Kid-friendly dinners, even for picky eaters
Kids eat more when dinner looks like something they know. These recipes keep the kids’ share plain and fun, with strips to dip and a game to play, and add the sauce, spice or extra veg to the grown-ups’ plates at the end. You cook once.
What Gluten watches for: chili and strong spices, choking hazards like whole grapes and nuts for little ones, and the foods your kids won’t touch.
61 Kid-friendly recipes
Gluten-free fish sticks
Oven-baked cod strips in a crisp gluten-free crumb, with a quick pickle-dill tartar sauce and buttery peas.
Kids’ plate: Fish stick boats
Gluten-free Spaghetti and Meatballs
Tender baked-style meatballs simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce over gluten-free spaghetti, finished with basil and parmesan.
Kids’ plate: Spaghetti and meatball teeth
Gluten-free baked chicken tenders
Crispy oven-baked chicken tenders with a golden cornmeal crust, honey mustard and ketchup for dunking, plus crunchy carrot and cucumber sticks.
Kids’ plate: Dipping tenders
Gluten-free chicken katsu
Crispy golden chicken cutlets over fluffy rice and cool shredded cabbage, with a sweet-savoury katsu sauce for spooning or dipping.
Kids’ plate: Chicken strip katsu dippers
Gluten-free chicken parmesan
Golden crispy chicken cutlets, baked with garlicky marinara and melted mozzarella, alongside bright green beans.
Kids’ plate: Crispy chicken strips
Gluten-free mac and cheese
Creamy stovetop macaroni in a real extra-sharp cheddar sauce, ready in half an hour.
Kids’ plate: Steamy mac and cheese bowls
Gluten-free ramen
Shredded chicken in a ginger-tamari broth over rice noodles, with a jammy-hard egg, spinach and scallions.
Kids’ plate: Chicken noodle soup bowls
Gluten-free lasagna
A bubbling Italian lasagna: rich beef and tomato sauce, creamy ricotta layers and golden mozzarella, built with gluten-free noodles.
Kids’ plate: Mini lasagna
Gluten-free pho
Beef pho with rice noodles in a spiced broth with fresh herbs and lime.
Kids’ plate: Noodle soup boats
Gluten-free beef bulgogi
Sweet-savoury Korean beef seared hot with pear and garlic, piled on rice with carrot strips and cucumber.
Kids’ plate: Beef and rice bowls
Gluten-free bibimbap
A Korean rice bowl with savoury beef, warm seasoned vegetables and a fried egg, topped with a glossy sweet-chili sauce.
Kids’ plate: Rainbow rice bowl
Chana masala
Chickpeas simmered in a warmly spiced tomato and onion sauce, served over fluffy basmati rice with lemon and cilantro.
Kids’ plate: Chana and rice bowls
Gluten-free tempura
Crispy shrimp and vegetable tempura in a light rice flour batter, with a tamari-ginger dipping sauce.
Kids’ plate: Crispy shrimp and veggie tempura
Gluten-free samosas
Golden baked potato and pea samosas in a crisp gluten-free pastry, with a bright mint chutney for dipping.
Kids’ plate: Little samosa pockets
Gluten-free sloppy joes
Sweet-smoky sloppy joes piled high on toasted gluten-free buns with melted cheddar.
Kids’ plate: Sloppy Joe sliders
Gluten-free naan
Soft, bubbly gluten-free naan cooked in a hot skillet and brushed with garlic butter, torn warm with a cool yogurt dip.
Kids’ plate: Naan dippers
Gluten-free corn dogs
Baked mini corn dogs with a golden cornmeal crust and honey-mustard dip.
Kids’ plate: Mini corn dog poppers
Gluten-free chicken tikka masala
Yogurt-marinated chicken in a creamy spiced tomato sauce, mopped up with steamed basmati rice.
Kids’ plate: Chicken dipper boats
Pancake tacos
Small gluten-free pancakes folded like tacos around fluffy scrambled eggs and sweet fruit, with maple syrup for the grown-ups.
Kids’ plate: Pancake tacos
Gluten-free butter chicken
Creamy, mild butter chicken with tomato and warm spices, spooned over basmati rice.
Kids’ plate: Butter chicken night
Rainbow pizza
Crispy sheet pan pizza with mozzarella and curved rows of peppers, broccoli and corn — a rainbow you can eat.
Kids’ plate: Rainbow pizza slices
Gluten-free teriyaki chicken
Chicken thighs seared then glazed in a homemade tamari-honey teriyaki, over rice with cool cucumber ribbons.
Kids’ plate: Teriyaki chicken strips
Gluten-free chicken fajitas
Sizzling chicken and peppers with a homemade spice mix, rolled into warm corn tortillas with avocado and lime.
Kids’ plate: Chicken fajita roll-ups
Gluten-free English Muffin Pizzas
Crisp little muffin bases, bubbling cheese and your own toppings — everyone builds their own and they bake in minutes.
Kids’ plate: Mini pizza faces
Gluten-free empanadas
Baked beef empanadas with golden, flaky gluten-free pastry — crimp them together and eat them warm from the oven.
