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Easy Recipes for Kids

Kid-approved dinners, snacks, and treats the Pepper community keeps in rotation for picky eaters and family weeknights.

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Amanda Whitten
Rose Carlson
Becky Keller
+7

Dinner

Mexican Stuffed Shells (kid friendly)Dinner

Mexican Stuffed Shells (kid friendly)

This is so good. Super easy to make and a fun little spin on taco/mexican night.

1h1074 cal66 g proteinServes 469 saves
Amanda WhittenAmanda Whitten

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 2 TBS taco seasoning
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 8 oz jumbo pasta shells
  • 10 oz enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. 1Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  2. 2Boil the pasta shells for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse shells when done.
  3. 3Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  4. 4Cook ground beef and onions over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain excess grease.
  5. 5Add taco seasoning to the beef mixture and stir.
  6. 6Mix in cream cheese and cook until melted throughout. Set aside.
  7. 7Combine enchilada sauce and salsa in a small bowl.
  8. 8Pour half of the sauce-salsa mixture into a 9x13 inch pan, spreading to cover the bottom.
  9. 9Fill each shell with about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and place into the pan.
  10. 10Repeat filling and placing shells until all are used.
  11. 11Pour remaining sauce-salsa mixture over the shells.
  12. 12Wrap the pan with aluminum foil.
  13. 13Bake for 30 minutes.
  14. 14Remove foil, top with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
  15. 15Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

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Why Kid Food Is Just Simple Food Done Well

Kids reward familiar shapes — pasta, nuggets, quesadillas, stuffed shells — so the win is upgrading the version, not reinventing the format.

Cooks on Pepper sneak vegetables into sauces, swap ground turkey for beef, and get away with more spice than parents expect.

The recipes here are the ones that get eaten without a fight — that's the entire metric for a kid dinner.

Quick Tips

  1. 1

    Cut with a fun shape

    A cookie cutter turns plain quesadillas or pancakes into something kids will actually eat.

  2. 2

    Serve sauces on the side

    Kids reject a lot of dinners because of the sauce — plating it separately doubles the win rate.

  3. 3

    Sneak the veggies

    Puréed carrot or spinach folds into pasta sauce and disappears completely.

  4. 4

    Let them help

    Kids eat what they help make — even if 'help' means stirring or pressing a button.

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