25 Frugal Meals To Make That Kids WILL Eat (last minute, quick and easy!)
As a busy mom, I know the daily dinnertime dance all too well—trying to whip up something quick, affordable, and (most importantly) something the kids will actually eat.
It’s a delicate balance, but trust me, it’s not impossible!
With a little creativity and some tried-and-true recipes up your sleeve, you can have everyone at the table happily digging in without blowing your budget or spending hours in the kitchen.
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Feeding picky eaters? Is there is a secret to getting them to actually EAT?
The “secret” is simplicity. Kids often love meals that are familiar, flavorful, and fun to eat.
Think finger foods, customizable options, and dishes that don’t look like you’re sneaking in a salad or (gasp!) vegetables (even if you totally are).
These recipes hit all the marks to make them more appealing — they’re quick, frugal, and kid-approved.
Bonus? They’re easy enough for you to get dinner on the table in a flash, even on the busiest nights.
From one-pot wonders to crowd-pleasers like cheesy pasta bakes and crispy chicken tenders, these meals make it easy to ditch the mealtime stress.
Plus, many of them use pantry staples or ingredients you likely already have on hand, saving you both time and money.
Ready to make your weeknight dinners a breeze?
Here are 25 quick, easy, and budget-friendly meals that even the pickiest of eaters won’t be able to resist.
Kid-Approved Meals
With a little creativity and some tried-and-true recipes up your sleeve, you can have everyone at the table happily digging in without blowing your budget or spending hours in the kitchen.
For this comfort food, One Pot Pasta Hamburger Helper is made with a handful of ingredients from the fridge, and the rest of the ingredients are a handful of pantry staples.
If you want an easy and CHEAP comfort food meal in the slow cooker, this cheesy kielbasa meal is for you! You can also make it into an actual soup by adding more milk at the beginning if you prefer.
When you're trying to think of recipes to make that are quick, easy and somewhat nutritious, just think back to your lunch lady at your school cafeteria!
These pizza burgers are from my cheap easy ground beef dinners recipes page here - and they're so simple to make!
My kids love these - and they LOVE that they can "cook" these Taco Sticks by themselves too!
All you have to do is cook the taco meat and the kids can do the rest.
Tender bites of garlicky, butter chicken served over a bed of creamy parmesan pasta, what could possibly be better than that. Super kid friendly and hit with even the pickiest of eaters.
A simple, easy-to-make sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce tossed with pasta. It’s what to make on those nights when there’s just no time to cook.
If you're on a budget and need to keep costs down to a bare minimum, my list of $10 Dinners is a really helpful resource of fast frugal meals!
26 Fast and Frugal Family Dinners for Big Families On A Tight Budget – that’s right, we’re talking dirt cheap and easy “struggle” meals that are perfect for quick school night meals and busy weeknights when the picky eater family needs to be fed, but you’re short on time AND short on MONEY.
I make this a lot and sometimes I make it with sausage, sometimes with chicken depending on what we have.
Heck, on some nights when the money is extra tight (and the eaters are extra PICKY), I've used hot dogs!
Go figure, the kids love it (and so do we!)
Don't worry about the spice in this sweet and spicy chicken - it's subtle and kids love it.
Tacos are so cheap to make, but sometimes I don't have all the toppings on hand. That's where this super simple Layered Taco Bake comes to my rescue - so yummy and easy to make!
If you're doing your monthly meal planning and budget, these 31 cheap meals are all oh SO simple to make!
Be sure to check out the Mac 'n Cheese Casserole (it's a picky eater FAVORITE!)
No Oven? No Problem! These 10-minute enchiladas will have dinner on the table speedy quick!
This is one of the most popular recipes on my Cheap Dinner Recipes post – and it’s absolutely worth the praise!
This Creamy Taco Pasta Recipe is a super quick meal that you can make in one pot!
Pasta shells are smothered in cheesy taco sauce with ground beef and tomatoes.
I used to go through the drive-thru all the time to get these KFC Bowls until I learned that I could easily make them at home.
Only 5 ingredients and makes enough for the whole family! And honestly, they taste SO much better this way!
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner idea that you can make on the stovetop or bake as a casserole! You’ll love the cheesy, creamy pasta with seasoned bites of chicken and crispy bacon.
Need dinner in a hurry? Break out your sheet pan (cookie sheet? baking sheet? whatever you call it!)
These simple dump dinner have a complete meal baked all on one pan making it fast with an almost non-existent clean up!
These super easy Pepperoni Crescent Rolls take just minutes to prep and cook using prepared refrigerated crescent roll dough. They are super kid-friendly and approved. Customize by adding your favorite toppings.
3 ingredients and a pot, that's all it takes to make this simple comfort meal that is perfect for those yucky dreary cold days!
These 10-minute dinners are the perfect throw together meals to make for last minute suppers on the table fast! Best of all, they are cheap AND picky-eater approved!
More Kid-Friendly Dinners:
