please post a recipe for rakot krumpli?

[DeisCane]

Peel, boil and slice 4-5 potatoes and 4-5 eggs. Layer potatoes and eggs with sliced onions, cheese pieces (or shredded cheese), dabs of butter and teaspoonfuls of sour cream. It's kind of like a lasagna. Put in oven at 350 for about 30 minutes or until edges of potatoes are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

[mamaleh]

I think the version I used to eat at my friend's house had fried onions in it, or perhaps they were just served on top. Do you fry the sliced onions first before you layer them?

[DeisCane]

I've made it with fried/sauteed onions and kept them raw. I like both. Can't go wrong, imo. :-)

[daphnar]

hot dogs and french fries, meatballs (made with matza meal), shnitzel made with matza meal. I've also had good luck with the potato starch (non-gebroks) pasta if it is cooked into a dish (plain, not so appetizing). I've made "baked ziti" and pasta with meat sauce that were both big hits.

[SoCal Mother]

My kids like matza-gna. There was a thread about it a few weeks ago but it's basically any lasagna recipe with matza in place of noodles.

Matza cooked cereal, chicken kneidlach soup, (most kids love chicken soup, and you can cook some carrots, zucchini and Mexican squash into it,) meatloaf, quinoa (get the white - the red has a stronger taste.)

My kids love matza-pizza also. Bake the sauce on the matza for a few minutes before adding the cheese.

[mamaleh]

Matzah nachos (pieces of matzah topped with melted cheese, guacamole, Gold's mild salsa, sour cream), "top it yourself" baked potato bar, Pesach noodles topped with cottage cheese and cinnamon sugar, yogurt or almond milk smoothies made with fresh fruit. Matzah brei with sugar and jam. There is a nice kids cookbook called "Matzah Meals" and our kids like to select stuff to make from it. Today for lunch they made "Moshe in a Basket" and "Fruit Kabobs."

[mamaleh]

and this one too...
Applesauce Matzah Kugel: Beat together 3 eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 C sugar. Crumble 4 matzahs into a colander, then run water over them and drain them. Fold the matzah into the egg mixture. Spread half of the egg/matzah mixture into a 9X9 pan. Pour 1 jar applesauce over the top. Top with the rest of the mixture. Dot with butter or margarine. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

[AdinaA]

Mazel tov.

On Pesach with kids, don't forget the simple things, especially with a nanny.

Omelets: or omelets with potatoes, onions, and other favorite vegetables.

Cream cheese or almond butter spread on matzah. Jelly optional.

Baked potatoes with melted cheese or sour cream.

You can also bake a meatloaf, or a ground turkey loaf with chpped celerty, shredded carrots, chopped onions and cooked quinoa. It is a well-balanced meal, and travels well.

I don't find that the Pesach version of Cheerios (they are made of sugar, starch and air - we all understand that this is nutritionally dreadful, but parenting can be a desperate business) works well with under one-year-olds. They don't dissolve quickly and little ones gag. But for toddlers you can put them in the little snack cups.
Boxed raisins and cheese sticks are also easy, portable snacks.

[tzurriz]

My 3 year old daughter is loving breakfasts of matzo slathered in mashed up avocado. Half the time she does just lick off the avocado and pass the matzo back for a refill, but she loves it. My little man (2 years old) is happy with matzo with cream cheese and lox.

I made a crustless quiche as a vegetarian entree for the seder, and the kids love the leftovers from that. I used zucchini, roasted red peppers, and asparagus, 5 well beaten eggs. Poured it into a glass pie pan and baked for about 40 minutes at 350F.

[weinstein5]

Another couple of things my kids love - Matzah Brei and Bubbele - basically a matzah meal pancake made with eggs -

[emacat]

Pancakes made with matzah cake meal--I don't measure, just throw in yogurt, sugar, milk, eggs, a little oil, and enough matzah cake meal to make a pancake batter.
My kids could live on those pancakes, matzah pizza and chicken soup with matzah balls the entire eight days.
You could also serve apple sauce, plain or vanilla yogurt (Dannon and ShopRite brands are certified), kosher brand yogurt in other flavors, make Osem instant pudding--sugary, but at least made with milk, cheese, cold cuts, dried fruit, nuts (maybe not for the 3 year old), you already mentioned fresh fruit. Some Passover chips or Bissli, while not optimal nutritionally, can be a special treat, as can chocolate. Especially if you don't usually serve those, it can be a special Pesach treat and will make for nice memories as the kids get older.
When I just had my first, I worried the entire eight days, I think he picked up on the worry and was a cranky kid who refused to eat. With years and more kids, I relaxed and they eat just fine.
Enjoy your family and the holidays, a little poor nutrition will be evened out in the other 51 weeks.

[vallevin]

To the OP........ The last part of Emacat's post is probably the best advice to follow (although all the other suggestions works well too).

[Bzdhkap]

Another easy and tasty option is matzoh farfel and cottage cheese (The Pesach version of wide noodles and cottage cheese).:
Put matzoh farfel, or broken up matzoh in a colander.
Pour boiling water over it, to soften.
Drain.
Mix in some butter.
Add salt and pepper to taste.*
Add and lightly mix in cottage cheese.

*You could probably mix in sugar and cinnamon for a sweet version, but we like it savory.

[TheWineScoop]

My daughter loves chicken so anything with chicken is a great meal for her. You can make chicken cutlets and chicken nuggets with mazto meal. Since they love matzo different dips can be fun, jelly, flavored cream cheese, baba ganoush, humus, etc. Potato knishes and latkes are also very kid and nanny friendly. You can also try gluten-free products. Gefen has gluten-free pastas and crumbs that are for Passover.

[AdinaA]

10-month old who more or less insists on feeding himself. His favorite this week is cold cubes of a thick matzah brei made with eggs, farfel and milk. A parve version made with apple juice or water is also very good.

I make the matzah brei about 3/4" thick. Sliced in wedges, then split open and spread with cream cheese it makes a sandwich that the 3 1/2 year old enjoys, and that can travel for lunch.