30 Dinner Ideas For Kids (School Lunch Ideas)
Are you a parent who is running out of dinner ideas for kids? I’ve got you covered!
When your kids choose a bag of chips over dinner that you’ve worked hard to prepare, it might be frustrating.
If they don’t like the way it smells or see anything GREEN in it, no matter how clever your meal is, it will be entirely overlooked.
You’ll find a variety of recipes on this list that your kids won’t be able to resist. You’ll also learn new methods to make old favorites like burgers, pizza, and chicken!
Start cooking right away.
1. Biscuit Cups with Cheeseburgers
This is an interesting twist on a cheeseburger because it’s served in a biscuit that’s been formed into a cup instead of a bun!
Cook the ground beef with mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar to make your cheeseburger even more delicious.
Your kids will go crazy for it if you top it with melted cheese!
Sloppy Joes are a type of sloppy Joe.
2. Sloppy Joes are a type of sloppy Joe
These sandwiches are so simple to make that you can have them ready in under 20 minutes!
Ground beef, kidney beans, onions, tomatoes, and spices are combined in this one-pan recipe. It pairs well with various bread, including burger buns, loaf bread, and dinner rolls.
3. Noodles with Butter
Simple foods, such as buttered noodles, are a huge favorite with kids.
Only four ingredients are required: butter, salt, pepper, and egg noodles. Isn’t that simple?
The kids will enjoy it just the way it is, but the possibilities are unlimited because it is so versatile.
Simply by gazing at beef stroganoff or meatballs, your kids will be enthralled!
4. Frittata with Potato Chips
When you open a bag of chips, the kids will run towards you in a flash!
We’ll utilize the chips to add crunch to a fluffy and cheesy frittata instead of eating them plain.
Cheese, eggs, and chips on the same dish? With that combination, you can’t go wrong.
5. Casserole of Corn
Comfort food is popular among kids, and corn casserole is one of the greatest.
Corn muffins with creamed corn, shredded cheddar cheese on top, then cooked until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown — that’s what I call a guaranteed hit.
This casserole is the ideal blend of sweet, creamy, buttery, and crispy flavors.
6. Cups for tacos
Anything shaped like a cup will pique your children’s interest. Taco cups are an excellent choice.
To make this recipe work, you’ll need fajita-sized tortillas.
Inside, muffin cups should be bent, filled with luscious taco meat, topped with shredded cheese, and baked!
7. Baked Pizza Spaghetti
If your kids are bored with the same spaghetti recipe week after week, here’s a great way to spice things up: pizza spaghetti bake.
Let me break down this casserole for you. At the bottom, there’s al dente pasta, followed by smokey ground pork sausage.
Then there’s the luscious sauce — spaghetti wouldn’t be complete without it!
It doesn’t end there, though. Finally, this dish is topped with a generous amount of pepperoni and cheese before being cooked to pasta perfection.
8. Chicken Ritz Cracker
Chicken and crackers are two of the most popular kids among kids. Imagine their delight if you combined these two into one delicious dish!
These incredibly tasty crackers and butter are used to cover chicken breasts, which are then roasted till crisp and golden. It’s delicious, and it’s oil-free, too!
9. Meatballs and Spaghetti
Spaghetti and meatballs are a timeless staple that kids will never tire of eating.
In a delicious marinara sauce, meatballs are seasoned with herbs and spices. They’re sweet and flavorful, juicy and meaty. What’s not to appreciate about that?
To finish this classic, toss in the spaghetti pasta and serve.
10. Hot Dogs on Pizza
Cook pizza hot dogs instead if you don’t have time to make the perfect pizza.
Any of your favorite pizza toppings, such as pepperoni and cheese, can be used. Don’t forget about the hot dogs, too!
Season them with Italian seasoning, bake them, and you’re good to go.
11. Meatloaf with Cheeseburger
There are several meatloaf recipes out there that require a variety of ingredients and procedures.
Ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard are all you’ll need.
This is enough to make the most tender and juicy meatloaf. It also tastes like a cheeseburger with the addition of cheese, ketchup, and mustard!
12. Pizzadillas
Pizzadillas are a delicious way to combine pizza with quesadillas.
You can add chicken, cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, or anything else you can think of as a topping.
Fill flour tortillas with them and fry them in a skillet.
The best thing is that the kids get to choose their own toppings, so you can be sure they’ll gobble them up.
13. Tenders of chicken
This recipe is a healthier version of southern comfort food that is very delicious.
Chicken tenders are marinated in lime juice, honey, and Italian dressing before being grilled to perfection.
They have a pleasant aroma and an even greater flavor. They are impossible for children to ignore.
14. Nuggets of chicken
Chicken nuggets are a go-to comfort dish for any kid. But, let’s face it, we can’t afford to feed kids fast food every day.
So don your apron and try these homemade chicken nuggets, which have crunchy panko breading on the exterior and soft chicken bits on the inside.
