Cleanish and Squiggly Nitrate-free Wieners and Wheat-free Noodles - with a craft for the Kids

Hot dogs, pizza, KD, grilled cheese, spaghetti, perogies and ketchup. That's what my kids would eat 7 days a week if I would let them. Notice a theme - wheat and sodium. I don't know that I intend to fully get them wheat-free even if I could. And they definitely don't need to be as low-carb as me but I want to get them eating less wheat and sugar and more veggies. That means I have to keep coming up with new ways to get them eating different items that are "clean". 

Wheat and Gluten-Free corn spagetti with nitrate-free hot dogs. Served with veggies and organic marinara sauce. A hit!

I saw this idea on Pinterest (from www.quick-dish.tablespoon.com) and I don't know why but I just got a real kick out of it and had to try and clean it up. I substituted regular wheat noodles with corn spaghetti (see this post for non-wheat alternatives to spaghetti). I used gluten free, nitrate free hot dogs.  It earned me a big belly laugh from my five year-old and she is still trying to figure out how I got the noodles through the hot dog. I got supermom status for a few fleeting minutes. She thinks I poked holes and fed the soggy noodles through - obviously by all the yelling I do I don't have that much patience girl! 

This isn't the cleanest healthiest meal I could make but its a step in the right direction. And they cleaned their plates. And they laughed. I also saw a "craft" on Pinterest that I got them to do while I was preparing dinner.................hope it helps you with the daily battle of keeping yours fed and busy. Happy Monday!

I know - its kinda gross but if I were a kid I would love this. I didn't actually try it because of the carbs but they cleaned their plates so it must have been good.

Don't show them this step if you want them to think you have superpowers. Just cut a hot dog in about 5 pieces and push 8 pieces of un-cooked spaghetti through each piece. Cook spaghetti as per package directions.

Gently place the hot dog/spaghetti sticks into the pot and wait until the noodles soften to push the other half into the water. Make sure you only have it on a gentle boil or some of the noodles will break off. That's all there is to it. Use tongs to remove from water. Drain and serve.


And while the kids are waiting for dinner have them do this craft...................................

My three year old using a medicine dropper to pour a solution of vinegar and food dye on some baking soda - INSTANT FIZZY ART. Fun, fun, fun!

Just mix some vinegar and food dye to make some "paint". Put some baking soda on a plate or some kind of container. Let them use a medicine dropper to make FIZZY ART. 

They had a good time and it was a pretty easy clean up so we were all happy!