Kid-Friendly Recipes (That You'll Love, Too)

A crispy, cheesy crumb coating makes oven-fried chicken taste downright indulgent. 

Sorry drive-through: This version of the kid favorite is better than yours. 

Classic burger elements become a fast, fun salad for the entire family—a deconstructed take on a diner favorite. Instead of four burger patties, we cook just two, then chop and sprinkle them over the top. A handful of crushed potato chips adds crunch. Kick up the dressing with a pinch of ground red pepper.

A vegetarian’s delight, this pizza is piled-high with flavorful summer produce, two types of cheese, and fresh oregano and basil.

Related: 37 Celebrity Chef-Inspired School Lunch Ideas

You already put your family's favorite vegetables into a spiralizer, but the result with apples? A perfectly twirlable treat. Top with Greek yogurt and homemade granola, and you have a sweet little snack for less than 150 calories per serving.

Divvying up this classic comfort food into muffin tins halves the cooking time and results in fun-sized portions.

If you don't have an ice-cream maker, soften 1 pint low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, and place in a food processor; add 5 ounces toasted marshmallows, puree, and freeze until firm. For chocolate lovers, use chocolate graham crackers.

A bit of 1/3-less-fat cream cheese adds rich body to our Tomato-Basil Soup, a fast weeknight meal that boasts three times the protein compared to common store-bought varieties.

Ditch the TV dinner fish sticks and upgrade your family meal to this twist on a classic. The tang in the salt and vinegar chips mellows as the fish bakes in the oven, creating a crunchy spin on fish and chips. Look to hook-and-line-caught Atlantic or Pacific cod for the most sustainable choice.

Chili is always a crowd-pleaser that can be loaded with your family's favorite nutritional ingredients. A wee bit of canned chipotle chiles goes a long way in infusing this hearty chili with rich, smoky flavor and a hint of heat.

The only way to make breakfast more fun for kids is to have it for dinner. This concoction of berries, bacon, and waffles will have everyone at the table asking for more.