Thirteen Meal Ideas To Get Kids and Parents Eating Together

I get asked all the time what I cook the children for dinner. People with little children, who are stuck making kids food and adult food, also ask how I got the whole family eating the same dinner. Here are my picks for meals that both children and adults are happy to eat, at least in this house. Hope this list gives you some ideas for some new meals to drop into your rotation.
Parmesan Crusted Fish With Braised Vegetables - This is a good choice to help your kids start eating fish. Choose a white fish with a mild taste - they will love it. Serve with the braised vegetables as suggested, or a salad.






Oven Baked Risotto - if chicken and asparagus isn't a combination that works for your family, think about other possibilities like chicken and mushroom or pumpkin. This meal is lovely and soft for little teeth!





Chicken Bonne Maman - This dish is halfway between a bowl of chicken soup and a casserole. It helped my kids get into having soups. The long slow cook makes it perfect for an afternoon of running around - put it on at lunch time and you will return to dinner ready for you in the oven.




Old-Fashioned Roast Lamb With Vegetables and Gravy - This is more for a special occasion, or maybe a slap-up Sunday dinner. And the leftovers make wonderful sandwiches for school (with tomato and lettuce).





Meatball Spaghetti - certainly not glamourous, but this is a classic that makes everyone happy. Get the kids involved in making the meatballs for you as well.











Parmesan Chicken Schnitzel - since nuggets are such a popular kids meal, why not shift them onto a more grown-up version? My kids love doing the dredging for me as well.







Salmon burgers - these are fun to eat, and you will probably have all the ingredients in your cupboard already. Just don't over do the mayonnaise!






Fish pie - A tried and true classic, and mild enough to appeal to those who aren't that keen on fish (or think they aren't). Work some vegetables into the mix for a one dish meal.






Finger Licking chicken drumsticks - need I say more.










Beef sukiyaki - thin slices of beef stir fried, and served with noodles and vegetables. Adapt the vegetables to your family's tastes.







Roasted garlic chicken - garlic loses its pungency after the roasting so that this chicken is not too overwhelming for little ones.










Spaghetti carbonara - a meeting of bacon and eggs and pasta. Even Ruth Reichl says she never met a kid that didn't like this. Oh - and no cream involved.








Asian-style sticky chicken wings - these take no time at all to marinade and after an hour in the oven, they are fantastic. Serve over rice with salad or vegetables.