Anyone else going crazy trying to keep a full calendar of meals kids will eat with all this time at home? Luckily I have a ton of ideas to share your way! This year we have two more people at home for lunchtime than usual, so I’m feeling it in the kitchen. I know many others are, too! I hope your kids like some of these tasty meal options that work well for our family. Many of them work just as well at home during the virtual school day as they do packed in a lunchbox or a brown bag. Check out these meals kids will eat and plan ahead for a simpler week.
My kids love cooking with me and fortunately that’s helped to broaden their tastes a LOT more than when they were super little. I am going to include as many kid-friendly meal ideas as possible in hopes that you’ll find something your kids will like!
Kid-Friendly Meals
I plan to update this page regularly as I have new photos of meals for kids to share with you. I’m breaking out breakfast by itself and combining lunch and dinner ideas into the same slideshow. (But don’t forget Breakfast for Dinner is always a hit! And it’s super easy and versatile, too!)
Breakfast Meals Kids Will Eat
Breakfast is probably the favorite meal of the day in our house, at least for one daughter. Our kids like pancakes and eggs so much, sometimes we do Breakfast For Dinner! It’s a great way to change things up and reminds me of going to an all-day diner. 🙂
Pancakes!
Pancakes are almost ALWAYS a hit with little ones! (They’re also a great make-ahead meal for easy breakfasts using leftover ingredients like extra milk and eggs.)
Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham – A Meal from Dr. Seuss’ Own Heart!
Steak and Egg Whites with Cubed Potatoes
Steak and Egg Whites with Cubed Potatoes
Crabby Eggs
Crabby Eggs – Old Bay Sprinkled on a Fried Egg
Homemade Peach Oatmeal
Homemade Peach Oatmeal – Old Fashioned Oats, Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, and Canned or Diced Peaches, Add milk to desired thickness
Corned Beef Hash with Fried Eggs
Incredible Homemade Corned Beef Hash with Fried Eggs – Kids can’t get enough!
Cereal with Sliced Bananas
Cereal with Sliced Bananas is a Simple Breakfast Fix! Raisin Bran + Banana Circles
Muffin-Style Pancakes
Muffin-Style Pancakes with Powdered Sugar – Bake in muffin tin!
Meat Lover’s Hashbrowns with Egg Whites
Meat Lover’s Hashbrowns with Egg Whites
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – Use fresh diced apples or dehydrated apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and milk
Belgian Waffle
Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffle with Coconut Topping
Hope you enjoy this running list of some of our favorite breakfast meals that our kids love.
Lunch and Dinner Meals Kids Will Eat
Consider more than 40 meal ideas for kids of all ages to enjoy. Discover how many new family meals you can add to your rotation.
BBQ Chicken Drumstick, Baked Beans, Green Beans and Corn
BBQ Chicken with corn, baked beans, and green beans
Homemade Pizza – Pepperoni or Plain
Homemade Pizza – Pepperoni or Plain
Crispy Fried Flounder with Waffle Fries and Corn
Crispy Fried Flounder with Waffle Fries and Corn
Homemade Meatloaf with Noodles and Corn
Homemade Meatloaf with Noodles and Corn
Fish Stick House with French Fry Roof
Fish Stick House with French Fry Roof
Entree Salad with Grilled Chicken and Hard-boiled Eggs
Entree Salad with Grilled Chicken and Hard-boiled Eggs
Homemade Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dog CopycatsÂ
Homemade Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dog Copycats – So amazing and worth the time it takes!
Kid Lasagna – No sauce by request
Kid Lasagna – No sauce by request – just noodles with butter, mozzarella, and ground beef! (Or sometimes bacon!)
Grandpop’s Chicken – Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil Chicken Breast
Grandpop’s Chicken – Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil Chicken Breast with Roasted Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans
Fettuccine Noodles in Sauce with Shredded Chicken BreastÂ
Fettuccine Noodles in Sauce with Shredded Chicken Breast and Parmesan Cheese
Homemade Meatball Sub
Homemade Meatball Sub – Nothing Better! Provolone and a Steak Roll
Minute Steak with Provolone
Minute Steak with Provolone on a Roll for the Win!
Picnic Platter – Ham and Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Picnic Platter – Ham and Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon Bits and Breadcrumb Topping, plus Fresh Green Beans
Noodle Taco – Don’t Judge!!
Noodle Taco – Don’t Judge!! Give them a taco shell and let them fill it with what they will. Creative minds at work. 🙂
Homemade Split Pea Soup with Ham
Homemade Split Pea Soup with Ham – My school-aged child eats this – weird or not!
