• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfasts
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Lunches
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Breads
    • Cookies-Bars
    • Desserts
    • Holidays
  • Top 10 Recipes
  • Kid’s Recipes
  • Freebies
  • FDA
  • Meet Carole

My Kitchen Escapades

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfasts
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Lunches
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Breads
    • Cookies-Bars
    • Desserts
    • Holidays
  • Top 10 Recipes
  • Kid’s Recipes
  • Freebies
  • FDA
  • Meet Carole
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfasts
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Lunches
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Breads
    • Cookies-Bars
    • Desserts
    • Holidays
  • Top 10 Recipes
  • Kid’s Recipes
  • Freebies
  • FDA
  • Meet Carole
×

Home » Main Dishes

Published: Feb 18, 2021 · Updated: Sep 30, 2022 by Carole Jones · 2 Comments

20 Yummy Meals Kids Can Make All by Themselves

These easy recipes are all meals kids can make with little to no help from you. If you’ve been looking to spend less time in the kitchen, these yummy recipes are a great place to start. Double bonus: when kids are involved in preparing their own food, they actually become less picky and more adventurous eaters!

20 Meals Kids Can Make by Themselves

As I’ve worked with the creation of Family Dinner Academy, it became apparent that many of clients needed a resource for dinners their kids (or partners!) could make with little to no help from them.

These 20 recipes are a great starting point for any new cook and especially as meals kids can make on their own.

20 Meals Kids Can Make

20 Meals Kids Can Make by Themselves
Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet by House of Nash

#1 – Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet will get your kids off of Hamburger Helper and into something much healthier! Loaded with ground beef, cheese, and cavatappi noodles makes it both delicious and fun.

Get the Recipe
Crispy Baked Cornflake Chicken Tenders by Natalie’s Health

#2 – Crispy Baked Cornflake Chicken Tenders are perfect HEALTHY, low-calorie, easy family meal. Tenders are coated in cornflakes for extra crunch, enriched with aromatic spices and baked to golden perfection.

Get the Recipe
Chicken Strawberry Salad
Chicken Strawberry Salad by My Kitchen Escapades

#3 – Chicken Strawberry Salad is not only crazy delicious, but easily assembled. The recipe has a homemade poppyseed dressing, but you could also use store-bought if you don’t want your child using a blender.

Get the Recipe
Homemade Stovetop Mac & Cheese by Amanda’s Cookin’

#4 – Homemade Stovetop Mac and Cheese – If your children were raised on boxed macaroni and cheese, this is the perfect way to get them something better for them! An easy, cheesy recipe that they can make anytime with very little prep.

Get the Recipe
Tuna Melt Croissants by Mrs Jones Kitchen

#5 Tuna Melt Croissants are filled with a veggie, cheese, and tuna filling before being baked to toasty perfection. Ready in 15 minutes! You could use whatever type of bread you prefer.

Get the Recipe
Easy Caprese Flatbread Pizza by Hoorah to Health

#6 – Easy Caprese Flatbread Pizzas are topped with sliced mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. It is a super easy recipe that the whole family will love!

Get the Recipe
Black Bean Butternut Squash Flatbreads
Black Bean Butternut Squash Pitas by My Kitchen Escapades

#7 – Black Bean Butternut Squash Pitas are not only done in 15 minutes, but packed with flavor with that cilantro lime crema and avocado topping! The only equipment you need is a microwave.

Get the Recipe
Sloppy Joes by The Cozy Cook

#8 – Homemade Sloppy Joes are definitely easy to prepare and a family favorite recipe. This recipe has a perfect blended sauce of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors, plus a crock-pot option, making it even less intimidating for kids!

Get the Recipe
Pepperoni Bread by 365 Days of Baking

#9 – Pepperoni Bread makes one heck of an easy dinner. Loaded with pepperoni and provolone cheese, it becomes the perfect vehicle to dip into your favorite marina sauce….and we all know how much kids love to dip foods!

Get the Recipe
Doritos Taco Casserole by Baking Beauty

#10 Doritos Taco Casserole is a guaranteed win because what kid wouldn’t want to cook with Doritos! Plus, it is topped with fresh veggies to make you happy as well.

Get the Recipe
Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches by My Kitchen Escapades

#11 – Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches only have three ingredients but they packed with flavor. Plus, they couldn’t be easier to make since your kid just dumps it into a crockpot in the morning.

