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Tired of the dinnertime battle? Set your whole family up for success with these easy kid-friendly dinners! Each one is dietitian-formulated and kid-approved, so you can rest easy knowing these delicious and healthy meals will be a big hit. Your new family favorite is right here!
Easy Kid-Friendly Dinners
As a mom , I know how hard it can be to find meals your kids will like, let alone healthy recipes that will nourish their growing bodies! I promise that every single one of the meals is kid-approved by my own crew!
They’re so tasty that even the pickiest eaters won’t mind. Dinner is about to get way easier!
Why You’ll Love these Healthy Kid-Friendly Dinners
- Taste-tested by my own kids to make sure they’re up to snuff
- Formulated by a registered dietitian to be higher in fiber and protein
- Lots of veggies incorporated for extra vitamins and minerals
- Simple to meal prep for easy weeknight dinners all week long
- Classic kid-friendly flavors (just a little healthier)
- Tasty enough to serve the entire family
- Unprocessed and made with wholesome ingredients
Main Dishes
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Hamburger Helper is a classic for a reason! It’s full of creamy, cheesy hamburger meat, but the boxed stuff has lots of preservatives and additives you don’t need. Save this recipe for a super simple dinner on those nights when you’re scrambling!
Disneyland Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is always a hit, especially on those chilly nights!
Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Ditch the storebought nuggets to make your own! You can store them in the freezer for later too!
Meatloaf without Eggs
These little meatloaf are slightly sweet, which kids love, and they’re just the right size for kids.
Even the pickiest eaters will not know that a bunch of veggies are packed into this chili. It’s so flavorful!
I keep the ingredients for this soup on hand at all times. You just need a few pantry staples and some spice!
Homemade Pizza Rolls in Air Fryer
Kids love pizza, and these bite-sized pizza bites are a healthier alternative. They even have some bell peppers and spinach packed inside to make them extra nutritious.
Ground turkey + breadcrumbs + zucchini + seasonings and spices = the best little burgers ever.
Black Bean and Cheese Quesadilla
If your kid lives off of quesadillas, sneak in some extra fiber with a savory mixture of black beans and spices. This is a great dish, even for babies!
Top your pizza with taco taco meat and spices for a healthier twist on a cafeteria classic.
Chickpea Veggie Nuggets
Totally vegetarian, full of veggies, and loaded with fiber (and flavor) – what more could you want?
Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
The cauliflower makes these nuggets soft and tender. Serve with your kid’s favorite dips!
Homemade Mini Pizzas
Pizza is always on the menu around here! These personal pizzas are made with the EASIEST 3 ingredient dough ever. No kneading or waiting required!
Turkey Veggie Meatballs
If you have picky eaters, try incorporating veggies into your protein source whenever possible. These meatballs have spinach, broccoli, and carrots!
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
A little apple gives these meatloaf muffins a slightly sweet flavor. Bake them in muffin tins for an easy kid-sized serving!
Mini Chicken Quesadillas
My kids love bite-sized foods, and these tiny quesadillas are always a big hit. Avocados are a fantastic source of healthy fats, which those growing bodies really need!
Chicken Zucchini Poppers
These little meatballs could not be much easier to make. If you want to add meatballs to your pasta dishes, try this version to sneak in some extra veggies.
Mini Egg Bites
Breakfast for dinner is always a thing around here, especially on those busy weeknights. Serve these bites up with some toast and some raw veggies and dip, and you’re good to go!
Chicken Pastina Soup
This soup is “Italian penicillin,” perfect for curing whatever ails you. The tiny star noodles are the best part!
Pesto Chicken Bites
Crispy and crunchy with a delicious pesto flavor…these are way better than ordinary chicken tenders!
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
My kids love having eggs for dinner, especially with some toast, 3-ingredient protein waffles or fresh fruit. Dinner doesn’t get much easier than this!
Chicken Avocado Poppers
These little avocado poppers are especially great for little ones. They’re so good with tater tots, cilantro lime rice, or fries!
