Last Updated on March 24, 2022 by Kimberly Stroh

Keeping dinner exciting for the kids is a year round struggle, but during the springtime, when we eat more meatless meals, it calls for a bit more creativity. I’ve got to get dinner on the table, after our sports schedule, and it has to be delicious for the whole family. If you’re anything like our family and you know about the struggle with getting kids to eat, you can appreciate this easy kid-friendly meatless dinner idea! It’s my go-to on Fridays.

How To Make A Kid-Friendly Meatless Dinner

One of the best ways to streamline our weeknight meals is to meal prep with a grocery list, so I can save money at the grocery store. Preparing for everything we need ahead of time really cuts out any last minute stress. My one-stop shopping is all done at Walmart each week. I can grab everything I need for our meatless meals, plus anything else that makes it’s way onto the list. I’ve found that a meatless dinner doesn’t have to be an added strain to my week. I can teach my kids to appreciate the meal idea and keep it exciting, so we’re not missing the meat. I’ve even got my “meat & potatoes” Husband looking forward to our meatless dinners each week.

My Secret To Keeping Kid-Friendly Meatless Dinners Exciting

My favorite kid-friendly meatless dinner idea, that helps keep it exciting, is to serve their favorite side dishes. Our family can always agree on the rich and creamy goodness of STOUFFER’S® Macaroni & Cheese! If it’s something that they can look forward to eating, I know they’ll be more likely to branch out and try something new alongside the Macaroni & Cheese. I serve it alongside my grandmother’s Panko Crusted White Fish recipe. Although, it truly works alongside any seafood recipe.

I can quickly prepare our fish while the STOUFFER’S Macaroni & Cheese is baking in the oven. It’s everyone’s favorite part of going meatless and I love that I just have to pop it into the oven. We all crave the cheesy texture and look forward to enjoying it as part of our family dinner. It’s an exciting side-dish that’s meatless, delicious and easy to prepare. I stock up and keep them in my freezer, not only for the Lenten season, but for all of our family dinners.

Tips For Getting Your Kids Actively Involved With Dinnertime

I’ve learned with both of my boys that they can take on active role with our family meals. If they help, from start to finish, it helps build anticipation around the dinner. It helps them learn about grocery shopping, preparing meals and even setting a table. It builds more time together and values that they can’t learn in school.
My kid-friendly meatless dinner starts outside of the kitchen, at our local Walmart. Here are some of my favorite tips for letting your kids actively take part in dinnertime:

• Teach Kids How To Pick Out Groceries – show them how to pick out fresh produce and the importance of sticking to your family’s list.
• Let Them Help In The Kitchen – When our meals are simple, like our Friday meatless fish dinner, I let my oldest help out. Kids can easily wash vegetables or act as a little sous chef by grabbing any kitchen utensils you need. They love feeling like they’re a part of the action.
• Show Them How To Set A Table – Call me old fashioned, but I like to teach my kids how to set the table before family dinners. It’s a life-long skill they’ll use.
• They Can Pick Dinnertime Topics – It’s always hard for us to unplug, but it’s most important at mealtimes. To encourage my kids to unplug as well, I let them pick out our dinner topics. Whether it’s school or “why is the sky is blue?” they get to pick.

Bring home creamy cheesy goodness with your Friday fish with STOUFFER’S, available in-store at Walmart.