Cooking with kids can be a challenge. Here are the best healthy, easy recipes for kids: and they satisfy the adults, too!
Kids are life changing. That’s what everyone told us, but it didn’t really sink in until we had one. Miracle baby Larson came into our lives (here’s the story about it!). And we hit the ground running! Now that we have a few years under our belt, we’re often asked, Do you have any easy recipes for kids? Do we ever.
Here are our favorite easy recipes for kids from our collection. They’re simple to put together, kid pleasing, and at the same time tasty enough for adults. These recipes are suited for kids toddler age and above. If you’re looking for baby food recipes, Larson loved these homemade kale baby food pouches.
And now…our top easy recipes for kids!
Taquitos are always a hit with kids! This baked version is an easy spin on that tasty Mexican rolled tortilla treat. Roll corn or flour tortillas around a filling of refried beans, cheese, and salsa, then bake until crispy. Serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream for dipping!
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
This peanut butter dip is just 4 ingredients and somehow tastes like frosting. Greek yogurt, peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla combine into the best dip for sliced green apples. Or use to dip any fruit your kiddos like--or pretzels, if you like the sweet and salty thing. This is a family fave!
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
Next up in our favorite easy recipes for kids: these tortilla rollups! It couldn’t be much easier than chopping vegetables, spreading a tortilla with hummus, and rolling it up! It’s completely customizable based on the vegetables you have on hand, and the novelty of eating something in a rollup is hard to beat. It's also a great dinner idea for kids. This one doubles as a tasty party appetizer for adults! Another great option: Mexican Pinwheels
{Vegetarian, vegan. GF with GF tortillas.}
Another yogurt dip, this one’s savory and made without the standard packaged seasonings! It’s all natural, simple to whip up, and incredibly tasty.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
This tomato soup recipe the simplest way we’ve found to make tomato soup from scratch. We’re pretty picky about canned tomato soup and haven’t found a brand we love. So, this homemade tomato soup fits the bill. It’s made creamy using cashews instead of dairy–and who wouldn’t love star toasts alongside? As an adult, I’m still gaga over star-shaped foods.
{Vegetarian, vegan. For GF, use gluten-free bread.}
One of our favorite easy recipes for kids: pita pizzas! Instead of springing for carry out, pita pizzas can be made in the same amount of time and are healthier and cheaper. A few other options: these Roasted Red Pepper Pita Pizzas or Vegan Naan Pizzas. If you have more time, our Homemade Cheese Pizza is always a hit.
{Vegetarian. GF with GF pita}
Another favorite in our easy recipes for kids: Loaded Veggie Quesadillas! These quesadillas are chock full of veggies and flavor, including sweet potato, black beans, and cumin. If you’d like, make our Homemade Spinach Tortillas in advance for a totally veggie loaded experience. It’s a fun project for kids!
{Vegetarian. GF with gluten-free tortillas and vegan with vegan cheese. See vegan cheese note above, or use hummus as a sub.}
Let’s move on to dips, shall we? Dips are an instant easy recipes for kids, since they’re quick to put together and easy finger foods. This cinnamon yogurt dip is a naturally sweet, healthy dip that is supremely simple but tastes novel.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
This spin on the classic kid comfort food is healthy, but tastes incredible. It's sophisticated enough for adult palates, but taste enough for kids! The lighter take features Greek yogurt for the added probiotics, turmeric, Parmesan cheese and fresh garlic. Throw in a few handfuls of spinach if you like (though our kid is in a phase where he picks those out...!).
{Vegetarian, gluten-free with gluten-free pasta}
We make these veggie dippers for our son Larson’s lunch when he goes to preschool, and store them in the freezer. Then drop them in his lunch and they thaw while he's at school! He loves dipping them in yogurt dill sauce, or even hummus! They take a little time to bake, but they’re simple to whip up, making them an easy recipe for kids.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan without the yogurt sauce}
Here’s another dip we love to share because it’s just that good! All the kids in our life love this healthy, naturally sweet chocolate dip for pretzels, apple slices, and berries.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
This is our most popular fan favorite recipe, and luckily it’s also an easy recipe for kids! It’s basically a homemade Reese’s peanut butter cup combined with a no bake cookie, and it would be a great weekend project! Keep them in the freezer or refrigerator and nibble all week long.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan}
And finally, one’s a favorite in our list of easy recipes for kids: frozen yogurt dots! Larson loves these and asks for them on the regular. They’re super simple to make, with just 4 ingredients! And as his mama, I also sneak them from the freezer. Often.
