Kid & Parent Approved: 3 Dinners the Whole Family Will Eat Together

Cooking two separate dinners — one for the kids and one for the adults — is exhausting. These three recipes are proof that you can cook one meal everyone enjoys, no matter their age.

1. Chicken Fajitas

Juicy chicken, peppers, beans, and rice all come together in tortillas. Kids can keep it simple, while parents can layer on cilantro, hot sauce, and avocado.

Kid appeal: It’s basically a taco night, but customizable.
Parent appeal: A one-pan dinner that’s colorful, healthy, and ready in 40 minutes.

2. Rigatoni with Hidden Delicata Squash

Roast delicata squash, blend it into marinara, and toss with rigatoni. Suddenly you’ve got a silky, veggie-loaded sauce kids don’t even notice.

Kid appeal: It looks and tastes like pasta night.
Parent appeal: A stealthy way to add nutrients without complaints.

3. Oven-Baked Salmon

Fresh salmon topped with olive oil, garlic, lemon, and rosemary, baked until perfectly flaky.

Kid appeal: Mild flavor, especially served with rice.
Parent appeal: Healthy, fast, and pairs with anything from salad to roasted veggies.

Final Bite

Family dinner doesn’t have to mean short-order cooking. With meals like fajitas, hidden veggie pasta, and baked salmon, you can fuel the whole family with one dish — no arguments required.

For more recipes like these, grab my cookbook Shit My Kids Eat — 50 family-tested meals that balance health, flavor, and sanity at the table.