Mini Salmon Cakes
Salmon and sweet potato are the perfect match. Serve these cakes with a creamy sauce, like my avocado creme.
Zucchini Frittata Muffins
If you know you have a really busy night this week, prep a pan of these muffins on the weekend for a super quick meal!
Kids Chicken Noodle Soup
Most kids love chicken noodle soup and this version is designed with the perfect sized pieces for babies and toddlers to feed themselves.
Chicken Muffins
Top these mini chicken meatloaf muffins with a rich tomato sauce and some mozzarella cheese for a delicious pizza flavor!
Mexican Chicken Fajitas
If your kids love tacos and Mexican flavors, they’ll love these fajitas! Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and their favorite toppings.
5-Ingredient Meatloaf
For this tasty meatloaf, you only need five simple ingredients: ground beef, Parmesan cheese, egg, onion, BBQ sauce, and some seasonings.
Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
Make your own homemade Caesar dressing to make healthy Caesar salads at home any night of the week!
Big Mac Tacos
For a crowd-pleasing dinner, smash a burger patty into a taco to make these amazing burger tacos! They taste better than takeout and are so fast!
Chicken Burrito Casserole
This recipe is perfect for busy parents! Combine all of the ingredients, including the rice, in a casserole dish and bake. You can’t beat those one-pot meals!
Beef Nachos Supreme
These homemade nachos are a better-for-you option than most fast food and taste absolutely amazing. The kids devour them too!
Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This recipe has three flavors kids love – chicken, pesto, and sweet potatoes. They’re a complete meal in one! My kids repeatedly ask for this meal!
Worcestershire Sauce Burgers
Burgers are always a great option for family-friendly meals, and these homemade patties are LOADED with flavor!
Save these recipes for later!
Sides
4-Ingredient Pasta Salad
This is one of my favorite quick dinner ideas! You just need pasta, pesto, tomatoes, and feta. So easy!
Sweet Potato Tots
These healthy homemade tots are made with lentils and sweet potatoes for extra fiber. They taste great, too!
Veggie Quinoa Bites
I promise – this is the easiest way to get your kids to eat quinoa. They love the cheesy flavor!
Cheesy Zucchini Fritters
This is one of the best ways to use up extra zucchini (and convince your kids to eat it at the same time). They get rave reviews!
Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
These quinoa cups are loaded with broccoli, but kids mostly just taste the cheese.
Broccoli Cheese Tots
My kids love these baked broccoli tots! They’re soft and tender from the broccoli and potato with a crunchy texture. Great for dipping!
Cauliflower Tots
Your kids won’t even know there’s kale in these homemade tots!
Healthy Corn Fritters
These are hands down one of the most commonly requested recipes in my house. The crisp texture of the fritter and the sweet flavor of corn = perfection.
Baby Pasta Recipe
Serve up some extra greens by making your own veggie-packed pesto with basil, spinach, and avocado. It’s seriously tasty!
Roasted Carrot Pasta
Did you know you can turn roasted carrots into a sweet and creamy pasta sauce? It’s so good and the perfect vehicle for some of the meatloaf muffins and poppers above.
Mashed Sweet Potato Fritters
This is such an easy way to serve extra sweet potatoes! They’re amazing with a little apple.
Homemade Veggie Tots in Air Fryer
This is basically my go-to tot recipe. They’re made with carrots, zucchini, and broccoli, but the savory flavors from the melted cheese and spices stand out the most. They’re always a total hit!
5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese
Every parent needs a good homemade mac and cheese recipe, and this one couldn’t get much easier. We always have evaporated milk on hand so we can make it at a moment’s notice!
Zucchini Fries in Air Fryer
If you want your kids to eat more zucchini, it helps to bread it with a cheesy breadcrumb mixture first. These are so good for dipping!
Kale Mac and Cheese
This is an easy way to add some extra veggies into a simple meal!
