Skip to content

20 Healthy Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipes

    As a busy mom, I always like to have easy, delicious recipes on hand. I’ve rounded up my top 20 kid-friendly dinner recipes, just in time for back to school.

    Liz and Kids Making Hummus

    As part of my health journey, one takeaway continues to ring true: Harness the power of flavor. When the school season starts up for my two boys, you can find me starting to whip out easy, yet flavor-packed dinner recipes.

    row of baked chicken taquitos on a plate

    If you’re a parent too, amid busy school weeknights, sometimes you might feel like you’ve slipped into a recipe rut. That’s ok ⁠— we all need a little bit of inspiration sometimes ⁠— like these baked chicken taquitos. YUM!

    adding Seasoning for Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili

    One of my favorite cooking methods during the school year is the slow cooker. It’s a convenient way to cook a wide variety of foods and to feed hungry kiddos coming home from a busy day at school. All you have to do is throw fresh ingredients into a crockpot while you do other tasks and it’s ready four or five hours later for dinner.

    Oven Baked Chicken Parm

    I’m also a fan of using my oven for sheet pan recipes. What about you? Do you have a recipe that’s an absolute hit with your kids?

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    Can you share some meal prep tips?

    Which kid-approved snack recipes do you recommend?

    My chocolate zucchini carrot bread and chewy oatmeal raisin bars are tasty and kid-approved! And if you want ideas for on-the-go with kids, check out my 20 portable healthy snack ideas.

    What are your favorite healthy breakfast recipes for school days?

    My ham and cheese baked egg cups are a hit in my household. My kids also love this overnight chia seed pudding. Check out my breakfast recipes for more ideas.

    liz eating enchilada farro

    I’m certain these recipes will help make dinner time easier for you! Without further ado, here are my top 20 kid-friendly healthy dinner recipes.

    20 Healthy Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipes

    Chicken Enchilada Farro Bake

    4.17 stars average
    35 minutes
    A flavorful, one-pot dinner the whole family will love, this Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Farro Bake is protein-packed and loaded with fresh veggies.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    fork full of chicken enchilada farro bake

    Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

    Rate It!
    35 minutes
    Chicken breasts are coated in a light and crunchy parmesan and herb panko coating then baked until crispy.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Oven baked chicken parmesan 2

    Sweet and Spicy Baked Salmon

    4 stars average
    25 minutes
    My baked salmon is packed in flavor and provides the perfect balance of spicy, salty, sour and sweet.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Sweet and Spicy Baked Salmon 08 WEB

    Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

    4.34 stars average
    4 hours 10 minutes
    This easy slow cooker chili combines chicken, white beans, diced green chilis, and all of your favorite Mexican spices into a delicious, protein-packed dinner – perfect for busy weeknights.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili with Chips

    Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

    4.60 stars average
    40 minutes
    Chicken fajitas just got even easier with this one pan, sheet-pan recipe! Chicken is roasted in the oven with peppers and onions.
    VIEW RECIPE
    Healthy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Recipe

    Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

    4.52 stars average
    1 hour 10 minutes
    This easy baked chicken recipe is made with sweet potatoes, garlic, onions and white wine. Simple, comforting and delicious!
    VIEW RECIPE
    Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with White Wine

    Apple Cider Roasted Pork Tenderloin

    4.70 stars average
    40 minutes
    Rubbed with fragrant spices, this apple cider roasted pork tenderloin is perfectly tender every time! An amazingly easy and fool-proof tenderloin recipe!
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Recipe

    Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Sliders with Pickled Red Onions

    3.75 stars average
    4 hours 10 minutes
    These sweet and smoky pulled beef sliders are topped with tangy pickled red onions. The perfect recipe for entertaining a crowd!
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Slider Recipe

    Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

    4.17 stars average
    35 minutes
    Chicken broccoli pasta gets kicked up a notch with a simple, yet flavorful, white wine butter sauce bursting with fresh lemon flavor.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Recipe with Lemon Butter Sauce HR

    Honey Mustard Salmon

    4.45 stars average
    20 minutes
    A quick and easy weeknight dinner, roasted salmon is brushed with a fresh and flavorful honey mustard sauce the whole family will love.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Honey mustard salmon

    Sausage Pizza Stuffed Peppers

    5 stars average
    50 minutes
    These gluten free sausage stuffed peppers are stuffed with Italian sausage, Riced Veggies and shredded mozzarella cheese.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Cheesy Sausage Pizza Stuffed Peppers Gluten Free Dinner Recipe

    Baked Chicken Taquitos

    Rate It!
    30 minutes
    A healthy spin-off of the Tex-Mex classic, these baked chicken taquitos are not fried! Packed with juicy chicken and topped with cotija cheese, these hand-held taquitos are crunchy, crispy, and oh-so-delicious.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    chicken taquitos with avocado 1

    Sheet Pan Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

    4.50 stars average
    50 minutes
    These Lebanese-spiced baked chicken thighs are perfect for enjoying over rice, slicing and serving in a pita wrap or tossing over a salad.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Lebanese Baked Chicken Thighs 1

    Sheet Pan Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes

    4.56 stars average
    40 minutes
    A riff off the ballpark classic, this sheet pan dinner recipe is made with hearty Italian sausage, buttery Little potatoes, and roasted bell peppers.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Sheet Pan Sausage Peppers and Potatoes closeup

    Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

    4.72 stars average
    4 hours 10 minutes
    This warm and comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore recipe is filled with bold Italian flavors, tender chicken and hearty vegetables.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

    Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

    5 stars
    25 minutes
    This fragrant beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe is made with fresh ginger, garlic and toasted sesame oil. A perfect 15-minute dinner recipe!
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe - a healthy Asian dinner

    Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Greens

    4.73 stars average
    20 minutes
    This bright and flavorful shrimp pasta recipe is made with hearty whole wheat linguine, plump shrimp and fresh lemon juice.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Lemony Shrimp Pasta with Greens - a healthy dinner recipe

    Oven Baked Pork Chops with Potatoes

    4.63 stars average
    1 hour 10 minutes
    Pork chops are oven baked with potatoes, tomatoes and sauerkraut in this easy and delicious sheet pan dinner recipe. 
    VIEW RECIPE
    Oven Baked Pork Chops with Potatoes

    Taco Salad Bowls with Ground Beef

    5 stars
    20 minutes
    These taco salad bowls are piled high with seasoned ground beef, creamy avocado, fresh veggies and crunchy tortilla chips.
    VIEW RECIPE Pin
    Taco Salad Bowl Recipe
    nv-author-image

    Liz DellaCroce

    Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog. Since 2010, Liz has been sharing delicious recipes that just so happen to be healthy. By using real ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality, Liz has built a growing audience of loyal readers who crave good food for their families. Click Here To Subscribe to my newsletter:

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.