20 best recipes for picky eaters - Spiceitupp % (2024)

Picky eaters tend to avoid new foods that they are unfamiliar with.

That limits the dishes you are sure they will like or at least try.

Picky eaters in family can be challenging for making everyday family meals.

There is a constant worry of ‘what to cook for the picky eater?’ but also the question of whether they are getting a good balance of nutrients.

There are simple steps you can take to resolve pickyeating problems.

Itshard enough to think about varied and exciting meals to cook for kids and if your’s happens to be a picky one then the task gets even harder.

Picky eating is a habit which you can help your finicky person to overcome with some patience and planning.

This post here has all the little steps that I followed to make my picky toddler go from ‘I don’tlike it ‘ to ‘I will try it’.

That itself is half the war won.

This is a collection of recipes that have been served to picky eating children and adults both and has been a success.

The tip is to try introducing one of the recipes below once a week and repeat it again the following week.

1. One-Pot Red Pesto Pasta

If tomatoes aresomething that your picky eater seems to be picking out, then try this smoother version of sundriedtomato pesto!

2. Creamy HerbChicken

Make a regular cream sauce a bit different by adding a dash of mustard. They may enjoy the twist.

3. Southern Meatloaf Burger

When biting into these burgers your fussy eater will not realise munching on healthy leeks.

4. 15 Minute Spinach and Mushroom Pulao Rice

Who does not like a bit of brightness in their food. Turn regular old white rice into an exciting green colour in 15 minutes.

5. Fish Taco with Mango Salsa

Introduce fish into regular tacos and let them explore the sweet flavours with mango salsa.

6. Slow Cooker Chilli Beef Hash

Struggling with time and still want your picky pint to try new flavour? Try this chunky chilli beef hash cooked in the slow cooker.

7. Spicy Chicken Envelopes with leftovers

Got a range of leftover that no one is keen to eat? Bring them all together in a calzone style chicken envelope.

8. Baked Chicken Taquitos

These finger roll-ups are great for a clean eating option and you can hide healthy bites inside too!

9.Tuna puttanesca with tagliatelle

Pack a bowl full of protein and give their favourite Tagliatelle in tomato sauce a yummy lift!

10. Sriracha Chicken Lettuce wraps

These lettuce boats taste as good as they are to eat. An enticing way to get them to eat salad leaves. Substitute sriracha with sweet chilli instead.

11. Spicy Peanut Pasta Salad

Another great salad idea made with noodles and maybe few leftovers to recycle. Reduce the spiciness if you must.

12. Easy Peasy Cheese Tart

Crunchy filo topped with cheese and any of their favourite ingredient plus a surprise of your choice. This is a complete winner.

13. Crispy Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets

An all-time favourite kids friendly dish chicken nuggets given a healthy twist by coating it with quinoa instead.

14. Mango Chicken Curry

A combination of sweet spice and everything nice. Get your fussy fiddle into curry mode with this easy mild curry.

15. Crispy Fish Sticks with Pineapple Salsa

A hit each time I make it. Change the side dish to introduce other foods instead of pineapple salsa. They will want to eat the lot!

16. Easy Meatball Subs

A shortcut sub recipe but still with the aim to please. A starting point to introduce subtle new flavours in a sub.

17. Wild Rice Risotto with Brocolli and Parmesan Cheese

Go a notch high and aim to introduce new grains in a fun avatar. A baked wild rice recipe that they may find hard to differentiate between normal rice.

18. 10 Minute Vegetable Quinoa Fried Rice

Another fab idea to get more and varied grains in. Replace rice with quinoa and your healthy yummy bowl is ready.

19. Mac and Cheese Garlic Chicken

Made with 3 cheeses, tender garlic chicken pieces and a golden, crunchy topping. A delicious cream sauce without the cream. Just bliss for the young tongue

20. Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

Protein, pulses and packed with flavour. This is a great dish to put everything on a plate and serve.

So, there you go loaded with meal planning ideas and easy to make recipes for your picky eaters.

Over to You

Have you got a recipe that has gone down as a delight with a picky eater?

Share your favourite and easy to make recipe that you cook to please your fussy eater.

Do you hide proteins or let them explore and learn?

Would love to hear from you.