• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Eating by Elaine
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Discounts
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Discounts
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Cookbook
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Discounts
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners: Recipes Kids Love

    Feb 23, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    VGGFSFEKFV

    Mac and cheese, spaghetti, taquitos, and burgers? It must be a kid's choice dinner! These Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners are made without gluten, dairy, or refined sugar, and they're just for the little ones!

    Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinner Recipes

    Weeknight dinners can be a major source of frustration! Whenever I ask what kinds of recipes my readers want, I get loads of requests for dinners that kids will eat. I hear ya! I have three little ones in the house, and when I find a dinner that they'll happily devour, it's basically golden. Right now we're all OBSESSED with the Vegan Sheet Pan Shawarma Bowls...a total win! Keep reading for more of our tried and true, crowd favorite, two thumbs up Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners!

    Easy Weeknight Burrito Bowls
    Gluten-Free Taquitos

    Mexican Food

    Mexican food is an awesome option for feeding little ones because it's so customizable. Tacos, burrito bowls, and tostadas can all be assembled with each person's choice of toppings, and for us, that means the kids are more likely to eat more and try new things. They're also HUGE fans of dipping...what is it about dipping that makes things so fun?! Having tortilla chips and Chipotle-Copycat Guacamole on the table gets everyone so excited!

    • Sheet Pan Veggie Black Bean Tacos
    • Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas (one-pan!)
    • Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls
    • Easy Vegan Baked Taquitos
    • One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans
    • Creamy Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Tostadas
    • Easy Vegan Tostadas with Refried Beans
    • Creamy Vegan Mexican Casserole with Black Beans, Quinoa, and Bell Peppers (Gluten-Free)
    Creamy Paleo Carrot Soup
    Easy Broccoli Soup
    Gluten-Free Rainbow Orzo Soup

    Veggie Soups

    Soup is one the kind of dinner I plan for when I know I'll be running low on energy come 5:00! Soups can be made entirely ahead of time, then reheated when everyone is hungry. Knowing I have a slam dunk soup in the fridge or freezer seriously makes my whole day! For a meal that's more filling, we top soups with Easy Savory Pecan Crumble or have crackers for dipping. Try Easy Homemade Seed Crackers or Easy Almond Flour Crackers! Most nights I make a Simple Side Salad for extra greens and variety on the table.

    • Toddler and Kid-Approved Creamy Vegan Carrot Soup
    • Speedy Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup (paleo + Whole30)
    • Creamy Vegan Rainbow Veggie Orzo Soup
    • Butternut Squash Coconut Orzo Soup (vegan + gluten-free)
    • Best Chickpea Soup for the Soul (vegan + grain-free)
    Click Here For ALL Vegan Soup Recipes!
    Vegetarian Italian Meatballs
    Tomato Veggie Pasta Sauce

    Spaghetti

    Spaghetti night has got to be the official BFF of exhausted parents everywhere! I love it so much that I have several versions of the classic on my site, and they're favorites with all three of my kiddos. I've found all kinds of methods for dressing up a classic marinara: blend in roasted veggies, add Easy Homemade Cashew Cream for a creamier dish, or top it with the Best Vegan Meatballs for Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners.

    • Chunky Tomato Basil Spaghetti
    • The Best Italian Vegan Meatballs Ever! (gluten-free + soy-free too)
    • Roasted Veggie Tomato Sauce for Pasta
    • Easy One-Pot Pasta
    • Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Black Lentils and Creamy Marinara Sauce (vegan + GF)
    • Creamy Vegan Spaghetti Squash with Marinara
    • Easy Red Lentil Veggie Pasta (vegan)
    • Vegan Chickpea Bolognese Pasta
    Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
    Gluten-Free Vegan Pasta Bake

    Pasta Bakes

    If you want to eliminate the step of cooking pasta, go for a pasta bake! It's as easy as tossing everything into a pan, covering it tightly in foil and letting the oven do all the work. It's the kind of meal you just have to have in your weeknight recipe rotation! Parent hack: get the kids all bathed and in pajamas while the pasta is baking, and you're one step closer to bedtime after dinner is done!

