Too Tired To Cook? Here's 13 Dinners SO EASY Your Kids Can Basically Make Them
Let 'em cook.
It's a tale as old as time — your kids are hungry (hangry, even) and you're way too wiped to even think about what to make for dinner. So riddle us this: Why not let the kids make their own dinner for once? With oven, knife, and microwave-safety permitting, there's actually plenty of easy recipes kids can whip up super easily. In fact, we've got 12 easy recipes kids will have so much fun cooking, they'll practically beg you to take the night off. Think of it this way, it's basically like a choose-your-own-adventure mixed with being on Chopped (where they get to eat croissant hot dogs at the end)!
If thinking about your kids taking over the kitchen fills you with anxiety rather than relief, worry not. These easy recipes come together with almost no need to heat up an oven, or bust out a knife for chopping. One of our favorite ways to make most recipes kid-friendly? Use your toaster oven instead of the oven for our recipes for sheet-pan black bean tacos and pizza stuffed peppers. This means you don't have to literally babysit your kids and an oven (since it will turn off after the timer goes off). Also, keeping a few prepped staples around will also make putting meals together so much easier, such as shredded rotisserie chicken for BBQ chicken French bread pizza, pre-chopped vegetables for TikTok ramen and turkey lavash wraps, and plenty of cheese for our chicken quesadillas, naturally.
Looking for more ways to keep the whole family fed and full? Check out all our top kid-approved recipes, including all our best dinner recipe ideas for kids, fast food copycat recipes, and after school snacks.
BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza
We already have a copycat of CPK's classic BBQ chicken pizza, but sometimes we can't be bothered with pizza dough. Enter: the BBQ chicken French bread pizza. This recipe combines the uniquely sweet and savory flavor of the BBQ chicken pizza with the ease of a Stouffer’s-style French bread pizza. 😍
Get the BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza recipe.
Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese
These highlight everyone's favorite part of grilled cheeses—the crispy, cheesy edge bits, now made even better (and crispier) in the waffle maker.
Get the Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese recipe.
Pizza Stuffed Peppers
While we love a good homemade pizza crust, sometimes we're really just all about the toppings. If you're like us—or if you're looking for a way to sneak more vegetables to your favorite pizza—these pizza stuffed peppers should be next on your weeknight dinner rotation. Full of classic pizza flavors (with a hearty addition of rice), these ultra-tender peppers are an ideal easy dinner for crust-fans and haters alike.
Get the Pizza Stuffed Peppers recipe.
Croissant Hot Dogs
Forget what you know about a ballpark hot dog, and elevate it with this simple ingredient swap. We love the richness of a charred hot dog inside of a flakey and buttery croissant. Top it with mustard, and it tastes just like a pig-in-a-blanket—it’s your favorite finger food turned life-size! This recipe is super-flexible, and your kids can choose whatever toppings they please.
Get the Croissant Hot Dogs recipe.
Chicken Quesadillas
Filled with flavorful chicken, plenty of cheese and mix-ins, this quesadilla is not only completely satisfying, but totally customizable. Make it as is for a simple cheap and easy dinner (or afternoon snack) you can count on, or use it as a jumping off point to create your kid's perfect quesadilla.
Get the Chicken Quesadillas recipe.
French Bread Pizza
Craving homemade pizza, but don’t want to deal with finicky pizza dough? Skip it altogether, and grab the nearest loaf of French bread instead. The loaf makes for a delicious pizza “crust” that will get crispy on the outside while staying nice and soft on the inside. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
Get the French Bread Pizza recipe.
Black Bean Tostadas
We keep these simple with just five ingredients, but your kids can always add additional toppings like corn salsa, avocado ranch, or endless crunchy veggies like radishes or pickled red onions. Chef's choice!
Get the Black Bean Tostadas recipe.
TikTok Ramen
This amazing dinner hack brings us back to college, but is even easy enough for your kids to whip up. Have fun customizing the noodles with your favorite veggies and toppings, like using frozen peas or halved snow peas in place of the bell pepper and carrot, or skip the egg and top with seared chicken or tofu. And don't doubt the everything bagel seasoning (either from a shaker or homemade)—just do it.
Get the TikTok Ramen recipe.
Turkey Lavash Wraps
Filled with a zingy dill-arugula salad, sliced turkey, roasted red peppers, and crunchy cucumbers, and sealed with a creamy goat cheese spread, these wraps are exactly the kind of colorful meal we crave to brighten up a week.
Get the Turkey Lavash Wraps recipe.
Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos
Tacos always bring party vibes, but when they’re baked until crisp and rimmed with crunchy cheesy frico, it’s an all-out fiesta. Featuring refried black beans stuffed inside a crunchy corn tortilla, this irresistible cross between a taco and a sheet-pan quesadilla will make any weeknight feel like a celebration. Oh—and did we mention you only need 5 ingredients to get the party started?
Get the Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos recipe.
Broccoli Cheddar Pasta
The broccoli is in no way hidden, but it's still a great way to sneak in an extra serving of greens to this grown-up mac and cheese. Even the pickiest of eaters will eat their vegetables if they're coated in cheese.
Get the Broccoli Cheddar Pasta recipe.
Pizzadillas
This isn't just a quesadilla filled with mozz and pepperoni. It's topped with the works and looks just like an actual pizza. Plus, it's so easy for kids to make at home.
Get the Pizzadillas recipe.
Pinwheel Sandwiches
Pinwheel sandwiches are here with their totally retro swirls, ready to be packed into lunchboxes, for an easy dinner, or just eaten as an afternoon snack. They’re easy to assemble, look great on a platter, and are ideal for a party. To make them, you'll layer flour tortillas with ranch-flavored mayonnaise, sliced cheese, deli meats, and lettuce.
Get the Pinwheel Sandwiches recipe.
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