Kid-Friendly Fish Recipes

Among challenging foods for kids, fish ranks with Brussels sprouts and broccoli, and it’s no wonder: Many parents, likely from a childhood being force-fed some bland or past-prime specimens, have some fairly deep biases against dining on fish themselves. Combine that with understandable fears about toxins like mercury in some varieties, and you can see why seafood consumption in the U.S. has been on the decline since 2004.

And yet, fish is one of the healthiest foods you can feed yourself and your kids. It’s a rich source of protein and low in saturated fat, and many types include bone-building Vitamin D as well as brain- and heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. In June, the FDA and EPA issued a joint advisory recommending that pregnant women and young children eat two servings of fish per week. They recommend consuming a mix of low-mercury varieties, like salmon, catfish, flounder, halibut, and tilapia, to get the benefits of the varied vitamins and minerals that different fish contain.

And by “young children” they mean tots, too. Finfish is one of the most underrated baby foods. It’s rare for kids to be allergic to it, many varieties are very mild-tasting, and it’s soft and easy for gummy mouths to mash and chew. I grew up eating a lot of fish—my parents are avid boaters, and so many times our dinner was caught hours before we ate it—and have served it to my kids since they were babies. (One loves most kinds of fish, one likes it, and the last one is so-so on it).

Obviously, getting a great, fresh specimen will go a long way to reducing the chance that your kids are going to turn up their noses at a fish dish, so these recipes really start at the seafood market or grocery store. Ask the fishmonger what’s the freshest offerings in his case—look for shiny skin and firm flesh that springs back quickly when poked with a finger (yes, go ahead and ask the seller to do this for you). If you’re buying frozen fish, look for vacuum-sealed packages that have no white spots indicating freezer burn. If anything looks iffy, ask for a fresher alternative to the fish you were hoping to buy. (Cooking Light magazine has put together a handy, printable list of fish substitutions here, and National Geographic lists sustainable alternatives to overfished varieties here.)

Different fish preparations speak to different kids, so along with some family-favorite recipes, I’ve provided some guidance as to who might go for what. And please submit your own tips for making kid-friendly fish in the comments section, below. I know some of you have some good ones to share!

If your kid loves chicken tenders…try Cracker-Crusted Sole.
I was never big into coating my fish with anything bready until I went to Italy’s Lake Como and discovered the deliciousness of thin, fresh fillets served Milanese style—dipped in egg and salted flour or bread crumbs, and sautéed. One day, I discovered I was out of bread crumbs, and blitzed some Ritz crackers in the food processor instead. The result was delicious, as you might imagine. Any type of buttery cracker will have the same effect.

CRACKER-CRUSTED SOLE
Ingredients
4-6 sole fillets (or use flounder or any sort of mild white flatfish)
1 sleeve (about 12) Ritz or any favorite savory cracker
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons olive or Canola oil
To Make
Put crackers in food processor and pulse until they are in small crumbs (not pulverized). Put crackers in shallow bowl or pie pan, and with a fork, mix in paprika and salt. Put beaten egg in another shallow pan or bowl. Heat oil in nonstick pan over low-medium heat, swirling around until pan is evenly coated. Dredge fillets first in egg mixture, shaking off excess, and then cracker mixture (see right).
Cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides in hot oil until golden brown. Serves 4.

If your kid loves steak…try Marinated Halibut Steaks.

A recent revelation is sprinkling a fish fillet with a little sugar before cooking. While this may sound strange, the sugar speeds up browning—often, moist, quick-cooking fish gets steamy and “done” before you can achieve a gentle sear—and adds just a hint of caramelization (without tasting “sweet” at all). A simple lemon-garlic marinade over meaty halibut steaks is a great pairing with a little sugar-sprinkle at the end. (Swordfish is a delicious alternative that kids tend to really like, but serve only every once in awhile due to possibly high mercury content.) I like these grilled, but if you’ve put the grill away for the winter, you can use a grill pan or even just sauté in a nonstick pan with a little olive oil).

