20 Spring Recipes to Get Kids Eating Fresh This Season (2024)

You'll forget your favorite takeout's phone number after trying this slow-cooker chicken teriyaki from Cooking Classy. This Asian dish has just the right amount of salty and sweet, which results in lots of empty plates. Boost it with some farm-fresh vegetables to make it even healthier.

Kelsey Banfield's The Naptime Chef specializes in quick and easy recipes that can be prepared in about as long as it takes a tot to nap. Her spicy citrus grilled shrimp "can easily be prepared at any time during the day and grilled up in no time for dinner." Plus, it's light and refreshing for this time of year.

Dinnertime may be a rush, but it's a great time to bring kids into the kitchen. Everyday Food's Sarah Carey shares a recipe that kids can easily lend a hand in making: "Give burgers and 'fries' a healthier, more kid-friendly spin by baking them in the oven (no spattering grease!). Just make sure a grown-up handles the pans."

We can't stress the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids enough. The healthy fats — found in oily fish like salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel —optimize messaging between nerve cells in the brain, keeping the brain functioning properly. Getting kids to eat the nutrient-rich foods isn't a fight when they are well seasoned. Annabel Karmel says, "My children and I all love Japanese food, and it is well worth investing in bottles of sake and mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine), as you will want to make this salmon teriyaki over and over again!" Snow peas and sugar snap peas — common accompaniments to Japanese cooking —are particularly good this time of year.

Beef doesn't have to be an all-day affair. Annabel Karmel says: "This delicious, quick, and easy-to-prepare beef stir-fry is bound to become a family favorite. It makes a great all-in-one meal."

Meals that can be prepped in the morning and then quickly cooked at dinnertime are ideal for families juggling after-school activities. This pork and mango stir-fry from Amanda Haas and Cooking Light — which can also be made with chicken breasts — can be prepped before everyone heads off for work and school in the morning and then cooked in just 10 minutes! Pack it full of fresh vegetables for a real Spring meal.

Getting kids to try fish can be tricky, but just read the ingredients in Amanda Haas and Cooking Light's parmesan-crusted tilapia, and you know it is something your kids will love. Amanda says it tastes great on its own or served in fish tacos for kids who love to build things!

If your kids love hamburgers, it's time to introduce them to the burger's fun new cousin. Weelicious's Catherine McCord replaces the beef in the traditional patty with lighter and healthier ground chicken and then jazzes it up with some fresh herbs from the garden to create Middle Eastern chicken burgers. "By incorporating some curry, garlic powder, fresh parsley, and mint into the ground chicken and sauce, you give the ordinary burger a huge burst of unforgettable flavors." She says her family enjoys them off the bun as much as on!

On weeknights, every minute counts, and if Mom and Dad don't need to turn on the stove, that's precious moments saved! Jessica Seinfeld's couscous salad with chickpeas, tomatoes, and mint doesn't require any oven time, as it simply uses hot tap water for making the couscous. Packed with protein and flavor, Jessica says, "it's also perfect the next day for a brown-bag lunch."

This quick, easy, and light chicken dish from A Year at the Table is wonderfully versatile and can be served with rice or pasta. With lots of bright lemon flavor — lemons are juiciest this time of year — this dish is a perfect dinner any night.

Serve your flank steak the way the pros do, and cut it diagonally instead of straight up and down. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike!

As the days get warmer, cool off with a refreshingly tropical mango sherbet. The limited ingredients — including one of Spring's powerhouse fruits, the mango — maintain the vivid flavor of the fruit.

Photo: Lauren Hendrickson

Fresh flavors come together in perfect Spring harmony for a lovely asparagus pizza with lemon vinaigrette.

A creamy avocado and pear smoothie is a cool and refreshing way to start your morning.

A simple side of steamed baby carrots with orange-dill butter would be a welcome addition to any Spring meal.

Spinach is particularly tasty in Spring months. Knowing that kids can't get enough pasta (and cheese) makes these spinach- and ricotta-stuffed shells a great addition to the weeknight dinner rotation.