Quick, Easy, Tasty Meals from Ragu (+ a Giveaway!)
This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Ragu.
I get kind of high-strung about feeding my children. I mean, if you know me, you know that being high-strung is just part of who I am. The issues of food, health and nutrition are very important to me. Combine that with my older son’s texture issues and a schedule that keeps us busy, I sometimes struggle with our meal plans. It has gotten better since I have started planning our meals two weeks at a time. I find that knowing what we’re going to have (and, as such, I’m going to
make) helps with the flow of our day and our week.
I struggle, however, with recipes and new ideas. As I mentioned before, my older son has texture issues. New recipes are often met with looks of horror, whining and eventual tears and gagging. The truth is that he really likes most foods, he just has problems with new textures for the first bite or two. He loves flavorful things including anything with sauce. I’m pretty sure I could put sauce on just about anything and we’d be good to go at the dinner table. That’s why I was excited when BlogHer asked if I wanted to review three of Ragu’s new sauces and three new recipes. I figured new recipes would help me out and sauce would help BigBrother out. (For the record, if it holds still, LittleBrother will eat it. He might even eat it if it moves. Just a warning.)
We received three different sauces: Sweet Tomato Basil (new!), Margherita (new!) and Cheesy Classic Alfredo (mmm). With these three different sauces we made three different meals. I first made Chicken Margherita. I think this might rank up there with my favorite sauces. I’ll definitely be purchasing it again. As I made it like it looks in the picture on the recipe itself, I made a bit of pasta with the chicken itself as a side. The boys preferred the pasta to the chicken itself but they ate both without (much) complaint. FireDad and I really liked the sauce with the mozzarella cheese on
this particular recipe. We’ve saved it as a “to make again” recipe.
The next recipe I tried out was the Upside Down Deep-Dish Pizza. My kids love anything that claims to be pizza. This one looks a bit more confusing because, after all, the crust is on the top! I chose to go with the spinach (though BigBrother might have enjoyed the broccoli better; it’s hard to tell). This was a really quick and easy meal to make that we enjoyed. I got some initial hesitation from BigBrother because of the “green stuff” but he ate it as well. I was really pleased with the flavor of this sauce and the meal in general. (Recipe change: I added pepperoni because, well, I like pepperoni!)
Our last recipe was the Chicken Alfredo with Fetticuine. Can you just say delicious? While I do have my own recipe for “from scratch” alfredo sauce, I loved the taste of this sauce and the ease of making the dish. Homemade sauce is wonderful but when you’re crunched for time, it’s nice to have an alternative that tastes rather delicious! The boys loved this dish, being a fan of noodles, chicken and sauce. It was a win with all in our house. (The picture below is of how I changed up the recipe with shrimp because apparently I forgot a picture of our chicken day and/or can’t find it on one of our three cameras. Hmm.)
Why have I told you all of this? Well, BlogHer and Ragu want to know what you do to feed your kids well. For discussing the topic, one randomly selected comment will walk away with a $100 Visa gift card! You can use it to purchase some healthy foods for your kids or, you know, a new fall sweater for yourself. However you want to spend it is
up to you. But first you have to enter!
How do you enter?
1. Leave a comment below telling me what you do to feed your kids well. Take that however you want to: planning meals in advance, eating only organic, encouraging them to try no foods, banning certain things or promoting other things. You may leave one comment of this nature. No duplicates.
2. You can earn extra entries by tweeting about this giveaway or blogging about it on your own public blog. Simply tweet or blog with a link to this post (you can use this link: http://bit.ly/38tpSW ) and come back with a link to your tweet or post. You may do this once a day.
Of course, there are some official rules. They read:
- This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and older.
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
- You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
To make matters even sweeter (which makes me think of the Sweet Tomato Basil sauce), you have more than just a chance on our blog to win! Check out the rest of the BlogHer Reviewers’ Ragu meals – you have 10 chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. And, for kid-friendly recipes, healthy tips and more, be sure to visit Ragu.com. If you have any questions about this giveaway, the other BlogHer-Ragu giveaways or the recipes which we made, please don’t hesitate to ask.
I look forward to reading your comments! (Any tips on texture issues, healthy eating and kids would also be appreciated!)
Keeping the refrigerator stocked with celery sticks, various fruits, and low fat cheese for them to snack on instead of high fat, high salt foods.
tweet http://twitter.com/vlbsweeps/status/5557169018
We eat mostly organic and no processed foods. Eating whole foods doesn’t mean that you cannot have sweets just ones that are made with good ingredients. My kids never feel like it is a drugery to eat.
We try to shop local and organic.
again a tweet Latest: http://bit.ly/GNHcxless than 5 seconds ago
I try to change up my meals as much as possible so we don’t get bored. My motto is “you’ll never know if you like it until you try it”. It works for us and I get to have my family try things they wouldn’t normally try. That way I can sneak in some extra veggies!
Blogged: http://asahmlookingforadeal.blogspot.com/2009/11/ragu-is-giving-you-10-chances-to-win.html
Tweet: http://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/5566400540
To feed my kids better, we have a huge garden. It really is true that kids are more likely to eat something they participated in growing … all kinds of greens and veggies are in my garden!
