Dinner for Kids? Make this Simple Meatball Recipe
Meatballs are an uncomplicated food, appealing to kids. And baking, instead of pan frying, makes them super-simple to do.
Meatballs are infinitely versatile. You can serve them “as is,” which is great for kids with purist tastes, who don’t like foods mixed up with sauce.
For those who like their meatballs sauced, simmer in premade marinara sauce. Better yet, try Marcella Hazan’s famous, four-ingredient tomato sauce recipe, our family favorite.
If kids prefer their meatballs plain, offer a store-bought dipping sauce option, such as:
- Ketchup
- Salsa
- Honey-mustard sauce
- Sweet and sour sauce
- Chinese plum sauce
- Barbecue sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Buffalo wings sauce
- Thai peanut sauce
- Vietnamese dipping sauce
How to Entice Kids to Eat
If your grandkid is a selective eater who needs a little encouragement to eat, you could:
- Make meatballs smaller and give kids fewer of them so they aren’t overwhelmed.
- Decorate the meatballs with fun picks normally used for bento lunches–even if it’s for dinner at home.
- Thread a few smaller meatballs, alternating with chunks of favorite fruits or vegetables, on small bamboo skewers (only for kids old enough to handle skewers without danger to themselves).
- Stick a wooden popsicle stick in each meatball, so kids can eat it like a lollipop.
- Make mini meatball sandwiches using half a meatball on slider buns.
Plain meatballs make a great bento lunch for kids. They’re also good as an after-school snack.
Here are more easy bento lunch ideas
You can freeze cooked meatballs, flat, in an airtight, plastic zipper bag, for up to two months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge, then reheat on low heat in sauce.
Without sauce, place meatballs on a baking sheet in a single layer, cover with foil and heat in a 300°F. oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes.
Oven Meatballs
1 pound ground beef, pork, or chicken
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs *
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 large egg
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (optional—see note below)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Heat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, herbs if using, and salt. Mix lightly; do not knead or overmix, or meatballs will become tough.
Form into twenty 1 1/2-inch balls, using 2 tablespoons of meat mixture for each ball. Arrange in a 9- X 13-inch sheet pan or baking dish, spacing them apart, and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until meatballs are browned and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. using an instant-read thermometer.
Makes 20 meatballs.
*If you don’t have panko, use 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs.
Note on fresh herbs: Kids tend not to like herbs, but if yours are the exception, consider cilantro for an Asian flavor profile, basil or flat-leaf parsley for Italian, or mint for Mexican.
Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce
If you like retro recipes, here’s one to make with the meatball recipe above. You need all the juice from a can of pineapple, but only about a quarter of the actual pineapple.
I’d make paletas with the remaining pineapple, combined with any available fresh fruits.
Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks or slices in 100% pineapple juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 recipe cooked Oven Meatballs (above)
½ small red or green bell pepper, cut in 1-inch squares
Drain juice from pineapple chunks into a large skillet; reserve pineapple. If using pineapple slices, cut into chunks. Add vinegar to the pineapple juice and heat gently until simmering. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until dissolved; add to skillet and whisk until sauce is slightly thickened.
Add Oven Meatballs and bell pepper and simmer just until meatballs are heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in about 1/4 of the pineapple chunks. Reserve the remainder of the pineapple for another use.
Makes 4 servings.
Sign Up!
Don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter. Every Wednesday, I’ll give you a new idea for an activity or insight to nurture the little ones in your life.