Feeding children for a party, special occasion, or just dinner doesn't have to be difficult, time-consuming, or unhealthy. Try the following pizza kids can make, and offer them a tasty and nutritious meal.
Ingredients for Bread Pizza
Serves 10, two bread pizzas per person
- Two loaves of whole wheat French bread
- Three tablespoons olive oil, in a small bowl
- Large tin crushed tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or other natural spaghetti sauce
- Medium sized package of turkey pepperoni
- 16oz. package shredded full fat mozzarella cheese
- 16 oz. package shredded reduced fat or non-fat mozzarella cheese
- Mushrooms, peppers, onions, or other toppings as desired, finely chopped
- Oregano, basil, red peppers, and other seasonings as desired
How to Make Bread Pizzas
- Heat over to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease two baking sheets with olive oil using a pastry brush or fingers. The bread pizzas have very little grease, so it is extremely important to lightly grease the cookie sheets, so that the pizzas don't stick.
- Cut the French bread or bagels into twenty slices. Set aside.
- Pour out half the bag of full fat mozzarella into a medium sized bowl. Add half the bag of low fat or non-fat mozzarella to the same bowl, and mix. This blend of cheese lowers the overall fat of the cheese while maintaining the gooey pizza cheese lost with just fat free cheese.
- Form assembly line, with stations for the bread slices, then sauce, pepperoni, toppings, cheese, seasonings, and small bowl of olive oil. Add utensils to each station as appropriate, as well as paper towels to clean up. If serving a larger group, spread out stations so the pizza artists have enough room to create.
- Invite children to form a line beginning at the bread station. Supervise as children place toppings on a slice of bread. Be careful when applying seasonings, as some may be too spicy, or children may put too much on inadvertently.
- After adding the cheese, carefully lift up the bread pizza with a spatula and place on the greased baking sheet.
- Dip the pastry brush in olive oil and gently brush oil around the crust of the bread, as well as any parts not covered by topping. The oil prevents the pizzas from drying out.
- When both sheets are full of bread pizzas, bake until cheese melts, 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let set a minute before serving to prevent burnt tongues.
Other Ideas for Assembling Bread Pizzas
Invite older children to prepare the bread, vegetables, and cheese ahead of time and set up the stations.
Allow children to make a design with pepperoni or vegetables on top of their pizza's cheese layer so that they can tell their pizzas apart.
Offer a taste of toppings and seasonings ahead of time, to make sure children like their pizza toppings before they make their pizzas to prevent wasting food. This activity also encourages children to eat and try vegetables.
Serving Suggestions With Healthy Bread Pizza
Offer a green salad and fresh fruit for desert to round off a healthy meal.
Explain to children that vegetables are a healthy part of dinner, and offer a cut raw vegetable plate with light dressing to entice them.
Healthy bread pizzas are an easy, healthy, and fun way to make a children's dinner or party memorable.
