Kid-friendly ideas for dinner! These 15 family favorites have stood the test of time and our kids as for them over and over. When “What’s for dinner?” sounds like fighting words, come to this list.
Each meal is easy enough for cooks of any level, fast enough for busy families and nutritious enough to make everyone feel good about it. But above all, these dinners are 100 percent kid-tested and Thumbs Up approved.
Instant Pot Spaghetti & Meat Sauce
Everything cooks together in the Instant Pot! No boiling noodles separately. It’s all here, and it’s delicious.
Kielbasa, Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Apples: A Sheet Pan Dinner Kids Love
Slice everything, slather in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Your prep is done! Roast these beauties until the edges are crisp and serve with a drizzle of ketchup and mustard.
Roast a FULL sheet pan of cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt. Now your pasta sauce is done! Combine with fresh pasta and add a few more flavor boosters for a favorite weeknight meal.
Easy Salisbury Steak Meatballs
Simplified Pot Roast with Vegetables
The sauce alone makes this meal worth it. *Chef’s kiss* This dinner takes longer than others so prepare accordingly and don’t forget all the ideas we’ve included here for ways to reuse leftovers!
Even people who don’t like fish love this dinner. That it comes together with one swipe of a magical ingredient? That makes me love this dinner even more.
Super Simple Shrimp & Tomato Pasta
Juicy shrimp, flavorful tomatoes. If you’ve got 15 minutes, you can have a delicious dinner on the table.
No-Rise Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
No need to wait! Just knead and fill with toppings. Pizza Night was never easier (or yummier).
You’ll never guess what the secret ingredient is…
Magical Mac & Cheese with Pureed Sweet Potatoes
Creamy, sweet and packed with vitamins, microwave those sweet potatoes, scoop them out and puree! When I make mac and cheese without them, my kids insist “something’s missing”.
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Asparagus & Potatoes
Lemon chicken is the number one way my family likes chicken. So tangy, so flavorful, so good every single time.
Don’t even peel the potatoes. Just chop them up and throw them in the slow cooker, along with a couple other key ingredients. It’ll bubble away all day until you’re ready to puree for dinner.
Caprese Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil
Just cook the pasta! The “sauce” comes together with cooking water, the juice of tomatoes and the melt-y edges of mozzarella. A hit every time.
Roasted Chicken Stuffed with Lemons
File this one under “Make at Nap Time” but don’t count it out! Once you assemble the chicken and nestle it on top of a bed of onions and veggies, the work is done. Your oven does the rest!
This easy baked dish uses rice, a little pasta sauce and all the fresh zucchini you can find. I always make a double batch and either freeze one or give it to a friend. #crowdpleaser
Make it ahead of time, whip it up at the last minute. Either way, this chicken is the dish my kids ask to have when we had company (and when we do again!)
Leave a Reply