24 Kid-Friendly Recipes (+ Easy Dinner Ideas)

Want to score some major points with your kids, nieces, and nephews? These scrumptious kid-friendly recipes are guaranteed to win their hearts over.

Whether you’re having a children’s party or just a lazy afternoon with the kids, these treats will be a big hit.

From pizza to waffles to brownies, there’s something for everybody on this list – even the pickiest eaters. 

Apart from tasting super awesome, these dishes are also incredibly easy to prepare. So why not enlist their help and make a whole activity out of it?

Kids, get your aprons ready! It’s gonna be a fun-tastic day.

20+ Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes for Kids

1. Pita Bread Pizza

No one can say no to pizza, which is exactly why it’s the first thing on the list!

The best part is, this pizza couldn’t be easier to make. Since it uses pita bread as the crust, it comes together in no time!

This recipe calls for just 3 ingredients — pita bread, marinara, and cheese. But of course, you can add as many toppings as you want! 

2. Pigs in a Blanket  

Hot dogs, cheese, bread: these pigs in a blanket are a sure-fire way to put a smile on any kid’s face.

They’re rich, savory, and so cheesy! They’re also a breeze to make! They’re so easy, even the kids can make them.

Just a little bit of wrapping and rolling, and into the oven, they go. Wait a few minutes, and voila! Your snack is ready to serve.

Plus, since they’re portable, they’re perfect for potlucks and tailgating parties!

3. Snickers Salad 

Okay, to say that this next dish is a salad is a little bit of a stretch. But it does have apples in it… so I say it still counts as healthy! 🙂

The rest of the ingredients, though, not so much. Snickers, whipped, cream, caramel drizzle, toffee bits – they’re not particularly salad material, but they’re definitely delicious.

I am no child, but I will choose this over a garden salad any day.

Whipping this salad up is also a cinch. Just throw in all the ingredients into a bowl and mix. 

4. Pancakes  

Light, fluffy, and airy pancakes topped with butter and maple syrup — there’s no better way to start the day.

Do you remember being a kid and waking up to the smell of pancakes? Those were the days, huh? It was enough to make you jump out of bed.

Give your kids the exact same feeling with these copycat Cracker Barrel pancakes! Just 7 basic ingredients and 15 minutes are all you need. 

5. Easy Beef Tacos 

With these easy beefy tacos, you’ll want every day to be Taco Tuesday.

Ground beef seasoned to perfection plus your favorite toppings resting on a soft warm tortilla? These tacos are love at first bite.

It’s not just the flavor that will make you and your kids fall in love. It’s all about the color, too! The combination of beef, vegetables, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole is nothing short of breathtaking.

Get your taco bar ready for a super fun party! This won’t just look stunning, but it will also allow the kids to add their choice of toppings to their tacos.

6. Tuna Salad Sandwich 

Tuna and mayonnaise – it’s such a simple combination, but it works. Spread that rich and savory filling on bread, and you’ll get a hearty and delicious snack.

Tuna salad is a breeze to make, to boot. Just mix tuna and mayo, season, and it’s ready to go! It’s done in barely 5 minutes.

You can enjoy this sandwich as is, or add as many toppings as you please. I personally love mine with apple slices.

It adds a sweet and crunchy contrast to the dish. Bonus points for the added nutrients as well!

7. Macaroni Salad 

It’s rich, creamy, and super hearty. Macaroni salad works both as a side dish and an afternoon snack! 

How I love the flavors and textures of macaroni salad. The firm yet chewy pasta and the crisp vegetables create a wonderful contrast.

The mayo, mustard, and apple cider vinegar form such a creamy and zesty dressing.

Together, they make one heck of a treat. It’s so good, even kids will be impressed.

8. Watermelon Berry Salad

Want to add nutrition to your kids’ diet? This watermelon berry salad is the perfect strategy. Just because it’s a salad doesn’t mean it isn’t tasty.

This salad is bursting with colorful fruits and berries. The combination of sweet, tart, and creamy will convert any child into a salad supporter.

The honey, mint, and lime juice join forces to create a lip-smacking dressing. Together with the fruits, you’ll get a refreshing summer treat.

9. Monster Cookies 

I mean… just by the name alone, you can tell that these are kid-friendly.

What’s not to love about these monster cookies? They’re loaded with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and M&Ms!

Sure, they also contain oatmeal, which isn’t exactly popular with the kids, but it gives the cookies a certain chewiness.

Another great thing about these cookies is that you can add many munchies to the batter. 

It’s already loaded as it is, but you can’t go wrong with adding more! Reese’s, pretzels, mini-marshmallows, butterscotch chips, and toffee bits make wonderful options.

They aren’t called monster cookies for nothing.

10. Chicken Wings

How can anyone say no to fried chicken?

Chicken wings are not just any ordinary fried chicken, though. Nope, they’re so much more than that.

Apart from being fried to crisp perfection, this recipe also has an impossibly scrumptious garlic parmesan wing sauce coating the meat.

They’re so incredibly cheesy, buttery, and garlicky, they’ll give Wingstop a run for its money.

You can end there or take things up another notch by serving the wings with a rich and creamy dip. 

11. Spaghetti and Meatballs 

Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner? Hang on, let me just grab my plate.

When having kids over, the first dish that comes to mind is always spaghetti and meatballs. There’s something about pasta and sweet and meaty sauce that makes kids so giddy!

And I get it, 100 percent. How can anyone resist a sweet, savory, and cheesy treat? I sure can’t.

