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Healthy Cheese Balls for Kids

24 Comments

We knew there was a way to make healthy cheese balls for kids by adding spinach, and they turned out amazing!

Parents seem to be split with the idea of hiding vegetables. Some think it’s a terrible idea and we should let the kids see all the veggies they are eating. Others think it’s a great idea, because it enhances the health of the dish, usually in a natural way.  We already don’t “see” everything in our food as it is.   Our cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, yet we embrace it. I am in the second camp. I think it’s great. It doesn’t mean hidden veggies need to replace eating vegetables that the kids can see.  Instead we include veggies both ways- hidden and exposed.

So, with that set up I wanted to share the veggies we added to these AMAZING CHEESE BALLS!! Potatoes and spinach! 

Why potatoes are a great ingredient for your kids

Potatoes have lots of amazing nutrients that can not be denied.

  • An excellent source of vitamin C  (at 45% of the Daily Value, it’s more than a sweet potato!)
  • A good source of potassium. With 620 mg, potatoes have more potassium than a banana.
  • A good source of vitamin B6 : Vitamin B6 is important for carb and protein metabolism.
  • Fat, sodium, and cholesterol free with 2 grams of fiber.

Why spinach is good for kids:

Spinach is actually well accepted by most kids.  The flavor is mild, and it blends well with many different types of dishes that kids are already familiar with. Green smoothies have been a key way that many parents have gotten their kids to consume spinach.  But recipes like these cheese balls are also great!  Some reasons we love spinach include:

  • Spinach contains almost 92% water, 3.5% carbs (mostly from fiber) and 3% protein.  (source)
  • Spinach is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, Folic acid, Iron, and Calcium.

Other Spinach recipes we have that kids also love include:

Other potato recipes that your kids will love:

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4.1 from 23 votes

Healthy Cheese Balls

We knew there was a way to make healthy cheese balls for kids by adding spinach, and they turned out amazing!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 2 cheese balls
Calories: 237kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Peel and cube potatoes. Add to a saucepan with enough water to cover. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Drain and allow to cool completely.
  • Chop spinach and mix together in a large bowl with the potato. Mash together.
  • Grate cheddar into the potato mixture. Add cottage cheese and lightly whisked egg. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  • In a shallow dish, mix together bread crumbs, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Scoop potato mixture by the tablespoon and shape into rounds the size of a golf ball. Roll into bread crumbs and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gently add each cheese ball without overlapping. Cook until golden on all sides.
  • Place cheese balls onto a plate lined with paper towels.
  • Cool slightly and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 408mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
Keyword : Healthy Cheese Balls

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

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24 Comments

The egg acts as a binder in this recipe. It might not turn out exactly the same, but will probably work fine because there are a lot more ingredients that can help it bind.

You definitely can – we just like the browned texture and flavor they get in a skillet. They would still be delicious in the oven!

Hi Leigh! These are really best right out of the skillet. Potato and cheese doesn’t always thaw with a pleasing texture after being frozen. If you do try it though, please let us know how it turns out!

Hi Shubhangi! You can definitely pop these into the oven, though I haven’t tried it myself. They might not get quite as crispy as they do in the skillet. Try 375 F for at 20 minutes or so. You’re not the first person who has wanted to try these in the oven, so if you try it, please share how it turns out for you!

So sad, these did not turn out for me. I followed directions exactly but once it came to cooking them, they basically fell apart when I was trying to turn them while cooking.

1 star
I enjoy following recipes and the vast majority of things I make go down very well with the kids.
However, these things started disintegrating after about 10 seconds on the skillet. Ended up with crunchy and runny mash potato. Wasted almost an hour of time.

5 stars
Hi Sir/Madam,
Thank you very much for sharing useful information. The website you shared had plenty of things to try.
Best wishes

5 stars
Thanks for sharing this amazing cheese ball recipe with all of us. One of the best ever cheese ball recipe i have ever tried.

Yep. You definitely can. I would suggest placing them in a single layer in your air fryer, letting them get golden on one side, and then turning them and finish the other side with a bit of cooking spray and letting them get golden on that side.