Meatballs!

I know most people are very anti MSG. But it's a naturally occurring ingredient. A touch of "Accent" could be the thing missing. It boosts the salty and beef flavors.

Thank you so much for these excellent and very thoughtful ideas! There are many suggestions here that I can definitely make use of. Of course I don't know if any of it will work, but now I'm kind of excited to try!

You could try Merrill's Extra Tender Meatball recipe: https://food52.com/recipes/21289-extra-tender-meatballs

Make sure you form the meatballs the same size as her current favorite version. Sometimes size does matte. : )

This might not be an issue for you, but my 3 year old (who eats supper on rare occasion) is more likely to try the homemade version of something if it looks like the store bought version. And even that doesn't always work. Good luck!

Something tells me its more about the label and its psychology surrounding it than anything else. Them marketing people are powerful.

I would try sticking with the stronger flavors in the ingredient list: soy sauce, molasses, worchestershire, onion powder, and a bit of sugar. I don't know the texture reference, but if it's possible, maybe you can get the texture by mixing all the ingredients and running the mixture through the grinder to get a finer consistency? The addition of bread crumbs soaked with milk also gives a fine texture. Good luck. I totally understand how difficult it can be. To this day, my husband will not eat homemade chicken noodle soup because he prefers the condenses sodium-laden chicken soup-like substance...

I'll bet it's the combo of that sort of bouncy texture and the salty/sweet flavor. In looking at cv's ingredients list, I see a lot of binder. She might simply like that effect, so maybe try the semolina and oats. Maybe buzz the oats a bit in a food processor. Adding a little brown sugar to the balls and the sauce won't kill her and in time, you can slowly adjust the ingredients to the way you want them and she won't notice. Meatballs and meatloaf are a great place to hide things like grated or pulsed spinach, carrots and yes..even liver. Kids seriously won't notice if you hit the flavor sweet/salty spot they are looking for. Soy sauce is a good salty umami flavor profile that used sparingly won't taste like soy.

My friend has a daughter whose Pediatrician calls a "super taster". Things taste and smell about 10-20 times stronger to her. It really is a thing. A beautifully roasted chicken has Sophia flying out of her room yelling "what is that gross smell" as she looks around for her beloved plain pasta and butter. Cathy just sighs and puts a lot of water on to boil.

The secrets are usually the same- fat, salt and sugar. Same things that largely fuel the entire prepared food industry. The base ingredients- beef, pork and oatmeal- are pretty commonplace.

Hi Kristen, OK, this is what I would try if you haven’t already. Set aside a fun “meatball day” in the kitchen. Have your daughter cook with you = getting her hands into the meat, forming the balls, etc. Go through the culinary stages all the way to finally smelling the fragrant aroma of simmering balls in the sauce. Along the way test the sauce with pieces of torn bread – let her tear the bread and dip. Let her feel she “owns” the recipe. Perhaps this can make a difference….even have your husband join in the fun.
Here is my recipe to try: http://food52.com/recipes/6182-da-meat-a-ball

Good Luck....have fun :)

I had to look this up since I don't eat prepackaged food and it appears to be Stouffer's not Stauffer's.

Here's the ingredient list via a Google search:
Blanched Spaghetti (Water, Semolina), Water, Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Cooked Beef, Tomatoes (Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid, Calcium Chloride), Pork, Onions, 2% or Less of Soybean Oil, Rolled Oats, Modified Cornstarch, Sugar, Soy Protein Concentrate (with Caramel Color), Salt, Whey Protein Concentrate, Romano Cheese ([Made from Cow's Milk], Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Bleached Wheat Flour, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parmesan and Asiago Cheese Blend with Flavor (Parmesan Cheese [Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes], Asiago Cheese [Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes], Enzyme Modified Parmesan Cheese [Cultured Milk, Water, Salt, Enzymes], Whey, Salt), Worcestershire Sauce (Vinegar, Molasses, Water, Tamarind, Flavor, Sugar, Salt, Caramel Color, Anchovy, Onion, Garlic), Dehydrated Onions, Spices, Dehydrated Garlic, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Seasoning (Soy Sauce [Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt], Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Dextrose, Soybean Oil), Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Cultured Whey, Flavor (Water, Flavor, Maltodextrin, Salt, Caramel Color, Less than 2% of Lactic Acid, Enzyme Modified Cream).

The most glaring differences are the pork in the meatballs as well as the use of rolled oats.

The best meatballs I've had are a combination of beef, veal, and pork, not just beef. The pork will definitely add some flavor/fattiness. I've never had meatballs made with rolled oats, but my guess is that's what is contributing to the industrial texture.

Also, don't use lean ground beef (round or sirloin). Ground chuck (fattier, cheaper) has more flavor which is why this grade is recommended for hamburgers.

My guess is that some of the sugar in the sauce (as well as other ingredients like Worcestershire and soy sauce) are adding additional flavor that your daughter likes.

Good luck.

Just please imagine that I edited the various typos in there...