By Julie Stefanski, MEd, RDN

Chicken nuggets, pizza, hot dogs- we’ve all heard the top favorite foods of many kids.  I can’t say though that I’ve heard fish mentioned too often as a favorite in my career as a dietitian.  While we can’t deny that fish offers so many benefits to our families, it can be a tough hurdle to get the fish habit started in your family.  With the Lenten season upon us, it’s a great time to try some creative approaches to increase your family’s comfort with fish.

Start With A Friendly Option

Laura Ali, MS, RDN, LDN, Senior Manager, Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs for StarKist is an expert when it comes to ways to add more fish to menus.

Laura advises to include fun as the number one ingredient in a family fish meal. (Well, maybe ingredient number two after the fish.)  Laura suggested, “Try making different shapes out of a tuna fish sandwich or use fish shaped bread. Make it fun by giving the food a silly name like Seamonster Spaghetti.” One popular recipe Starkist has designed for kids with fun in mind is Choo Choo Pasta.

Increase the Omega’s

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to the growth and development of kids.  Wild salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and trout are some of the highest sources of omega 3’s.  For these fish with a stronger flavor, it may be smart to try incorporating them into favorite recipes.  Laura shared, “You can add tuna to something children may already be familiar with like Sloppy Joe sauce (aka our Sloppy Charlie’s) or mixing it with Ranch dressing, Barbeque sauce or another flavor that they love.”

Cover the Basics

Deanna Segrave-Daly, RDN, owner of Teaspoon of Spice Communications, always starts the fish conversation by helping others feel comfortable preparing it. “I try to take the stigma out of it by reminding parents that fish is often quicker to cook than meat or chicken! I usually encourage people to start with a basic white fish, season with your favorite spices and either oven-bake or sauté in a pan. Add it to what your family usually likes to eat like tacos, pasta, rice or in a hamburger bun.”

Deanna’s top tips for those who don’t like seafood – or as Deanna says, “think they don’t like it” are:

• Turn it into cakes or patties (like crab cakes, tuna burgers, salmon cakes).  Check out Deanna’s recipe for Salmon Potato Cakes!

• Bread it – use crushed cereal, whole wheat bread crumbs or cornmeal to create a crust which helps people who don’t like the texture
• Use it in some basic recipes – mash into tomato sauce for pasta or pizza, use as a filling for omelets or burritos, or mix it into stir-fry

Make it Mild

Beth Stark, RDN, Lifestyle Initiatives Manager for Weis Markets, knows what it’s like to make fish appealing both for customers and for her family.  She agrees that converting your family to fish lovers may go more smoothly with some mild tasting fish options like haddock, cod, or tilapia.

Beth suggests trying a recent recipe for Crunchy Parmesan Cod with Garlic Roasted Veggies from the March-April issue of Weis Markets’ HealthyBites.  “This crisp and flavorful crust makes cod an irresistible dinner for those that are just experimenting with seafood and picky eaters alike. Kids will especially enjoy the cheesy crunch and that they can dunk these ‘grown up’ fish sticks into their favorite dipping sauce.”

Getting kids involved by picking out fish at the store, breading fillets or even helping to open and squeeze out a tuna packet is a step towards eating fish.  Expect that even a small taste may not happen voluntarily the first time you make a fish recipe.  And that’s okay.  Be happy with a smell, a touch, or just a tolerance of the fish on their plate. These are all beneficial steps towards being a fish eater.

Julie Stefanski MEd, RDN, CSSD, LDN, CDE, FAND is a nutrition content expert for Relias, a continuing education company, owner of Stefanski Nutrition Services and a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.  You can find her on social media @foodhelp123