25 Kids’ Meals for Busy Parents
Perhaps you are a parent who needs an extra set of hands getting dinner on the table. Or maybe your kid loves to help out in the kitchen (read: pilfer carrots off the cutting board). Whatever the motivation, every caregiver could use an arsenal of kids’ meals. You know, the weeknight dinner ideas you turn to again and again because they’re easy enough for the littles to help with, speedy enough to prevent a hanger tantrum, and delicious enough for the whole family to enjoy.
We’ve got tacos with spiced ground beef and all your favorite toppings. Pav bhaji with squishy potato rolls and enough butter to make you swoon. Comforting macaroni and cheese that just needs a speedy salad on the side. Fun-to-fold pork dumplings that are almost as quick as ordering takeout. Picky-eater-approved sloppy joes that make for great leftovers. Vegan meatloaf that’s slathered in upgraded ketchup. Crispy tofu nuggets that rival frozen chicken nuggets (really). Pepperoni pizza with a gluten-free base option. Bouncy zucchini fritters that shine in school lunchboxes—and more.
From healthy meals to comfort foods, these 25 family-friendly dinner recipes are all about quality time in the kitchen.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua2/25Pav Bhaji With So Much Butter
This iconic Mumbai dish is joyously messy, vibrantly spiced, all too easy, making it one of our favorite family-friendly dinners.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro4/25Tuesday Night Meatballs
This is the time to play with your food. Kids can mix and roll the meatballs by hand, and not one person will guess you used a store-bought sauce. For the ultimate comfort meal, pair yours with a classic garlic bread.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi6/25Crispy Tofu Nuggets
Name a more kid-friendly task than tearing apart tofu with your bare hands. The move isn’t just for their benefit either: Those nooks and crannies add lots of texture for the cheesy nutritional yeast seasoning to stick.
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Photograph by Cody Guilfoyle, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie, Food Styling Thu Buser7/25Spiced Lamb Ramen With Cucumbers and Yogurt
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman8/25Tomatoes and Feta With Chickpeas
All of the hallmarks of a sheet-pan dinner (quick! simple! very few dishes to do!), plus big slabs of warm, melty feta.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman9/25BA’s Best Mac and Cheese
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie10/25Kimchi Quesadillas
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman11/25Big Italian Sub Salad
Brandon Harman12/25Pocho Taco
Assembling tacos is totally a capital-A activity. These spiced (but not spicy, if you skip the jalapeños) classics involve easy-to-cook ground beef, a hand-chopped salsa (rustic is fine!), and, if your kids are the ambitious sorts, homemade corn tortillas.
Photo by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Haubert, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky13/25Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese
Don’t rush the cooking process on this one. Moderate heat allows the cheese inside to fully melt without burning the outsides. Of course this is great with tomato soup.
Photograph by Vanessa Granda, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua14/25Miso-Brown-Butter Rice Cakes With Corn
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Tim Ferro15/25Mustardy Grilled Cabbage and Kielbasa
What’s not to love here? We’ve got smoky kielbasa (“hot dogs,” in kid-speak), fun-to-chop roasted cabbage and small potatoes, and a bright mustardy dressing you can make as sharp or mild as your littles like.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson16/25Black Bean Smash Burger
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie18/25Gochujang Sloppy Joes
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi19/25Vegan Meatloaf
This plant-based version of the classic features hearty pinto beans and brown rice, plus deeply caramelized mushrooms and onions for umami and sweetness. Have your tiny chefs load the filling into a muffin tin and freeze after baking for nourishing after-school snacks.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman20/25Zucchini Fritters
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca22/25Spinach Lasagna With Ricotta
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman24/25Cheese-Cracker-Crusted Chicken
Thought there was no way to upgrade juicy, crispy cutlets? These thighs dredged in cheese crackers and paired with an herby ice-cold salad will change your mind.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Gerri Williams25/25Gnocchi-Leek Soup With Greens
Shelf-stable gnocchi makes this play on potato-leek soup a speedy one-pot cozy wonder.