Kids’ plate: Mini beef empanadas
Gluten-free fettuccine alfredo
Golden chicken and sweet peas folded into a creamy parmesan sauce on gluten-free fettuccine.
Kids’ plate: Creamy chicken noodles
Gluten-free nachos
Sheet pan nachos with corn tortilla chips, spiced beef, black beans and melted cheddar.
Kids’ plate: Nacho plate
Gluten-free gnocchi
Pillowy homemade potato gnocchi tossed in nutty brown butter with crisp sage leaves and parmesan.
Kids’ plate: Buttery gnocchi bites
Gluten-free quesadillas
Crisp corn tortilla quesadillas with chicken and melted cheese, with salsa and guacamole.
Kids’ plate: Quesadilla dippers
Gluten-free burritos
Beef and black bean burritos in large gluten-free tortillas, with rice, lettuce, cheese and lime.
Kids’ plate: Beef burrito roll-ups
Gluten-free sesame chicken
Crispy pan-fried chicken in a sticky honey-tamari glaze, with steamed rice and snap peas.
Kids’ plate: Chicken strip dip plate
Gluten-free tamales
Tender shredded pork in soft masa, steamed in corn husks, with a bright tomato salsa for spooning over.
Kids’ plate: Unwrap-it-yourself tamales
Gluten-free sweet and sour chicken
Crispy cornstarch chicken tossed with juicy pineapple and peppers in a glossy sweet and sour sauce.
Kids’ plate: Chicken bites and pineapple
Gluten-free beef and broccoli
Tender beef and broccoli in a glossy tamari and ginger sauce, spooned over jasmine rice.
Kids’ plate: Beef and broccoli rice bowls
Gluten-free chicken enchiladas
Corn tortillas rolled around juicy shredded chicken, baked in a homemade red sauce under bubbling cheddar, brightened with lime.
Kids’ plate: Cheesy chicken roll-ups
Gluten-free lo mein
Slippery rice noodles tossed with golden chicken strips, crisp carrots, snap peas and cabbage in a garlicky tamari sauce.
Kids’ plate: Chicken noodle twirlers
Tom kha gai
Creamy Thai coconut chicken soup, gently simmered with lemongrass, galangal and mushrooms, finished with lime and cilantro.
Kids’ plate: Creamy chicken soup
Gluten-free fried rice
Golden egg fried rice with crisp-edged rice, sweet carrots, peas and a savoury tamari gloss — ready in 25 minutes.
Kids’ plate: Egg fried rice
Thai basil chicken
Garlicky minced chicken stir-fried with Thai basil and tamari, spooned over jasmine rice.
Kids’ plate: Chicken and rice bowls
Gluten-free dumplings
Pork and chive dumplings in a chewy homemade rice-flour dough, crisped in the pan, with a tamari dipping sauce.
Kids’ plate: Golden pan-fried dumplings
Gluten-free pad see ew
Wide, chewy rice noodles wokked with golden chicken, Chinese broccoli and soft ribbons of egg in a savoury-sweet tamari sauce.
Kids’ plate: Chicken noodle pile
Gluten-free egg rolls
Crackly baked pork and cabbage egg rolls with a savoury tamari dip, all crisp without a drop of frying oil.
Kids’ plate: Crunchy pork roll-ups
Gluten-free pizza bagels
Mini pizzas on halved gluten-free bagels, baked until the mozzarella bubbles and the edges turn golden.
Kids’ plate: Pizza bagels
Gluten-free drunken noodles
Wide rice noodles wok-tossed with chicken, sweet peppers and Thai basil in a garlicky tamari-fish sauce glaze.
Kids’ plate: Mild chicken noodle twirls
Gluten-free butter noodles
Buttery gluten-free fettuccine with parmesan; the kids' bowl stays plain while the grown-ups get golden garlic, parsley and lemon zest.
Kids’ plate: Buttery noodle bowls
Gluten-free General Tso's chicken
Crispy chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet-tangy sauce with steamed broccoli and sesame seeds.
Kids’ plate: Sweet honey chicken bites
Gluten-free Thai green curry
Creamy coconut green curry with golden chicken, snappy green beans and Thai basil, over jasmine rice.
Kids’ plate: Chicken and rice dipper bowls
Gluten-free orange chicken
Crispy pan-fried chicken in a sticky orange, garlic and ginger sauce, served over steamed rice with broccoli.
Kids’ plate: Orange chicken bites
Related recipes
Cooking for more than one diet?
Add everyone you cook for, with their allergies, diets and ages. Gluten checks every recipe for each of them and tells you what to change for anyone who can’t eat it as written. It’s free.
Kid-friendly cooking questions
How do I get a picky eater to try dinner?
Serve one food they already like next to the new one, keep portions small, and let them build their own plate. The kids’ plates here do that: the same dinner, set aside plain before the sauce goes on.
Can kids with food allergies eat these?
Add each child’s allergies in the Gluten app. Every recipe is checked for each person, and anything a child can’t have never shows up in your week.
Gluten gives food ideas, not medical advice. Recipes are checked against the restrictions you enter, but always check labels for allergens and cross-contact, and talk to your doctor or dietitian about your diet.