25 kid-friendly dinners the whole family will eat
These are the dinners that tend to come back to the kitchen as empty plates: mild, familiar and easy to customize at the table. All of them are ready in 20 minutes or less.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Classic smash burgers
Two thin smashed patties per burger with crisp, lacy edges, melted American cheese, pickles, onion and a tangy burger sauce on soft potato buns.
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2. Stovetop mac and cheese
Creamy, cheddar-coated elbow macaroni made in one pot with evaporated milk, no roux and no oven. Smooth, saucy and ready in under 20 minutes.
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3. Chicken parmesan
Thin chicken cutlets in a crisp panko-Parmesan crust, shallow-fried, topped with marinara and mozzarella and broiled until bubbling. Easy chicken parm in 20.
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4. Copycat Panda Express orange chicken
Crisp chicken thigh bites tossed in a sticky, sweet-sour orange sauce with ginger, garlic and a pinch of chili flakes. Our faster take on Panda Express Orange Chicken.
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5. Classic grilled cheese
Buttery, golden grilled cheese with melty American and sharp cheddar, cooked low and slow so the crust gets crisp just as the middle turns gooey.
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6. Teriyaki chicken
Juicy chicken thigh pieces seared, then glazed in a quick homemade teriyaki sauce of soy, mirin, honey, garlic and ginger. Served over rice in 20 minutes.
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7. Chicken and broccoli stir-fry
Tender chicken and crisp broccoli in a glossy garlic ginger sauce. A lighter takeout favorite that comes together in one pan in 20 minutes.
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8. Classic ground beef tacos
Tuesday-night hard-shell tacos with saucy beef in a homemade taco seasoning, loaded with lettuce, tomato, cheddar and sour cream.
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9. Copycat Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches
Our take on the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich: crisp chicken with a pickle-brine tang and a hint of sweetness, on a buttered toasted bun. Under 20 minutes.
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10. Copycat Olive Garden chicken Alfredo
Our take on Olive Garden's chicken Alfredo: golden chicken over fettuccine in a garlicky butter, cream and parmesan sauce. Rich, silky and on the table in 20.
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11. Sloppy joes
Saucy ground beef simmered with onion and bell pepper in a sweet-tangy sauce of tomato, ketchup and Worcestershire, spooned onto toasted buns.
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12. 20-minute chicken noodle soup
Proper chicken noodle soup without the all-day simmer: soft carrot and celery, shredded rotisserie chicken and egg noodles in a lemony, thyme-scented broth.
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13. Copycat Panera broccoli cheddar soup
Our take on Panera's broccoli cheddar soup: tiny florets and shredded carrot in a thick, velvety half-and-half and sharp cheddar base, done in 20 minutes.
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14. Copycat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
Our take on the Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme: spiced beef, cheese sauce and a crunchy tostada sealed in a toasted tortilla. Crisp, melty and quick.
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15. Garlic mashed potatoes
Small-diced Yukon Golds boiled with whole garlic cloves, then mashed with warm butter and milk until creamy. Real mashed potatoes in 20 minutes.
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16. Quick potato salad
Small potatoes cut small so they cook in 10 minutes, tossed in a classic mayo-mustard dressing with celery, dill pickles and chopped hard-boiled egg.
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17. Spaghetti with meat sauce
Weeknight spaghetti with a rich ground beef and tomato sauce, boosted with tomato paste, garlic and oregano. A family favorite on the table in 20 minutes.
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18. Classic coleslaw
Crunchy shredded cabbage and carrot in a creamy, tangy mayo and cider vinegar dressing with a touch of sugar and celery seed. Ready in 10 minutes.
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19. Egg fried rice
Classic takeout egg fried rice: day-old rice fried hot with fluffy scrambled egg, peas, carrots, scallions and soy. Ready in about 12 minutes.
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20. Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein
Soft egg noodles stir-fried with cabbage, celery and onion in a savory soy and oyster sauce. Our quick, straight-from-the-wok take on Panda Express Chow Mein.
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21. Copycat Benihana hibachi fried rice
Rice fried hot and fast in garlic butter with egg, onion, carrot and peas, then finished with soy and sesame. Our take on Benihana's hibachi fried rice.
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22. Honey garlic salmon
Pan-seared salmon fillets with a sticky honey, garlic and soy glaze reduced in the same skillet. Crisp edges, tender center, done in 15 minutes.
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23. Shrimp fried rice
Takeout-style shrimp fried rice with juicy seared shrimp, scrambled egg, peas, carrots and scallions, tossed with soy and sesame oil in one hot pan.
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24. Turkey taco lettuce wraps
Lean ground turkey cooked with taco spices and salsa, spooned into crisp lettuce cups and topped with avocado, tomato and a little cheese. Taco night, low-carb.
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25. Copycat Big Mac burgers
Our take on the Big Mac: two thin smashed patties, melty cheese, pickles and a tangy pink burger sauce on a sesame bun. Ready in under 20 minutes.
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Let kids build their own where you can: tacos, quesadillas, wraps and rice bowls work well set out as a bar, and kids are far more likely to eat what they assembled themselves.
Common questions
Are any of these spicy?
They are mild as written. Where a recipe has chili or hot sauce, it is easy to leave it out and add it at the table for adults.