Sheet pan meals are a win-win with picky eaters! They provide options plus they’re easy to make and clean up!
As a kids’ cooking teacher, I’ve gotten a ton of questions over the years about picky eating recipes. That led me to become certified in the SOS approach to feeding so that I’m even more well-equipped to answer questions. Kay Toomey is amazing! She developed the SOS feeding approach.
Lately, I’ve been getting quite a few parents asking me how to stop the short-order cooking habit. Many of them have been cooking separate meals for their kids for three, four, or even five years.
They often start when the child is about two, which makes perfect sense developmentally, and some of these kids are now five or six.
This is a deeply ingrained habit that parents are very worried will be difficult to break. The great thing about kids is that they are still very flexible. Their brains are plastic, so new habits and routines are absolutely 100% totally possible to build.
It takes dedication and consistency on the part of the parent, but believe me when I say that ditching the short-order cooking habit and joining Team One Meal is a decision you’ll never regret.
Stop Short Order Cooking
Serving one meal and one meal only has countless benefits. But here are a few:
- Family unity and connection
- Less work and fewer dishes for the parent (families report that they feel so much less stressed when they’re not making two or three meals a night)
- High expectations for kids means they will ultimately eat better over time
If you’re ready to join Team One Meal and make short-order cooking a thing of the past in your family, you’ll have to choose if you rip the Band-Aid and make it fast and quick or go a little bit slower. Either way, make sure your kids know that you are making decisions about what is served, not them. That’s not their responsibility.
I’ve written before all about why kids’ meals shouldn’t be different from adult meals. However, there are two qualities and two qualities only where I say kids can be fed slightly differently.
- Portion size
- Deconstructed meals
Are you ready to teach your child to cook?
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy the Kids Cook Real Food cooking class now is definitely the time.
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Sale runs through December 2nd.
What Is a Deconstructed Meal? (Great for Picky Eaters)
Again, while I never advocate feeding your kids a different meal, it’s true that some kids have trouble with certain seasonings, food touching, or being mixed, and really do need to be given the opportunity to assert their preferences.
That’s why a deconstructed meal is a great option to serve one meal but yet allow for preferences in individual servings.
Examples of deconstructed meals would include anything that can be served with separate components. Each eater at the table decides whether they mix their components or keep them separate on the plate.
Many of our families in the Picky Eating Playbook membership, Kids Eat Real Food, report that they enjoy serving deconstructed meals such as:
- taco or burrito bar
- build your own pizza
- pasta salad or hot pasta bar with multiple toppings
- baked potato bar
- salad bar
- stir-fry type dishes or any Asian food with meat, vegetables, and rice served separately with sauce on the side
- sandwiches or wraps with an assortment of fixings
- a variety of “bowl” options often referred to as power bowls, Buddha bowls, nourish bowls, and more
- and sheet pan meals
Sheet pan dinners are a win for the whole family because there are very few dishes but yet the different foods on the sheet pan don’t have to touch. Individuals in the family can choose what they eat or skip. (Or better yet, what they serve a “taster bite” of versus a serving.)
Make Sheet Pan Meals Work for Your Family
I asked a large group of real-food bloggers to share their favorite sheet pan and other deconstructed-style meals.
This is about to become my favorite post of the year. I think I will be meal planning from it for at least a few months because there are so many incredible flavors and beautiful colors and variety in the recipes my colleagues shared.
I feel like I will be able to help my family experience various cultures through Mediterranean, Mexican, Asian, and even Jewish dishes – but in a safe-feeling way that won’t overwhelm kids’ senses with huge flavors that they aren’t able to opt out of.
All of these recipes aren’t immediately screaming kid-friendly dinners though. Let’s talk about how to make sheet pan meals work for families where kids may have some strong preferences.
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Sheet pan dinner, sauce on the side.
As you investigate some new sheet pan recipes and add them to your meal plan, I recommend being very cognizant about the seasonings. Some of these meals have sauces that, if you follow the instructions perfectly, would be poured over the entire meal and baked with the meat and vegetables.