    • Easy No-Boil Vegan Baked Ziti with Veggies - One Dish!
    • One-Skillet Baked Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
    • No-Boil Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake
    Click Here: The Ultimate Vegan Pasta Recipe Roundup!
    The Best Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese
    Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce
    Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta

    Mac and Cheese

    Any dish that looks like mac and cheese is an INSTANT win! My recipe for The Best Vegan Mac 'N Cheese is a hit every time, but my kids get just as excited about my Butternut Squash Pasta that LOOKS like macaroni and cheese. I love it because it has a huge serving of veggies in every dish! These mac 'n cheese-style dishes are all Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners!

    • The Best Vegan Mac 'N Cheese
    • Easy Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce (paleo)
    • Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta with Caramelized Onions
    Yeast-Free Pizza Crust
    Vegan Pizza Toppings
    Zucchini Pizza Bites

    Pizza

    Pizza nights are always received well! Everyone loves pizza, but the kids can also build their own pizza (or half a pizza). They love being able to choose which toppings go on their pie, and I've found that they're more likely to try something new when it's their decision to put it on the plate. Try putting out olives, pineapple, mushrooms, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, or fresh basil and seeing what your kids grab!

    • Easy Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Crust (yeast-free, vegan, gluten-free, paleo)
    • Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (paleo, gluten-free)
    • Easy Vegan Skillet White Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Roasted Garlic and Basil
    • Easy Vegan Zucchini Pizza Bites (paleo)
    Grillable Black Bean Veggie Burger
    California Avocado Veggie Burger

    Burgers

    Skip the drive-thru and make a veggie burger at home instead! I love these veggie burgers because they can be prepped ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, and then put on the grill or stovetop when you're ready to eat. Try them with my Actually Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries or Vegan Sweet Potato Quinoa Tots and Vegan Honey Mustard Sauce for a classic meal!

    • Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
    • Avocado Veggie Burger
    • Grillable Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burger

    More Roundups & Resources

    My number one goal with Eating by Elaine is to show you how delicious and simple plant-based eating can be! With that in mind, I've filled the site with resources just for you. Roundups, meal plans, and recipes are all part of the fun around here! I have seasonal meal plans with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts all mapped out...plus a shopping list to make it even easier. Sign up for my newsletter to get recipes and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox every week, and be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make these Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners so I can cheer you on from my kitchen!

    Fall Meal Plan
    Winter Meal Plan
    Spring Meal Plan
    Summer Meal Plan
    • Ultimate Vegan Soup Recipe Round Up (gluten-free)
    • Plant-Based Gluten-Free Meal Prep: Foods I Prep Every Week!
    • The Pantry Staple That Does It All: Over 30 Chickpea Recipes!
    • Healthy Comfort Food Recipes (vegan + gluten-free)
    • Ultimate Vegan Back to School Recipe Roundup - All Gluten-Free, Soy-Free and Refined Sugar-Free
    • Vegan Rainbow Recipes
    • Pantry Staples That Do it All: Quinoa
    • The Ultimate Gluten-Free & Vegan Pasta Recipe Roundup
    • Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes From Around the World
    • Ultimate Chocolate Roundup: 70+ Vegan Chocolate Recipes!
    • Pantry Staples That Do It All: Vegan Black Bean Recipes
    • Ultimate Vegan Smoothie Recipe Roundup
    • Nourish in the New Year: 135+ Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Get More Recipes by Category

      VGVeganGFGluten-FreePPaleoNFNut-FreeSFSoy-FreeNSNaturally Sweetened EEasy RecipesKFKid-Friendly

    Hi, I'm Elaine!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

    Thank you for checking out my vegan and gluten-free recipes.

    Learn more about me →

    Latest Recipes

    • Pineapple Lemonade with Ginger and Turmeric (no juicing or straining needed!)
    • Moroccan Quinoa Salad
    • Crispy Oven-Roasted Smashed Broccoli
    • Creamy Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup
    • Crispy Brussels Sprouts
    • Vegan Creamed Spinach

    TikTok

    Immunity Boosting Recipes
    Discount-Codes-for-My-Favorite-Products-1

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Popular on Instagram

    ABOUT

    PRESS

    POLICIES

    CONTACT

    Copyright © 2022 Eating By Elaine