Homemade Meatballs with Fettuccini and Sauce
Homemade Meatballs with Fettuccini and Sauce, Topped with Parmesan Cheese
Homemade Ham & Cheese Pretzelwich
Homemade Ham & Cheese Pretzelwich – Incredible for At-Home School Lunches, Tailgating, Work-from-home Lunch, Cozy Fall Dinner and More!
Chicken Sausage Pasta with Fresh Green Beans
Delicious Chicken Sausage Pasta with Fresh Green Beans – the secret is deglazing all those delicious sausage brown bits stuck to the pan! (I used Marsala wine.)
Homemade Buttery Grilled Naan Bread
Homemade Buttery Grilled Naan Bread with Noodles, Steak, and Corn
Homemade Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry
Homemade Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry – So Easy!
Homemade Lasagna with Sauce and Garlic Knots
Homemade Lasagna with Sauce and Garlic Knots
Grilled Steak with Fresh Green Beans and a Twice-Baked Potato
Grilled Steak with Fresh Green Beans and a Twice-Baked Potato
Homemade Unicorn Chicken Noodle Soup
Homemade Unicorn Chicken Noodle Soup! Huge hit – we just swiped the noodles from Kraft Mac & Cheese!
Homemade Chicken Potpie with Vegetables
Homemade Chicken Potpie with Vegetables
Golden Fried Shrimp in a Pan with Oil
Golden Fried Shrimp in a Pan with Oil
Corned Beef with Carrots and Potatoes
Sliced and Seasoned Corned Beef with Carrots and Potatoes
Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Parmesan with Sauce, Parmesan and Bowtie Pasta
Fried Chicken Cutlet
Fried Chicken Cutlet – AKA Mommy’s Crispy Chicken – with Sliced Pear and Baby Carrots
Cheddar Cheese and Beef Quesadillas
Cheddar Cheese and Beef Quesadillas
Bacon Cheeseburger and Fries
Bacon Cheeseburger and Fries!
Fresh Salad Entree with Ham Cubes
Delicious Fresh Salad Entree with Ham Cubes, Grilled Chicken, Fresh Mozzarella, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Raw Broccoli, Raspberries, and More!
Beef Vegetable Soup
Unbelievably Delicious Beef Vegetable Soup
Super Simple (Store-Bought) Rotisserie Chicken
Super Simple (Store-Bought) Rotisserie Chicken
Homemade Fried Fish Sticks with Spaghetti
Homemade Fried Fish Sticks with Spaghetti
Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits
Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits
Seafood Pasta with Shrimp, Crab, and Scallops
Amazing Seafood Pasta with Shrimp, Crab, and Scallops Topped with Cheese, and Vegetables
Fried Chicken Tenders and Veggies
Fried Chicken Tenders and Veggies
Veggie Fried Rice with EggÂ
Veggie Fried Rice with Egg – So easy and delicious!
Buttered Noodles
No shame in a plain old plate of buttered noodles!
Savory Homemade Pot Roast
Savory Homemade Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots from the Instant Pot
I’ll continue to add new photos of meals kids will eat to this page on a regular basis, so be sure to check back!
Helpful Kitchen Gadgets & Accessories
By the way, I’ve found a few kitchen gadgets make my life SO much easier when cooking for kids! I love cooking to begin with but sometimes I find certain cooking items enhance the experience. Just wanted to drop them here for consideration in case they might improve mealtime for you, too. (BTW – Shopping through our affiliate links does not cost any extra to you but kindly would earn a small commission for us saving for our kids’ future. Thanks for your consideration! 🙂
Farberware Kitchen Shears with Sheath – These culinary shears were life-changing for me with baby #2. I was able to cut up food quickly and effortlessly on the go or at home. I took them with us on vacation with family in the Outer Banks several years ago and they worked out amazingly well to cut my daughter’s food.
Calphalon Grill Pan – From grilling inside to making delicious toasted quesadillas and more, we love our grill pan. (Of course I’ll still try to convince hubby to grill outside when I can, but this pan is a great alternative when we’re stuck inside.)
Crock Pot Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Timer – this is an upgrade on mine! I have a crock pot with a timer and a crock pot with the latching lid, but not one that does both. Brilliant!
Instant Pot – I am still getting the hang of mine, but I’m really excited for all the fall stews, soups, and savory dishes I will create this fall and winter!
Paper Plates!You may notice a lot of my meal suggestions are not exactly staged – they are real, day-in-the-life quality footage here! I noticed I was spending a ton of time doing dishes and cut a few corners. It’s not a permanent plan but for now it makes our lives easier. <3
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