Kid Friendly Seafood Tips

I had a baby sitter when I was a youngster that was a maverick with getting kids to try new foods. Her trick? She would brag to us about how many tastebuds she had! Pointing to her tongue and saying, ‘I got this one from brussel sprouts’ or ‘this is the one I got from eating spinach’. Like a badge of flavorful courage. After we kiddos would try the scary new food she would ask us to stick out our tongues to point out our new tastebud… Genius! This lady is a genius.

Jan is still one of my family’s favorite humans…even touting the line ‘that’s Jan influence’ whenever I flaunt a new food thing (or a sequenced and glittered studded outfit, Jan did like her sparkles). 

Getting your kiddos or grandkiddos to try out new foods can be frustrating, especially if you have a pretty picky eater on your hands. Between Jan’s tastebud trick and these kid friendly seafood recipes, your youngster will be eating top-quality seafood in no time.

Slightly Adventurous Kiddos:

These are the kids that just need a little bit of convincing. And that can come by giving them a creative twist on something they already enjoy.

Mini Shrimp Po’Boy Wraps: These are a personal favorite of mine that can simply converted to a smaller kid-sized hand held treat. Instead of frying the shrimp, simply steam or sauté them and fill the wraps with traditional po’boy toppings (lettuce, pickles and tomatoes). If you’re feeling frisky make a mild version of a remoulade, sans heavy spices and more of a southern style 1000 Island Dressing. Recipe for inspiration here.

Lobster Roll Pizza: Kids love pizza and if you’re having a nice family meal together, make something everyone will enjoy. This lobster roll pizza is a riff off of the white pizza. A little creamy alfredo-like spread on the bottom then topped with mozzarella and lobster meat. Pack in even further nutrition by adding in some sautéed spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes. You can also check out this recipe for Lobster Roll Pizza for further inspiration.

Salmon Burger: Expanding those tastebuds even further, I would recommend salmon burgers. Most young-ones are fans of burgers, give them a little variety with salmon. Salmon is a deliciously neutral flavored fish and perfect for those trendy burger recipes. Try out one of my favorites from the Food Network.

Crab and Noodle Stir Fry: Stir-fries are always a hit with my family, especially if there are noodles to be had! I love making a crab and noodle stir fry, usually using any leftover crab meat I have from a big batch of picking blue crabs (jumbo lump will work fabulously as well). Here is a great starter recipe from Food 52 for Garlic Crab Noodles , I usually add in some vegetables as well like: bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli and carrots.

Primo Picky:

Now we graduate on to the primo picky eater and deploy our covert skills of ‘hiding’ our seafood and vegetable additions into recipes that are typically safe bets.

Shrimp and Egg Salad Sandwiches: I find that sandwiches are a great (quick) option for kid-friendly lunches. And a great place to hide ingredients that the picky eaters would normally scoff. If egg salad sandwiches are do-able for your family, try adding in some shrimp to the mix. Bonus points on protein. This recipe is a little fancy pants, adding bacon and hot sauce (no need for the hot sauce) but can act as some inspiration when meal planning.

Salmon Nuggets: The nugget battle that rages on between the ages of 3-5! Salmon nuggets are worth a try on your picky eaters. Homemade and filled with much more wholesome ingredients than the frozen variety, these might be nuggets the adult members of the family will love. This recipe comes from a family that knows the picky eater, very well.

Hidden Treasure Pasta Toss: Or, aka…’Kid, you wont know whats in this’ Is my way of packing in maximum nutrition and flavor into a approachable pasta dish. This recipe is one that I use as my base. I further enhance by making sure everything is chopped up small (the shrimp as well as my added veggies: spinach, peppers, tomatoes, etc…). 

Crab Cake Quesadillas: This one takes the cake (the literal crab cake)! I use a basic, yet tasty, quesadilla recipe (like this one from America’s Test Kitchen) and add in Cameron’s Seafood crab cake mix before cooking. Just a thin layer and the results are delicious, cheesy and the kiddos are oblivious. Another adult friendly option, I make these for myself all the time.

Kid-Friendly Seafood Solutions Delivered!

All of the seafood options listed in these kid-friendly meal suggestions are available at our online store. As we say, ‘from shore to door, 3 days fresher than the grocery store’-all of our seafood is delivered right to your door when you schedule it, guaranteed! That’s convenience you need, especially for meal prepping and planning for the kiddos.

We’d love to see your family enjoying Cameron’s Seafood-share your images on any of our social pages, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter be sure to tag us @cameronsseafoodonline.

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