Got a mini sports star in the making at home? Or perhaps just a toddler who spends a hell of a lot of time chasing their own shadow around the playground?
Whether they’re the next Aaron Mooy (that’s the Aussie midfielder who scored a $16 million contract with an English Premier League Club) or king of the playground castle, Aussie kids are an active bunch.
And they’re a hungry bunch too, which is why Aldi has just launched a bunch of kid-friendly and easy to make recipes to share with parents as part of its commitment to children’s sport and health in Australia.
Busy bodies, full tummies
This year, 220,000 kids are expected to take part in the ALDI MiniRoos program, which introduces grassroots soccer to 4-11 year olds to keep Aussie kids active and engaged in physical activity. And now they have a healthy food program to match.
The Caltex Socceroos’ own nutritionist helped devise the ALDI MiniRoos Mighty Menu to make it a nutritious and delicious yet easy to follow meal plan packed with plenty of main meal and snack options for busy kids (and their even busier parents).
Socceroos’ Chef and Nutritionist, Vinícius Capovilla, says active children get hungry, but the trick for parents is to make sure that what they eat is nutritionally sound . “Many parents are confused when it comes to providing their children with the right amount of nutrients to meet their day-to-day energy needs,” says Capovilla.
“In particular, kids who perform regular physical activity and practise sport require a higher intake of nutrients.”
The meal plan puts a nutritious twist on plenty of kid-centric favourites (think pancakes, pasta and meatballs), with all ingredients available at ALDI stores nationwide. “At ALDI, we want to give parents the peace of mind that feeding their children nutritious meals with high quality ingredients is easy, and doesn’t have to cost a fortune,” said an ALDI Australia spokesperson.
We love the fact that the recipes are quick and easy to prepare and offer plenty of variety, even for picky eaters! We reckon the Oatmeal Pancakes (see recipe below) are a fab weekend breakfast option for little (and big) kids. Try is for yourself.
Oatmeal Pancakes
40 min / Serves 2
Ingredients
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- 40g Goldenvale rolled oats
- 115g Lyttos Greek style yogurt
- 160ml Farmdale full cream fresh milk or Inner Goodness unsweetened almond milk
- 70g Goldenvale rolled oats, to make oat flour 70g
- 1 Lodge Farms extra large free range egg
- 1 tbsp Just Organic extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps Merryfield brown sugar
- ½ tsp Stonemill sea salt
- 1 tsp Stonemill ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp White Mill bi-carb soda
- 70g White Mill self raising flour
- 100g Sweet Haven mixed berries
- 2 tbsps Bramwells Australian honey
Method
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- In a medium bowl, combine 40g of oats, yogurt and milk. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to let the oats soften.
- Blend the oats until a fine powder in the blender in order to make oat flour.
- When the oats are finished soaking, beat in the egg and oil and mix well. Add the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Then add the bi-carb soda and the self raising and oat flour. Stir until just moistened.
- Heat a light oiled or non-stick griddle over medium high heat (190 ̊C for electric griddle). For each pancake pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle.
- Turn when the top is covered with bubbles and the edges look cooked. Turn only once.
- Serve with berries and honey.
For more information about nutrition for active kids and to download all the Aldi Miniroos Mighty Menu recipes, including sandwich filling ideas and yummy chicken meatballs, visit Aldi Miniroos.
And if you’re planning on eating out with the kiddoes in tow, you might want to check out our family restaurant survival guide!
