13 Healthy Kid-Friendly Dinners

Healthy versions of mac & cheese, pizza, and even chicken nuggets!

It’s not always easy to get kids to eat their vegetables. They might want greasy cheesy pizza, but what’s best for them is lean chicken and broccoli. If you’re searching for healthy kid-friendly dinners that both kids and adults will enjoy, check out our list of 13 nutritious kid friendly dinners.

SkinnyMs. has compiled clean eating takes on some of the most popular kid-friendly meals. From spaghetti and lasagna to chicken nuggets and pizza, these 13 healthy family dinners will deliver vitamins and minerals in a package that kids enjoy.

1. One-Skillet Chicken and Pasta

One Skillet Chicken Linguine with Tomatoes
This kid-friendly recipe is super easy with short cook times and minimal clean up. The family-favorite dish is kept healthy with whole wheat or high protein pasta and substituting flavorful veggies and seasonings in place of calorie-dense sauces.

2. Mac & Cheese with Chicken and Mushrooms

Mac & Cheese with Chicken and Mushrooms
The best way to get your kid to eat mushrooms might just be to hide them in mac & cheese. This deliciously cheesy recipe (pictured in this article) is made healthy with whole wheat noodles and reduced fat cheese.

3. Mexican-Style Lasagna

Mexican-Style Lasagna Recipe
Lasagna has long been a favorite among kids. Skip the noodles and substitute whole grain tortilla chips. The result is a flavorful low-carb lasagna made with clean, wholesome ingredients.

4. Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables and Brown Rice

Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables and Brown Rice
Stir-fries are a quick-fix during busy weeks. With this recipe, you can keep all the ease and flavor while enjoying a healthy meal.

5. Honey Pepper Chicken

Honey Pepper Chicken
This clean-eating recipe delivers tender chicken in a mouthwatering glaze. It’s easy to make and has none of the additives of fast food chicken.

6. Southwestern Pizza

Southwestern Pizza
Make pizza into a healthy dinner with this recipe. Not only is it low-carb and high-protein, it’s also unique in its flavor combination. Built on a soft corn tortilla, the pizza is layered with stacks of diced tomatoes, refried beans, ground turkey, and gooey Monterey jack cheese. No one can resist!

7. Individual Shepherd’s Pie

Individual Shepherd's Pies
One of our best go-to healthy family dinners is this individual shepherd’s pie recipe. Because each serving is separated in a ramekin, it’s easy for everyone to practice portion control. Not to mention the potatoes, ground turkey, and cheesy goodness is sure to please kids and adults alike! For a vegetarian version, try this veggie shepherd’s pie.

8. Quinoa Chicken Nuggets

Quinoa Chicken Nuggets Recipe 3
It’s easy to get kids to eat almost anything as long as it looks like chicken nuggets. Avoid fast food made with questionable ingredients and opt for this recipe. It’s made with lean, boneless chicken and coated with a mixture of whole wheat flour, quinoa, and eggs. Bake them instead of frying and you have juicy, flavorful nuggets that beat fast food any day.

9. Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole
This is a perfect recipe for getting kids to eat more veggies. The broccoli and cauliflower are hidden beneath a layer of cheesy goodness. Despite the cheese, this is still a healthy recipe! It’s packed full of vitamins and minerals and delivers a healthy dose of protein.

10. Everything Fiesta Black Beans and Oats Burger

Everything-Black-Beans-Oats-Recipe-600x600
Zesty and nutritious, these vegetarian patties make a fun family meal full of filling ingredients.

11. Open-Faced Grilled Turkey Burgers

Turkey Veggie Burger
Most kids won’t mind the substitution of turkey for beef. As long as the burger tastes good, they’ll eat it! This turkey burger has less fat and more lean protein than beef burgers, but it’s still rich in hearty flavors.

12. 5-Minute Prep Tex-Mex Casserole

5-Minute Prep Tex-Mex Casserole Recipe
Easy to make and packed full of flavor, say hello to one of your new favorite healthy family dinners.

13. Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf

Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf
This slow cooker meatloaf recipe is packed with protein, making it both kid-friendly and parent-friendly.

Love the recipes? Hungry for more? Let us know! Leave a comment in the section below about this article or anything else on the site.

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Sofia Lopez

Sofia received her BA from Cornell University and her MFA from San Francisco State University. She creates workouts and fitness challenges. Her hobbies include running, hiking, and listening to audiobooks from the exercise bike.

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