The best part about spaghetti and meatballs is that it’s a breeze to make. This recipe makes a huge batch, too, so it can easily feed an army of kids. That’s why it’s the perfect kiddie party dish!

12. Apple Sandwiches 

Apples may not be a top choice among kids, but when you pair them with peanut butter, everything changes.

This combo is a game changer! The sweetness, creaminess, and nuttiness of peanut butter combined with crisp apples is truly genius.

I’m pretty sure a mom came up with that idea! Whoever they are, they deserve an award.

Not only is it delicious, it’s also packed with nutrients. It’s the best way to add substance to your kids’ diets!

Plus, it’s also incredibly easy to prepare. Just three minutes and voila, the sandwich is ready.

13. Easy Chocolate Cupcakes 

Chocolate cupcakes! I’m excited already.

These cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and super chocolatey. The cake itself is already perfect, but when smothered with fudgy chocolate frosting, it becomes phenomenal.

If you think you’ll need some expert baking skills to nail this recipe, you are mistaken. These cupcakes only require one bowl, making prep and cleaning up a breeze.

14. Easy Berry Smoothie 

Move over chocolate milkshakes – this berry smoothie is the new popular drink in town.

Sure, it’s made with fruits and berries, but that doesn’t mean it can’t compete with chocolate and vanilla. 

The combination of bananas, berries, and Greek yogurt makes an ultra-rich, sweet, and refreshing beverage that no kid can’t resist.

Not only is it lip-smacking delicious, it’s also nutritious! Best of all, it only takes 5 minutes to prepare. 

Kid-friendly, delicious, nutritious, and a cinch to make: now that’s what I call the perfect combination.

15. French Fries

French fries: need I say more?

These aren’t your typical French fries. There’s so much more to them! It’s a copycat of the popular Popeyes French fries, and if you’ve tried those, you know exactly how amazing this recipe is.

Apart from nailing that crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside consistency, these fries are also flavored perfectly with Cajun seasoning. One fry is all it takes to get you hooked.

A big platter of these French fries, a bowl of ketchup, and a good movie on Netflix: it’s the best formula to a wonderful afternoon with the kids.

16. Easy Vegetable Dip 

This dip is so insanely delicious, it might just make your kids willingly eat veggies.

You might think I’m messing with you, but once you’ve tried this dip, I’m sure you’ll understand.

This dip combines vegetable seasoning mix, sour cream, mayo, spinach, and pepper. These may seem like simple ingredients, but together, they make the most mind-blowing flavor!

Use this to dip carrots, celery sticks, and other crisp veggies. It’s so good, it can make any vegetable taste like chips.

17. Stovetop Mac & Cheese 

Spaghetti and meatballs may be the number one pasta for kids, but to me, nothing beats mac and cheese.

This mac and cheese is ridiculously cheesy and impossible to resist. It’s such a cinch to make, too! Just 15 minutes, and dinner is served.

Try this recipe and trust me, you’ll never touch a boxed mac and cheese ever again.

18. Grilled Cheese 

Is your kid feeling a little blue? This grilled cheese has the power to cheer anyone up. 

There will be no frowny faces with this grilled cheese! Incredibly rich and cheesy, one bite of this sandwich will turn that face upside down.

Serve this grilled cheese with a steaming bowl of tomato soup, and you’ll have a well-rounded meal.

19. Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits 

This is the sweetest, fruitiest parfait that will ever come your way!

Layers of creamy yogurt, fresh (or frozen) fruit, and granola. That’s all it takes to make a healthy, refreshing, and colorful snack. 

20. Easy Veggie Skewers 

These veggie skewers are so colorful, they’ll make your kids feel like they’re in a fairytale story.

Red onions, zucchini, bell peppers – these veggies may not be popular with the kids. But stick them on a skewer and their whole perspective changes.

Anything on a skewer is fun to eat! Plus, flavored with balsamic, garlic, and herbs, these veggies will taste fantastic! 

21. Waffles 

They’re golden crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Drizzled with maple syrup and loaded with sweet, chewy, and crunchy toppings, waffles are the ultimate weekend breakfast!

The only problem with waffles is that they’re not the easiest thing to prepare. Let’s be honest, no one wants to wake up early on a Saturday to measure and sift ingredients. 

But thanks to Bisquick, you won’t have to go through all that trouble to make waffles. It’s the perfect way to get you going on a lazy morning.

22. Chocolate Chip Muffins 

These chocolate chip muffins are unbelievably moist and bursting with chocolate. 

The secret to these insanely moist muffins? Well, unlike other recipes, this one uses both buttermilk and oil. Mmm.

Trust me, these muffins are a certified kid-pleaser. They’re so out-of-this-world chocolatey, they’ll think you got them from a bakery.

23. Brownies 

These brownies aren’t only incredibly fudgy, ooey-gooey, and chocolatey, they’ll also take you down memory lane. One bite will get you reminiscing about the good old days!

If you grew up munching on Little Debbie treats, you’ll fall head over heels in love with these brownies. This is a copycat recipe for Cosmic Brownies! 

They’re drool-worthy, nostalgic, and a cinch to make. These brownies truly are something special.

24. Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Want a fun and easy snack to get your kids ready for playtime? These peanut butter energy bites are just the ticket!

Chocolate chips, oatmeal, peanut butter, flax seeds, and honey: that’s all you need to make a super crunchy, tasty, and energy boosting snack.

Apart from the flavor and texture, they’re also loaded with nutrients! These bites are kid-friendly, easy to make, and good for the body. You really can’t ask for more.