Meals Even Picky Eaters Will Love

Published 06/06/2022

This collection of recipes is for the cooks who are trying to keep picky eaters well fed. Of course we know that every picky eater has their own tastes and preferences and what works for one, won’t necessarily work for another. At the same time, we believe in the wisdom of the parents, grandparents, husbands and wives who keep trying and have stumbled upon some successes along the way. So we’ve gathered up their recommended recipes in the hopes that you’ll find some dinner ideas for the picky eaters at your house.

Cheeseburger Mac Soup
4.1 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 23 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 12
Servings: 6
Ground beef, cheese and some basic ingredients make for a creamy soup with all the irresistible flavor of a cheeseburger. It’s a recipe our home cooks recommend to those with picky eaters to feed, as this commenter explained, “... with many of our family having very shy and timid tastes and not caring for anything trendy or too "out-there", this soup filled the bill for one chilly fall evening.”
Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tots™ Casserole
4.6 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 68 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 1 hr 20 min
Ingredients: 13
Servings: 10
With crunchy tots on top and creamy ranch-flavored chicken below, there’s a lot to love about this casserole. But rather than take our word for it, check out this feedback one of our home cooks shared, straight from the mouth of one picky eater, “‘That is the best thing I've ever eaten!’ -my picky 13-year-old niece.”
Simple Meatballs
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 494 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 10
Servings: 4
These family-favorite meatballs are a go-to recipe for a reason. They’re quick to make, use basic ingredients and go great on spaghetti, tucked in a sub or baked into a casserole. Best of all, they please most every palate. One commenter wrote, “My very picky husband actually commented that he liked them."
Slow-Cooker Mexican Honey Garlic Chicken and Potatoes
4.2 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 25 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 3 hr 30 min
Ingredients: 10
Servings: 6
Basic chicken and potatoes are at the heart of this meal making it palatable to even the pickiest eaters, but don’t take our word for it. One commenter wrote, “Whole family loved this, even picky kids who don't eat anything but mac & cheese.”
Tomato-Alfredo Baked Ziti
4.8 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 52 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 hr 5 min
Ingredients: 11
Servings: 8
Rich Alfredo sauce and bright tomato sauce are a match made in casserole heaven. Toss these sauces together with your ziti and sauteed ground beef and your creamy casserole is basically complete. Give it a try and see if your experience is the same as that of the commenter who wrote, “Amazing...Picky kids LOVED IT !”
One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
4.3 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 69 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 9
Servings: 6
Need a quick weeknight dinner that everyone will eat? We recommend this 30-minute recipe, which captures all the flavor of chicken pot pie in a one-dish dinner. One commenter wrote us, “My husband isn't always wild about pasta, while I love it—but this is a winner with both of us.”
Slow-Cooker Barbecued Ribs
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 441 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 10 hr 15 min
Ingredients: 9
Servings: 4
Saucy, smokey and sweet ribs are extra easy in the slow cooker. And this recipe has already charmed nearly 400 home cooks, including the commenter who wrote, “This recipe was easy and wonderful. My picky husband even loved it.”
Slow-Cooker Southwest Cheesy Chicken and Rice
4.6 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 59 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 2 hr 50 min
Ingredients: 12
Servings: 8
Comforting chicken and rice makes for a meal that’s palatable to all. Tasty add-ins, like tomatoes, beans and corn add extra flavor, but the cheesy sauce helps it from becoming too overwhelming for picky eaters. Just ask the commenter who wrote, “My family members are very picky eaters and most of them went back for seconds.”
Creamy Ground Beef Noodle Casserole
4.6 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 155 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 10
Servings: 6
Keep it simple tonight with this casserole that only needs the most basic of ingredients to turn out great. As one commenter wrote, “My husband and 5 kids all liked it. It’s hard to please everyone in this house!”
Creamy Pesto-Chicken Casserole
4.2 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 58 reviews.
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 7
Servings: 4
Pesto might not sound like a crowd pleaser, but the ratings on this recipe tell a different story. One commenter wrote, “My 2-year old niece liked it which says a lot!” This creamy casserole is loaded with noodles, chicken and cheese with pesto providing a punch of flavor that your picky eater might just like under the circumstances.
Instant Pot® Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
4.7 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 125 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 10
Servings: 6
Winner, winner chicken dinner! This meal really shows off the talents of our favorite electric pressure cooker. Yes, our Instant Pot Tuscan chicken pasta is made with the multi-talented multi-cooker. What you get is a deliciously creamy and hearty Tuscan chicken pasta that is perfect for any weekday or weekend. Stir in spinach and cheese before serving, and this delicious dinner is done.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
4.3 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 131 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 13
Servings: 8
A creamy sauce can mask all manner of ingredients that picky eaters might otherwise take issue with—for example the mushrooms and onions included in this recipe. That’s why we recommend giving this recipe a try and hope your experience will be similar to this commenter’s, “My very picky 15 year old son went back for seconds.” (And if you’re skeptical, you can always keep a serving of egg noodles aside, in case your picky eater opts for buttered noodles, instead.)
Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 292 reviews.
Kitchen Tested
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 7
Servings: 4
We think this picky-eater-friendly recipe can make everyone happy. The chicken tenders are simply seasoned but still delicious and oh-so dunkable, which means the more adventurous eaters can enjoy theirs dipped in barbecue sauce, ranch, sriracha mayo or anything else that appeals, while the picky eaters can go ahead and eat theirs plain, just like this home cook did, “Very tasty without sauce for my picky great-granddaughter, but dipped some in tomatillo sauce for me.”

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