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 pad thai
Sweet-and-sour tamarind chicken with springy rice noodles and scrambled eggs, tossed in one wok or wide pan.
Kids’ plate: Noodle twirl bowls
Walking tacos
Seasoned beef and crunchy corn chips in a bag, topped with cheese, lettuce and avocado, eaten with a fork.
Kids’ plate: Walking tacos
Gluten-free pizza
Homemade gluten-free pizza with a crisp, chewy crust, tomato sauce and mozzarella, torn basil on top.
Kids’ plate: Pizza night
Gluten-free dino nuggets
Dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets with a crunchy golden cornflake coating, baked and made for dunking in ketchup.
Kids’ plate: Dino nuggets
Crispy-Skin Trout with Orange, Roasted Carrots and Spinach
Golden-skinned trout with a bright orange-rosemary finish, sweet caramelised roasted carrots and garlicky wilted spinach.
Kids’ plate: Trout Bites and Carrot Boats
Pan-Seared Duck with Honey-Apple Glaze, Roasted Turnips and Carrots
Crispy-skinned duck with a sweet cider glaze, golden roasted turnips and sweet caramelised carrots — one skillet and one tray.
Kids’ plate: Duck slices with turnip mash and carrot coins
Maple-Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Beets and Carrots
Sticky sheet-pan chicken thighs over sweet caramelised beets and carrots, finished with lemon.
Kids’ plate: Sticky chicken and rainbow veggie sticks
Garlic-Lemon Shrimp with Quinoa and Roasted Asparagus
Quick skillet shrimp in garlic, lemon and dill over fluffy quinoa, with a sheet pan of sweet roasted asparagus and blistered tomatoes.
Golden Turkey and Rice Skillet with Squash and Peas
One-skillet ground turkey with sweet browned squash, turmeric and lemon, spooned over fluffy brown rice.
Herbed Lamb Meatballs with Silky Sweet Potato Mash and Broccoli
Small garlicky lamb meatballs with ginger and mint, piled on smooth sweet potato mash with steamed broccoli.
Egg Cups
Baked eggs whipped with milk, spinach, sundried tomatoes and feta in muffin tins.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Bell peppers filled with rice, black beans, corn, and melted pepper jack cheese.
Pasta With Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Vegetables
Ground turkey meatballs and roasted vegetables served with pasta, olive oil, and lemon juice.
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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.