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Make quick work of meals with these easy 3-ingredient recipes. Each is nutritious, delicious, and really easy to make with as few ingredients as possible.
Since feeding kids can be so hard because of preferences, schedules, changing appetites, and our own parental fatigue, this list of easy recipes is here to make things simpler.
Each recipe is streamlined, relies on basic and simple ingredients, and is also a great option for a toddler meal.
The goal is to provide you with easier options to cook for your kids with a little less work. There are no cook options, quick one-pan meals, sheet pan faves, and more.
Why These Recipes Work
Each recipe has a base of just 3 basic ingredients with options to add more flavor or nutrients as you like. They are all fast to make too, making this list one to bookmark for those days when you need recipes that are as easy as possible.
Use frozen veggies, skip the marinara, and you have a fun and nourishing soup to share with the kids.
Favorite Alphabet Soup
You can use ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini—or any other very small pasta shape in this Alphabet Soup recipe. And you can start with fresh or frozen veggies. See below for options.
Turn a package of tortellini into a comforting soup with broth and peas. Top with lemon or Parmesan for more flavor.
Tortellini in Broth
With just a few ingredients and the easiest method, you can make the most comforting Tortellini in Broth. It's one of the easiest soups ever, ready in just 15 minutes.
I love this recipe using sourdough, but it can work with any bread you have.
Easy Pizza Toast
Learn how to make the quickest Pizza Toast to share with the kids for an easy lunch or dinner. This is the fastest way to get the flavors we love of pizza, with less work!
Change up how you serve pizza with this fun quesadilla idea that’s ready in just minutes.
Quick Pizza Quesadillas (An Easy Kids Meal)
This meal is perfect for when you're short on time or when you want to make pizza with less fuss. Add a simple side of cut up fruit, applesauce, or a salad kit and call it good.
Cooked rice, cheese, and the option to add a vegetable, this is an easier way to serve rice to toddlers—and a fast meal for when you need one.
Rice Balls (with Veggies)
With a super quick method, nutritious ingredients, and maximum versatility, these Rice Balls are a toddler food favorite. Plus, they are so much easier for kids to eat than regular rice!
Store bought pizza dough, pizza sauce, and cheese make this dinner a family staple.
Favorite Pizza Rolls (with Veggies)
This Pizza Rolls recipe is packed with nutrition—and even greens!—but the cheese and silly spiral shape makes them much more appealing to toddlers and big kids. Be sure to grease your pan well and roll the dough up fairly tightly around the fillings for best results. (But it's okay if they don't look perfect when they go into the pan!)
With any type of cooked rice, plus cheese and the option to add cauliflower, carrots, or broccoli, you have a vegetarian main dish or side dish perfect for little kids.
Easy Cheesy Rice (with Veggies!)
This Cheesy Rice recipe has four options to add in veggies and has been a staple of my family's diet for a few years now. It's SO easy and versatile—and stores wonderfully in the fridge. And it's downright delish!
Up the iron in your kid’s next dish of pasta by blending cooked red lentils into a jar of marinara sauce. (It will have more fiber, too.)
Quick Lentil Sauce for Pasta
Learn this easy technique to add iron and fiber to pasta sauce without impacting the flavor or texture. This is a great option to make a meal a little more satisfying and as an iron-rich vegetarian meal. (You can start with half the amount of lentils to start to ensure the kids like the sauce, if desired.)
Sweet potato, ground chicken, and breadcrumbs combine to make the yummiest chicken nuggets. (It also works with ground turkey.)
Homemade Chicken Nuggets (with Sweet Potato)
Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle, these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are both easy and delicious. You can prep the sweet potato up to 5 days ahead if that's easier for you, too. Try serving these with ketchup, ranch, or marinara sauce.
Pancake mix plus milk and chocolate chips come together to make the yummiest pancakes. And you can make them in a skillet or all at once on a sheet pan in the oven.
Favorite Chocolate Chip Pancakes
With a seriously fluffy texture, an easy one-bowl method, and the option to make them on the stovetop or baked in the oven, these Chocolate Chip Pancakes are a favorite breakfast to share with the kids.
Cooked pasta plus pesto and herbed cheese spread transform a bowl of noodles into something so much better than you can expect.
Easy Creamy Pesto
With a very short ingredient list, the most delicious texture and flavor, and tips to customize it for your family, this Creamy Pesto is here to add some yum to mealtime. Plus, find storage tips, shortcuts, and more to make this as easy as possible!
Refried beans, shredded cheese, and tortillas are more fun when rolled up and sliced with a serrated knife.
Easy Taco Roll Ups
This super simple riff on tacos takes just minutes to make, is really satisfying, and is great for lunch, dinner, or even snack. (This makes 6 rolled-up tacos, so you can adjust this as needed for your family.)
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