When it comes to food and little kids my mantra is: make it simple and make something that everyone will eat (yeah right!). That is easier said than done, I know. Because it is so difficult to get everyone to agree on a meal.

I LOVE the concept of meals that allow for customization. One of my favorite meals to make in the fall and winter is Potatoes. They can be made a number of ways, so you don’t get bored. They can be a side or the main meal.They are healthy and toppings are unlimited. A huge plus in my book is that it is great for making a meal on a budget.

So, what better idea for a fall time dinner than a Potato Bar! It is super simple, very easy to customize, and easy to make!! Now both the grownups can eat what they want and major score, the kids can too!

Simple Potato Bar

Ingredients:

• Russet Potatoes (3 – 4, medium-sized)- I buy organic, because they are on the dirty dozen list for EWG.org
• Salt and pepper
• oil spray: I prefer olive oil for this recipe
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese of your choice
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Green Onions (optional)
• Tomatoes
• whatever else you enjoy on your potatoes! (black beans, Bacon, Three Bean Chili!, broccoli, grilled veggies…the sky is the limit!)

Tools:

• jelly roll pan
• Silpat or parchment paper (you can get a Silpat here or for a generic version here)
• chopsticks
• knife

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Take the washed and dried potatoes and place them on a cutting board. One at a time, place between two chopsticks and take a knife to cut thin slices, without cutting all the way through (the chopsticks are guide rails to stop this from happening). Complete this for each potato.
3. Spray tops with olive oil
4. Top with salt and pepper
5. Place the potatoes on a Silpat on a jelly roll pan and put into the over
6. Bake for about 60 minutes
7. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the toppings, by placing them in a bowl to more easily use. In my case we used what we had available in the house:
   1. Sour cream
   2. Salsa
   3. Cheese
8. Remove the baked potatoes from the oven. They should be crispy on top.If you left the skin on, it will appear really dry. If you took the skin off like I did it will be harder to tell,  but they should appear dry on the outside layer.
9. Place the potato on your plate.
10. Now comes the fun part! Topping it. Load it up and enjoy!

Looks so yummy!! I hope you enjoy it.

Want to save this for later? PIN IT!!!

If Potato’s are not your thing, here is a different take on the potato bar, but using Quesadilla instead- quesadilla bar. Check it out, it will become a household staple quickly, because it is SO TASTY!