As a busy parent, finding quick and easy dinner ideas that your kids will love can be a challenge. However, with a bit of creativity and some basic ingredients, you can create delicious meals that your whole family will enjoy. Here are 23 kid-friendly dinner ideas/recipes that take less than 30 minutes to make.
- Quesadillas: Spread refried beans on a tortilla, top with shredded cheese and your kid’s favorite toppings like cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, or sliced black olives. Fold in half and cook on a skillet until the cheese is melted.
- Pizza Roll-ups: Roll out pizza dough and spread pizza sauce over the surface. Top with shredded cheese and kid-friendly toppings like diced ham or pepperoni. Roll up the dough and slice into rounds. Bake in the oven until the dough is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup: Grill cheese sandwiches on a skillet and serve with canned tomato soup. You can also add some sliced deli meat to the sandwiches for extra protein.
- Cheeseburger Sliders: Cook mini beef patties on a skillet and serve on slider buns with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Your kids will love the smaller size and you’ll love the quick cook time.
- Turkey BLT Wraps: Spread mayo on a tortilla, top with turkey slices, crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Roll up the wrap and slice in half.
- Chicken Caesar Salad: Cook chicken breast in a pan or on the grill and serve over a bed of romaine lettuce with Caesar dressing and croutons.
- Tacos: Brown ground beef or turkey on a skillet and add taco seasoning. Serve on tortillas with shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream.
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs: Skewer chicken breast, sliced bell peppers, and onion on wooden or metal skewers. Grill until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are charred.
- Baked Chicken Tenders: Coat chicken tenders in seasoned breadcrumbs and bake in the oven until crispy. Serve with your kids’ favorite dipping sauce.
- Sloppy Joes: Brown ground beef or turkey on a skillet and add ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve on hamburger buns.
- Ham and Cheese Pinwheels: Roll out crescent roll dough and spread with mustard. Top with sliced ham and shredded cheese. Roll up the dough and slice into rounds. Bake in the oven until the dough is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Grilled Cheese and Ham Sandwiches: Grill cheese sandwiches on a skillet with sliced deli ham.
- Chicken Nuggets and Veggies: Bake store-bought chicken nuggets in the oven and serve with baby carrots and cucumber slices.
- Pita Pizzas: Spread pizza sauce on pita bread, top with shredded cheese and kid-friendly toppings like sliced olives or diced ham. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy.
- Spaghetti and Meatballs: Cook spaghetti according to the package directions and serve with frozen meatballs and jarred tomato sauce.
- Hot Dogs and Fries: Grill or boil hot dogs and serve with store-bought French fries.
- Mini Pizzas: Toast English muffins and top with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and kid-friendly toppings like sliced ham or pepperoni. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted.
- Pancakes and Sausage: One of easiest recipes on here. Use sausage links instead of patties (they take less time to cook). And a kid favorite, is silver-dollar pancakes (just small round pancakes).
- Breakfast for Dinner: Cook scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for a fun breakfast-themed dinner.
- Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups: Roll a slice of deli turkey and a slice of cheese together and secure with a toothpick.
- French Bread Pizza: Top sliced French bread with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and your favorite toppings like sliced peppers or sausage. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Baked Potato Bar: Bake potatoes in the oven or microwave and set out toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced ham for a fun DIY meal.
- Baked Fish Sticks: Coat frozen fish sticks in a mixture of breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Bake in the oven until crispy and serve with tartar sauce.
These 23 kid-friendly dinner ideas/recipes take less than 30 minutes to make and will make dinnertime a breeze. Whether you’re in a rush or looking for a fun family meal, these recipes are sure to please.