Ever since your toddler turned two, “no” has been her favorite word (“ew” and “yuck” are close seconds). So, dinnertime can be a challenge—some nights, you’re lucky if she even gets a handful of Cheerios in her mouth before bed. Luckily, we’re on a mission to find you fun, nutritious meals that are as kid-friendly as they are easy to prepare. Read on for 31 toddler dinner ideas your picky eater might actually try.
31 Toddler Dinner Ideas Your Picky Eater Might Actually Try
Well...maybe
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Published Mar 8, 2024
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein
Your kid’s favorite food is chicken nuggets (and sure, you’ve been known to steal a few). But they aren’t typically the most nutritious meal—unless they’ve been breaded with quinoa and baked in the oven, that is. Serve them with honey mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce.
2. One-Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
Dinner on the table in 30 minutes? Check. Only one dirty dish to wash? Check. Spaghetti that stays on the plate instead of all over the floor? Can’t win 'em all, friend. Sub Alfredo sauce or pesto for red sauce if your kid isn't a fan.
3. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
Don't make sandwiches for supper—make boats. Trust us, your family will thank you. (The store-bought rotisserie chicken is the shortcut you'll be grateful for.) Omit the scallions to make these even more toddler-friendly.
4. Meal Prep Creamy Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Raisins
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
Eating on the go? Prep these kid-friendly boxes to serve at a picnic (or if you’re really brave, in the car). The salad is dressed in a sweet, tangy mix of sour cream, honey and mustard.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Step away from the freezer aisle, friend. These dunkable, cinnamon-kissed strips are super easy to prepare at home (and you can totally sneak in some whole-grain bread without the kids noticing).
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pot, beginner-friendly, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Can we tell you a secret? You don’t have to drain the pasta, or even boil a separate pot of water. Just cook it in milk and voilà: There’s only one dirty dish to clean. Add pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms or any mix-ins your toddler will actually eat.
7. Gluten-Free Cheesy Cauliflower Patties
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
He’s always asking for tater tots, right? This spud-free toddler dinner idea is pretty similar, but it's made with cauliflower and baked in the oven instead of fried. That’s a win-win for both of you, if you ask us.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Our suggestion: Make it easy on yourself by skipping the homemade dough and grab a ball from the grocery store. (Or better yet, ask your local pizza shop if they’ll let you buy a few and keep them in the freezer until you need one.)
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
The last time you tried to give your three-year-old carrots, she threw them at you. This time, serve them roasted in honey and atop a yogurt dipping sauce to prevent a tantrum. (And if your kid is a bit adventurous, add a touch of harissa paste to the marinade.)
10. Fettuccine with Butter and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
A three-ingredient toddler dinner idea that’s guaranteed to please everyone in the family—what can go wrong? Best of all, it’s ready in 15 minutes flat. Bring on the Parm.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
This short stack is secretly healthy, thanks to a banana, apple cider vinegar, coconut flour and almond milk (and nope, no sugar). So go ahead, let your toddler pour the syrup on herself.
12. Vegan Arancini
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, make ahead
Pop quiz: What’s even better than a cheesy rice ball? Answer: A fried cheesy rice ball. They're best made with day-old risotto. On the inside, you'll find plant-based mozz and peas.
13. Cauliflower and Plantain Tacos with Lemony Pesto Dressing
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, vegan, special occasion-worthy
Your kid is a sugar fiend, so naturally, he wants something a little sweet with his tacos. Adding baked plantains to this nutritious toddler dinner idea is just the ticket. Sub guac for avocado if your kid prefers it.
14. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Forget onion rings: These crispy oven-baked squash rings are about to become your toddler's new favorite finger food. (And if she hates the lemon dipping sauce, ketchup and honey mustard are fine substitutes.)
15. Italian Deli Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
Salami, pepperoni, prosciutto and provolone await in these meal prep-worthy sammies. But you can sub in turkey or ham (or use nothing but cheese) as needed to satisfy your high-maintenance eater.
16. Triple-Decker Grilled Cheese
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
When you were a kid, you ate Kraft singles on white bread. Kick things up a notch with sourdough and three types of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar and goat) that your toddler is basically guaranteed to love.
17. Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, beginner-friendly
It’s never too early to introduce your kiddo to international cuisine (but maybe save the chopsticks lessons for when she’s a little older). Serve the chicken with white rice, over noodles or on soft buns.
19. BLT Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Hello, summer meal of our dreams. We love using mafaldine pasta, elbows or lasagna noodles cut into squares to make this crowd-pleaser finger food-friendly for tiny hands.
20. Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Your toddler never met a chicken finger she didn’t like. This more nutritious baked spin on the classic is no exception (especially when you pair it with honey mustard, ranch dressing or sweet barbecue sauce).
21. Korean-Style Popcorn Cauliflower
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Introduce your kiddo to her new favorite toddler dinner idea (then teach her how to say “gochujang”). Cut back on the spicy ingredients if your kid has a sensitive palate, and serve it over white rice.
22. Avocado and Black Bean Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Healthy fats and protein? Yep, this one's going in our regular rotation. Skip the jalapeño if you're worried your kid will find it too spicy, or add a dollop of sour cream to the mix to cool things down.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Need to get a toddler dinner idea on the table as quickly as possible? Your tot will be happily eating in 30 minutes flat, thanks to this oversized quesadilla. Pair it with all the store-bought fixings for minimal effort, like salsa and guacamole.
24. Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Replace half of the noodles with roasted cauliflower, and you've got a healthy-ish main dish that everyone in the family will devour. Don't worry though: It's still topped with plenty of Parm, butter and panko.
25. Grain-Free Chicken Nuggets
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Put a twist on classic chicken nuggets with this delicious recipe that also includes a copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce. By using coconut flour in the breading, these guys are naturally gluten-free. Plus, they're marinated in pickle juice for extra flavor.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
These well-seasoned pieces of fried chicken go perfectly with impressively fluffy homemade waffles. Play to your toddler's sweet tooth by coating the waffles in cinnamon sugar for good measure.
28. BLT Galette
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Pie crust is always welcome at your toddler's high chair. You can save a ton of time in prep by opting for the store-bought kind instead of making your own dough. With all that bacon, we're sure your tot won't mind.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Nothing tops cozying up to a gooey, meaty bowl of pasta—and we're betting your picky eaters will agree. Pancetta and Italian sausage keep things flavorful and savory, but you can nix them (and double the fresh mozz) to make it taste milder.
30. Miso-Honey Broiled Chicken
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Why We Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Don't let the umami-rich miso deter you: Its funk is tamed just right with a mix of rich butter and sweet honey. Boneless, skin-on chicken offers crisp, succulent fattiness to every bite, but you can use skinless pieces if you'd prefer.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Last night's noodles can be transformed into a protein-packed, delightfully cheesy toddler dinner idea in a mere 15 minutes. Long pasta is ideal here (think spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini), but elbows or penne will work in a pinch.
