If you have a picky eater at home you probably find yourself searching for new meals often to break up the monotony of their diets. In this post I’ve found tons of kid friendly meals for picky eaters for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that I’d love to share with you today.
Why Are Kids Such Picky Eaters?
Honestly, more kids are picky eaters than those who aren’t. There are so many different reasons why kids are often picky eaters.
Kids literally have more tastebuds than adults do. That’s why oftentimes things with stronger flavors are “acquired tastes.” As your tastebuds decrease, stronger flavors become more appealing.
Many kids have sensory issues that make new flavors or textures tough to deal with, some don’t like their foods touching or flavors mixing, some kids are flat out stubborn, and others are just scared of new things.
No matter the reason behind your child’s pickiness, it can be tough. You might feel like you are always catering to your picky eater and there is no pleasing them. Your family food choices might feel limited and monotonous.
While there is no cut and dry answer like, “if you have a picky eater they will definitely like this food,” that I can give you I CAN help you with a lot of new kid-friendly recipes in hopes that you find a handful of new ones on this list that your kids love!
So without further adieu, let’s dive into some new recipes!
Kid Friendly Breakfast Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters
Sausage Breakfast Burritos
This 35-minute recipe for sausage breakfast burritos is jam-packed with all your favorite breakfast ingredients. Think fluffy scrambled eggs, savory sausage, bell peppers, and melty cheese.
Pumpkin Protein Muffins
There’s no better way to celebrate the arrival of fall than with a batch of freshly baked Pumpkin Protein Muffins. These are sweet but healthy and are a full meal in themselves that kids will love and you’ll feel good about serving.
Bacon Breakfast Muffins
These easy Bacon Breakfast Muffins are not only simple to make, but they can also be made ahead of time! Fresh eggs, bacon, and cheese make these little breakfast bites so delicious and incredibly easy.
Mixed Berry French Toast
This Mixed Berry French Toast is a decadent breakfast or brunch recipe topped with fresh berries and a cream sauce. You can always leave the cream sauce off or place it in a dish on the side to let your kids explore the new flavor if they want and give them control.
Blueberry Overnight Oats
A perfect fast and easy breakfast, Blueberry Overnight Oats are full of fiber and a great way to kick off the day! Easy to make ahead and warm up for the kids in the morning if they want. You can try it both ways hot or cold.
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Light and fluffy cottage cheese pancakes pack a punch of protein but still a mild kid-friendly flavor. Made with oatmeal and cottage cheese, this recipe makes yummy pancakes that have more protein than regular pancakes !
Cornflake French Toast Recipe
Cornflake French toast recipe makes French toast that’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. This French toast recipe can be made from scratch in just 15 minutes!
Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole
This easy Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole comes together using only 7 simple ingredients and it’s really easy to adapt the recipe too! Combining biscuits with breakfast sausage, eggs, white peppered gravy, and cheese, this hearty meal is a must try!
Cast Iron Skillet Banana Bread
This banana bread is fun and easy to make and turns out super moist. The whole family will love digging into this sweet treat for breakfast.
Breakfast Bars
I love making these breakfast bars perfect for little hands because they hold together well and the are so easy to alter the recipe to your kids’ favorite flavors. Take out the cranberries and put in chocolate chips, add a shake of cinnamon or cocoa, or swap the almonds for peanuts.
Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins
Real healthy, chocolate chip muffins that taste just as great as your traditional recipe. Using honey, a healthier natural sweetener, as an alternative to white and brown sugar makes these guilt-free Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Sausage Links in the Air Fryer
Did you know you could make breakfast sausage in the air fryer? Follow this simple air fryer sausage recipe and pair them with some toast or scrambled eggs.
Kid Friendly Lunch Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters
Ground Turkey Potstickers
Sometimes trying something new but not too complicated looking is perfect for picky eaters. So try these ground turkey potstickers. Flavored with cilantro, ginger, sesame oil, chili oil, and red cabbage, these tasty turkey dumplings are served with a rice vinegar, sesame and soy dipping sauce.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
This tasty unique meal features the zesty flavor of spicy buffalo wings transformed into a comforting, protein-rich chili, this is a delicious meal you won’t soon forget. This flavor is so popular buffalo chicken chili is worth trying for your kids!