However, keep in mind that it’s very easy to serve a warm sauce on the side or cover one pan with sauce and put another pan in without the sauce. That way the adults can experience all the flavors mixing together during the bake time, but it can still be optional for kids, who have more taste buds than we do.
I know I will already be making two to three pans of every meal I choose, simply because we have a family of six and love leftovers. (This approach also works well if you have allergies in your family and need to alter the recipe.)
Take the same approach with a marinade. If it sounds really mild, like some of the lemon chicken options, personally I would go for it. On the other hand, some of the marinades sound very highly seasoned, so I would probably leave out at least a few pieces of meat and vegetables so that again, kids can have preferences but still be exposed to new flavors on safe terms.
Important note: if you do skip a marinade or sauce, I recommend tossing even the “plain” meat and veggies in some oil so that food doesn’t get too dried out during the roasting process.
Sheet pan food doesn’t have to touch.
Most of the beautiful food photography you’ll see below and as you traipse about the blogosphere looking for kid-friendly sheet pan meals often depict the food all mixed up. This is of course for beautiful visual variety and because there are so many fantastic colors in a sheet pan meal.
However, you can and should create your sheet pan dinner structure the way it will serve your family.
If you have kids who don’t like their food touching, by all means group like objects together and even consider creating a small empty space between each type of food. That way kids feel absolutely safe serving themselves from the sheet pan dinner, and you still have created a one-dish meal with a ton of variety.
Hot clean-up tip: If you really dislike dishes, of course, use parchment paper under the meat and vegetables. This creates some disposable waste, but if you’re okay with that, it will save a lot of minutes scrubbing the pan.
How to choose vegetables for your sheet pan meal
I tried to make it a point to include a wide variety of vegetables in the recipes we are spotlighting below.
But what if you choose an awesome-looking dinner with seasonings you think you will love as the adult and a meat you know will go over well with your kids, but the vegetables aren’t a great fit?
Some of the recipe creators make it clear that you can switch out the vegetables with abandon, but I just want to emphasize that. If a sheet pan dinner calls for broccoli, you can sub in green beans. If the recipe includes Brussels sprouts (as many, many of the ones below seem to), there’s no rule saying you can’t do half Brussels sprouts and half broccoli.
What I would recommend is to scan through sheet pan meals that include vegetables that you know your family will like. Pay attention to how long those particular vegetables are required to cook. A 25-minute timing that would be perfect for halved Brussels might completely crispify green beans, for example.
Root vegetables like sweet potatoes and white potatoes are going to take a whole lot longer than above-ground vegetables like zucchini, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. So just be sure to either swap similarly timed veggies for one another or reduce or increase your bake time accordingly. You can always add meat or vegetables later in the process to make it work.
Be sure of course to take notes on what you did that made the sheet pan dinner work for your family.
Review: Why Sheet Pan Meals Are Great for Picky Eaters
Remember as you commit to Team One Meal that it’s good for you as the adult and very good for your kids as well.
Sheet pan meals are perfect because they aren’t short-order cooking, but they do allow kids to have preferences. They also allow kids who don’t like their foods to touch to get a big variety without a plethora of dishes greeting you after the meal
I firmly stand behind the concept that having kids cook with you is one of the most powerful ways to combat picky-eating tendencies. Because sheet pan meals have multiple parts, it’s easy to delegate a certain vegetable preparation to a certain child.
The sheet pan provides a clear visual that the whole family is working together toward a common goal, a common meal. This sharing of responsibility is so good for kids to experience.
Now I’ve made you wait long enough. Let’s jump into the sheet pan meals from myself and my colleagues. I decided to organize them by type of meat, since that’s how I usually start planning a meal (i.e., what’s in my freezer).
Chicken Sheet Pan Meals
Easy Chicken & Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner That Kids Can Make – This recipe uses sweet potatoes, asparagus, and bok choy with very mild seasonings.
Chicken Piccata – Gluten-free spaghetti squash “noodles” and green beans with lemony chicken. Sub out the veggies for seasonality!
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas – Once you make sheet pan fajitas, you’ll never go back to the old way! Perfectly seasoned and comes together in 30 minutes.
Easy Paleo Tzatziki Sauce with Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies – Quick and easy healthy family meal with minimal cleanup! Veggies can easily be swapped for other veggies your family prefers.
