Guest post by Rae

As a parent, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Work, homeschooling, and juggling everyday chores are just a few tasks that might be bogging down your to-do list. You don’t have time to cook a fancy dinner every night, but at the same time, you want your family to have a home-cooked meal. The solution? A handful of healthy meals for kids that you can whip up at the last minute. Here are some of our favorite healthy dishes that you and your kids will love.

Creamy Chicken Stew

As the temperature gets cooler outside, there is nothing more comforting or delicious at the end of a long day than a pot of steaming stew. This Creamy Chicken Stew is made with chicken thighs, stock, leeks, creme fraiche, and frozen peas, among other common household ingredients. Serve once, then save the leftovers and reheat!

Turkey Ragu

Tired of plain old spaghetti? We bet your kids are, too. Here’s a simple twist that will feel a lot more special. This Turkey Ragu recipe uses tasty veggies and spices to create a flavor sensation. In addition to the ground turkey, you’ll love the addition of carrot, onion, rosemary, and garlic. We can almost smell the aroma filling the house already.

Classic Shepherd’s Pie

A Shepherd’s Pie is a delight for both kids and parents and frankly, is not served nearly enough! With layers of ground beef and veggies topped with fluffy mashed potatoes, it’s an all-in-one dish that is filling and delicious. Plus, it looks like you went to a lot of effort when in fact, you just layered everything in one pan.

Baked Pecan Chicken Tenders

A simple adjustment to a classic kid’s food can make a world of difference. Take these Baked Pecan Chicken Tenders, which have a pecan coating that makes them seem gourmet to both kids and parents. Serve with buttermilk ranch dressing and watch your kids’ faces light up with glee.

Cauliflower Mac N’ Cheese

Cauliflower, a cool-weather vegetable that is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, and B6, is popping up everywhere as a healthy substitute for rice, potatoes, and pasta. This vegetarian dish is a real crowd-pleaser, with lots of gooey Cheddar and Parmesan your kids will savor. While this recipe does call for pasta as well as cauliflower, it’s still got plenty of the nutritious veggie to go around.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Instead of a loaded potato, try this sweet potato chili on for size. It’s hearty, full of healthy vitamins and good fats, and can be topped with cheese, sour cream, and even tortilla chips. You can always down the spices if your kid is a picky eater.

Try one or more of these easy, healthy meals and let us know how it turned out. We’d especially love to know if you modified the recipe in any way or otherwise added your own special twist to it!

Rae is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing (of course).