{Vegetarian, gluten-free}
Easy Baked Taquitos
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14 taquitos 1x
Description
One of the best healthy, easy recipes for kids? Taquitos! These are oven baked and filled with a zesty refried bean and cheese filling! They can be made with either flour or corn tortillas.
Ingredients
- 2 green onions
- 1 1/2 cups refried beans, Homemade Refried Beans or vegetarian canned refried beans*
- 1/4 cup salsa, plus more to serve
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 14 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, for sprinkling
- For dipping: easy guacamole, salsa, or sour cream (or spicy sour cream mixed with hot sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (necessary for cleanup!).
- Thinly slice the green onions.
- If you’re using canned refried beans, take a taste and determine whether they’re well seasoned. If not, add a few pinches of kosher salt and cumin. If you’re using our Homemade Refried Beans, they’ll be perfectly seasoned and you can skip this step.
- In a large bowl, mix together the green onion, refried beans, salsa, chili powder, and shredded cheese.
- Lay a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the bean mixture in a dollop onto the bottom half of the tortilla. Be careful not to use too much! Tightly roll the tortilla from the bottom (the filling will spread out and hold the tortilla together). Place the flauta seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
- When the flautas are assembled, brush the tops with oil and sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and browned. Some of the beans will come out the ends of the rolls, which is expected (enough filling will remain to perfectly flavor them!). Serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Freezing instructions: Cool the flautas to room temperature, then freeze in a sealed container. To reheat, bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until warmed through.
Notes
*Homemade refried beans have the best flavor! You can also try our Refried Black Beans. Canned is a great shortcut: see if you can find vegetarian refried beans that are already seasoned.
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Easy Recipes for Kids, Kid Friendly Recipes, Taquitos
Life with kids: Q&A
After learning about our adoption story, so many of you have asked for an update on our life as parents! A few of the questions we’re asked about life with kids:
How are your lives different now that you have kids?
It wasn’t that we felt as if something were missing before he arrived, but now that Larson is here we have a new sort of joy, fulfillment, and focus. It’s hard to describe in words how joyful it is to be around this little man; it feels incredibly right, in a way we didn’t expect. We’ve also made more space in our lives for family: less work, more family time. This new rhythm feels a lot more sustainable than our previous attempt at balance.
What is Larson like?
We totally lucked out with our guy! Larson super curious, hilarious, energetic and fun, and at the same time adaptable and “chill”. He loves cooking recipes with us in the kitchen, reading, playing the piano, and going on adventures. He’s a truly special person to be around.
What are your favorite products for kids?
We’re trying the minimalist parent approach and so far, so good. Here’s our Baby Shopping Guide: Favorites for a Registry. We’re hoping to make another Minimalist Parenting Guide for products for the later years too!
How did Larson come into your life?
It’s a long story! A good recap is over on the Feel Good Effect Podcast; I happened to chat with host Robyn Downs on how we got here in an episode released this week. Listen over on Real Food Whole Life, or search for “Feel Good Effect” in your podcast app or iTunes.
More ideas?
If you make any of these easy recipes for kids, we’d love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks.
Do you have other recommendations for easy recipes for kids that are tried and true for your family? Please let us know in the comments.
2 Comments
Katie
June 16, 2017 at 11:25 pmGreetings! A totally un-food related post (I do love the recipes, though!), but I just wanted to say thank you for bringing up the idea of “minimalist” parenting. We are expecting our first in September, and, in putting together the registry, I cannot believe how much junk…errr….stuff there is out there for babies. We live in a small house, and I refuse to have my space overrun by unnecessary baby things. Bravo to you for having the same thought! I’d love to read your list of “must haves” for your little cutie. “Only the essentials” is what I keep telling myself. Enjoy your first summer as a family of three!
Sonja
June 17, 2017 at 4:35 pmCouldn’t agree more! Parenting is overwhelming with the amount of stuff it requires. We’ve been glad to find there’s a minimalist approach that’s been working, so far! I’ll send you our list via email, and consider it for a blog post too!