AIP Taco Bowls – Cool combo of a sheet pan and “bowl” style serving, plus some unique flavors and a chance to try cooked radishes (they taste a bit like potatoes).
Whole30 Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs – This sheet pan meal is easy, healthy, and delicious for any night of the week! A good example of keeping things super simple.
Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Veggies – Lemon Rosemary Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with vegetables is super easy to prepare and bursting with homey flavors. Cooks in 30 minutes with no pre-marinating!
Parmesan Everything Bagel Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner – Parmesan Everything Bagel Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner with roasted potatoes and lemon asparagus is an unforgettable dinner brimming with amazing flavors.
Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner – This Greek chicken is loaded with fresh bright Mediterranean flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes.
Herb Grapefruit Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Vegetables – Dinnertime will be a breeze thanks to this healthy, delicious, and SUPER EASY Herb Grapefruit Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Vegetables. A great chance to introduce the kids to citrus flavors in a savory dish.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Cauliflower – This sheet pan chicken and cauliflower dinner is spiced, rich in flavors, and full of nutrition. An easy dinner you can make for the whole family to enjoy!
Cabbage and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner -with cabbage, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes.
Baked Orange Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner– Nothing fried here, this orange sauce goes beautifully with chicken and roasted broccoli.
Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner with Honey Balsamic Marinade – This Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner recipe is simple to make and full of flavor. A combination of delicious vegetables and chicken tossed with a honey balsamic marinade, then roasted to perfection. This family meal can be made in less than an hour, making it a great dinner option for a busy weeknight!
Ranch Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies Dinner – Uses sweet potatoes, onion, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes.
Sheet Pan Mozzarella Chicken, Potatoes, and Vegetables – Italian flavorings and cheesy chicken make this a great kid-friendly sheet pan meal. It includes potatoes, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash, Brussels, and Carrots
Sheet Pan Herb Chicken – with grape or cherry tomatoes
Garlic Basil Sheet Pan Chicken – This easy garlic basil sheet pan chicken is a simple way to get real food on the table fast. Plus, since you only use one pan, clean up is a breeze!
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Vesuvio – with sauce on the side (also includes pork sausage)
Pork Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet Pan Brats with Fall Veggies – Some kids just love their sausage/hot dog style meat – here’s a way to surround it with veggies but include safe foods easily without short order cooking and dirtying extra dishes. (See the Cabbage and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner above as well, which uses chicken sausage.)
Sheet Pan Pulled Pork Nachos – A creative use for leftover pulled pork.
Sheet Pan Italian Pork Tenderloin and Vegetables – Sheet pan Italian pork tenderloin and vegetables is made with a dry-rubbed pesto stuffed tenderloin and baked with roasted mushrooms, yellow and red potatoes, and green beans. It feeds 6, is done baking in 25 minutes, and the whole family will love it!
Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes – mustard-marinated with Parmesan potatoes
Chipotle Pork Chop Sheet Pan Dinner with Apples – with potatoes
Polynesian Sheet Pan Pork Chops – with onions, bell pepper, and pineapple
Beef and Lamb Sheet Pan Meals
Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos – This tasty sheet pan nachos recipe is perfect for when you’re craving Mexican food at the end of a hectic day or while watching the big game!
Parmesan Crusted Steak and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner – with potatoes and asparagus
Succulent Lamb Steak and Veg Sheet Pan Dinner – with chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, lemon, and bell pepper
Seafood and Fish Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet Pan Salmon and Brussels Sprouts Salad – A more simple salmon sheet pan dinner
Maple Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner with Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts – A complete dinner recipe made in a single pan. Clean-up is a breeze for this sweet and savory meal.
Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner with Veggies – This salmon sheet pan dinner is sweet and umami. A great dinner choice if you’re missing Asian flavors but need a healthy dinner.
Shrimp Fajitas with Cilantro Lime Butter – serve with veggies or on a wrap
Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus – This easy Sheet Pan Salmon has an Asian marinade plus asparagus and broccoli. It makes a healthy one-pan dinner that’s perfect for any night and ready in 30 minutes.
