Easy kids' dinner recipes

Here's a selection of 10 easy, speedy recipes that you can make together with the kids.

Easy dinner recipes for kids

Here's a selection of 10 easy, speedy recipes that you can make together with the kids.

Here's a selection of easy kids' dinner recipes. These speedy children's recipes are so simple, you can make them together with the kids. The whole family will love these colourful and delicious dishes - so take your pick from quick stir-fries, yummy veggie burgers and funny pizza faces.

It's not always easy to keep children entertained through the holidays or on rainy weekends, so we've compiled some of our favourite dinner recipes which will encourage them to get them involved in the kitchen and learn some useful culinary skills. Not only will the kids keep busy, enjoy making new dishes and get to feel grown up, they can also help you with the dinner prep and get food on the table faster - what a result. Teenagers can even make some of these recipes unsupervised, once they've mastered some basic kitchen skills. 

We've included lots of veg-packed dishes in our easy dinner recipes collection, so you know your little people are well on their way to getting their five-a-day.

Get even more cheap, quick & easy recipes for the family. Click through our easy dinner recipes and decide which one you think your kids would like to help make tonight...

First up, this mild curry is perfect for the whole family and only takes about 20 mins to make. You can teach older kids all about using a knife and preparing raw meat safely.
Tasks for the kids

  • Preparing the chicken with a knife with supervision (remember to get them to wash their hands)

  • Preparing the veggies with a knife with supervision

  • Stirring the curry sauce

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel's fruity chicken curry

Chicken stir-fry

Get older children and teens to help you make dinner with this simple chicken stir-fry recipe. You'll need to keep a close eye on them when it comes to cooking and chopping, but other than that this recipe is easy.

Tasks for the kids

  • Preparing the chicken with a knife with supervision (remember to get them to wash their hands before and after)
  • Preparing the veggies with a knife with supervision
  • Frying the ingredients in a wok with supervision

Get the recipe: Chicken stir-fry

Annabel Karmel's chicken dippers

Easy dinner recipes for kids

If your child has never made dinner before then this recipe is bound to get them racing to the kitchen. Follow the step-by-step picture recipe together with your child.

Tasks for the kids

  • Mixing the marinade
  • Coating the chicken in marinade
  • Making the breadcrumbs and coating the chicken with them
  • Making the sauce

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel's chicken dippers

Mexican bean and sausage soup

Easy dinner recipes for kids

This smoky sausage soup will keep tummies full all evening. The beans and vegetables ensure its a nutritious choice, and there's plenty the kids can help with.

Tasks for the kids

  • Peeling the onions and garlic
  • Stirring the soup with help from an adult
  • Serving their own dinner into their bowl with supervision

Get the recipe: Mexican bean and sausage soup

Funny-face pizza

Easy dinner recipes for kids

See how many different pizza faces your family can come up with and who can make a self portrait. This is a great idea for a children's party, where the kids can top their own pizzas with whatever they like.

Tasks for the kids

  • Helping to measure and weigh ingredients
  • Kneading the dough
  • Dividing the dough and rolling it into rounds
  • Decorating their funny faces with lots of yummy toppings

Get the recipe: Funny-face pizza

Veggie bites burgers

Easy dinner recipes for kids

These burgers are a great way to disguise those vegetables that your kids might not normally eat. Let your kids assemble their own burgers with lots of fresh toppings like lettuce and tomato.

Tasks for the kids

  • Mixing the vegetables with the other ingredients
  • Shaping and coating their burgers
  • Assembling the burgers with their favourite toppings

Get the recipe: Veggie bites burgers

Crunchy salmon fishcakes

Easy dinner recipes for kids

(Image credit: Shredded Wheat)

Encourage your child's imagination with this playful dinner where they can decorate their plate and shape their fishcakes however they like.

Tasks for the kids

  • Making the crunchy coating
  • Mixing all the ingredients together
  • Rolling the mixture into balls
  • Coating and shaping their fishcakes
  • Decorating their plates

Get the recipe: Crunchy salmon fishcakes

Annabel Karmel's Singapore noodles

Easy dinner recipes for kids

The kids will love helping to make these lovely Asian-style noodles and will enjoy eating them even more! A great meal for the whole family that's ready in 15 minutes.

Tasks for the kids

  • Mixing the marinade
  • Helping to chop the vegetables with supervision
  • Mixing the veggies with the noodles

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel's Singapore noodles

Annabel Karmel's sesame beef stir-fry

Easy dinner recipes for kids

This flavour-packed noodle dish from kids' cooking expert Annabel Karmel is a big hit with little chefs. They'll love helping you to measure all the sauce ingredients and mixing them all together. 

Tasks for the kids

  • Measuring ingredients
  • Helping to chop the vegetables with supervision
  • Mixing the marinade

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel's sesame beef stir fry

Cheddar tortilla lasagne

Easy dinner recipes for kids

(Image credit: Cornish Cove Cheddar)

This cheat's lasagne recipe made with tortillas only needs five ingredients. Little ones will love layering up the different colours in the baking dish.

Tasks for the kids

  • Grating the cheese with supervision
  • Layering up the lasagne
  • Serving the lasagne with a mixed-leaf salad

Get the recipe: Cheddar tortilla lasagne recipe

Where to next?

10 ways to get your kids drinking milk

10 best birthday cake recipes for kids

Baby food recipes

Rosie Conroy
Food Writer

Rosie is an experienced food and drinks journalist who has spent over a decade writing about restaurants, cookery, and foodie products. Previously Content Editor at Goodto.com and Digital Food Editor on Woman&Home, Rosie is well used to covering everything from food news through to taste tests. Now, as well as heading up the team at SquareMeal - the UK's leading guide to restaurants and bars - she also runs a wedding floristry business in Scotland called Lavender and Rose.