33 Dinner Ideas for Kids (+ Easy Recipes)

Are you a parent who’s running low on dinner ideas for kids? I have you covered!

It can be frustrating when your kids opt for a bag of chips when you’ve put a lot of work into making dinner.

No matter how nifty your dish is, if they don’t like the way it smells or if they see anything GREEN in there, that dish will be completely ignored.

In this list, you will get an array of dishes your kids won’t be able to say no to. You will also discover new ways to reinvent classics like burgers, pizza, and chicken!

Dive in and start cooking.

1. Cheeseburger Biscuit Cups

This is a fun play on cheeseburger because instead of serving it in a bun, it’s served in a biscuit that’s shaped into a cup!

To make your cheeseburger taste even more delish, cook the ground beef in mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.

Top it with melted cheese, and your kids will love it!

2. Sloppy Joes

These sandwiches are so easy to make you can whip it up in less than 20 minutes!

This is a one-pan dish with ground beef, kidney beans, onions, tomatoes, and spices. It goes well with any bread – from burger buns to loaf bread to dinner rolls.

3. Buttered Noodles

Simple dishes like buttered noodles truly are a hit with kids.

It only needs four things: butter, salt, pepper, and egg noodles. How easy is that?

Kids will love this as is, but since it is so versatile, the options are endless.

Mix in beef stroganoff or meatballs, and your kids will get excited just by looking at it!

4. Potato Chip Frittata

Opening a bag of chips will get the kids running towards you in a flash!

But instead of eating chips as-is, we will use them to add crunch to a fluffy and cheesy frittata.

Cheese, eggs, and chips together? You can’t go wrong with that combo.

5. Corn Casserole

Kids are crazy about comfort food, and corn casserole is one of the best out there.

Corn muffin mixed with creamed corn, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, and baked until the cheese gets bubbly and golden brown – now that’s what I call a certified hit.

This casserole is the perfect combination of sweet, creamy, buttery, and crunchy! 

6. Taco Cups

Just about anything shaped into a cup will get your kids’ attention. Taco cups are a perfect candidate.

For this dish to work, you need to use fajita-sized tortillas.

Bend those inside muffin tins, fill them with juicy taco meat, top with shredded cheese, and bake!

7. Pizza Spaghetti Bake

If the kids are getting bored with the same spaghetti recipe every week, here is the perfect way to reinvent it: say hello to pizza spaghetti bake.

Let me give you a breakdown of this casserole. There’s al dente pasta at the bottom, followed by smoky ground pork sausage. 

Then, of course, there’s the rich sauce – it’s not spaghetti without it! 

But it doesn’t end there. To finish it off, this casserole is topped with lots of pepperoni and cheese and baked to pasta perfection.

8. Ritz Cracker Chicken

Kids love chicken, and kids love crackers. Imagine their joy if you combine these two to make one incredible dish!

Chicken breasts are coated with these uber flavorful crackers and butter and baked until crisp and golden. It’s so good, and oil-free, to boot! 

9. Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic that kids will never ever get tired of.

Meatballs seasoned with herbs and spices are simmered in a rich marinara sauce. They’re juicy and meaty, sweet and savory. What’s not to like? 

Toss in the spaghetti pasta to finish this classic and serve.

10. Pizza Hot Dogs

If you don’t have time to whip up the perfect pizza, make pizza hot dogs instead.

You can use any of your favorite pizza toppings like pepperoni, and cheese. And of course, don’t forget the hot dogs!

Sprinkle them with Italian seasoning, pop it in the oven, and you’re golden.

11. Cheeseburger Meatloaf

There are tons of meatloaf recipes that call for a bunch of ingredients and techniques out there. 

But really, all you’ll need is ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard.

These are enough to create the juiciest and most tender meatloaf. The addition of cheese, ketchup, and mustard makes it taste like a cheeseburger, too!

12. Pizzadillas

Pizzadillas: a fantastic way to eat pizza and quesadilla at the same time!

You can use toppings like chicken, cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms – absolutely anything you can think of!

Place them inside flour tortillas and crisp them up in a skillet.

The best part is the kids get to pick their own toppings, so you know they’ll gladly devour them.

13. Chicken Tenders

This next recipe is southern comfort food that’s both healthy and finger-licking good.

Chicken tenders are soaked in a marinade of lime juice, honey, and Italian dressing and grilled to absolute perfection.

They smell good and taste even better. It’s impossible for kids to ignore them.

14. Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets are a staple in any kid’s comfort food list. But let’s be honest, we can’t feed them fast food every single day.

So put on your apron and try these homemade chicken nuggets, with crunchy panko breading on the outside and tender chunks of chicken inside.

Pair this with the perfect BBQ dipping sauce, and your kids won’t be asking for fast food again.

15. Cheeseburger Pie

Kids love pies. Imagine what their faces will look like if they have one that tastes like a cheeseburger.

If you want a recipe that’s a time saver, you have just found it. 

Use the always dependable Bisquick mix for that wonderful crust. Stuff it with a mixture of beef, cheese, and eggs, and the rest is up to the oven.

It’s quick, easy, and sure hits the spot.

