The transition from summer with unstructured time and flexibility to the fall with busy schedules and routines is often something that as parents we both look forward to and find challenging. Fall evenings are often filled with soccer practices, swim lessons, dance classes or just rushing home from work in time to pick up your kid from aftercare.
Between adjusting to a new schedule and a busy fall calendar full of extracurriculars, it can be hard to find the time to cook nourishing meals for the family. Having a go-to list of easy-to-cook, family-friendly dinner ideas at your fingertips is key.
Wild Alaska Sole (often sold as flounder in the U.S.) is a great protein choice for busy weeknight dinners because it’s nutritious, versatile, easy to cook, delicious, and is affordable and widely available in the freezer aisle of most U.S. grocery stores.
What Makes a Good Back-to-School Meal?
A back-to-school meal should be quick, nourishing, and something your kids will actually want to eat.
As a registered dietitian and mom of two, here is my back-to-school dinner criteria:
- Easy to make in 30 minutes or less
- Contains a source of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber
- Kid-friendly
Why Alaska Sole is Perfect for Back-to-School Dinners
When you’re pressed for time, Wild Alaska Sole is a perfect protein choice. It cooks in just minutes thanks to its naturally thin fillets. Its mild, subtly sweet flavor makes it a versatile option for a wide variety of cuisines. Given its mild taste, it’s also a great “gateway” fish for kids or selective eaters.
Wild Alaska Sole is also nutrient-packed, helping to make meals more nourishing. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which support heart and brain health for growing kiddos. It’s also high in protein, an excellent source of vitamin B12, which helps support energy production and nervous system functioning, and a good source of key minerals like phosphorous and selenium.
For nights when there’s no meal plan, pull out Wild Alaska Sole fillets from the freezer! Frozen fillets can be stored long-term in the freezer for up to 6-8 months and are easy to thaw or cook from frozen, making it a convenient protein option to have on hand for busy nights.
Ways to Make Meals More Kid-Friendly
As parents, we want to make sure our cooking efforts aren’t wasted. Making meals that are more family-friendly is one way to set our kids up for more success at the table (and reduce dinner time battles!).
When thinking about how to make your meals more kid-friendly, think of the 3 Fs: fun, familiarity, and freedom.
Fun
Kids just want to have fun, and food can be fun too! Get creative and find ways to add fun or novelty to your meals. This could look like cutting a sandwich, quesadilla, or cucumbers into a fun shape like a star. Or maybe you throw some kernels of corn or blueberries onto a colorful toothpick or skewer. Perhaps you arrange the meal into a smiley face on the plate.
Familiarity
This “F” has to do with safety. Kids are often uncertain or apprehensive about trying new foods (rightfully so!) and might feel nervous or anxious when they see a plate of food that is unfamiliar. Always aim to include at least one familiar (“safe”) food on the plate when exposing your kiddos to new foods. This ensures they will at least eat something you offered and will help serve as a gateway to possibly trying some of the other foods on their plate. We want kids to feel safe enough to explore what’s on their plate and that starts with including a food item or two that feel familiar and enjoyable.
Freedom
Don’t worry, we’re not talking total freedom here; we’re focusing on autonomy and the power of choice. Kids want to feel some semblance of control and independence and the dinner table is the perfect place to give them some autonomy while maintaining boundaries. Whenever possible, offer your kids a choice at dinner. “Do you want strawberries or blueberries with dinner tonight?” “Do you want sauce on your pasta or sauce on the side?” You’re still choosing the main meal to offer them but you’re finding opportunities for choice within the meal that is planned.
One fun way to give kiddos autonomy at dinner time is to plan deconstructed or “build your own” meals – think taco bar, pasta bar, pizza station. The idea is that you offer all the components of the meal and your kid gets to decide which toppings to put on their plate.
Tips for Selective (Picky) Eaters
As a mom of a selective five-year-old, I know how tricky it is to navigate helping expand the repertoire of foods your child will eat. If you’re feeling stuck on how get your kiddo to try Wild Alaska Sole, here are a few suggestions to experiment with:
- Start slow. The goal at first is not to get your kid to eat fish; it’s to help them build new experiences with fish so they gradually get more and more comfortable with it. Start by inviting them to touch the fish with one finger. Maybe next they pick it up and smell it. Next time maybe they bring it to their lips to give it a kiss. Then perhaps they lick it. Eventually they take a small bite. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to our kids trying new foods.
- Invite in play. Can you add a playful tone to trying new foods? Invite kids to engage their senses. You can ask “is the fish soft or hard?” “Is the fish salty or sweet?” Kids love being detectives and this can be a low stakes way to get them interacting with a new food. Perhaps you bring in some silliness and ask your kid how a dinosaur (or their favorite animal) would eat the fish? Maybe you join in and model for them so they see you can be silly with this new food too.
- Keep it low pressure. I know how stressful it can feel when your kid is struggling to eat a variety of foods. Sometimes this stress can unintentionally show up as pressuring kids at the table. “Just take one bite.” “You can’t have dessert unless you eat your fish.” Pressuring kids to try new foods often backfires and leaves kids feeling even more hesitant or resistant to trying new foods. The goal is to help your kid feel safe at the dinner table so they feel safe enough to try new foods, and this starts with no pressure.
Back-to-School Family-Friendly Recipe Inspiration
Looking for back-to-school meal inspiration for busy weeknights? These Wild Alaska Sole recipes are quick, easy, nourishing and kid-friendly.
Alaska Sole Quesadillas with Avocado Crema
Alaska Sole is quickly sautéed, mixed with black beans, corn and spices, and sandwiched in between a tortilla with melted cheese. Served alongside an avocado crema for kids that like to dip!
Alaska Sole Pasta with Lemon, Peas and Parmesan
A simple pasta fit for picky eaters made with butter, cheese and peas. It’s topped with flaked Alaska Sole to add high-quality protein and nutrition.
Air Fryer Alaska Sole with Potato Chip Crust
What kid doesn’t love potato chips? This air fryer meal can be a nice introduction to Alaska Sole for selective eaters because it has that familiar potato chip crunch and flavor.
Alaska Sole Tacos with Apple Slaw
These tacos can be one of those build-your-own meals offering kids choice at the dinner table. Serve your kids tortillas and sauteed sole and let them choose the rest.
Baked Miso Crumbed Sole
A simple baked sole with crunchy umami breadcrumbs that your whole family will love. If your kids are sensitive to the flavor of ginger, cut the amount in half or omit it!
Alaska Sole Hand Rolls
This is another deconstructed meal that your kiddos can have fun with. Sole is cooked with a sweet teriyaki sauce and your kids can decide what toppings to pair with it and whether they want to eat it wrapped in nori or separately.