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    Home » Blog » Kids In the Kitchen » Easy Recipes for Kids

    Easy Fish Recipes for Kids

    Published: Feb 16, 2020 · Modified: Feb 23, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Want to introduce your kids to seafood? These easy fish recipes are guaranteed to help your picky eater overcome the biggest complaint about fish dinners.

    A serving of fish and chips has a lemon wedge on the side.

    I have so much sympathy for picky eaters because, for years and years, I was one myself. Lent was so hard for me as a kid because the endless stream of fish dinners on Fridays were hard for me to tolerate.

    It took moving to Rhode Island as a newlywed and some positive peer pressure from my husband before I finally learned to love fish.

    He eased me into it just the right way so I've tried to share those same lessons with my own kids. 

    If you are trying to teach your own kids to appreciate seafood, you'll want the best fish recipes for kids you can get.

    But, you'll also need a few tricks for introducing them to this new food.

    Once you've got them hooked, your kids will be fans of these healthy fish dishes for life!

    Looking for more meatless recipes for Lent that go beyond just fish? Don't miss our family favorites:

    • A photo collage shows some of the meatless recipes that are ok to eat for Lent.
      40 Meatless Meals for Lent Your Kids Will Actually Eat
    Jump to:
    • How to Introduce Fish to Kids
    • STEP 1: Consider the Texture
    • A Helpful Note from My Kids
    • STEP 2: Add Flavor
    • STEP 3: Dunk It
    • STEP 4: Wrap It or Hide It
    • STEP 5: Have Them Cook It Themselves
    • 💬 Comments

    How to Introduce Fish to Kids

    Be prepared with a few handy tricks before you try to serve fish to your kids.

    This simple approach will help the first impression be a {mostly} successful one.

    But as with all things feeding kids, remember: It takes multiple exposures before a picky eater may tolerate a new food. Do your best with the first try but don't give up!

    STEP 1: Consider the Texture

    Since fish has such a mild flavor, most picky eaters decline fish because of the texture.

    The best way to introduce kids to seafood is to start with a delicious battered version of a white flaky fish like cod. 

    That crispy outer coating is both delicious and familiar in texture for kids. It also helps to "hide" the fish underneath something they recognize from breaded chicken.

    The best news is that you can find totally delicious battered cod fillets ready to bake right from the freezer section at your grocery store. My girls also love battered tilapia from Costco.

    Either way, a delicate, white, flaky fish is usually the easiest place to start with kids. 

    A Helpful Note from My Kids

    When I told Little Pea I was trying to help other moms get their kids to eat fish, she said:

    "Be sure to tell them to cut it up into little pieces and let their kids eat it with a pick!" 

    I laughed, because that's exactly how I served battered cod to them when we first started out. A little food pick goes a long way, apparently!

    Both girls will now gobble up the breaded filets whenever I serve them.

    STEP 2: Add Flavor

    Once kids are used to the flaky texture of white fish, the next step is to introduce them to a fish without the breaded coating. 

    You can find marinated fish in the frozen section of your grocery store, but making your own seasoned fish is so easy.

    Kids will likely be more willing to try it if it is prepared from fresh fish.

    Some of the non-breaded fish recipes my kids have loved include:

    • Mustard glazed salmon: This slightly sweet glaze gives the salmon a delicious crunchy coating on top. It is a huge family-favorite.
    • Spicy grilled fish with tangy and sweet mojito salsa: My kids love tilapia fresh off the grill. This recipe isn't too spicy but can definitely be toned down a bit if your kids like milder flavors.
    • Roasted shrimp/How to cook frozen shrimp perfectly: Roasted shrimp is one of my girls' favorite seafood dinners. Be sure you follow these tricks for how to thaw frozen shrimp so they don't get soggy. The shrimp can be seasoned with this delicious blend or left plain.
    • A plate with mustard glazed salmon and a leafy citrus salad with a scoop of couscous side dish.
      Mustard Glazed Salmon
    • Yellow mojito salsa is drizzled over a spicy grilled tilapia on a blue plate next to a serving of white rice.
      Sweet Mojito Salsa
    • A blue plate with roasted shrimp next to lime wedges. Fresh parsley is sprinkled over the top. A blue napkin is under the plate.
      How to Cook Frozen Shrimp
    • A platter of oven baked salmon next to roasted asparagus has a fork showing the flaky pink fish.
      Oven Baked Salmon

    STEP 3: Dunk It

    By far the best trick for teaching kids to love seafood is a total classic -- a little dipping sauce goes a long way with fussy eaters.

    This works the best for a breaded fish that has been cut up into bite-sized chunks or with a roasted shrimp cocktail platter.

    Make it a game! Mix up a few different sauces and put them in cute little cups. Have your kids do a taste-test contest to see which one they like best.

    Find a list of our favorite dipping sauces for shrimp and fish here.

    • Several containers of different dipping sauces are laid out for shrimp.
      11 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp

    STEP 4: Wrap It or Hide It

    Sometimes kids just can't get past the food that is right in front of their face. They can SEE the fish and therefore will not TRY the fish. 

    In this instance, it is best to incorporate the seafood into an already loved dish.

    Here are some of my personal favorite fish recipes that hide the fish behind a texture that kids love:

    • Fish tacos: Bake a package of breaded fish sticks and tuck them inside your child's favorite tortilla (crunchy or soft shell) and top with their favorite taco toppings.
    • Shrimp scampi: My girls will eat almost anything if there is garlic butter and pasta involved. Skip the chicken and swap in roasted shrimp for my copycat Olive Garden scampi recipe.
    • Shrimp po'boy sandwiches: Spicy shrimp hiding inside a delicious dinner roll. This is great for hiding the shrimp but still providing the yummy taste.
    • Spicy jambalaya: Mixing shrimp with approved proteins like chicken and sausage and covering it with a tasty sauce to mask the fishy flavor is a great way to introduce kids to seafood. They can just get a bite or two in their serving to try it out and enjoy the other textures they love over a yummy bowl of rice.

    STEP 5: Have Them Cook It Themselves

    There are several kid-friendly recipes for seafood in The Ultimate Kids' Cookbook. I believe it is always way more likely a child will be willing to taste something new when they helped to prepare it themselves.

    I was sure to include:

    • Our family's favorite salmon recipe
    • A magic crunchy-coating that is great for topping any fish
    • A one-pan sheet pan recipe for roasted shrimp and veggies
    • And so many more delicious dinner ideas you both will love

    You can get your copy of this fantastic cookbook for kids here.

    • The cover of The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook by Tiffany Dahle
      The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook

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      18 Easy Lent Breakfast Ideas
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    1. Tina

      September 16, 2022 at 2:26 pm

      I cook trout last night want to make toca or something kids will like they like trout but I have leftovers

      Reply
    2. Stacy

      February 28, 2022 at 12:10 pm

      This is really helpful! My oldest absolutely refuses because of the texture. So here we go. I will update you on the progress. Thanks for posting these helpful ideas! Starting with breaded cod tonight!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 30 meatless meals for Lent your kids will actually eat - Peanut Blossom says:
      February 18, 2021 at 1:06 pm

      […] How to introduce seafood to your kids so they become fish lovers for […]

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

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