My Plate on My Budget: The fish challenge

Can I follow the USDA thrifty food plan and feed my family the Choose MyPlate advised daily nutrients? That's the question I'm asking this March with MyPlate on My Budget.

Rose McAvoy from Our Lady of Second Helpings is providing support, guidance and yummy recipes.

This post is about my fish problems. The USDA recommends that people eat seafood twice a week.

Problem #1: My kids HATE fish!

Problem #2: We follow the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines, and sustainably caught fish is often expensive.

I don't want to waste money on food my kids won't eat or purchase something that is going to hurt Puget Sound. I also don't want my family eating fish that has been frozen, sent to China to be processed, and then mailed back to Edmonds.

But maybe my kids would like fish more if I pulled out all the stops... So I tried pan-frying Tilapia. Eating fried food is a special treat at my house, so I thought maybe this would work.

Instead, it was a fish flop.

Not only that, but it was a lot of work. First I dredged the fillets through flour. Next they went through a mixture of egg, lemon juice, and parsley. Finally I rolled them in breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. I pan-fried the fish in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and let it drain on paper towels.

My husband and I thought the fish turned out delicious; the kids, not so much. My three year old ran screaming from the table. My seven year old toughed things out under duress.

What is a mom to do? Serve fish again in a few days?

The USDA requirements are driving me crazy!

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