My brother and I loved when my parents went out and we had a babysitter because it always meant we got to have a Kid’s Cuisine Frozen Dinner with those square brownies for dinner - we thought that was such a treat :)
We’re pretty new to the world of babysitters feeding our kids at dinnertime so I thought I’d do a quick round-up of some of the best frozen and convenience meals I’d feel good leaving with the sitter. In order to make sure my kids get a balanced meal, I’d suggest preparing ahead of time a side dish of their favorite vegetable that can be thrown in the oven to cook quickly with the meal or popped in the microwave for a reheat. My girls love broccoli so I think it’d make a great side vegetable to most of these choices.
Kidfresh Mighty Meaty Chicken Meatballs
KidFresh has redone the traditional frozen kids food with meals that are nutritious, well-balanced, and contain real food ingredients. Their chicken meatballs and chicken nuggets not only taste good but also offer a serving of vegetables mixed right in. KidFresh foods can be found at most Kroger and Whole Foods locations.
Annie’s Organic Mac 'n’ Cheese
Annie’s Organic Mac n’ Cheese is another meal I feel great about when I need something quick and convenient. There are so many options including gluten-free, vegan, rice pasta, and plain noodles with butter and parmesan. All Annie’s products are made with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives and the company truly cares about the ingredients they use. Mac n’ Cheese served with a green vegetable and piece of fruit and you have a balanced kids plate your babysitter (or you) can be proud of.
Caulipower Margherita Pizza
Kodiak Cakes Frozen Waffles (+ Scrambled Eggs & Berries)
My girls love breakfast for dinner (and so do I…). Occasionally, we’ll have a sitter who likes to make pancakes with the girls, but for most toaster waffles are easy enough they can scramble a couple eggs and serve up some berries at the same time. I like Kodiak Cakes because they use 100% whole wheat in their products, no artificial flavors, colors or additives, and each serving has a healthy dose of protein to keep little bellies full and muscles fueled.
Amy’s Baked Ziti
This is an all-in-one meal - rice pasta, dairy-free cheese, organic peas, and a yummy marinara sauce. It’s gluten- and dairy-free and while it contains quite a bit of sodium, as a quick and easy dinner for the kids, it’s a good choice. Amy’s Kitchen is another company that has well-sourced ingredients. All their food options are organic and vegetarian and now they offer a large line of gluten- and dairy-free options as well. These are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
