Kid-Friendly Meals that Don’t Cost a Fortune

Feeding kids well without breaking the bank – or fighting over every meal – is one of the biggest challenges families face. In this free nutritional education class, Kelsy Baker, MS, RDN of Sound Dietitians, LLC shares practical grocery strategies and kid-friendly recipes designed to cut costs while making mealtimes calmer. Hosted by Kristina Wigren of Stilly Valley Health Connections, this class is part of the free monthly Budget-Friendly Series – explore more in our free class recordings library.

What’s covered in this class:

• Budget-smart grocery habits – meal planning (which can cut weekly spending by 20–30%), store brand swaps, loyalty and rebate apps, buying produce in season, and leaning on low-cost proteins like eggs, beans, and canned fish
• Budget-friendly pantry staples to keep on hand so a nutritious meal is always within reach – even on unplanned nights
• Five affordable, family-friendly recipes including sheet pan chicken fajitas (~$2.50/serving), one-pot veggie pasta (~$1.75/serving), freezer egg muffins, homemade pizza night, and loaded quesadillas – plus a sample week plan built around them
• Strategies for serving one meal to the whole family – including how to deconstruct dishes for younger kids, sneak vegetables into sauces, and let kids customize without cooking separate meals
• Evidence-based tips for selective eaters – including why it takes up to 20 exposures for a child to accept a new food, how kitchen involvement builds willingness to try new things, and the importance of pressure-free mealtimes