Kid-Friendly Meal Plan: 7 Dinners Picky Eaters Will Eat
The short answer
This kid-friendly meal plan sticks to dinners children reliably eat — crispy chicken tenders, spaghetti, cheese quesadillas, baked ziti and sticky honey garlic chicken — while sneaking in vegetables on the side. Two nights are build-your-own, so picky eaters choose their own toppings and adults can add spice.
- 7 dinners
- About 11 min of prep a night
- 53 items on one grocery list
- 2 meatless
Best for: Families with young or picky eaters.
Puts these dinners on next week's calendar and builds the grocery list. Free account, no credit card.
The week
- MondayCrispy Baked Chicken Tenders
Panko-crusted tenders that crisp in the oven without frying. A reliable win with kids, served with a quick honey-mustard dip.
33 min - TuesdaySpaghetti with Meat Sauce
The dependable family classic, with a sauce that simmers just long enough to taste like it took all afternoon.
40 min - WednesdayBlack Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Crisp, melty quesadillas from pantry staples in 15 minutes — the dinner to keep in your back pocket for the busiest night of the week.
17 minVegetarian - ThursdaySheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Peppers, onions and spiced chicken roasted on one pan while you warm the tortillas. Everyone builds their own, so picky eaters are covered.
37 min - FridayEasy Baked Ziti
Pasta, marinara, ricotta and plenty of mozzarella baked until bubbling. Assemble it ahead and bake when you walk in the door.
50 minVegetarian - SaturdayTurkey Taco Rice Bowls
Seasoned ground turkey over rice with all the taco toppings. A homemade spice blend keeps it gluten-free and less salty than packets.
30 min - SundaySlow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Sticky, sweet-savory chicken thighs that kids reliably finish. The sauce thickens at the end into a glaze for rice and vegetables.
4h 10m
Grocery list for the week
Every ingredient from all seven recipes, combined and sorted by store aisle. Check your pantry for oils, salt and spices before you shop.
Produce
- 1avocado
- 1 lbbaby carrots
- 3bell peppers
- 12 ozbroccoli florets
- 2 tbspfresh basil
- 9 clovesgarlic
- 2green onions
- 1lime
- 2 cupromaine lettuce
- 3yellow onion
Dairy & Eggs
- 1 tbspbutter
- 3egg
- 1 1/2 cupgrated Parmesan cheese
- 15 ozricotta cheese
- 1 cupshredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cupshredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 cupshredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cupsour cream
Meat & Poultry
- 1 1/2 lbboneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 lbboneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 lbchicken tenderloins
- 1 lbground beef
- 1 lbground turkey
Bakery
- 8corn tortillas
- 8flour tortillas
Grains & Pasta
- 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
- 2 cupjasmine rice
- 1 1/2 cuplong-grain white rice
- 1 lbspaghetti
- 1 lbziti pasta
Canned Goods
- 2 cansblack beans
- 1 cancrushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 1/2 cuptomato sauce
Condiments & Sauces
- 1/4 cupDijon mustard
- about 3/4 cuphoney
- 2 tbspketchup
- 1/3 cuplow-sodium soy sauce
- 1 jarmarinara sauce
- about 1/2 cupolive oil
- 1 tbsprice vinegar
- 1 cupsalsa
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 2/3 tbspchili powder
- 1/2 tspdried oregano
- 2 tspgarlic powder
- 3 tspground cumin
- 2 tspItalian seasoning
- 1 1/3 tbspkosher salt
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
Baking
- 2 tbspcornstarch
- 1 tspsugar
Frozen
- 1 cupfrozen corn
Other
- 1 1/2 cuppanko breadcrumbs
Prep ahead
- Assemble the baked ziti on Sunday and refrigerate it for Friday (it keeps 2 days assembled, so do it Wednesday if you prefer).
- Toast the panko for the chicken tenders ahead; it keeps in a jar for a week.
- Slice the fajita peppers and onions the night before.
Questions
How do I get picky eaters to try new dinners?
Serve components separately on build-your-own nights (fajitas, taco bowls), keep one familiar item on every plate, and let kids add their own sauce. In The Meal Plan Vault, kids can also vote on next week's dinners, which makes them far more likely to eat them.
Are these recipes spicy?
No. The fajita and taco seasonings are mild; add hot sauce or chili flakes at the table for adults.