Recipes for Picky Eaters the Whole Family Will Eat

If you've got a kid who'll only eat mac & cheese (or toast, or chicken nuggets, or cereal...), you'll want to bookmark this growing collection of recipes for picky eaters, all recommended by fellow parents.

Discovering a new meal that your picky eater will eat and that you can enjoy together isn't easy, so let's help each other out!

What recipes do you have in your dinner rotation that even your pickiest eater will eat? Share the link below so we can add it to the list - all cuisines are welcome!

Be sure to browse our ideas for other simple meals and hidden veggie recipes for picky eaters, too.


 

    Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

    Alexandra F.:  Every single one of us loves this meal, and three out of my four kids are extremely picky eaters. We make it almost every week, because it is one meal we know everyone will always eat. The flavor is really mild, so even my picky eaters who don't like Indian cuisine love this meal.

    Chicken and Broccoli

    Alexandra F.:  Our entire family LOVES this meal and it has become a staple that we eat just about every other week. At about 30 minutes, it is super quick and easy to make!! :) I always make sure to have a bag of frozen broccoli on hand for it.

    Chicken Taquitos

    Alexandra F.:  Taquitos are my go-to meal for using up leftover rotisserie chicken - even my picky eaters love them, and they are easy to make when you are short on time. Shred or cut the chicken into small pieces, roll some into a tortilla (corn is traditional but flour is also good), then fry it in vegetable oil about an inch deep. I warm the tortillas in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel to keep them from cracking, and a toothpick through each taquito helps hold it together when you first put it in the oil. Serve plain, with sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, salsa, cheese, crema or whatever you like!

    Baked Salmon Recipe

    Alexandra F.:  I am always surprised by how well my pickiest eaters will eat salmon (but no other fish). Of course, they'll only eat it if we make it as simply as possible, which is fine by me! This recipe is about as fancy as we can get with them, and even so we'll still often eliminate the garlic, herbs and/or lemon to keep it super duper simple. We like to serve it with potatoes and a simple veggie side dish. From La Creme de la Crumb

    Chicken Fajitas

    Alexandra F.:  Chicken fajitas is our go-to meal when we need to make sure our picky eaters will eat well, as they almost always go for seconds and thirds. We used to buy the fajita seasoning packages, but now like to make our own using this recipe. Serve with warmed tortillas, cheese, avocados, guacamole, and any other favorite add ons. From McCormick

    Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping

    Kelly R:  This Ritz cracker cod is universally loved in my family, which is a big win because my kids generally turn up their noses at any "homemade" fish that's not fish sticks. It will work well with any flaky white fish your family prefers, and the kids love helping crush up the crackers. From Simply Recipes

    Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tacos

    Kelly R:  One of the best chicken breast recipes for picky eaters (like mine) who will try pretty much anything with ranch dressing! We love this kid-friendly crockpot chicken as a change from the typical beef tacos that we have so often, and each family member can add whatever toppings they prefer. From Creme de la Crumb

    Easy Oven Baked Ribs

    Alexandra F.:  We know that simple meals are usually best for our picky eaters, and this easy recipe for oven baked ribs does the trick. We don’t bother making our own seasoning or sauce because we really like Famous Dave’s dry rub and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, and it makes it pretty easy to put this yummy meal together. Best of all, we know it will get eaten! From Lauren’s Latest

    Nachos with Ground Beef

    Alexandra F.:  This is another easy meal that everyone in our family eats without fail, and it's an especially great meal for picky eaters because everyone can assemble their own nachos to add whatever they like. We sauté a pound of ground beef on the stove, adding about 1/3 cup of water and 2-3 tablespoons of this DIY taco seasoning once it's cooked. We melt some grated cheddar cheese on tortilla chips in the microwave (or not, depending on the picky eater!), then add ground beef, refried beans, guacamole, avocado pieces, sour cream, tomatoes and/or salsa as everyone prefers.

    Baked Acorn Squash With Butter and Brown Sugar

    Kelly R:  We love to serve this baked acorn squash as a main dish for dinner in the fall and winter, along with a veggie side. It basically tastes like dessert, so it's a great recipe for picky eaters, and it's nice for kids who need some variety added to their diet. From Simply Recipes

    Loaded Baked Potato Soup

    Kelly R:  I always serve recipes for picky eaters with toppings that can be customized for each person's individual tastes. This baked potato soup is one of our favorites, especially since my kids are picky about soup texture (they prefer blended). The added cauliflower is undetectable and a great way to sneak in veggies. From Skinnytaste

    Pepperoni Bread

    Kelly R:  My family loves this spin on pepperoni pizza, the ultimate picky eater dinner favorite! It's very dunkable, so we serve it with plenty of marinara sauce. I always use pizza dough instead of the frozen bread dough the recipe calls for. From Allrecipes

    Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

    Alexandra F.:  This is NOT a recipe to make on a busy night, but if you have time to put forth the effort, Ina Garten's recipe for spaghetti and home-cooked meatballs is a great meal for picky eaters. We don't use the ground pork because I can't find it easily, but it is super delicious using just the ground beef and veal (I use a little more of each to make up for the pork). This gets gobbled up by my entire family every time, no exceptions. From Food Network

Primary photo:   Anna Shvets on Pexels

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