I don't know if the OP is still looking for ideas since this is such an old thread, but I thought I'd put some ideas out there just in case. We don't eat fast-food, btw, and dd, at 8 hasn't had nary a chicken mcnugget or soda in her life, so I don't agree that you have to feed them fast food to make them happy eaters. She's been an adventurous eater all her life.
Some of dd all-time favorite dishes/meals:
- Grilled chicken (I marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts then grill)
- Lamb chops (grilled again)
- Turkish meals (dh from Turkey) like various meat köfte, börek, cold oil dishes
- Ham and beans - just like my granny made it
- Rice and beans
- Spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil)
- Veggie lasagne
- Cheese tortellini with basil pesto
- Steak (grilled)
- Various Indian dishes (Keema mataar, mataar paneer, dal makhni)
- Just about anything Mexican... lots of healthy options here
- Panini... usually she prefers chicken, provolone, arugula, and pesto and only eats homemade bread or non-HFCS whole grains
- Soups (split pea is her favorite, but also likes just about anything)
- Egg dishes, such as quiche and frittata
- Steamed mussels
- Whole grilled fish (even likes it with the head on) and beer battered cod
- Grilled shrimp (really likes all seafood)
Sides:
- Legumes such as peas, green beans, warm bean dishes
- Any roasted vegetables (except asparagus)
- Oven roasted fries, home fries, most other potatoes, including sweet potatoes
- green salad, especially with caesar or ranch dressing (creamy, in other words)
- pasta salad
- rice pilaf
- bulghur pilaf
- zucchini fries
- fresh veg from the garden
- tabouleh
- various veg casseroles
Snacks:
- fruit of any sort (don't know of one she doesn't like)
- raw vegetables of any sort
- hummus and pita
- olives and feta cheese
- dill pickles and other pickled foods
- cheese and crackers
- smoothies made with plain yogurt
- plain yogurt, salt and water... what is called "salty lassi" in Indian restaurants, called "ayran" in Turkish
- frozen fruit bars (homemade from just fruit and milk, blended and poured into molds)
- nuts, seeds and legumes
- granola
- wraps cut into bite-sized
She has a really healthy diet and I think the key has been to offer lots of options and not cater to the mentality that kids need to somehow eat differently than adults do. Hope this offers some more suggestions. Haven't read the whole thread, though I did read the OP.