Easy Healthy Recipes For Picky Eaters – we all want to cook healthy and save time. When cooking healthy meals we tend to avoid using fatty foods and fried foods and resort to leaner cuts of meats. Since cooking leaner meats takes longer, my family enjoys our slower cooked meals more. Our taste buds savor the rich flavors and hearty meat. Below are recipes that I use regularly in order to ensure my family has a good variety of healthy, nutritious dishes while saving time.
EASY KID FRIENDLY MEALS
What are fun and healthy meals that kids will actually eat? These kid friendly meals are good for kids and they taste delicious too!
Thinking of meals that kids will enjoy eating is easy enough. But add in the requirement that they are actually healthy too, and the challenge gets leveled up quite a bit. So many healthy meals just don’t look appetizing to kids, and you can only squeeze so many nutrients into mac and cheese and chicken nuggets.
Thankfully, there are tons of healthy recipes out there that your kids will love – and I found a bunch of them for you.
Easy Meals For Kids
We all know that kids’ tastes change from day to day. There is just no telling what they are going to like next week. This is actually a good thing because it means you can keep introducing healthy foods like vegetables and fruits in different ways and you’ll eventually find something they like!
It also means you shouldn’t labor for hours in the kitchen over something they might not enjoy. When it comes to making kid-friendly meals, the keyword is “easy.” In fact, if you keep the recipes simple, kids will enjoy them more! Aren’t kids great? 🙂
That’s why the recipes on this list are all so easy. You get to spend more time with your kiddos and less time cooking – plus they will enjoy these delicious recipes too! Mom win!
Questions About Meals For Kids
First of all, you may have some questions about cooking for kids. No sweat! Here are some of the common questions people ask. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments so I can answer it!
How Do You Get Kids To Eat Their Vegetables?
This is tough because it depends on the reason the kids don’t enjoy the vegetables. For some, it’s a texture thing. Some kids prefer raw spinach to frozen or canned spinach just because it’s not as slimy.
The best thing you can do is just keep offering vegetables in different ways. If they didn’t like the raw veggies with dip, maybe try chopping them up in a soup.
You can also try to involve them in the process of picking out recipes and cooking them. When they are involved like that, they will be more likely to eat what they cook.
Another option I’ve heard of is pureeing the veggies and hiding them in sauces (like spaghetti sauce). It’s a really sneaky way to make things more nutrient-dense and does work for really picky eaters.
Are Kids’ Meals Healthy?
The most unhealthy ingredient for kids is sugar. If you can find a way to cook meals that aren’t drowning in sugary sauces, then it will be better for your children. Always try to find ways to offer fruits and veggies with every meal too so that they are eating enough fiber and vitamins.
At What Age Can Kids Start Making Their Own Meals?
This is entirely up to you and how you feel about your kids in the kitchen. Some parents like to allow their toddlers to stir things, others prefer to teach kids when they are older. There are small things that preschoolers can do to help cook, but other times it might feel stressful – especially if you are pressed for time.
If you are looking for a simple way to include your young child, give them the chore of “sprinkling” on things. For example, they can sprinkle on their own shredded cheese. You can also pre-measure out a spice like salt, and let them add it to the recipe. For safety versions, I’d steer clear of spices that can irritate and burn eyes, such as pepper.
Kid-Friendly Meals Your Children Will Actually Eat
These are some of my favorite ones! You can serve these for either lunch or dinner. Try them all out and save the ones that they loved the most to a Pinterest board or your recipe binder so you can find the recipes later.
1. Sloppy Joes
These slow cooker sloppy joes definitely check the boxes of being both easy and kid-approved! This high-protein recipe even has some veggies hidden inside…but they’ll never know!
2. Tasty Chicken and Rice Casserole
There is something so comforting about eating a casserole. This chicken and rice casserole is gluten free and dairy free, and has 3 different veggies layered within.
3. Mac and Cheese (One of the Ultimate Kid Friendly Meals!)
Of course, no kid-friendly food list would be complete without mac and cheese. Even the pickiest eater will love this one!
4. Taco Pizza
Struggling to choose between taco night or pizza delivery? Why not make this taco pizza dish—it’s the best of both!
5. Beef and Been Enchilada
Kids seem to think they can exist solely off carbs sometime. If you are desperate to get some protein into your child’s diet, this delicious enchilada recipe will do the trick!
