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Easy Fishcakes Even Fussy Kids Will Eat (Crispy, Quick & Freezable)

Easy Fishcakes Even Fussy Kids Will Eat (Crispy, Quick & Freezable)

By Darling Mellow ·
Let’s be real. Getting kids to eat anything that isn’t beige or shaped like a dinosaur is basically witchcraft. These easy fishcakes for kids are your secret spell. They’re crunchy, comforting, freezer-friendly, and – dare I say – kind of impressive looking? Even my fussy one asked for seconds. Twice. I know the dinner chaos. You want to make something vaguely healthy without sacrificing your sanity. These fishcakes are your midweek win: minimum mess, maximum mum points.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

 ✅ Freezable for batch cooking ✅ Hides fish in the tastiest way possible ✅ Perfect with beans, peas, or whatever you’ve got left in the freezer ✅ They reheat *crispy*, not soggy

Easy Fishcakes Even Fussy Kids Will Eat

Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Total Time: | Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 400g white fish fillets (e.g. cod or haddock), cooked & flaked
  • 2 medium potatoes, boiled & mashed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Breadcrumbs for coating
  • 2 tbsp oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Mix the flaked fish, mashed potatoes, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
  2. Add the beaten egg and combine into a firm but soft mixture.
  3. Form into small patties (use a cookie cutter if you want perfect rounds).
  4. Coat each patty in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
  5. Heat oil in a pan and fry fishcakes for 3–4 mins each side until golden.
  6. Serve hot — or cool and freeze for future wins.
Freezer Tip: Flash freeze uncooked patties for 1 hour, then store in a ziplock bag. Cook from frozen — just add 2–3 extra minutes per side.

Make It Yours

Want to sneak in some extra veg? Grated courgette or mashed sweet potato blend in beautifully. And if you’ve got leftover salmon — game changer. The kids won’t even clock it.

Other Meals Fussy Kids Might Actually Eat

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Tips for Making This Work

Batch cooking is the single most effective thing you can do for family mealtimes. Double every recipe and freeze half. Future you will be grateful. Label everything with the date and contents — frozen meals all look the same after a week.

Get your children involved in cooking from as young as possible. Toddlers can wash vegetables, stir things, and tear herbs. Older children can measure ingredients, crack eggs, and follow simple recipes. Children who help cook are significantly more likely to eat what’s made. It’s messy, it’s slow, and it takes twice as long — but it’s worth it.

If your child is going through a fussy phase, keep offering foods without pressure. Put it on the plate, eat it yourself, and don’t comment if they ignore it. Research shows it can take 15 to 20 exposures before a child accepts a new food. Persistence without pressure is the key.

For a full 28-day structured meal plan with shopping lists and NHS-approved portions, check out our products in the Darling Mellow Shop.

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Founder of Darling Mellow. A UK parenting and home education platform combining personal insight with evidence-based guidance.

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