Tater tots might as well be called kid bait, because you'd be hard pressed to find a kid that doesn't love to stuff their face with them. And while they're not the healthiest thing, they're also not the worst possible thing for you. And there is definitely something to be said for things your kids will eat without putting up a fight!
So how do you let kids have their tots and get them to eat their vegetables too? You mix them together! Or you can always substitute vegetable tots for potato tots in any recipe. These recipes are so delicious your kids won’t even know the difference.
Mix tots with cheese and bacon for a dinner casserole that has all the great flavors of potato skins. Serve it with a side of steamed veggies or a salad for a balanced meal.
In our house, breakfast for dinner is always a hit. Add tater tots to the equation, and you won’t have any trouble getting the kids to the table. Breakfast burritos are awesome because you can play with the ingredients to suit your family’s taste (or to use up what’s in the fridge!). Try ham instead of breakfast sausage, or even diced up smoked sausage. To work in more veggies, use veggie-based tortillas instead of flour tortillas, or add avocado, spinach and/or corn to the filling.
Yep. You read that right. Tater tots and pizza. In one. Canadian bacon stands in for pepperoni and eggs add even more protein to this recipe, which is a guaranteed winner for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try it with bell pepper for a more colorful (and healthier!) slice.
Throw some healthy things into a dish and cover it all with tater tots. Kids just see the tots and know that they want to dig in! Mind definitely don’t mind green beans so much when they’re mixed with tots. Substitute ground turkey for beef for an even leaner casserole, or use diced smoked sausage to cut down on cooking time.
Tots add a nice crunch to any sandwich, especially a melty grilled cheese. Change up the meat and cheese depending on what you and your kid’s like. Grilled ham and Swiss sandwiches, and turkey cheddar melts, are both even better with tots.
Tots + nachos = TOTCHOS! For a healthier meal, make a totcho salad. Just pile tots and your favorite nacho toppings onto romaine lettuce. Add protein with shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover chili or pulled pork.
I invited some of my son’s friends over for dinner (growing boys with big, huge, GARGANTUAN appetites) and served these for dinner. And I’ll serve them again … and again, because they were not only delicious, but also filling enough to satisfy those enormous appetites! And with tots on the burger, it was an easy sell to have salad on the side instead of fries.
And when they tire of actual tots, surprise them with other foods that look like tots but are really
ham and cheese poppers or
crispy hot dog bites or anything else you can think up.
Whatever you choose, with so many amazing ways to turn tots into a complete meal, now might be a good time to buy a case of frozen tots in bulk. Tot on!