MARINATED HALIBUT STEAKS
Ingredients
4 halibut steaks (swordfish is a great alternative, but due to possibly high mercury content, use sparingly)
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1 minced garlic clove
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon sugar

To Make
1-3 hours before cooking, mix juice and a little zest from the lemon in a small bowl with salt, garlic, and one tablespoon oil. Set aside. Put steaks in shallow baking dish or sealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over and let rest in refrigerator. Just before cooking, remove fish from marinade and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle all sides evenly with sugar (see left). Brush grill or pan with the rest of the oil, and heat over low-medium heat. Cook steaks for 4-5 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Serves 4.

 

If your kid loves Mexican…try Panko-Breaded Fish Tacos with Fruit Salsa.
I find fish tacos to be a great Sunday-night family dinner, because they’re fun to eat and helps combat any end-of-the-weekend blues (a cold cerveza with it helps, too). I’ve adapted this recipe from Dana White, R.D., Happy Healthy Kids’ nutrition adviser who has her own blog. She originally created this recipe for foodnetwork.com.

PANKO-BREADED FISH TACOS WITH FRUIT SALSA
Ingredients
1 1/4 pound cod, cut into 16 pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
1 1/2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fruit salsa: finely diced fruit (mango, peach or melon), red pepper, cucumber, pinch of salt and squeeze of lime
1 cup shredded green cabbage
To make
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place flour, eggs and panko in a 3 shallow dishes and season with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs; transfer to wire rack. Drizzle with canola oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, turning once. Serve in corn tortillas topped with salsa and shredded cabbage. Serves 4. 

If your kid loves spice…try Indian-Spiced Salmon.
My friend Christine, inspired by the website Six O’Clock Scramble, serves this recipe to her kids regularly (her six-year-old, my son’s classmate, has proclaimed it to be so good.) I’ve now made it twice, and it’s indeed an easy and super-tasty way to enjoy salmon, perhaps the “king” of all fish due to its double-dose of vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. (Many people, including my family members, prefer the buttery, mild taste of farmed Atlantic salmon, but if possible, choose wild salmon, since it’s an extra-healthy, sustainable choice).

INDIAN-SPICED SALMON
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
To Make
Preheat the broiler. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, and set the rack about 4 inches from the heating source. Cut the salmon into 4 serving-size pieces. Pour the olive oil in a small bowl or dish and, using a pastry brush, brush it over the fish. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, curry powder, and salt and rub it evenly over the fillets. Broil the fish for about 12 to 14 minutes, without flipping it, until it is browned on top and cooked through, and flakes easily in the thickest part of a fillet. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn, and lower rack if it is browning too quickly before the inside is cooked through. Serves 4.

If your kid loves bacon…try Redfish Bites.
I credit this recipe to Captain Dave Chatham, a friend of the family who runs a fishing charter out of the southwest Florida town where my parents have a house. Dave knows how to catch and prepare almost any type of fish, and this is a favorite of adults and kids alike. (If you can’t find redfish, any type of firm, flaky white fish, like red snapper, trout or even tilapia, will work.)

REDFISH BITES
Ingredients
1 cup Italian dressing
1 pound redfish, red snapper, trout, or tilapia
1/2 pound bacon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1/4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
To Make
Cut fish into 2 inch cubes. Pour dressing in a plastic bag or shallow pan, and marinate the fish for 15-20 minutes. Preheat grill to low-medium heat, or oven on low-medium broil. Remove fish from marinade and salt and pepper the cubes evenly. Slice bacon pieces into halves or thirds (depending on how long the slices are). Wrap bacon around fish, folding pieces that are on the thin side, smoothing ends of bacon to “stick” to other side. If broiling, line cookie sheet with foil and place wrapped fish pieces on it, and place on rack at least 4-5 inches below heat source. If grilling, secure wrapped fish with toothpicks (soaked in water for 10 minutes so they don’t burn) and place directly on grill. Cook in oven or grill for 5 minutes, flipping once. Brush fish pieces with barbecue sauce and cook for 3-5 more minutes, or until fish is cooked through and bacon is browned. Serves 4.