Superfast Kid-Friendly Recipes
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Chicken Fingers and Green Beans with Tahini Sauce
Chicken fingers aren't just for kids. Savory-sweet and addictive, the tahini-tomato dipping sauce offers a palate intrigue adults will love but enough flavor familiarity to keep it kid-approved.
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Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie
To keep things lightning-fast, we forgo the layered-in-a-skillet approach to shepherd's pie and instead serve the veggie-flecked beef mixture on top of a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
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Ham and Cheese Pizza
When a classic sandwich gets reincarnated as a cheesy pizza, rave reviews are bound to follow. Sweet, crisp Fuji apple provides a great balance to the rich, gooey cheese and savory ham, and everyone knows there's no better place to slip in some extra leafy greens than on a pizza. To get julienne-cut apple pieces, cut into thin slices; then stack and cut lengthwise into matchsticks.
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Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes
This twist on a classic sandwich swaps the sweet, barbecue-style sauce for a white sauce enriched with nutty Swiss cheese.
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Fresh Corn Cakes with Summer Salsa
This speedy vegetarian entrée is absolutely bursting with peak-season produce. Side suggestion: an herby white bean and arugula salad.
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Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti
A family favorite swaps jarred sauce for fresh—which requires just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes.
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Glazed Beef Skewers with Ginger Slaw
Have your little helpers mix up the glaze, while older kids can help skewer the beef.
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Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas
Finishing your peas and carrots is exponentially more exciting when bacon is involved. In fact, almost every dish is more exciting when bacon comes to play, so feel free to swap your family's favorite veggies into this versatile pasta.
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Egg and Toast Cups
Lure kids into eating a fulfilling breakfast with this cute all-in-one dish. You can cater to individual tastes too: Add chives to one up and spinach to another, or exchange the bacon for ham.
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Double-Chocolate Cereal Treats
These decadent chocolate-on-chocolate cookies boast full satisfaction and a dose of whole-grain goodness. And they’re ready to eat in a fraction of the time needed to prepare typical sweet treats. For added protein and a fun flavor variation, replace ½ cup cereal with ½ cup chopped toasted nuts.
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Sweet Potato and Sausage Strata
Hand over the reins: Let the kids assemble this savory-sweet oven-baked treat. If you make this dish ahead, bring it to room temperature before baking so it will reheat evenly.
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Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches
This delicious handheld breakfast will get the kids going in the morning and out the door without delay. Warm and savory, it will truly start the day off right.
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Cheesy Chicken Bagel Pizzas
Bagel halves are a quick, kid-friendly stand-in for traditional pizza crust.
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Baked Mozzarella Bites
Serve this quick after-school snack to your kids as an alternative to traditional fried cheesesticks.
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Linguine with Easy Meat Sauce
For picky eaters, try serving this meat sauce over whimsically shaped pasta, like bow ties, rotini, or wagon wheels.
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Creamy Ranch-Style Dip
Serve this dip with baby carrots, broccoli florets, or other fresh vegetables.
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Chili-Cheese Mac
Meaty, cheesy, and delicious—kids will love this comforting dinner. But, that's not all, parents will love it too.
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Tomato-Basil Soup
This creamy tomato soup is super-flavorful courtesy of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and our delicious blend of ingredients. Don't forget the cheesy French bread. Dunking is a must!
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Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs
We lightened up a kid-friendly favorite that will still please your pint-sized diners.
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Chicken with Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce
Saucy, cheesy, and oh-so-flavorful—this will soon become one of your family's new favorites.
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White Chocolate-Cherry Bark
Pack a cherry-spiked piece in your child's bag (or you own) for a creamy-crunchy treat.
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Bananas Foster Parfaits
Our Bananas Foster Parfaits are truly a treat for children of any age. Just be sure to make an extra one for yourself.
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Sloppy Joe Sliders
An already kid-friendly classic just got kicked up a notch. Kids and adults alike will love these pint-sized sliders.
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Chocolate-Granola Apple Wedges
If you can't find Braeburn apples, Gala or Fuji varieties also stand up to dipping and add a touch more sweetness.
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Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches
Breakfast meets dinner in this play on the Southern favorite. What's not to love about a fun sandwich?
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Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets
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.
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Banana-Chocolate French Toast
For tough-to-please kids, try serving breakfast for dinner. Pair this dish with a mixed fruit cup to round out the meal.
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Chicken and Bean Burritos
Try also using this filling for tacos, quesadillas, or nachos. Adults can spike it with jalapeños.
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Broiled Pineapple Sundaes
This sundae also makes a great breakfast parfait—just substitute plain fat-free Greek yogurt for frozen.
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Melty Monsieur
Serve fruit with this kid-friendly take on the classic croque monsieur.
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Easy Peach Crisp
Choose peaches that are ripe but still slightly firm to the touch.
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Cinnamon Crisps with Blackberries and Yogurt
This recipe is just as tasty with fresh blueberries or strawberries. If you can't find wonton wrappers, egg roll wrappers work equally well--just cut them into 3 1/2-inch squares.
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Baked Egg-in-a-Hole
These bacon-and-egg toasts make for a fun breakfast or easy dinner. This kid-friendly recipe is sure to be a hit, any time of day.
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Popcorn Balls
This kid-friendly snack only costs $0.32 per serving. Kids will love these as an after school treat.
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Turkey, Apple, and Swiss Melt
Vary the fruit to suit your kids' preferences—use red- or green-skinned apples or pears.
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Italian Sausage Hoagies
The hearty filling garnered rave reviews from our kid panel, and Evan, who usually avoids vegetables, didn’t even notice the sliced bell pepper.