Kid-approved dinners, for back to school and beyond.
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If there's one thing I'm not looking forward to about starting and raising a family, it's trying to figure out how to cook to please everyone's tastes. I was a notoriously picky eater growing up, so I know what it's like to be a stubborn, teary eyed diner, refusing to eat what I was given.
Those days for me are long gone, but I truly empathize with the challenge of making kid-pleasing meals day in and day out. With the busy back-to-school season just around the corner, I've channeled my past picky eater mindset to pull together these super kid-friendly recipes for any family looking to keep their dinner smooth and tear-free. They're also easy to make and incredibly reliable, so you don't have to pull out all the stops and learn new techniques to get a meal on the table.
01 of 16
One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: One-Pot Mac and Cheese
"Once the cheese is added, the consistency of the sauce should be similar to that of a boxed version with a little more body (think melted ice cream). If you find the sauce to be too stiff or thick, feel free to add a splash of water, a tablespoon at a time, until loosened."—Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer
02 of 16
Baked Ground Beef Tacos
Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RD
Get Recipe: Baked Ground Beef Tacos
"This meal works for fussy eaters because you’re in control of every step. You know your family best and you choose how to cook the meat and season it. You choose the cheese (or skip it), then let the oven put the finishing touches on everything and leave the garnishing to your lucky diners."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer
03 of 16
Honey Soy Chicken
Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones
Get Recipe: This 20-Minute Chicken Dinner Is Better Than Take-Out
"It’s the dinner I turn to when I want those big, bold takeout flavors without leaving my kitchen (or my comfy clothes). Chicken cutlets are lightly coated in a one-bowl batter, cooked in a skillet until golden, and finished with a sticky, sweet, and savory honey soy sauce. It’s a family and kid-friendly one-pan recipe and a huge crowd-pleaser."—Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer
04 of 16
Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: My Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Is Super Nostalgic
"Lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin, works really well here because of its beefy flavor. Plus the cheese and cream bring enough richness to this skillet. You can use ground turkey or chicken; I’ve even subbed bulk Italian sausage in a pinch."—Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer
05 of 16
Homemade Pizza Bagels
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Get Recipe: Homemade Pizza Bagels
"Do not over-sauce the bagels. Shoot for about a tablespoon of sauce per slice. Too much sauce will make it soggy."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
06 of 16
4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: The 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken My Whole Family Loves
"My kids now refer to this meal as “big chicken nuggets” which is a fairly apt description. You get moist, juicy chicken paired with just a hint of crunchy golden brown crust. With just four ingredients and five minutes of prep time, this is a meal you’ll make again and again."—Molly Adams, Recipe Developer
07 of 16
Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
Get Recipe: Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
"For an extra fast meal, buy packaged broccoli florets from the bagged produce section of the grocery store."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
08 of 16
Best Ever Sloppy Joes
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Best Ever Sloppy Joes
"Save time on prep by pulsing roughly chopped veggies in a food processor."—Elise Bauer, Founder
09 of 16
15-Minute One-Pan Ravioli
Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Get Recipe: The 15-Minute One-Pan Ravioli I’ve Made Hundreds of Times
"I chose straightforward cheese-filled ravioli for this recipe, but the beauty is that it’s versatile and customizable. If you want to switch up the flavor of the ravioli, go ahead. Both fresh and frozen will work, so choose whatever brand or type you normally buy. Or swap for tortellini."—Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer
10 of 16
3-Ingredient Pizza Beans
Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz
Get Recipe: The 3-Ingredient Pizza Beans That Converted My Kids Into Bean Lovers
"It couldn’t be easier to whip up a batch of these cheesy, saucy beans for dinner. You can pull off the whole thing in about 20 minutes with just three ingredients—beans, marinara sauce, and cheese."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer
11 of 16
Walking Taco Casserole
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Get Recipe: Walking Taco Casserole
"For a milder version, replace the Rotel with plain canned diced tomatoes (without chiles)."—Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer
12 of 16
Copycat Ronto Wraps
Simply Recipes / Coco Morante
Get Recipe: Copycat Ronto Wraps
"You can simplify this recipe by using store-bought sauce, dressing, and coleslaw mix, if you like. Ranch dressing, Sriracha mayo, aioli, or any other zingy and/or creamy condiment could easily take the place of the peppercorn sauce, and you can toss the slaw with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette or coleslaw dressing."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer
13 of 16
Cheesy Baked Tacos
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Cheesy Baked Tacos
"While oven-baked tacos will never be quite as crispy as fried ones, they have a lot of things going for them that make them my preferred choice. For one, cleaning up after frying at home is a bit of a pain. I’m just not willing to do it any old night of the week. Also, baking is typically lighter on the oil and less greasy overall."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
14 of 16
Skillet Pizza Chicken
Simply Recipes / Sara Haas
Get Recipe: Skillet Pizza Chicken
"My daughter requests chicken for dinner every chance she gets, and my husband can’t get enough cheesy pasta dishes. To please the whole family, I developed this 20-minute skillet pizza chicken, which checks everyone’s boxes and is gone in mere minutes."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer
15 of 16
Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Get Recipe: Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
"A classic Italian sub has at least three kinds of cured meats in it. I like a mix of pepperoni, salami, and prosciutto—but there is no hard and fast rule here. If you want something spicy, add some soppressata. If you want something a little creamier, add a thin slice of mortadella!"—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
16 of 16
Chicken Piccata Pasta
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Get Recipe: Chicken Piccata Pasta
"To make this classic dish more kid friendly, instead of serving a big hunk of chicken, I chop it up after cooking it and add it back to the pasta. Instead of pouring the sauce over the chicken, I stir it all together with the penne pasta so kids can’t identify the ingredients that they might not be used to. Rather than a big pile of capers, they just get the occasional caper."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
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