YES, SEND ME THE PRINTABLE!
6. Easy Southwestern Casserole
This is one of those kid friendly meals that adults will love too! Ground sausage and enchilada sauce make this extra flavorful.
7. One-Pot Jambalaya
Historically, jambalaya may not have been a dish kids flock to. This kid-friendly jambalaya with toned down seasonings is just the trick.
8. One-Pot Pancit
Less dishes, and totally clean plates. What more could you want out of this one-pot pancit?
9. One-Pot Turkey Enchilada Casserole
This is one of the kid friendly meals that your children will absolutely gobble up. Grownups will too – enchilada casserole is delicious
10. Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
These slow cooker chicken tacos are a crowd-pleaser for the entire household. You can serve these over a bed of lettuce, or fold them into tortillas…either way they are delicious!
Superfast Kid-Friendly Recipes
Picky eaters and never enough time? Dinner doesn’t need to be a battle against the clock and finicky taste buds. Our Kid-Friendly Recipes will have a nutritious dinner they will all love on the table in less than 20 minutes. Whether it’s favorites like pizza, macaroni and cheese, or fish sticks, you’ll find healthy versions of all the dishes your children love. The best part is that adults will enjoy these creative recipes too.
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Sweet Potato and Sausage Strata
Hand over the reins: Let the kids assemble this savory-sweet oven-baked treat. If you make this dish ahead, bring it to room temperature before baking so it will reheat evenly.
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Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches
This delicious handheld breakfast will get the kids going in the morning and out the door without delay. Warm and savory, it will truly start the day off right.
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Cheesy Chicken Bagel Pizzas
Bagel halves are a quick, kid-friendly stand-in for traditional pizza crust.
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Baked Mozzarella Bites
Serve this quick after-school snack to your kids as an alternative to traditional fried cheesesticks.
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Linguine with Easy Meat Sauce
For picky eaters, try serving this meat sauce over whimsically shaped pasta, like bow ties, rotini, or wagon wheels.
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Creamy Ranch-Style Dip
Serve this dip with baby carrots, broccoli florets, or other fresh vegetables.
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Chili-Cheese Mac
Meaty, cheesy, and delicious—kids will love this comforting dinner. But, that’s not all, parents will love it too.
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Tomato-Basil Soup
This creamy tomato soup is super-flavorful courtesy of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and our delicious blend of ingredients. Don’t forget the cheesy French bread. Dunking is a must!
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Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs
We lightened up a kid-friendly favorite that will still please your pint-sized diners.
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Chicken with Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce
Saucy, cheesy, and oh-so-flavorful—this will soon become one of your family’s new favorites.
Healthy kids’ recipes
- Turkey chilli jacket potatoesA star rating of 3.9 out of 5.16 ratingsTurkey mince is cheap and lean. Flavour Mexican-style chilli with cumin and paprika and serve in crisp baked potatoes
- Pesto chicken saladA star rating of 4.8 out of 5.4 ratingsServe this pesto chicken and couscous salad in lettuce leaves for a healthy supper. With added sundried tomatoes and pine nuts, it has lots of texture
- Sausage & white bean casseroleA star rating of 4.5 out of 5.93 ratingsMake this easy chipolata, bean and roasted veg one-pan dish for a healthy, flavour-packed meal that the whole family will love. It offers four of your five-a-day
- Pea & mint fishcakesA star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratingsTry these tasty pea and mint fishcakes for a family meal and they’re sure to go down a treat with all ages. Serve with a green salad and tartare sauce
- Jerk chicken kebabs with mango salsaA star rating of 4.2 out of 5.12 ratingsA simple colourful way with chicken that is packed with goodness
- Vegetarian enchiladasA star rating of 4.4 out of 5.229 ratingsPack flavour into your meal with these easy veggie enchiladas that are filled with nutritious ingredients. This comforting, cheesy dish is the perfect crowd-pleasing family dinner
- The ultimate makeover: shepherd’s pieA star rating of 4.7 out of 5.67 ratingsAngela Nilsen works her magic on a classic and gives Shepherd’s pie a superhealthy face-lift
- Homemade fish finger sarnieA star rating of 5 out of 5.3 ratingsFish fingers are not just a childhood freezer favourite – make yours with homemade chips for a nostalgic and superhealthy supper