Favorite Easy Thanksgiving Recipes For Kids

I know firsthand how challenging it can be to cook a big holiday meal with kids running underfoot, in terms of the logistics and also trying to make food that the littles will enjoy. Plus, there is a lot about holiday food that can be challenging for kids, including that many of our traditional dishes are ones that they haven’t seen very many times in their lives. I try to encourage families not to stress too much about what the kids eat or don’t eat on holidays like Thanksgiving—because so many of the foods are still unfamiliar to our littles and pressure can make the meal so much harder for everyone to enjoy. It’s totally normal for some kids to eat only foods they know, like rolls or crackers and for others to try a range of items. The more we can remember that the holidays mean so much more than just the food, the more we’ll be able to really enjoy the time together. Having said all of that, I do have my favorite Thanksgiving recipes for kids to share that are designed with the littlest eaters at the table in mind. Here you’ll find a mix of Thanksgiving recipes from muffins and quick breads to holiday side dishes and desserts. Plus my go-to lemon herb Spatchcock Turkey recipe that cooks SO fast. Plus, there are also make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes to help you space things out if that works with your schedule to make things a little easier. (You may also like Thanksgiving Printables, Thanksgiving Cookies, Soft Pumpkin Cookies, Mini Pumpkin Pies, and Salt Dough Ornaments to enjoy together.)

Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Vegetables

Here are my favorite vegetable side dishes to make for Thanksgiving to share with the kids. There’s a mix of sweet potato recipes, baby food purees, and classic vegetable sides like green beans and Brussels sprouts. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.

Thanksgiving Baby Food

Easy baby food options in seasonal flavors are a perfect way to include baby at the table. These are some of our favorite purees and baby-led weaning Thanksgiving .

Easy Cranberry Sauce

I love to make this cranberry orange sauce each year because it’s incredibly easy and it has the best flavor as a Thanksgiving recipe for kids. We have it as a side on Thanksgiving, but also love to stir it into plain yogurt as a fruit-on-the-bottom option. You can make this weeks ahead and stash it into the freezer, too.

Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Muffins and Breads

These are all great holiday sides or easy foods to have on hand for Thanksgiving breakfast. And all of them can be made a few days (or a few weeks, if you put them into the freezer) ahead. We love to have these on hand for the holiday since they are festive in flavor and easy to pull out as needed.

Favorite Thanksgiving Desserts

From cookies and cupcakes to our very favorite pies, these holiday desserts will make the whole family happy. Each Thanksgiving recipe for kids has classic flavor and less sugar than similar recipes so the flavors of all of the ingredients shine right through.

Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas

These are in contention for an easy, yet festive Thanksgiving breakfast. You can also make these ahead of time and reheat or pull out as you like. (Many are also a great way to use up a little leftover pumpkin if you have some lying around.)

Simple Store-Bought Sides to Add

You can, of course, buy any of the other traditional elements of the meal that you want. Take shortcuts where you need them, my friends! Not every Thanksgiving recipe for kids has to be homemade!

Rolls or cornbread Whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream Salad Cheese and crackers Pumpkin pie or other treats Any part of Thanksgiving dinner you don’t want to cook!

Best Tips for Success

To help keep the kids busy, these free Thanksgiving printables are here to help! My kids have been loving these coloring pages for the past week and I can’t wait to use the Turkey Taste Test on the holiday to see what they like.

It’s okay if things aren’t perfect! You can make your Thanksgiving menu any way that works for your family. Add any other easy recipes or foods your family likes such as green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole. It’s okay if the kids don’t eat all of the food! They are new to the world, and they’ve experienced this holiday only a handful of times in their lives (if that), so have empathy that they haven’t seen most of these foods many times before. Try to remember that the day is about being grateful, not about a perfect meal or whether the kids eat all of the things. Enjoy your family! Store anything you make ahead of time in an airtight container. Reheat in 30- 60-second increments, stirring in between as needed, until warmed through.

If you have other tips to share about having a great Thanksgiving with less stress, please share it below!