Giving your kids nutritious meals not only helps his overall health, it can also boost his brain functions. While this cannot be attributed to one specific type of food, a combination of foods rich in good carbohydrates, protein, and vitamins A, C, and E can help.
Meals consisting of fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), nuts, and green leafy vegetables would be a good start. These are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and DHA, which helps improve the cardiovascular system while enhancing brain health.
Of course, encouraging your kids to eat healthily is easier said than done, but all it takes is a little presentation. Here are six nutritious tuna recipes you can easily whip up for breakfast or lunch:
No-Bake Tuna Macaroni and Cheese
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Kids love mac and cheese, which is why it's a great base for kiddie recipes. Give it a healthy twist by adding tuna chunks and vegetable bits.
1 185 gram can Gold Seas Yellowfin Tuna Chunks in Olive Oil, drained
2 cups cooked shell pasta
1 cup store-bought cheese spread
1/2 cup quick melt cheese, grated
1/2 cup milk
Chopped parsley for garnish
1 Mix the tuna and cooked macaroni in a bowl. Set aside.
2 Combine cheese spread, quick melt cheese, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until cheese has melted and has slightly thickened.
3 Mix tuna and pasta with cheese sauce. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Pan Fried Tuna Cakes with Mango Salsa
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Instead of serving the usual pan-fried chicken, make tuna cakes instead. It's easy to prepare and it goes well with fruit salsas and buttered vegetables.
For the mango salsa:
2 pieces ripe mangoes, cut into cubes
1/2 piece white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the tuna cakes:
2 185 gram can Gold Seas Tuna Chunks in Herb and Garlic, drained
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 piece egg
2-3 cups fine breadcrumbs
Oil for pan-frying
1 Combine tuna, flour, and egg in a bowl. Mix well and chill for 10 minutes.
2 Shape the mixture into patties and coat with breadcrumbs.
3 Heat oil in a pan and fry the patties until golden brown.
4 To make the mango salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill well before serving.
5 Serve patties with chilled mango salsa.
Spicy Tuna Barbecue Sliders
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These mini tuna burgers pack a punch and have a hint of spice in every bite.
1 185 gram can Gold Seas Yellowfin Tuna Chunks in Olive Oil with Chili, drained
1/4 cup store-bought hickory and brown sugar barbecue sauce
A pinch of onion powder
A pinch of garlic powder
6 pieces small pandesal, halved
Lettuce, washed and portioned
1 Combine tuna, barbecue sauce, and onion and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix until well incorporated.
Assemble the sliders:
1 Place some lettuce on the base of each pandesal and equally divide the tuna mixture.
2 Heat the mini burgers in an oven toaster and serve with a side of chips.
Tuna and Swiss Sloppy Joes
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Here's another burger recipe kids would love. It's a lighter take on your usual sloppy joe.
1 185 gram can Gold Seas Yellowfin Tuna Chunks in Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 small can sliced mushroom
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup swiss cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper
4 Burger Buns
Basil, for garnish
1 Saute tuna, onions, and mushrooms in a pan. Set aside.
2 Melt butter in the same pan, add flour and cook until thick.
3 Add milk and garlic powder. Add cheese and stir until melted and thick. Set aside.
4 Combine cheese and tuna mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5 Scoop a generous amount onto the burger bun. Garnish with basil.
PRO TIP! You can also use dinner rolls if you don't have burger buns.
Tuna Lasagna Cups
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This bite-sized version of the classic lasagna is great if you want to make delicious food for your kids in a jiffy. It also means less mess in the kitchen.
1 185 gram can Gold Seas Tuna Chunks in Herb and Garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 tablespoon basil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 pack wonton wrapper
Salt
Pepper
1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2 Stir-fry tuna, tomatoes, basil, and sugar in a saucepan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3 Grease a muffin pan and line it with wonton wrappers.
4 Layer it with a teaspoon of cream cheese, a tablespoon of red sauce, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese until filled halfway through.
5 Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the wonton wrapper has turned golden and crisp.
PRO TIP! Sneak in some veggies by grating some carrots in the mix.
Tuna Meatballs
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Do you think the kids will notice if you serve them meatballs made with tuna and veggies?
1 185 gram can Gold Seas Tuna Chunks in Lemon and Pepper
¼ cup fine breadcrumbs
1 medium-sized egg
2 tablespoons chopped spring onions
Cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweet and Sour Sauce, for dipping
Barbeque Sticks (optional)
1 Mix tuna, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and spring onions in a large bowl. Mix well and roll into balls. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
2 Deep fry the chilled balls until golden brown.
3 You can skewer the tuna balls in barbecue sticks or add it to your children's favorite pasta dish.
TIP: Any Gold Seas Tuna Chunks variant will work well with this recipe.
Making a healthier version of classic family recipes can be easy through ingredients like Gold Seas Tuna Chunks. Each can contains more than 29 grams of protein, which is a good portion of the daily recommended nutritional requirement by the Philippine RENI (Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes).
It is made from premium tuna caught through sustainable fishing practices and it comes in a variety of flavors. Learn more about it here.
Gold Seas Tuna Chunks is available in all leading supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores and are offered in 90g (solo) and 185g (sharing) variants.
