Quick and Easy Meals for Picky Eaters
Cooking for a family is hard work, especially when you have some picky eaters among the group! If you are new to the world of cooking, finding tasty meals to prepare can be overwhelming.
Searching for "easy" recipes online will leave you clicking through many slow-loading blog posts without much luck. Thankfully, using a family recipe sharing app can help you find recipes easily and save your favourite ones.
To help you get started, here are ten easy recipes that even the most selective taste buds will enjoy.
Jump to:
- Chicken Alfredo Penne
- Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry
- Beef Stroganoff
- Beef with Ramen Noodles
- Sloppy Joes
- Salmon and Asparagus
- Lazy Lasagna
- Swedish Meatballs
- Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies
- Chicken Pesto
- Conclusion
Chicken Alfredo Penne
Chicken dishes will always be a favourite. Playing around with different seasonings, sauces, and marinades will leave you with a new, interesting meal each time. Chicken Alfredo Penne is a very simple recipe to make and delivers a tasty dish every time.
As a shortcut, you can always purchase premade alfredo sauce and add your own spices. You can also switch up the type of pasta you use! Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Chicken breast
- Butter
- Oregano, basil, salt, & pepper
- Penne pasta
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
- Store-bought sauce
If you'd like to try your hand at making homemade alfredo sauce, here are the additional ingredients you will need on standby:
- Minced garlic
- Flour
- Milk
Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry
Another easy chicken recipe comes in second place with a veggie stir fry. This is another easy family meal because you can always buy packaged frozen vegetables in a pinch.
Otherwise, vegetables can be prepared individually, though it is not required. The prep time is also very quick, and the entire meal can be prepared on the stovetop! Here is what you need:
- Chicken breast
- Broccoli florets
- Sliced mushrooms
- Minced garlic
- Minced ginger
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Brown sugar
- Soy sauce
Beef Stroganoff
For those who aren't a big fan of chicken, beef stroganoff is another good option for those with picky appetites. It is an easy dinner to prepare for a family because it is also easily prepared in a slow cooker. When cooked to perfection, beef falls apart easily, making it an ideal meal for those who are picky about texture.
With all the different types of beef products at the grocery store, it may be confusing to know which one you should pick. However, there are multiple types of beef you can choose from for this meal:
- boneless rib-eye or sirloin
- sirloin steak tips
- beef tenderloin
Once you've chosen the beef of choice, these are the ingredients you will need for this tasty dish for your family; this is what you will need:
- Onion
- Sour cream
- Mushrooms
- Flour
- Beef broth
- Dijon mustard
Beef with Ramen Noodles
Another tasty beef meal comes in at number 4 with easy-prep ramen noodles. This dish is easy to customize and make your own, in case one or two family members don't like a particular ingredient.
For this dish, this is what you will need to purchase from the grocery store:
- Ramen noodles
- Beef broth
- Corn starch
- Vegetable Oil
- Thinly sliced beef top sirloin steak
- Soy sauce
- Baby corn
- Broccoli florets
- Sweet red pepper (chopped)
- Green onions
- Carrots (shredded)
- Peanuts
If you prefer chicken instead of beef, you can also try making fried chicken ramen instead!
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are an American favourite and also quite easy to make! This comes in at number five for those texture people who prefer ground beef instead. Because it has both a sweet and savoury flavour, it is especially delicious among kids.
To prepare sloppy joes for a weeknight dinner, you will need:
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Minced bell pepper
- Yellow onion
- Tomato paste
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
- Yellow mustard
- Chilli powder
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, pepper, & red chilli flakes
Salmon and Asparagus
Out of all the seafood dishes, salmon is definitely the best one to introduce to a picky eater first because it can be easily marinaded to taste, and it is one of the more delicate fish dishes. Meanwhile, asparagus is a basic veggie that can be sliced up into bite-sized pieces.
To get started, here is what you need to buy:
- Salmon fillet
- Vegetable or chicken broth
- Lemon juice
- Minced garlic
- Salt & pepper
- Parsley or cilantro
- Asparagus (ends trimmed)
Lazy Lasagna
As you can tell by the name, this low-effort dish is super easy to make. It can be prepared with already packaged ingredients, making it the ultimate quick dish. Although it is not quite lasagna, it tastes almost identical.
Here is what you need:
- Frozen ravioli
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Pasta sauce
Swedish Meatballs
This meal is a delicious choice for dinner with the family. These meatballs are flavour-packed and topped with a tasty, savoury sauce and served over buttery pasta. The flavour is consistent, making it an ideal meal for those with picky tastes.
To make this dish, you will need:
- Ground beef
- Bread crumbs
- Parsley
- Onions
- Garlic powder, nutmeg, & all-purpose seasoning
- Olive oil & butter
- Eggs
- Flour
- Beef broth
- Heavy cream
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Dijon mustard
Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies
This is a scrumptious meal that is easy to prepare. All you have to do is pop it in the oven! For those who are adverse to chicken, sausage can be a good substitute.
This dish is protein-packed with a good balance of vitamins and nutrients so that your pricky eaters are still getting that well-balanced meal. To get started, all you need is:
- Sliced sausage
- Snap peas
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Onion
- Peppers
- Green beans
- Potatoes
- Rice
Chicken Pesto
Probably one of the easiest meals to prepare is chicken with pesto, mozzarella, and tomatoes! This Italian dish is a favourite among picky eaters because the taste and flavour are the same every time.
Unlike unique pastas like mentaiko pasta, you can get all your ingredients for this recipe from any grocery store:
- Chicken breast
- Mozzarella
- Tomato
- Pesto
- Basil
Conclusion
Cooking for picky eaters is a mission. Some flavours change from meal to meal, so it is no wonder that some eaters are reluctant to eat certain meals. Once you do find your favourites, it is a good idea to save them on a notepad or on a recipe sharing app! Good look, and remember to have fun with it!
Source: https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/easy-recipes-for-picky-eaters/