Mealtime with kids can often feel like a battle where, no matter how much you cajole, they reject the food you want them to try and default to plain buttered noodles or other beige foods.
One way out of this struggle is to stop pushing – it usually just makes children push back. Instead, encourage them to explore food on their own terms, with a sense of curiosity in the variety of color, texture, taste and aroma. Spark their interest and investment before you even get to the table by getting them involved in choosing ingredients and helping with the cooking.
While my daughter was somewhat of a picky eater, I witnessed how well this tactic worked when she was about 5 years old. Brussels sprouts became her favorite vegetable immediately after she marched them proudly home from the farmers market, holding a stalk of them that was nearly taller than she was.
And for years I’ve been mesmerized by the Instagram feed @cookingforlevi, where Levi, first as a toddler and now as a 5-year-old, discovers and delights in the exciting array of food he cooks and eats with his parents, Jack and Emmy Zhang. In their new cookbook, “Weeknight Winners, Family Dinners,” the Zhangs offer a helpful guide to approaching family meals as a playful, sensory experience, including strategies for getting kids excited and curious about food.
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This noodle stir-fry, which is adapted from the book, is one answer to a question the Zhangs often ask Levi: “What’s your favorite color today?” before buying produce to match his answer. Inspired by the Cantonese-style dish Singapore fried noodles, the bowl pops with brilliant color. The noodles, which are stir-fried with red and green bell pepper, boast an eye-catching, electric yellow hue from mild curry powder and ground turmeric. It’s a meal that’s adaptable, so feel free to change up the color of the peppers or even the type of vegetable based on what your child gravitates toward.
With protein coming from shrimp, ham and egg, it’s a balanced meal that encourages children to joyfully explore food’s rainbow of possibilities in a package that’s as tasty as it is nutritious.
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Curried Stir-Fried Noodles With Ham and Shrimp
Servings: 4-6 (makes about 8 cups)
Total time: 35 mins
This noodle stir-fry, from the creators of @cookingforlevi, Jack and Emmy Zhang, pops with brilliant color from fragrant curry powder, turmeric, and strips of red and green bell peppers. The dish is inspired by Singapore fried noodles, which is a popular Cantonese-style takeout dish, they write. Packed with protein from shrimp, ham and egg, it’s a meal that brings a bounty of nutrition and joy. To make this recipe in the least amount of time, prep your ingredients while the water comes to a boil.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
INGREDIENTS
6 ounces dry rice vermicelli
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces large shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined, tails removed
4 ounces ham, thinly sliced, then cut into ribbons
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow or white onion (4 ounces total), thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
2 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Water, as needed
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 scallion, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the vermicelli and cook according to the package instructions for a stir-fry. Drain, then transfer to a medium bowl.
Step 2
In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until a drop of cold water is added and rapidly sizzles. Add the eggs and cook, breaking them into small pieces, until cooked through, 30 to 45 seconds, breaking it into small pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Step 3
Add another 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and return to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and ham, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggs.
Step 4
Increase the heat to high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the bell peppers and onion, and stir-fry until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the curry powder, sugar and salt, and stir-fry until incorporated, about 30 seconds more.
Step 5
Add the cooked noodles and stir-fry, tossing with tongs until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Add the soy sauce and turmeric, and stir-fry until evenly coated, about 1 minute.
Step 6
Return the eggs, ham and shrimp to the pan, and toss to combine, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the scallion, then remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Substitutions: Vermicelli noodles >> angel hair pasta. Gluten-free? >> Use gluten-free tamari. Green or red bell pepper >> any color bell pepper. Vegetarian or vegan? >> Use extra-firm tofu in place of shrimp and ham, and omit the eggs. Onion >> shallot.
Nutritional facts per serving (about 1 1/2 cups,) based on 6: Calories: 256, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Sodium: 470 mg, Cholesterol: 122 mg, Protein: 14 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 4 g.
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
Adapted from “Weeknight Winners, Family Dinners” by Jack and Emmy Zhang (Simon Element, 2026).