Turkey Roll Ups
Turkey roll ups are a great choice to fill a lunch box or just want a fast lunch for the kids on a busy day. They are simple to make, flavors they are familiar with, and should be a winner!
Egg Salad Sandwich
A simple Egg Salad Sandwich recipe that makes a quick and easy lunch or snack. This is great on sourdough or whole wheat bread!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas
These Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas are packed with lots of filling and cheese in a toasted flour tortilla! Fast and easy to make recipe that is perfect for busy moms to up the protein of a typical quesadilla in a kid-friendly way.
Easy 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
These easy, 3 ingredient crock pot chicken tacos make a quick but delicious lunch or dinner! This recipe takes just minutes to prep, and it makes a great filling for tacos, burritos, and more.
Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
This easy honey garlic chicken recipe is a delicious lunch or dinner recipe that’s packed with flavor and is ready in just 20 minutes! Perfect for batch cooking and meal prep for the week!
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
This quick and easy to make Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe is packed with flavor and makes the perfect anytime meal! Perfect when served on bread, a croissant, or even a bed of lettuce!
Ultimate Potato Salad
ULTIMATE Potato Salad– a classic potato salad that includes hard boiled eggs, crunchy celery, and more! It’s a full meal between the eggs and potatoes… for the pickiest eaters I’d just leave out the onion.
Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a super easy pressure cooker recipe that’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner on a cold day. Enjoy cheese, bacon, and creamy potato in a smooth, hearty soup.
Steak Caesar Salad
It always surprises me that a lot of picky eater kids actually love salad. The problem can come for some with mixing and adding the flavors. If that’s an issue try serving this steak Caesar salad by setting all the ingredients around the plate and letting the kids assemble them themselves how they like.
Simple Pretzel Dogs
Pretzel Dogs feature all-beef dogs baked inside of soft pretzel buns. They’re soft, chewy, and satisfyingly savory. Plus, they’re ready in just 35 minutes so you can make this pretzel dogs recipe any time!
Kid Friendly Dinner Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters
Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
This recipe for baked sheet pan chicken parmesan meatballs is such a fun way to serve pasta with meatballs. If your picky eater likes pizza or pasta try this twist on chicken parm that your family is going to devour!
London Broil In the Crock-Pot
Making London Broil in the Crockpot yields a juicy, fork-tender roast beef swimming in a luscious, herby brown gravy, all with only 11 ingredients and 15 minutes of active prep. This cozy, comforting slow cooker classic is a cold-weather favorite with very little effort!
Easy Fettuccine Alfredo With Chicken Recipe
This Easy Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is a perfect weeknight or weekend dinner for the family. Made lighter with just a few ingredient substitutions and so delicious!
Chipotle Steak Fajitas
These Chipotle Steak Fajitas are a delicious beef Mexican recipe great for taco Tuesday! A fresh and easy dinner idea that is easily customizable with fresh and light flavors.
Pizza Crescent Rolls
These Pizza Crescent Rolls are a fun finger food that can be turned into a dinner just by pairing them with a favorite veggie!
Pizza Pasta
Pizza pasta takes the best of both pizza and pasta and turns those flavors into an easy pasta casserole. This kid-friendly dinner recipe can be on the table in about 30 minutes believe it or not.
Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Slow Cooker Korean Beef is an easy crock pot dinner recipe that makes tender, sweet and spicy slow cooker beef. Great roast recipe with tons of flavor!
Melt in Your Mouth Chicken
This Melt in your Mouth Chicken recipe comes together using only 6 simple ingredients. Boneless chicken breasts covered in a creamy Parmesan sauce and baked until perfectly juicy and tender!
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
This Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is a quick and flavorful dinner recipe that can be ready to serve in no time! Skip ordering out and add this to your next meal plan!
Sheet Pan Dijon Pork Chops with Potatoes & Green Beans
With Sheet Pan Dijon Pork Chops, you’ll get savory pork, crispy green beans, and buttery potatoes baked to golden brown perfection in under an hour. Nothing touching, nothing mixed, perfect for kids that like everything separate.
Breaded Parmesan Chicken
Breaded Parmesan Chicken is a delicious and simple way to serve clean, lean, chicken with some amazing flavors. All it takes is 4 ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe 4 Ways
The best Chicken Wings Recipe for the Air Fryer depends on your preferred flavor. And lucky for you, we have four air fryer chicken wing recipes to choose from!