I know a lot of you have suddenly found yourself at home with your kids all day long and are struggling to prepare kid-friendly meals three times a day. That’s why I decided to round up 25 Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes, ranging from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert ideas!
Table of Contents:
1. Kid-Friendly Vegan Breakfast Recipes
2. Kid-Friendly Vegan Side Recipes
3. Kid-Friendly Vegan Lunch and Dinner Recipes
4. Kid-Friendly Vegan Dessert Recipes
Kid-Friendly Vegan Breakfast Recipes
1. PB&J Berry Banana Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, all grown up and made grain-free. Loved by kids and adults alike! Sweet enough for dessert but healthy enough for breakfast :)
This is the 4th recipe in this blog post, which contains 5 stuffed sweet potato ideas (I think all of them are quite kid-friendly).
2. Eggy Tofu Scramble
This eggy tofu scramble tastes uncannily similar to scrambled eggs – rich, creamy, and flavor-packed, and the perfect recipe to try if you’re tired of dry, bland tofu scrambles. This tofu scramble kid-approved and, best of all, quick and easy. It uses just one pan, so there’s minimal cleanup!
3. Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin pancakes so incredibly fluffy and tender, no one will know they’re vegan (or made with whole wheat flour). They’re the perfect wholesome yet indulgent weekend breakfast you can feel good about feeding your kids!
4. Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake
A chocolate milkshake that’s just as thick and creamy as the classic but packed with nutrients so you can feel good about serving your kiddos a milkshake for breakfast.
Made extra creamy with sweet potatoes, frozen bananas, and raw cacao powder, this is a high-fiber milkshake that the whole family can feel good about!
5. Vegan Breakfast Quesadillas
Indulgent vegan quesadillas packed with a hearty tofu scramble, a chewy mushroom bacon, lots of vegan cheese, and served with an easy avocado salsa! The perfect way to wow anyone at the breakfast table.
While most kids do like bacon, if you’re hesitant they won’t go for the shiitake bacon, you can either (a) not make it at all, (b) serve it on the side, or (c) put the “bacon” on only half of the quesadillas and let them decide what they like.
And if you’re making the homemade avocado salsa, omit the jalapeño pepper or use a store-bought mild salsa.
6. Healthy Breakfast Cookies
These Vegan Breakfast Cookies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast or sweet enough for dessert! Made with oats, seeds, and almond butter and exclusively pantry ingredients, these cookies are deceptively delicious and are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and soy-free!
So when you’re little ones ask for cookies but you want to keep it healthy, bake these easy cookies with them!
7. Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal (Instant Pot recipe)
This is the perfect weekday breakfast for busy families. It requires zero hands-on cooking so you can get your kids (and yourself) ready for the day and prep breakfast at the same time (the Instant Pot does all the work for you).
Easy, budget-friendly, and delicious (everyone loves peanut butter and bananas, right??).
8. Vegan French Toast with Berry Compote
All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this vegan French Toast, which includes two vegan superstar ingredients that give it the traditional eggy-like flavor without any eggs. Serve plain with pure maple syrup, or make an easy berry compote with frozen or fresh compote.
Kid-Friendly Vegan Side Recipes
9. Grilled Corn Salad
This Grilled Corn Salad is made with just 10 simple ingredients you can buy at any grocery store, takes less than 30 minutes to make, and is foolproof. Despite all that easy breezy stuff, it’s packed with so much good flavor and is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser this summer. To make this recipe kid-friendly, omit the jalapeño and either omit or go easy on the shallots.
10. The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Are there any kids who don’t like mashed potatoes? If your kids go crazy for mashed potatoes like most kids, you have to try these mashed potatoes. Light and fluffy yet creamy, these vegan mashed potatoes are the best of both worlds. Made with a flavor-packed miso butter, these mashed potatoes are irresistible for both kids and adults.
11. Vegan Potato Salad
Just as creamy as classic potato salad but so much better for you and more flavorful! This mayo-free vegan potato salad features perfectly tender potatoes coated in a creamy, tangy dressing that’s packed with fun flavors and takes just 30 minutes.
To make kid-friendly, omit the raw onions and jalapeño. You can also drastically reduce the amount of fresh herbs in this potato salad or omit them entirely.
12. Homemade Hummus
This homemade hummus is incredibly creamy, smooth, and fluffy and packed with a rich, nutty, and lemony flavor. Plus, you’ll learn all the tips and tricks for making incredible hummus at home so you’ll never want to buy store-bought hummus again! To make kid friendly, you may want to serve this hummus without the garlic-lemon topping.
13. Vegan Cornbread
This crispy-crusted, buttery, and moist vegan cornbread is truly the best cornbread you’ll ever eat, thanks to 5 secret techniques. It has the perfect amount of crumble, and is mildly but not overly sweet. No one will know it’s vegan! Easy to make gluten-free. Omit the rosemary for picky kids!
14. Vegan Naan
Naan is a popular Indian flatbread, and this vegan naan is just as good if not better than Indian restaurant naan. It’s fluffy and pillowy, soft and chewy yet crisp and flaky in some spots. It melts in your mouth and is the perfect bread for scooping up delicious hummus or Indian curries. Plus, it requires just a handful of simple ingredients.
Kid-Friendly Vegan Lunch and Dinner Recipes
15. Creamy Pantry Pasta
This 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta is made with just a handful of everyday pantry staples and is an excellent option for an easy weeknight dinner. It’s creamy, cheesy, and smoky and indulgent yet healthy family-friendly meal.
