24 Kid-Friendly Recipes – The New York Times

“What’s for dinner?” Depending how I respond to that question, I’m sure to be met with toddlerlike squeals of delight (chili, nachos) or preteen groans of disgust (almost anything green). While my kids aren’t the pickiest eaters I’ve ever encountered, they both have long, evolving lists of likes and dislikes. My husband and I refuse to be short-order cooks, but we’re not interested in enforcing the clear-your-plate, you-get-what-you-get mentality we grew up with either. And so we are, forever and always, in search of those almost miraculous, unquestionably delicious dishes that please everyone at the table.

In that spirit, I asked readers of our Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter to tell us about the New York Times Cooking recipes their kids request on repeat, the meals that make them do a little happy dance when they hear they’re on the menu. More than 150 parents wrote in, with the dishes their children love — and the things they had to say about them. The 24 recipes that follow are the highlights: Some fall into the typical “kid food” category, others happily don’t. But there’s something for everyone (and, if you’re dealing with especially fickle tastebuds, most are customizable).

There are, of course, no guarantees when it comes to kids. What’s beloved one day might be detested the next, and one kid’s favorite dish could make another gag. But these dishes have gotten at least one kid’s hard-earned stamp of approval, and we think that’s a good place to start. (Get dinner ideas sent straight to your inbox weekly: Subscribe to the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter.)

See these and more kid-friendly recipes at New York Times Cooking