16. Pizza Stuffed Crescent Rolls

The next recipe makes bite-sized appetizers with a big flavor. 

These crescent rolls are filled with everything that screams pizza, from the sauce to the pepperoni to the mozzarella. 

Watch your kids rave as they bite into the gooey goodness of this dish.

17. Franks and Beans

If you were into camping as a kid, chances are you’ve had this next dish more than once.

Slices of franks are cooked in a sweet and savory sauce and loaded with beans. Trust me, the perfect blend is definitely better than store-bought.

It’s a customizable recipe, so you’ll get to decide what goes into this dish. I highly recommend bacon and maple syrup.

18. Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a classic favorite, so it’s not surprising kids love it every time. Giving it a twist for a change couldn’t hurt, though.

Instead of frying it in oil, try baking it. I swear, it will still taste just as good. Plus, it’s a lot healthier, too.

Pro tip: dip the chicken in beaten eggs so the breading stays in place while baking.

19. Potato Chip Chicken Casserole

This chicken casserole contains broccoli and mushroom, but because there are cheese and chips on top, the kids will love it.

This comfort food is a classic casserole made up of creamy chicken and mushroom topped with, you guessed it, potato chips.

The chips add texture and flavor to the dish that kids go crazy for.

20. Grilled Cheese

If you’ve seen the movie, Chef, you already know how awesome this next dish is.

Kids only have a handful of favorite foods to snack on, and cheese is one of those things. 

Grab your skillet, take two pieces of bread, slap on as much cheese as you want, then grill them until the cheese oozes out of every side.

This sandwich is simple yet sublime. It truly is the quintessential comfort food.

21. Pigs in a Blanket

Ever since I saw pigs in a blanket in a movie, I’ve always wanted to try making my own. 

This is such a fun way to bond with the kiddos too! Make them wrap the hot dogs in the cheese-filled dough and watch as they bake in the oven.

With this scrumptious bite-sized snack, you’ll never have to worry about leftovers.

22. Lasagna Sandwich

Lasagna sandwiches satisfy my craving for lasagna when I’m too lazy to do the work.

This quick version couldn’t be easier to make.

Take any type of bread that can be hollowed out, pour the rich meat sauce in, top it with loads of cheese, and pop it in the oven!

23. Tuna Casserole 

This next recipe is one of my personal favorites. It’s creamy and crusty and buttery, which is everything I want in a casserole!

Flakes of tuna are tossed with egg noodles and smothered in creamy mushroom sauce.

The best part is, it’s topped with a buttered breadcrumb mixture that gives this dish its rich and buttery goodness.

24. Sloppy Joe Pizza

What do you do when one kid craves sloppy Joes and one kid craves pizza? Make sloppy Joe pizza!

A rich and meaty sloppy Joe makes a great pizza topping because it already has tons of flavors in it.

25. Pizza Waffles

This dish is ridiculously easy and fun to make, you won’t even notice the time.

Fill crescent rolls cheese and pepperoni (and a bit of sauce if you like) and cook it in the waffle iron. That’s it!

In about 5 minutes, you’ll be treated to a mind-blowingly delectable snack.

26. Hot Dog Pie

If you’re a busy parent without too much time to make an intricate pie, try this one.

Turn crescent rolls into a pie crust and top it with hotdog, sausage, and cheese.

Top it with another layer of crescent rolls and let your oven do the rest. It’s that simple.

27. Tater Tot Casserole

If you’re looking for a way to sneak in some veggies to your kid’s dinner, this is the way to go.

Ground beef smothered in mushroom sauce, mixed with carrots and peas, and topped with cheesy tater tots – this is a winner for kids.

They won’t even notice you made them eat veggies!

28. Pizza Pancakes

Pancakes are often reinvented into crazy dishes, but this one is simple and delicious.

Add your choice of pizza toppings – bacon, ham, cheese, or pepperoni – to pancake batter and fry it in the griddle.

It’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

29. Frito Pie

Frito pie is a rich and hearty casserole, perfect for your kids’ huge appetite.

Ground beef is topped with beans, enchilada sauce, cheese, and mounds of Fritos!

Kids will love to come home to this, especially after a long day at school.

30. Hamburgers

Hamburgers are fun to eat, but if you’ve got tiny little hands, things can get messy. To help your tiny tots enjoy a burger, make them sliders!

These mini-burgers are easy to hold and to love. These sandwiches are kid-friendly and uber-yummy.

31. Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

This next recipe is a fun new twist on the classic cheeseburger and fries combo.

If your kids like putting fries in cheeseburgers, they’re going to love this. 

Fill a baking dish with ground beef, cover it with strings of french fries, and smother the top with shredded cheese. Let the oven do its magic, and voila.

32. French Fries

It’s pretty hard to find a fast-food restaurant that doesn’t serve French fries. If they can do it, so can you.

These fries are crispy, salty, and seriously addictive. Enough said.

33. Mac and Cheese

When it comes to mac and cheese, I think we can all agree that homemade is way better than boxed.

This dish is extra fancy because it has four kinds of cheese in it! Better double the recipe – this mac and cheese will disappear in a matter of minutes.