Sheet Pan Cod with Moroccan Chermoula Sauce – for selective eaters, hold off on the spices while cooking and serve on the side
Sheet Pan Cod – with asparagus and grape tomatoes
Vegetarian Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet Pan Vegan Chickpea Fajita Tacos – complete with homemade vegan cheese
Sheet Pan Eggs – Breakfast for dinner…or for breakfast!
Big shoutout to our partner PrepDish for rounding up their favorite kid-friendly dishes, including at least one sheet pan meal (potato nachos!) and a few that are very easy to deconstruct.
“Build Your Own” Deconstructed Dinner
I love all of these ideas from my colleagues for ways to serve various pieces of the meal separately. Adults can mix them up in a bowl and add the sauce to their heart’s content, and kids can serve different pieces separately to their heart’s content. Here are some great ideas for deconstructed meals that you can run with for your meal planning.
Build-your-own pasta salad bar – this one is super kid-friendly and great for a party!
Sabich bowls – Sabich bowls take the popular Middle Eastern sandwich and turn it into a DIY mezze fest. Prepare (or purchase) individual components and allow your diners to customize their own.
Nourish bowls – Easy 3-step template to building your own “nourish bowl” plus 12 ideas for flavor combinations!
Buddha bowls – Buddha bowls are a fun, interactive meal that allows everyone to choose his or her favorite toppings. A great way to engage kids in mealtime and give them more choice and independence.
Mac and cheese bar – Team member Jessie says adding caramelized onions to your mac and cheese will change your life – and you won’t mind if the kids don’t want them. More for you!
Breakfast guacamole toast – Serve as a “DIY bar” on a slow weekend morning and see what happens!
Taco pita pizzas – These taco pita pizzas are a great way to get creative for dinner! Personalize your own with your favorite toppings and make it a taco pita pizza party! The kids will love helping with this recipe, too.
Naan pizza party – Naan Pizza is the ultimate personal pan pizza. These pizzas are simple, delicious and on the table in under 10 minutes from start to finish.
Set out the toppings and kids can create their own!
Are you ready to teach your child to cook?
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy the Kids Cook Real Food cooking class now is definitely the time.
Get lifetime access to our cooking course for kids along with bonus content like a hospitality class, Kids Cook Solo, ebooks, and printables!
Are you ready to get started?
Sale runs through December 2nd.
Want Help with Your Picky Eater?
I’ve worked with families on the picky eating problem since 2017. And with my certification in the SOS approach to feeding and my TEDx talk on picky eating, I’ve become known as a picky eating expert.
Twice a year, I run a completely free No More Picky Eating Challenge, and families find that these small changes, one action step per day, make a huge difference.
Fifty percent of kids in the challenge actually do try something new in just five days, but that’s not even the point. What’s even better is that 85% of parents report they feel less stressed at the table.
That’s going to be the foundation for long-lasting change in the family, and I’m so honored to have been part of that reduced stress for so many thousands of families.
Register for our next challenge. Or if you’ve just missed one, you can always get on the waitlist. I send picky eating tips and printables while you’re waiting.
What You Should Do Next:
1. Subscribe to the Healthy Parenting Handbook Newsletter
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2. Try a Free Preview of My Cooking Class for Kids
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3. Enroll in the Online Cooking Course for Kids:
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About Katie Kimball
Katie Kimball, CSME, creator of Kids Cook Real Food™ and CEO of Kitchen Stewardship®, LLC, is passionate about connecting families around healthy food. As a trusted educator and author of 8 real food cookbooks, she’s been featured on media outlets like ABC, NBC and First for Women magazine and contributes periodically on the FOX Network.
Since 2009, busy moms have looked to Katie as a trusted authority and advocate for children’s health, and she often partners with health experts and medical practitioners to stay on the cutting edge. In 2016 she created the Wall Street Journal recommended best online kids cooking course, Kids Cook Real Food™, helping thousands of families around the world learn to cook. She is actively masterminding the Kids’ Meal Revolution, with a goal of every child learning to cook.
A mom of 4 kids from Michigan, she is also a Certified Stress Mastery Educator, member of the American Institute of Stress and trained speaker through Bo Eason’s Personal Story Power.