Tostada Salad are full of fresh ingredients that are good for you! This recipe is a huge crowd pleaser and will turn any salad hater into a lover!
One day several years ago our friend came over with a great big take-out Tostada Salad. From the second she took it out of the bag Kenya and Chloe were all over it like flies on…well, you know what. I was kind of surprised to see a four and two year-old (at the time) get so excited about a salad, but there they were, sitting on our friend’s lap devouring her salad. I felt so bad they ate her lunch that I had to make her something else to eat!
It wasn’t until I saw some beautiful whole grain tostada shells at the grocery a year after this that I thought about recreating this dish for them. A year (an eternity in kid time) had gone by since Kenya and Chloe first encountered my friend’s Tostada Salad, so they were understandably hesitant when I placed these strange towers of lettuce, beans, chicken and guacamole in front of them. So I took two extra tostadas, put one on top of each salad and told the kids to smash them down so that the shell would break apart over everything.
From Kenya and Chloe’s point of view, how awesome did I just make mealtime? I had just given my kids a get out of jail free card to channel all of their energy into making a delicious mess. They took one look at each other with sheer glee and disbelief before pressing down with both hands and crushing their tostadas all over their plates. They laughed the entire time and even figured out that they could use the tostada shards like edible utensils to scoop up and eat their salads.
Sometimes making food interactive and fun goes a long way towards encouraging kids to eat something you know they will love — even if it does make a bit of a mess! Also, you can make this recipe even easier to prepare by using an already cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store instead of cooking the chicken yourself!
If you’re looking for more fun kid friendly (but healthy) recipes try out my Tuna Pasta Salad, Peanut Butter French Toast Sushi Rolls or Strawberry Yogurt Ice Pops. Kids love them!
Are you making Tostada Salads this week? Let me know what you think by tagging me on social media!
Tostada Salad
Ingredients
- 8 tostada shells
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 2 cups lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese or mexican cheese blend
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salsa, optional
Instructions
- Place one tostada on a plate.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of guacamole on the tostada.
- Layer lettuce, chicken, beans, tomatoes, and cheese on top of the guacamole.
- Place another tostada on top and repeat layering. Top with a dollop of sour cream.
- Continue with remaining tostadas and ingredients and serve.
Great idea to let the kiddos get some frustration out on their food. We’ve been eating lots of tostadas around here lately, love the idea of having him smash it.
To April, it was actually this website that had me offering things to my child that I wouldn’t of before. Who would’ve known how much toddlers like salads? Haha.
Perfect timing!I just bought tostada shells yesterday. For those watching calories, I found at Walmart,of all places,a brand called Sanissimo.They seem healthy and extremely low in cals.It’s oven baked everything from mini tostada,nacho chips,etc. Just FYI.
I just started making this for my family- except I’ve been baking my tortillia in the oven at 350 until they get crispy (about 5-8 minutes), and it seems to be a healthier (maybe) alternative to the fried ones- plus it’s SUPER yummy. I’m not 100% on how good it is for you, but maybe baking other alternatives?
Another great way is to give them the heart of the romaine lettuce (the little leaves) and let them dip it in the dressing like chips…my girls love it!
I’m always impressed at the variety of foods you get your kids to eat–especially the stories about when they were toddlers! It never occured to me to let my 2 year old eat lettuce. I figured he could choke on it. Your recipes really make me more willing to let him try more things. 🙂 Thanks!
What a great idea! Thank you!
I’ve got to try this one! It looks yummy 🙂
Sounds so yummy! Where did you find the whole grain tostada shells?