Your kids will never beg for fast food again if you serve it with the proper BBQ dipping sauce.
15. Pie with Cheeseburgers
Pies are a favorite among kids. Consider how their expressions will change if it tastes like a cheeseburger.
If you’re looking for a time-saving recipe, you’ve come to the right place.
Use the tried-and-true Bisquick crust recipe. Stuff it with beef, cheese, and egg combination, and leave the rest in the oven.
It’s quick, simple, and satisfying.
16. Crescent Rolls with Pizza Stuffing
The following recipe creates small snacks with a huge flavor.
From the sauce to the pepperoni to the mozzarella, everything about these crescent rolls screams pizza.
As they bite into the gooey richness of this meal, watch your kids squeal with delight.
17. Beans and Franks
If you used to go camping as a youngster, you’ve probably had this next dish before.
Simmered franks slices are topped with beans and cooked in a sweet and flavorful sauce. Trust me when I say that the correct blend is far superior to store-bought.
You get to choose what goes into this dish because it’s a customized recipe. Bacon and maple syrup are a must-try combination.
18. Chicken that is fried
Fried chicken is a timeless favorite, so it’s no surprise that kids adore it. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a twist for a change.
Try baked it instead of frying it in oil. It will, without a doubt, taste just as fantastic. Plus, it’s a whole lot healthier.
To keep the breading in place during baking, dip the chicken in beaten eggs.
19. Chicken Casserole with Potato Chips
Although this chicken casserole contains broccoli and mushrooms, the kids will enjoy it because it is topped with cheese and chips.
This comfort food is a classic dish with creamy chicken and mushroom and, of course, potato chips on top.
The chips provide texture and taste to the dish, which is a hit with the kids.
20. Cheese grilled on a grill
If you’ve seen the film Chef, you’ll know how fantastic this next dish is.
Cheese is one of only a few foods that kids enjoy as a snack.
Grab your skillet, two slices of bread, and as much cheese as you want to put on them, then grill them till the cheese spills out on all sides.
The simplicity of this sandwich belies its wonderful quality. It is, without a doubt, the ultimate comfort food.
21. Pigs in a Blanket (Pigs in a Blanket)
I’ve always wanted to make pigs in a blanket after seeing them in a movie.
This is also a great way to bond with the kids. Wrap the hot dogs in the cheese-filled dough and bake them in the oven with them.
You’ll never have to worry about leftovers with this delectable bite-sized snack.
22. Sandwich with Lasagna
When I’m too lazy to make lasagna, lasagna sandwiches satisfy my hunger.
This short version is quite simple to produce.
Take any form of bread that can be hollowed out, fill it with the thick meat sauce, pile on the cheese, and bake it!
23. Casserole with Tuna
This next dish is a personal favorite of mine. It’s creamy, crispy, and buttery, which is just what I’m looking for in a casserole!
Tuna flakes are mixed with egg noodles and topped with a creamy mushroom sauce.
The finest part is that it’s topped with a buttered breadcrumb combination, adding richness and butteriness to the dish.
24. Pizza with Sloppy Joes
When one youngster wants sloppy Joes, and the other wants pizza, what do you do? Make a pizza with sloppy Joe!
Because it already has so many flavors, a rich and meaty sloppy Joe makes a terrific pizza topping.
25. Waffles with Pizza
This recipe is so simple and enjoyable to prepare that you won’t even notice the time passing.
Fill crescent rolls with cheese, pepperoni, and sauce (if desired) and fry in a waffle iron. That concludes our discussion.
You’ll be served a mind-blowingly delicious snack in around 5 minutes.
26. Pie with Hot Dogs
Try this one if you’re a busy mom who doesn’t have a lot of time to bake a complicated pie.
Make a pie crust out of crescent rolls and top it with hotdogs, sausage, and cheese.
Allow your oven to finish the job by adding another layer of crescent rolls. That’s all there is to it.
27. Casserole of Tater Tots
This is the way to go if you want to sneak some vegetables into your child’s dinner.
Kids will love ground beef slathered in mushroom sauce, blended with carrots and peas, and topped with cheesy tater tots.
They won’t even realize you forced them to eat vegetables!
28. pt This one is easy to make and delightful to eat.
Toppings such as bacon, ham, cheese, or pepperoni can be added to paella.
Pancakes are frequently transformed into bizarre cuisines, but Pancake batter on the griddle and fry it.
29. Frito Pie
Frito pie is a hearty and filling casserole that will satisfy your children’s appetites.
Beans, enchilada sauce, cheese, and heaps of Fritos top ground beef!
Coming home to this will be a treat for the kids, especially after a long day at school.
30. Hamburgers
Hamburgers are fun to eat, but they can get messy if you have small hands. Make sliders for your little ones to experience a burger.
These mini-burgers are simple to handle and enjoy. These sandwiches are both kid-friendly and quite delicious.
