32 Kid-Friendly Sunday Dinners

July 12, 2020

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These Sunday dinner recipes are a great kid-friendly way to close out the weekend. Your kids will love these healthy takes on pizza, tacos and pasta so much that they won’t even notice you snuck in a serving of vegetables. Recipes like Chicken & Zucchini Casserole and Slow-Cooker Vegetable Marinara over Linguine are flavorful, nutritious and popular with the whole family.

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Better-Than-Takeout Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

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This healthy take on burgers and fries swaps in chopped mushrooms for some of the meat in the burger patties, to cut back on calories and saturated fat. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2018

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Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

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These whole-wheat panko breadcrumb-coated pork chops get just as crispy as fried chops, but they're healthier. Oven-frying saves you fat and calories while producing chops that are crispy on the outside, yet juicy inside. Serve with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato for a satisfying weeknight dinner. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2018

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Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

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Sneak extra vegetables into your child's day (and yours too!) with this easy one-skillet pasta recipe. Finely chop mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for an extra-healthy twist on a dinnertime favorite. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2017

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Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed peppers are a classic family meal--and they're fun to eat, too. Instead of roasting the sweet peppers in the oven, use an air fryer to get them crisp-tender but not soggy. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan

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This lighter take on eggplant parmesan maintains all the flavors of the classic dish but is baked instead of fried. There are also 11 grams of filling protein in this hearty vegetarian side dish. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 1995

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Shredded Chicken Tacos

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This taco recipe is a great choice for midweek dinners, even if it's not Taco Tuesday! Instead of beef, we use moist, boneless chicken thighs and to make things easier for you, the taco filling is cooked in a slow cooker, so you can prepare it in the morning and come home to a delicious meal. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

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This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2019

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Slow-Cooker Vegetable Marinara Over Linguine

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This vegetarian marinara is a fantastic way to incorporate vegetables into a meal. Not only will adults love it but kids will, too! You can easily make it on a weekend, and reheat for a quick Monday night meal. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker

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Crispy Oven-Fried Fish Tacos

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Fish tacos make a satisfying meal the entire family will love. Many restaurant versions are deep-fried, but our technique includes coating the fish in a seasoned whole-grain breading and spritzing it lightly with cooking spray before baking on a rack until golden brown. The result is a crispy exterior with moist and flaky fish inside. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018

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Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

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This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!). Source: EatingWell.com, May 2020

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Two-Ingredient-Dough Margherita Pizza

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You won't believe how quick and easy it is to make this healthy pizza. Thanks to a two-ingredient dough that combines self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, there is no need for a rise time. Just roll, top and bake, and you'll have a delicious dinner on the table in under half an hour. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2018

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Bruschetta-Topped Crispy Baked Chicken

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A fresh tomato-and-basil topping on panko-crusted chicken cutlets makes an easy meal for family or casual entertaining. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Pizza Sliders

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Mini burgers make a fun, kid-friendly meal. Italian herbs, marinara and melty mozz give them the appeal of pizza. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020

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Gnocchi Pomodoro

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Classic tomato-basil sauce smothers tender gnocchi in this easy recipe. Using shelf-stable gnocchi makes this an easy vegan dinner. Eating gluten-free or just want to eat more vegetables? Try frozen cauliflower gnocchi instead. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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This rich and creamy chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

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Mounding a classic Philly cheesesteak mixture in a colorful bell pepper and melting cheese on top is an easy way to skip the bread and cut the carbs. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Sloppy Joe Casserole

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Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Simple Grilled Salmon & Vegetables

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Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that's ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018

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Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza with Sausage & Kale

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A piping-hot cast-iron skillet turns pizza dough into a puffy, crisp-bottomed crust (similar to focaccia). If you have children, let them help make this easy pizza recipe: While you cook the sausage, have the kids tear up the kale--no knife required! Source: EatingWell Magazine, October 2019

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Air-Fryer Chicken Nuggets

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These crispy air-fried chicken nuggets are a quick kid-friendly dinner that parents will love too. The homemade nuggets are healthier than fast-food versions--and more flavorful, thanks to the cornflake coating. You can also cut the chicken into strips for air-fryer chicken tenders. Be sure to cook those 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until done. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Classic Mac & Cheese

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No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese's salty tang. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

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Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

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This easy, creamy chicken enchilada recipe uses premade green salsa for a quick enchilada sauce. Not in a verde mood? Use tomato salsa instead. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Pressure-Cooker Meatloaf & Potatoes

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Meatloaf and potatoes cook together in your multicooker, such as the Instant Pot, in this weeknight-ready recipe. Cooking meatloaf in your pressure cooker keeps it nice and moist and, once assembled, the whole meal is cooked in just 20 minutes! Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

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American Goulash

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American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can cook in just one pot. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2018

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Chicken-Apple Sloppy Joes

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A sloppy joe is typically made with ground beef and a spicy tomato sauce, but not this one! This makeover sandwich combines lean ground chicken breast with green peppers, and is topped with sweet apple slices. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Cacio e Pepe Pasta with Peas

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The sauce for this pasta dish is just cheese and pepper (aka cacio e pepe in Italian). Try this with kids as a simple yet sophisticated alternative to standard mac and cheese. Lots of black pepper adds a touch of heat, priming picky palates for spicier food. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020

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Turkey Potpie

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You might look forward to the days after Thanksgiving even more than the holiday itself with this easy turkey potpie recipe that's the perfect use for leftover turkey and extra vegetables like carrots and onions you might have on hand from the holiday. The pie is loaded with veggies and a creamy sauce, then topped with a prepared whole-wheat crust so there's no need to make dough. No leftover cooked turkey? This healthy potpie is just as delicious with chicken. Serve it up any time you need a dose of comfort food for dinner. Source: Eatingwell.com, September 2019

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Air-Fryer "Fried" Chicken Thighs

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Air fryers need a lot less oil to create a deep-fried crispy crust. Here, chicken thighs are marinated in buttermilk and dredged in a simple breadcrumb coating. With the help of a little cooking spray, they cook up nice and crispy with a lot less fat. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or slice them up to top a salad. Source: Eatingwell.com, August 2018

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Easy Lasagna

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This classic beef lasagna recipe is easy to make and will be ready to eat in just over an hour. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Cheese & Broccoli Almond-Flour Pizza

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This gluten-free pizza crust is packed with protein, thanks to creamy Neufchâtel (reduced-fat cream cheese), mozzarella cheese and almond flour. We like our almond pizza crusts topped with veggies to round out the meal, but feel free to use your favorite toppings. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018

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Chili-Cheese Nachos

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Make nachos a healthy dinner when you top them with an easy 30-minute chili. Serve this healthy recipe with sliced scallions, avocado, fresh tomatoes and sour cream, if desired. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2017

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Summer Corn Salad

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Chicken thighs are easy on the budget and great for grilling because they stay moist in the heat. Here, they are paired with a fresh corn and tomato salad for a simple summer dinner. When grilling skin-on chicken thighs, watch for flare-ups. Move the chicken away from the flames and reduce heat, if necessary, to keep it from charring. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018

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