A good introduction recipe for pasta salad for young kids

[Anonymous]

I want to add this to our lunch menu (DD is in K) - she loves pasta - but I am hoping to find a super kid friendly recipe so I can then gradually add more items- DDs into form factor/texture so I want to start easy.. thank so much!

[Anonymous]

I make pasta salad with fun-shaped pasta noodles, canned tuna, chickpeas, peas or chopped up spinach or broccoli, mayo, mustard, salt & pepper. Super easy and my toddler likes it.

[Anonymous]

Love PP's recipe. I would start simple-pick a fun shape (possibly multi-colored pasta) you know she likes and only add maybe one to three ingredients you also know she likes. Is there a salad dressing she likes? Toss with that as opposed to mayo (unless she likes mayo). I find that with kids who are a little picky, you've got to keep experimenting, keep introducing and re-introducing and don't make a big fuss if it doesn't go over.

[Anonymous]

Easy to do this w/o a recipe to start, and you can branch out depending how adventurous your child is. Start with a fun pasta shape, wagon wheels, shells, bow ties, etc. Add a couple of veggies you know your child likes - I would start with just one or two veggies, and make sure if she likes raw veggies you keep them raw, or vice versa if she likes them cooked. If she likes chicken or cheese, cube some of that to toss in. Last, toss the whole thing in a small amount of mild salad dressing, or olive oil/vinegar - or just olive oil to start if you think that's what she'd like best. A pasta salad combo I started using for my kids when they were very little is bow tie pasta, steamed broccoli, halved raw cherry tomatoes, cubed mozarella, and tossed in a bit of paul newman's balsamic dressing. Another is penne with shredded (cooked of course) chicken, raw shredded carrots, raw celery cut into half moons, all tossed in sesame oil and a bit of soy sauce, sprinkled on top with sesame seeds.

[Anonymous]

Sounds yummy and I'm a grown-up!