22 picky eater recipes to keep in your back pocket for tricky nights

Life is easier when you don’t have to make three separate meals. This collection of picky eater recipes includes familiar options that can work for selective eaters without making everyone else feel like they missed out. Consider it a useful list for those particularly opinionated nights.

Crispy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

A dish of Crispy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken.
Image Credit: Spaceships and Laser Beams

Easy Instant Pot chicken wings recipe that results in a crispy appetizer or meal. This recipe includes a savory barbecue sauce that makes the wings extra delicious. Get the recipe: Crispy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Blackened Chicken Sandwiches

A plate of Blackened Chicken Sandwiches.
Image Credit: Whipped it Up

Are blackened chicken sandwiches the ultimate chicken sandwich? These are perfectly charred blackened chicken breasts piled on a brioche bun topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and a creamy taco dressing. Get the recipe: Blackened Chicken Sandwiches

Arancini Recipe

A plate of arancini.
Image Credit: xoxoBella

If you haven’t tried arancini yet, you’re missing out! These little fried risotto balls are crispy outside, gooey and cheesy inside, and perfect with a dip like marinara. Great as a snack or appetizer that everyone will love. Get the recipe: Arancini Recipe

Homemade Hamburger Helper

A dish of Homemade Hamburger Helper.
Image Credit: Salt and Lavender

This easy, healthier homemade Hamburger Helper recipe features ground beef, macaroni, and a cheesy sauce. It’s inexpensive comfort food that’s ready in about 30 minutes. Get the recipe: Homemade Hamburger Helper

Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad

A dish of Mom's creamy potato salad.
Image Credit: The Honour System

Every cook needs a creamy potato salad in their back pocket. It’s a family favorite that even picky eaters tend to go back for. Perfect for BBQs, brunches, and potlucks. Get the recipe: Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad

Meatballs and Gravy

A plate of Meatballs and Gravy.
Image Credit: Salt and Lavender

This meatballs and gravy recipe is pure comfort food in a bowl. Homemade meatballs meet rich, cozy gravy for a meal that’s easy, hearty, and totally satisfying. Get the Recipe: Meatballs and Gravy

Strawberries and Cream Pancakes

A plate of Strawberries and Cream Pancakes.
Image Credit: House of Yumm

These strawberries and cream pancakes feature juicy strawberry bites and are topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze. Add extra berries on top for a breakfast that’s as delicious as it is eye-catching. Get the Recipe: Strawberries and Cream Pancakes

Baked Maple Dijon Chicken Breasts

Maple dijon chicken on a plate.
Image Credit: The Honour System

These baked maple Dijon chicken breasts have a deliciously sweet and tangy flavour. The maple syrup adds balance, while the Dijon mustard gives it a kick that makes the chicken really tasty. Get the recipe: Maple Dijon Chicken

Sheet Pan Pizza

A dish of Sheet Pan Pizza.
Image Credit: Princess Pinky Girl

This sheet pan pizza is the easiest way to do homemade pizza night, with a crispy crust, melty cheese, and all your favorite toppings in one pan. Minimal prep, big flavor, and perfect for weeknights, game days, or feeding a crowd. Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Pizza 

Fudgy Almond Flour Brownies

A hand holding a gluten free brownie.
Image Credit: The Honour System

These fudgy almond flour brownies are everything you want in a chocolate treat: rich, dense, and totally irresistible. Packed with chocolatey goodness, they’re the perfect way to indulge in a little sweetness. Get the recipe: Almond Flour Brownies

Peanut Date Bark

A pile of date bark broken into pieces.
Image Credit: The Honour System

This peanut date bark is all over TikTok right now, and it’s easy to see why! With the perfect mix of sweet and salty, it’s quickly becoming a fave peanut butter recipe that you’ll want to make over and over. Get the recipe: Peanut Date Bark

Rigatoni Al Forno With Sausage

A dish of Rigatoni Al Forno With Sausage.
Image Credit: The Sassy Foodie

This rigatoni al forno is a quick and easy twist on the classic Italian baked pasta, packed with flavor. With spicy Italian sausage, chewy rigatoni, gooey cheese, and a creamy tomato sauce, it’s about to become your new family favorite. Get the recipe: Rigatoni Al Forno With Sausage

30-Minute Taco Salad

A healthy taco salad topped with guacamole.
Image Credit: The Honour System

This healthy 30-minute ground beef taco salad is quick to make and easy to customize to suit everyone in the family. Perfect for those picky eaters – they can pick all their favourite toppings. Get the Recipe: 30-Minute Taco Salad

Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage

A bowl of Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage.
Image Credit: Salt and Lavender

This crockpot tortellini soup with sausage is cozy, cheesy, and super easy to make. Italian sausage, tomatoes, cheese tortellini, a splash of cream, and spinach come together in a comforting slow cooker meal. Get the recipe: Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

A plate of Mississippi Pot Roast.
Image Credit: Glenda Embree

This Mississippi pot roast tastes nothing like your usual beef roast. It’s juicy, tender, and has just the right kick to keep things interesting. Get the recipe: Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

Everything Bagel Chicken Casserole

A spoon scooping everything bagel chicken casserole from a dish.
Image Credit: The Honour System

This everything bagel chicken casserole is creamy, cozy, and full of that savory sesame seasoning everyone’s obsessed with. It comes together fast with cooked or rotisserie chicken and makes an easy dinner the whole fam can get behind. Get the recipe: Everything Bagel Chicken Casserole

Sheet Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes

A pan of roast chicken.
Image Credit: Chew Out Loud

Sheet pan roast chicken with potatoes is full of classic flavors that everyone loves. Fully prepare it a night (or two) beforehand, and simply pop it in the oven before dinner.  Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes

Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

A plate of instant pot chicken and rice bowls.
Image Credit: The Honour System

This easy Instant Pot salsa chicken and brown rice bowl is basically meal prep magic. It’s gluten-free, high in fiber and protein, and your whole crew will actually eat it. Get the recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

A tray of Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake.
Image Credit: The Honour System

This apple cinnamon coffee cake is rich, sweet, and filled with cozy flavor. It’s perfect for a holiday brunch with a warm pot of coffee. Get the recipe: Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Totchos (Tater tot nachos)

A dish of Totchos (Tater tot nachos).
Image Credit: Deliciously Homecooked

Tater tot nachos are a meat and potatoes twist on classic nachos, swapping tortilla chips for crispy baked tater tots. They are easy to build on one pan, making them a great choice for game day, quick weeknight dinners, or laid-back weekends. Get the recipe: Totchos (Tater tot nachos)

Steak Quesadillas

A plate of Steak Quesadillas.
Image Credit: Get Inspired Everyday

These steak quesadillas are super easy to make in less than 15 minutes. Serve them with your choice of salsa, sauce, and side dishes. Get the recipe: Steak Quesadillas

Instant Pot Lasagna

A dish of Instant Pot Lasagna.
Image Credit: Spaceships and Laser Beams

Instant Pot lasagna is a delicious comfort-food dish that tastes like classic lasagna but takes much less time to make. Instant Pot lasagna is a quick, easy alternative to traditional lasagna that still has all the delicious flavors of the original. Get the recipe: Instant Pot Lasagna

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