We encourage them to try new foods at dinner time. Usually they are required to take 2 bites of anything new.
Tweet~
http://twitter.com/simplyandreah/status/5567395033
We always make eating fun. Plus I always put a new veggie in the menu at least once a week. It may be one we’ve had before, but it’s new to my kids memory. It works great. My son is really starting to respond and liking more and more things!
http://scsoldierswife.blogspot.com/2009/11/ragu-contest.html
My post!
tweet http://twitter.com/vlbsweeps/status/5587336021
I feed my kids well by making cooking a priority. I might not vacuum or get the laundry done, but I get a hot, healthy meal on the table every night. I also try to limit the amount of junk food in the house, although holidays like Halloween make that more difficult.
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/lunaj1456/status/5594927962
We try to find foods that have fewer ingredients, and only natural ingredients. No strange preservatives and flavorings!
my tweet Latest: http://bit.ly/GNHcxless than 5 seconds agohttp://bit.ly/GNHcx less than 5 seconds ago from web
We never keep chips or cookies or ice cream, etc, as staples in our house. They NEVER make it to the grocery list. That way, when we do get a little hankerin’ for some junk food, we need to consider if we really want to drag ourselves out just to purchase that. I admit, sometimes we give in, but more often than not that extra thinking helps us realize that it’s a waste of time, money, and calories!
My oldest has texture issues as well! It certainly makes meal planning a challenge. To encourage healthy eating, we started feeding them a wide variety of healthy foods from the time they were very young. We try to balance lean protein sources with as many colors of vegetables as possible. For snacks, we encourage whole grains and fruits. We have a long way to go, but are doing our best!
I Blogged:
http://fibrofoggy.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaways-around-blogosphere.html
Here’s my tweet!
http://twitter.com/treerootandtwig/status/5605552697
My tweet http://bit.ly/4voiBs
I menu plan two weeks in advance and shop 2 weeks at a time, minus the perishable items. Also, we have a no thank you bite rule in this house. They have to take two bites, and then they can say “No thank you” if it’s something they don’t like. My children are strange, in that, they prefer raw veggies to cooked ones. I’ll take it anyway I can get it though!
I am very fly by the seta of your pants… My stand by, in a hurry, kids will always eat is spaghetti!
My kids also have texture issues. But, in addition, they are picky!
I rarely give my sons juice and make sure they have water available at all times to cut down on the snacking.
We always have fresh fruit in the house
[...] a side note, my $100 Visa gift card giveaway is ending today! It’s sponsored by Ragu. Go give it a [...]
tweet http://twitter.com/vlbsweeps/status/5617624935
I find that letting the kids help – from picking out to preparing- gives them incentive to try new things. Also, bento lunches are great for giving them a wide variety of things some you know they will love and some new – and since they are fun, they are willing to try.
Added to my blog- http://myloonyverse.com (left sidebar)
http://twitter.com/dddiva/status/5618109765
We try to buy only all natural, whole foods and organic when ever possible. Snacks include fresh fruit and veggies. I also make a point of offering a variety of things at the table. I have a picky eater sensory kiddo who doesn’t like a lot of textures so he won’t always eat more than a bite of what I make, so we tend to have what looks like 2 dinners on the table. Everyone has to have at least 1 small bite of everything on their plate, and can get more of what they like after they have at least tried everything. My kids are finding out they like new things and are eating better too.
We are vegetarian, and we try not to eat fast food more than 1x per week, and have one serving of fruit and one serving of veggies with every meal (at least!)
Daily Tweet – http://twitter.com/NCBelle36/status/5621363865
I have to be sneaky when it comes to getting my kids to eat healthier things. For instance, I’ll add wild rice and cauliflower to chicken noodle soup. They never know the difference. Maybe one day I’ll tell them.
tweet
http://twitter.com/tnshadylady/status/5622163556
blog link
http://tnshadylady.blogspot.com/2009/11/stop-drop.html
Nov 11 tweet Latest: http://bit.ly/GNHcxless than 5 seconds agohttp://bit.ly/GNHcx less than 5 seconds ago from web
daily tweet
http://twitter.com/lmurley2000/status/5626470717
I keep the fridge stocked with favorites like carrot sticks, yogurt, cheese sticks and cold water. The pantry is stocked with granola bars, pretzel sticks and fruit leathers. Their favorite snack lately is to take a cracker, top it with a baby spinach leaf and either sour cream or salsa. Go figure! My daughter loves following the “recipes” on the Triscuit box. We encourage them to try new foods whenever possible and are often pleasantly surprised at what they really like.
Tweeted.
http://twitter.com/Neonurse93
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/amylou61/status/5636674297
My daughter is four and in my opinon a really healthy eater. I never have her eat anything without me first trying it and I think that encourages her to eat well!! Last year for her birthday dinner she asked for saurkraut!! I also make sure there is always fresh fruit in the kitchen so when she goes for a snack she grabs something good for her instead of junk food!
I tweeted!!
http://twitter.com/Haydensmommy05/statuses/5636836082
i try to encourage my kids to snack on veggies or fruit (as opposed to crackers or granola bars) and we eat lots of healthy dinners! luckily our kids are pretty bold when it comes to trying new foods. they love indian and chinese food!