16 Easy, Kid-Friendly Recipes for Busy Weeknights

Kid-approved dinners, for back to school and beyond.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published September 07, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
Nick Evans

If there's one thing I'm not looking forward to about starting and raising a family, it's trying to figure out how to cook to please everyone's tastes. I was a notoriously picky eater growing up, so I know what it's like to be a stubborn, teary eyed diner, refusing to eat what I was given.

Those days for me are long gone, but I truly empathize with the challenge of making kid-pleasing meals day in and day out. With the busy back-to-school season just around the corner, I've channeled my past picky eater mindset to pull together these super kid-friendly recipes for any family looking to keep their dinner smooth and tear-free. They're also easy to make and incredibly reliable, so you don't have to pull out all the stops and learn new techniques to get a meal on the table.

  • One-Pot Mac and Cheese

    Plateful of one pot mac and cheese with a fork, and in the surroundings, a dutch oven with more, a glass of water, utensils, and a mustard kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Once the cheese is added, the consistency of the sauce should be similar to that of a boxed version with a little more body (think melted ice cream). If you find the sauce to be too stiff or thick, feel free to add a splash of water, a tablespoon at a time, until loosened."—Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Baked Ground Beef Tacos

    Baked tacos on a platte surrounded by bowls of toppings (bowl of shredded iceberg lettuce, bowl of diced onions, bowl of tomatoes, bowl of salsa, and a bowl of sour cream)

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RD

    "This meal works for fussy eaters because you’re in control of every step. You know your family best and you choose how to cook the meat and season it. You choose the cheese (or skip it), then let the oven put the finishing touches on everything and leave the garnishing to your lucky diners."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Honey Soy Chicken

    Overhead view of a blue plate with a serving of partially sliced honey soy chicken and white rice topped with green onions along with a fork and knife

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

    "It’s the dinner I turn to when I want those big, bold takeout flavors without leaving my kitchen (or my comfy clothes). Chicken cutlets are lightly coated in a one-bowl batter, cooked in a skillet until golden, and finished with a sticky, sweet, and savory honey soy sauce. It’s a family and kid-friendly one-pan recipe and a huge crowd-pleaser."—Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin, works really well here because of its beefy flavor. Plus the cheese and cream bring enough richness to this skillet. You can use ground turkey or chicken; I’ve even subbed bulk Italian sausage in a pinch."—Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

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  • Homemade Pizza Bagels

    Pizza bagel on a sheet pan.

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Do not over-sauce the bagels. Shoot for about a tablespoon of sauce per slice. Too much sauce will make it soggy."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts

    Overhead view of a plate of ranch baked chicken breasts with a spoon of ranch dressing next to a bowl of salad

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "My kids now refer to this meal as “big chicken nuggets” which is a fairly apt description. You get moist, juicy chicken paired with just a hint of crunchy golden brown crust. With just four ingredients and five minutes of prep time, this is a meal you’ll make again and again."—Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

    Ground beef and broccoli stir fry over rice in a bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, a bowl of sliced scallions, and a bowl of sesame seeds

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "For an extra fast meal, buy packaged broccoli florets from the bagged produce section of the grocery store."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Best Ever Sloppy Joes

    Sloppy Joe Sandwich on a Plate With the Filling Cascading From the Bun

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Save time on prep by pulsing roughly chopped veggies in a food processor."—Elise Bauer, Founder

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  • 15-Minute One-Pan Ravioli

    Closeup view of ravioli, Italian sausage and spinach topped with Parmesan cheese in a light blue bowl

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "I chose straightforward cheese-filled ravioli for this recipe, but the beauty is that it’s versatile and customizable. If you want to switch up the flavor of the ravioli, go ahead. Both fresh and frozen will work, so choose whatever brand or type you normally buy. Or swap for tortellini."—Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Pizza Beans

    Pizza beans in a red casserole

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    "It couldn’t be easier to whip up a batch of these cheesy, saucy beans for dinner. You can pull off the whole thing in about 20 minutes with just three ingredients—beans, marinara sauce, and cheese."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole in a casserole dish with a spoon (casserole dish missing some casserole / some of the casserole was already served)

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "For a milder version, replace the Rotel with plain canned diced tomatoes (without chiles)."—Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Copycat Ronto Wraps

    Plate of Ronto Wraps Topped With Herbs, Slaw, and Dressing, and in the Background, a Bowl of Coleslaw, a Plate With Pita Bread, and a Bowl of Dressing

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "You can simplify this recipe by using store-bought sauce, dressing, and coleslaw mix, if you like. Ranch dressing, Sriracha mayo, aioli, or any other zingy and/or creamy condiment could easily take the place of the peppercorn sauce, and you can toss the slaw with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette or coleslaw dressing."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

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  • Cheesy Baked Tacos

    Bowl of cheesy baked tacos on a plate topped with sour cream and cilantro at a table setting with a bowl of lime wedges and shredded lettuce, bowl of sour cream, bowl of salsa, bowl of salsa, and a bunch of cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "While oven-baked tacos will never be quite as crispy as fried ones, they have a lot of things going for them that make them my preferred choice. For one, cleaning up after frying at home is a bit of a pain. I’m just not willing to do it any old night of the week. Also, baking is typically lighter on the oil and less greasy overall."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Skillet Pizza Chicken

    A skillet with four cheese covered chicken breasts in tomato sauce, garnished with basil

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "My daughter requests chicken for dinner every chance she gets, and my husband can’t get enough cheesy pasta dishes. To please the whole family, I developed this 20-minute skillet pizza chicken, which checks everyone’s boxes and is gone in mere minutes."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

    Grilled Cheese Sandwich

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "A classic Italian sub has at least three kinds of cured meats in it. I like a mix of pepperoni, salami, and prosciutto—but there is no hard and fast rule here. If you want something spicy, add some soppressata. If you want something a little creamier, add a thin slice of mortadella!"—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Piccata Pasta

    Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "To make this classic dish more kid friendly, instead of serving a big hunk of chicken, I chop it up after cooking it and add it back to the pasta. Instead of pouring the sauce over the chicken, I stir it all together with the penne pasta so kids can’t identify the ingredients that they might not be used to. Rather than a big pile of capers, they just get the occasional caper."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

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