Get the Recipe
Creamy Pesto Gnocchi by Little Sunny Kitchen

#12 – Creamy Pesto Gnocchi is a 4-ingredient creamy pesto gnocchi dinner is a family-friendly vegetarian meal that you can whip up in just 15 minutes! Pillowy and tender gnocchi smothered in a creamy basil and dried tomato sauce. An easy comforting dinner that you’ll keep making over and over again!

Get the Recipe
Roast Beef & Cheddar Crescent Rolls

#13 – Roast Beef & Cheddar Crescent Rolls are truly a recipe that anyone can make and we all know how much kids love refrigerated crescent rolls! You can use any type of leftover protein you want.

Get the Recipe
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese by Baking Beauty

#14 – Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is rich and creamy and who can resist that crunchy bread crumb topping? Pure comfort food and one every kid will be excited to make.

Get the Recipe
layered green chile chicken enchilada casserole
Green Chili Enchilada Casserole by My Kitchen Escapades

#15 – Green Chili Enchilada Casserole is packed with all the best southwest flavors and only has 5 ingredients! Makes a large pan to feed your family for at least a couple meals.

Get the Recipe
5 Minute Pizza Quesadilla by Two Healthy Kitchens

#16 – 5 Minute Pizza Quesadilla just takes a few minutes to throw together. Made with whole grains and lots of protein for a healthy alternative to traditional pizza.

Get the Recipe
Almost Instant Calzones by Practically Kidding

#17 – Almost Instant Calzones are made with just a few ingredients and are loaded with all your favorite Italian flavors before being baked until they are hot and gooey perfection!

Get the Recipe
Easy 5 Ingredient Pasta Bake by Two Healthy Kitchens

#18 Easy 5 Ingredient Pasta Bake is an incredibly quick and easy pizza pasta bake. It will be int he oven in no time flat and you don’t even have to pre-cook the pasta!

Get the Recipe
veggie quesadilla or feta cheese quesadilla
Mediterranean Quesadillas by My Kitchen Escapades

#19 – Mediterranean Quesadillas include every flavor you love and only require the microwave and an electric skillet to make. Done in 15 minutes or less and guaranteed to become a regular on your menu rotation.

Get the Recipe
Easy Zucchini Pizza Bites by Sumptuous Spoonfuls

#20 Easy Zucchini Pizza Bites will get your kiddos not only cooking with veggies but eating them as well!

Get the Recipe

If you love these recipes for meals kids can make on their own but not sure how to actually GET them to help, come check out Family Dinner Academy! It is the ultimate step-by-step system for getting dinner on the table by working together as a family.

Categories: Feeding Your Family

Filed Under: Feeding Your Family
2 Comments
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shelley says

    February 18, 2021 at 8:46 pm

    I love cooking with my kids – and watching them bloom into amazing cooks all on their own! This is a wonderful list for inspiring the next generation of cooks – what a terrific idea!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 21, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      thanks for sharing your recipes with my readers Shelley!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey there my friend! I’m Carole Jones, a momma to 6 crazy kiddos and honestly, I’m just trying to get my kids to eat something that isn’t chicken nuggets and french fries.

More about me →

FOLLOW CAROLE ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok

Recent recipes

  • Shrimp Quesadilla
    Shrimp Quesadilla
  • Air Fryer Potato Wedges
    Air Fryer Potato Wedges
  • Restaurant Style Ranch
    Restaurant Style Ranch
  • air fryer biscuits
    Air Fryer Biscuits

Popular recipes

  • Roasted Baby Potatoes
    Roasted Baby Potatoes
  • Thai Chicken Salad
    Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
  • vegetable pasta bake
    Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake
  • parmesan chicken bake
    Parmesan Chicken Bake

Footer

FREE MEMBERSHIP for you weekly recipe fix




Top 5 Most Read Recipes

Pork Carnitas

Old Fashioned Donut Muffins

Parmesan Chicken Bake

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Sushi Rice Recipe


Follow Carole on Your Favorite Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok

Recipes

Breakfast

Appetizer

Soup

Main Dish

Side Dish

Lunch

Air Fryer

Salad

Sandwich

Bread

Dessert

Grab my newest cookbook here!

30 Minute Cooking from Frozen Cookbook

My blog contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using my link, at no additional cost to you. And no worries, I only link to products that I both use and love! ~ Carole


Top 10 Recipes | Privacy Policy | About

Copyright © 2023 My Kitchen Escapades