Healthy Comfort Food Your Kids Will Love

The fall season is almost here, and now that the kids are back to school and our lives as modern moms become increasingly hectic, I wanted to start lining up some easy, delicious and healthy comfort food recipes! And no, adding the word healthy with comfort foods was not a typo! I enjoy spending quality time with my children but at the same time, I don’t want to sacrifice the quality meals I put together either. These recipes are simple and many of them are made in a crock pot! These will satisfy the hunger of our cubs but offer a way for families to have dinner together each night. Dinner is one of the most important meals of the day when it comes to creating open lines of communication with your child (or children), and while you’re at it, make sure it’s wholesome and healthy. Ah, there’s nothing more fulfilling than multi-purpose dinners! Here are seven (7) healthy comfort food recipes I found online and right here on TheItMom.com!

Speaking of quality time – here are 5 great ice breaker questions to discuss with your children at the dinner table:

1. What was your favorite thing you did today?
2. What did you get to do at school today?
3. What was one thing you did really well today?
4. What are your friends up to?
5. What events, assignments or projects do you have going on this week?

And finally, here are 3 things you should NOT discuss at the dinner table:

1. Challenges they faced today
2. Negative criticism
3. Reprimanding or disciplining them at the dinner table

As parents, we should try to do our best to instill positive reinforcement whenever possible. When it comes to comfort meals at the dinner table, we want to make everyone feel…well, comfortable. Let’s leave these three topics of discussion for when it’s one-on-one time with you, not in front of the whole family.

Don’t forget to pin these to your food and recipe boards!

Healthy Comfort Food Your Kids Will Love

Stews that are hearty and filling like this Ham, Kale and Navy Bean Soup Stew recipe can be quickly and easily made in your slow cooker crockpot. Throw the ingredients in and let the slow cooker do all the work:

SLOW COOKER HAM, KALE AND NAVY BEAN SOUP STEW

Shepard’s Pie is a true comfort food and a great way to fill their tummies with veggies without tasting like…veggies! This is a 2-part recipe that teaches you how to make Shepards Pie and the Psyllo Cups. YUM!

SHEPARD’S PIE

Soups offer up a great afterschool snack and I’m always looking for ways to feed the kids something hearty but not too filling that will ruin their appetites for dinner. And if there’s a way to make soup delicious and make them forget they’re eating veggies, then why not?!

Crock Pot French Onion Soup from Cookie Monster Cooking

This delicious treat doesn’t have to only be served during Thanksgiving! It’s so good the kids will forget they’re eating green beans! WIN! And an easy-to-use version is always my favorite when the slow cooker is involved!

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole from The Magical Slow Cooker

Here’s a great Asian-inspired and fresh Beef and Broccoli entree that you can throw in the crock pot and go! This is one of my favorite meals as a child, because of the sauce and the flavor of the steamed and sauteed broccoli:

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli from Cooking Classy

Oooohhh — A delicious delightful chicken chili version that offers a nice southwestern option to your beef chili. It’s so good and light that the kids will want seconds!

Slow Cooker Ranch White Chicken Chili from Southern Bite

Are you getting the “quick and simple” theme here with all my slow cooker crock pot recipe recommendations? I love fajitas and The Recipe Critic found a simpler yummy-in-my-tummy fajita soup version:

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup from The Recipe Critic