Cooking for an entire family is no easy task. You’re constantly coming up with new ways to keep things interesting, healthy, flavorful, AND appeal to everyone’s tastes. It’s exhausting!
Fortunately, we’ve tried and tested these 21 Kid-friendly Meals For Picky Eaters, and we can say with confidence that they are always a hit (whether your kids are 4 years old or 40!) From soup and pasta to pork chops, hot dogs, and sushi – you’ll be surprised by what your family is suddenly happy to eat!
Table of Contents
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Delicious and comforting, this chicken noodle soup is loaded with flavorful chicken and soft noodles. 30 minutes are all you need for a family-friendly meal.
Creamy Mac n Cheese
It’s creamy, cheesy, and perfectly seasoned. This Southern-style mac and cheese is one of the most popular dishes. Serve with ketchup for some extra delicious flavor.
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Sweet, savory, and slightly sour. You’ll have no complaints from your picky eaters! Oh, and did we mention it cooks in only 15 minutes?
Benihana Fried Rice
Full of veggies and flavors your kids will like, this fried rice is fast, easy, and delicious. A winner all around!
Dragon Roll Sushi
One of the all-time best sushi dishes, this dragon roll is filled with shrimp tempura and cucumber, with a fun avocado topping, resembling the scales of a dragon. It’ll definitely attract attention from your kids immediately.
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup
It’s a go-to meal as it’s cheesy and comforting. Perfect for pickier palates!
Beef Stir-Fry
This classic Chinese recipe is a family favorite all year round. It’s sweet and savory with a hint of garlic flavor. Use flank steak or skirt steak for the best tender and juicy beef stir fry.
Air Fryer Corn Dogs
Crispy and crunchy, these healthy air fryer corn dogs are made without deep-frying. They’ll be a big hit with kids and adults!
Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf
This best meatloaf will have your kids asking for seconds! It uses our favorite Lipton onion soup mix hack and tastes even better than the classic meatloaf, making it one of our favorite kid-friendly meals.
Easy 30-Minute Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings
One of my kids’ favorite meals are these easy Bisquick dumplings. You’ll have a warm and comforting bowl of chicken dumplings in under 30 minutes.
Honey Garlic Shrimp
All you need is 6 simple ingredients and 15 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner that’s kid-friendly and mouthwateringly delicious.
Creamy Baked Cavatappi Pasta
Shaped like corkscrews, this cheesy pasta is a fun choice for kids, making it a grown-up version of mac and cheese.
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
This crock pot chicken recipe is one of our favorite dinners. Serve them with flour tortillas and your kids will love them!
Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
Made with pizza dough and your favorite toppings, these pizza rolls are ready in under 15 minutes in an air fryer. It’s a homemade spin on a kid’s favorite food that the whole family will love.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
One of the kids’ favorite foods! It’s an easy “dump and go” recipe made in a slow cooker. Shred the pork and add BBQ sauce before serving. A family-friendly recipe that everyone loves.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare in the morning, and you’ll come home with tender and juicy chicken smothered in the flavorful sweet and savory sauce.
BLT Pasta Salad
This summer salad is a fresh meal made with bacon, veggies and pasta. Great for toddlers as well as older kids!
Easy Hot Dogs
There’s nothing better than a hot dog in the summer! Easy to make and popular among kids. Note that for safety reasons you should not serve this to kids under 4 years old.
Avocado Pasta
A delicious vegetarian dinner idea that’s made with avocados, basil, garlic, lemon and olive oil. It’s creamy, refreshing and full of flavor!
Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops
Tender and delicious pork chops cooked in rich and creamy mushroom soup. It takes 30 minutes to cook in one pan, a perfect family-friendly dinner for busy nights.
Turkey Tacos
One of the few healthy options for kids, these turkey tacos are loaded with ground turkey, veggies, and spices. It’s full of flavor and perfect for meal prep!
Kid Friendly Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Large Stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts bone-in, skin-on
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley minced, optional
Instructions
- Cook the noodles in boiling water according to package directions. Prepare chicken soup while waiting.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté setting and wait until it reads hot. Add oil, and then add the chicken breasts and sauté 3-4 minutes until starting to brown on the outside.
- Add the garlic, onions, carrots and celery. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and become translucent.
- Add the chicken broth and water, bay leaves, thyme, salt and water.
- Cover the Instant Pot and close the lid. Select “soup” with a timer for 8 minutes.
- Once the cycle has finished, allow another 5-10 minutes for the pressure to release. For a quick release to save time, check Instant Pot guidance.
- Carefully unlock and remove the cover. Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks.
- Add the shredded chicken and cooked noodles to the Instant Pot. Mix well.
- Add fresh parsley. Taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper to your preference. Serve and enjoy!
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