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We may be adults, but one thing we’re always trying to get a handle on is making food for the family that everyone will actually like, all without breaking our grocery budget or sentencing ourselves to hours a day in the kitchen. Thankfully, it’s the Pioneer Woman’s literal job to share recipes with the world, and no one is more grateful for her skill sharing than us. Thanks to her experience raising her big family, as well as her passion for making comforting, craveable recipes, Ree Drummond is our muse when it comes to putting together a weekly menu our family will actually eat.
Drummond’s cooking proves that making meals for kids and teens, even if they’re a little picky, doesn’t have to be boring. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking inspiration from a take-out favorite, putting a spin on a classic comfort food, or making something from scratch that you usually buy from the store. The point is, these Pioneer Woman recipes are great for getting kids and teens interested in what’s for dinner, and most of them are easy enough that you can let the kids help you cook, too.
If you’re looking to engage your kids and teens in the kitchen and at the dinner table, then these Pioneer Woman recipes are a must try. There are totally classic comfort foods, new twists on old favorites, and easy recipes the kids can learn how to cook. Best of all? You’ll be excited to eat these kid-friendly Pioneer Woman recipes, too!
Strawberry Sweet Rolls
Homemade baked goods are always welcome, and these strawberry sweet rolls are as pretty as they are delicious. It’s also a fun baking project to tackle with any kids who are interested in cooking.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Broccoli Cheese and Cracker Casserole
Cheesy, creamy comfort food is something everyone in the family can agree on, and the Pioneer Woman’s broccoli cheese casserole, topped with golden brown crispy crackers, is guaranteed to please.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Sometimes getting out of a dinner time rut is as simple as taking a family favorite and changing the format, like Drummond does with this chicken pot pie soup recipe. You already know your kids like the general vibes of the original recipe, so this is an easy way to get them to try something slightly new.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Roll-Ups
How do you get your family to decide between pepperoni pizza and lasagna? You don’t! Make Ree Drummond’s pepperoni pizza lasagna roll-ups, and you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Individual Sausage Casseroles
In need of a quick breakfast on school mornings that your kids will actually like? Try a batch of these individual sausage casseroles. They remind us of the egg bites you can get at a certain coffee chain, but making them at home is more affordable, and you can customize the egg bits with your kids’ preferred add-ins.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Irish Nachos
We’re always trying to save money, so instead of ordering delivery on the weekends, we try to make a fun recipe at home that’s just as craveable as what we might order from a restaurant. These Irish Nachos, made with crispy potatoes, cheese, and bacon, are definitely being added to our rotation.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Macaroni and Cheese
What sets The Pioneer Woman’s macaroni and cheese apart from the crowd? In her words, it’s the fact that the recipe is “made with the best butter, whole milk, and every type of cheese you could ever desire.”
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Egg Roll In a Bowl
If your family loves getting take-out, then they’ll love this 15-minute egg roll in a bowl recipe. It has the classic flavors of an egg roll, but it’s a little healthier, and can be made even faster than it takes for your delivery order to arrive.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Chicken Spaghetti
The Pioneer Woman’s chicken spaghetti is famous for a reason. Drummond’s family loves the cheesy casserole, and yours will too.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Slow Cooker Applesauce
Homemade apple sauce is a must-have for snacks. Cooking it is also a fun project to do with your kids, so they can see how something that’s usually just bought from the store is made from scratch.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Cocktail Meatballs
The Pioneer Woman puts a homemade spin on cocktail meatballs in her recipe, which skips the grape jelly and swaps it for apricot preserves to create a sweet, tangy sauce. Though traditionally an appetizer, we like serving cocktail meatballs for dinner with mashed potatoes or rice and a vegetable side dish.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Cinnamon Baked French Toast
If you wish your teens would wake up earlier on the weekends, we recommend trying to lure them out of bed with the aroma of The Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon baked French toast casserole.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Chicken Teriyaki
Chicken teriyaki is another take-out recipe that you can easily make at home. Who can resist that salty, sweet, savory flavor?
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Slow-Cooker Bolognese
Let the slow cooker do the work the next time you make bolognese. The long-simmering sauce can be tossed with your family’s favorite pasta (it’s extra delicious with cheese ravioli) when it’s done. We like making this recipe in a multi-cooker (like an Instant Pot) that has a sauté and slow cook function, to help cut down on dishes.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Chicken Parm Lasagna
The secret to making this chicken parm lasagna is starting with a rotisserie chicken. The chicken is layered with sauce, cheese, and noodles, and a crispy panko breadcrumb mixture goes on top, mimicking the crunch of traditional chicken parmesan cutlets without the work.
Get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
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