Worry no more about those picky eaters! Try out these 11 kid-friendly, vegan, veggie-packed dinner recipes for hearty and delicious meals that will delight the whole family.
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I know I'm not alone when it comes to having a house full of picky eaters. When my kids were much younger, I was so proud of the fact they ate everything I gave them. But as they grew up, they began protesting some of the healthy plant-based meals I made. Over time, I created an arsenal of recipes; these are meals that are nutrient-dense comfort foods that I know my kids will eat.
Before we take a look at the recipes, let's address a few of the commonly asked questions I get here on My Darling Vegan when it comes to vegan kid-friendly recipes?
How to Make Kid-Friendly Recipes
When I talk about kid-friendly meals, I'm talking about recipes that are fairly basic. Typically they are traditional comfort foods with minimal spices and/or exotic vegetables.
While kid-friendly meals often tend to have a base of pasta or rice, the kid-friendly meals that I look for are also veggie-packed (often secretly so) and protein-rich.
How to Get Kids to Eat Vegetables
It's been a struggle. But over the years, I've learned several ways to get kids to eat their vegetables. Here are a few of my tips:
- Sneak veggies into their food. Most of the recipes below have sneaky ways to get veggies into cream sauces, "meat" sauces, veggie pasta, and more. One of my kid's favorite meals is this baked macaroni and cheese. They don't know it's filled with carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions!
- Serve a variety of meals. Throughout the week, we make a variety of meals. Some meals are specifically for the kids while other meals encourage them to be more adventurous eaters. And after a week of healthy eating, we wrap up the week with pizza. With a good mixture of meals, they become more open-minded and engaged eaters.
- Make them try everything. At this point, both my kids have a few vegetables that they absolutely love. My daughter would eat a bowl of snap peas every night and my son loves broccoli and green beans. If I didn't make them try everything that was on the plate, neither of them would have known how much they love these vegetables. When we eat dinner together, it is a rule that they try everything with an open mind before being excused.
- Have kids help prepare the meal. When my kids are part of the cooking process, they are much more eager to eat what's on the table. Recently they've become my salad maker, sautéer, spicer, garnisher, etc. As a result, they have become far more adventurous in their eating.
Vegan Kid-Friendly Recipes
Here are 11 of my family's favorite kid-friendly recipes.
These recipes are packed with protein and veggies while providing simple flavors and textures that kids love.
My kids love burritos and this Ultimate Vegan Burrito is no exception. It’s the perfect meatless meal! These burritos are loaded with chipotle black beans, cilantro-lime rice, pico de gallo, avocado, and creamy sauce. Yum!
This Vegan Bolognese Pasta Sauce is truly the perfect kid-friendly meal. Made with an easy and healthy veggie-packed sauce and your choice of lentils, tofu, TVP, or vegan crumbles, this recipe will satisfy all your cravings!
Did you think your Hamburger Helper days were over? No way! The Cheeky Chickpea veganizes Vegan Hamburger Helper! It’s a classic meal that is easy, ready in minutes, so much better than the original, and healthy too! Instant pot or stovetop option.
These tasty vegan chicken nuggets are super easy to make with just 6 ingredients! Stuffed with oats and chickpeas, this 30-minute meal is packed with protein for a recipe that the whole family will love. Soy-free, oil-free, and easily gluten-free.
Everyone loves these Vegan Sloppy Joes with Lentils. It’s a meal that instantly transports you back to the best parts of childhood! These sandwiches are packed with protein and veggies for the perfect weeknight dinner!
This vegan “cheesy” broccoli and rice casserole is the ultimate plant-based comfort food! The cheese sauce is so unbelievably creamy no one will believe it’s made with vegetables!
More Vegan Recipe Roundups
- 11 Amazing Pasta Recipes
- 31 Summer BBQ Recipes
- 15 Budget Friendly Recipes
- 31 Vegan Breakfast Recipes
- 11 Buddha Bowl Recipes
That’s it! 11 incredible vegan kid-friendly dinners. Now let’s get cooking!
Written by Sarah McMinn
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Lea says
thank you, these recipes are very helpful. Peace
Verna @ www.thecheekychickpea.com says
Thanks so much Sarah, for including my Hamburger Helper! This is an excellent roundup of kids recipes. My granddaughters will love them!❤️