We wait all year for Thanksgiving and all its delicious food. And when you serve up a big family feast, you'll definitely want to give some super kid-friendly foods a place at the table. So if you have picky eaters (in other words, kids), try some of these kid-favorite Thanksgiving foods.
Thanksgiving Appetizers
Get the pre-dinner festivities underway with these kid-friendly apps that pair perfectly with Thanksgiving activities for the whole family.
Vegetable Tray and Dip
Kids love crunchy veggies when dipped in hummus or low-fat ranch dressing. You can purchase pre-made veggie trays or make your own with carrots, celery, cucumbers, sweet pepper, broccoli florets, and grape tomatoes.
Cheese and Crackers
Cheese is a fun and delicious finger food kids eat up. A selection of sliced cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, and Monterey Jack served with crackers is a great kids' appetizer.
Related: 16 Warm & Seasonal Ideas for a Fall Charcuterie Board
Snack Mix
There's a good reason snack mixes get prime real estate in grocery stores — kids love them! Try making a ranch cereal mix with Chex cereal, mixed nuts, pretzels, and spices, or try a tasty nut-free trail mix.
Mini Corn Dog Muffins
Kids love corn dogs (and so do grownups), so a mini corn muffin stuffed with a piece of hot dog is tasty, visually appealing, and makes an ideal meal starter. Use a box mix, follow the directions, and pour into individual cupcake wrappers. Cut a small piece of hot dog to put in the middle and bake as directed on the box.
Stuffed Celery
Kids may not like eating celery on its own, but when it's stuffed with cream cheese, they'll gobble it up. Add a few raisins to make this appetizer more fun to eat.
Bread
Even the pickiest eaters usually eat bread. Place a well-stocked bread basket and plain, herb, or honey butter on the kids' table, or try a super-fun and creative butter board.
Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Mains
Add one or more of these main dishes to keep picky eaters happy at dinner.
Turkey
Most kids like roast turkey, Thanksgiving's go-to dish, especially slathered in gravy.
Ham
Kids who don't like turkey may enjoy ham. Bake your ham with a sweet ham glaze to make it even more kid-friendly.
Turkey Nuggets
Kids love finger foods, especially breaded nuggets. Make turkey nuggets that have a crispy cornflake crust and are baked.
Cornish Hens
Bring the large holiday bird down to kid size by making Cornish hens for the kids. They look like small turkeys, and kids will enjoy having their own personal main dish.
Sides Kids Will Love
Side dishes make the meal (in our humble opinion). And kids will love some of these traditional sides.
Stuffing
Thanksgiving stuffing is a kid favorite. Add kid appeal to your stuffing by forming it into patties and baking instead of baking in a casserole. Add sweetness with chopped cranberries, raisins, or dates.
Mashed Potatoes
Almost all kids love mashed potatoes, but you can make taters more tempting by adding shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream; keep the chives on the side.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Most kids have a sweet tooth and will eat up sweet potatoes baked with brown sugar, vanilla, and spices, topped with gooey marshmallows.
Mac n' Cheese
Macaroni and cheese isn't a Thanksgiving staple, but it's a kid favorite any time of the year. It makes a nice side dish for kids at any special occasion.
Green Bean Casserole
Is it even Thanksgiving without green bean casserole? On their own, green beans may not appeal to kids. But the crispy fried onions topping this green bean casserole make it a favorite.
We know you have a ton of work to do at Thanksgiving, which is why we like to make some recipes (including green bean casserole) ahead of time so it's ready to pop into the oven on the big day.
Corn Pudding
If you tell kids they're eating "pudding," you'll get their attention. If corn pudding isn't a Thanksgiving staple yet, you'll definitely want to add it because adults will love it, too.
Cranberry Sauce
Sweet cranberry sauce tickles kids' taste buds and is delicious on its own or spread on turkey. It also makes a great dipping sauce for turkey nuggets.
Broccoli & Cheese Casserole
If it's combined with cheese, kids flip over it — even broccoli casserole. It's a great way to sneak in a serving of veggies.
Related: 8 Weird Thanksgiving Dishes That Could Be Hidden Gems
Desserts
Let's face it — it's probably not difficult to get kids to eat desserts. But just in case it is, we have some thoughts.
Pies
Most kids love pie, especially if it's topped with whipped cream, non-dairy topping, or ice cream. To make sure there's a pie for everyone's tastes, offer a variety of Thanksgiving classics such as apple or pumpkin, and consider making a chocolate cream pie, too. Most kids love chocolate.
Cookies
A cookie is the perfect ending for kids full from dinner or who have smaller appetites. Make a cookie tray of favorites such as snickerdoodles, sugar cookies, and ginger snaps.
Pumpkin Roll
A pumpkin roll featuring a sweet cream cheese filling rolled up in spicy pumpkin sponge cake (like this yummy pumpkin roll from Tastes Better from Scratch) is delicious and fun for kids to eat.
Pumpkin Crispy Rice Treats
Rice Krispies treats are a marshmallow, finger-food concoction that kids love. This harvest version from Just Is a Four-Letter Word adds pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the traditional recipe.
Caramel Apples
Fresh apples covered in buttery caramel will have kids of all ages running to your dessert table. Eating food on a stick makes dessert fun for kids.
Beverages
Besides water, milk, and decaffeinated iced tea, offer kids these harvest-themed drinks.
- Apple cider: Cold or warmed, apple cider is reminiscent of apple juice, another drink popular with kids.
- Cranberry-citrus punch: Kids like to feel as important as adults on special occasions. You can do this by giving them their own punch made from frozen cranberry juice concentrate, lemon-lime soda, and fresh orange juice. Simply mix the ingredients in a large pitcher until you achieve the right balance for your taste buds.
- Hot chocolate: Warm and sweet, hot chocolate conjures comforting memories for kids. Add more kid appeal by topping hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon, chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, or whipped cream.
Make Thanksgiving Memorable for the Kids
Make sure your kids learn to love the family Thanksgiving traditions as much as the adults by adding kid-friendly Thanksgiving foods. From appetizers to desserts, there's something every kid will love.