If your kids aren’t into smoky flavors, just omit the smoky paprika or substitute it with regular paprika.
16. Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich
This Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich is made with chickpeas and hearts of palm, seasoned with dulse flakes for a taste of the ocean, and finished with classic American ingredients like sweet pickle relish. It’s the new “I can’t believe it’s not tuna!”
If your kids are into tuna sandwiches, they’re going to LOVE this vegan version.
17. Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
This Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. An incredibly creamy (and easy) vegan cheese sauce gets paired with elbow macaroni, covered in a crispy and buttery breadcrumb, and then baked in the oven. It’s guaranteed to impress your kids!
18. The Best Vegan Vegan Cauliflower Soup
This soup is the perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family. Hearty yet wholesome and made with a little over 10 ingredients, it’s a comforting soup that makes for the ultimate comfort food! Instant Pot instructions included.
And if your kid doesn’t like spicy food whatsoever, make sure to skip adding the red pepper flakes at the end.
19. Green Goddess Grilled Cheese
With gooey vegan cheese and pesto lathered between crispy buttered bread, your kids won’t even notice that there are greens hiding in these decadent grilled cheeses. But omit the pickled jalapeños (I’ve been told kids don’t like spicy peppers)!
20. Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
This is the BEST vegan mushroom stroganoff you will ever try! It’s packed with umami, is super flavorful, and is so creamy you won’t believe it’s dairy-free and vegan. It’s the ultimate comfort food!
If your kid isn’t a huge fan of mushrooms, leave out the crispy mushroom topping and replace with any other veggie they enjoy. You can also omit the Worcestershire sauce and fresh dill to keep this Stroganoff kid-friendly.
21. Chickpea Tacos with Cilantro Pesto
Pan-fried spiced chickpeas and a citrusy, aromatic pesto make these tacos flavorful and fancy, but they’re so easy and quick that you can have taco night ready in just 20 minutes.
Note: This taco recipe is the second recipe on the linked blog post.
To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:
- Omit the cayenne pepper from the spiced chickpeas and the jalapeño peppers from the Cilantro Pesto. If your kids can handle a little bit of heat, use 1/4 to 1/2 jalapeño pepper in the pesto but remove all the seeds and membranes.
- If your child isn’t a big fan of smoke flavors, omit the smoked paprika or use regular paprika in the spiced chickpeas.
- Opt for a mild salsa instead of a hot salsa when serving.
22. Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta
A spin on the classic pesto, this Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta is easy, weeknight-friendly, made with just 9 ingredients and a delicious summer dinner idea! To make kid friendly, you can omit most or all of the fresh basil as well as the added chunks of caramelized zucchini, as there is already some zucchini hidden inside of the pesto sauce!
23. One-Pot Vegan Chili Mac
One of the keys to making kid-friendly vegan recipes? Minimizing cleanup.
This protein-packed chili meets pasta is just the ticket! Easy and quick and made with simple ingredients, this is a perfect hearty weeknight-friendly and budget-friendly dinner! Easy to make gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free.
To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:
- Substitute the tempeh with a half can of extra beans. Tempeh can be bitter for many palates.
- Go easy on the spices: cut the chili powder in half, omit the cayenne pepper, use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika, use less cumin, etc.
24. Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme
If your kids enjoy the Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell, then it’s time to introduce them to this healthy homemade upgrade! Layers of vegan nacho cheese sauce, homemade vegan taco meat, sour cream, guacamole, crispy tostadas, and more! The most unbelievably delicious copycat fast food recipe you will ever taste!
To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:
- If your child isn’t a big fan of smoke flavors, omit the smoked paprika or use regular paprika in the lentil taco meat and nacho cheese sauce.
- Use mild salsa in the nacho cheese recipe.
- Omit the jalapeño from the guacamole; if your child can handle a little bit of heat, use 1/4 to 1/2 jalapeño pepper but remove all the seeds and membranes.
25. Cashew Cream Pasta
Cashew cream is my favorite all-purpose condiment! Pair it with some cooked pasta and you have an easy, creamy, indulgent yet healthy pasta recipe! And what kid doesn’t like creamy pasta?
Add some cooked beans and whatever veggies you have on hand for a complete, balanced meal (and more importantly, a kid-friendly vegan recipe).
The Cashew Cream Pasta is “meal” #1” in this blog post.
26. One-Pot Pumpkin Alfredo
Say goodbye to a sink full of dishes and hello to this one-pot pumpkin pasta (and what parent doesn’t like minimizing dishwashing?)! This is the creamiest pumpkin Alfredo pasta ever and a great, kid-friendly vegan recipe! This one-pot pumpkin pasta is like a fall hug in a bowl, with warming flavors of pumpkin and nutmeg and woodsy herbs like rosemary and sage.
Since kids can be a bit sensitive to garlic, I recommend using a bit less than the recipe calls for.
Kid-Friendly Vegan Dessert Recipes
27. The Vegan Everything Cookie
These Vegan Everything Cookies are made with all the best cookie ingredients, like chocolate chunks, oats, nuts, and raisins. They’re perfectly chewy, indulgent, and irresistible! And while they’re indulgent, you can feel better knowing that you’re feeding your kiddos healthyish ingredients like coconut sugar, almond butter, and oats.
28. Easy Banana Bread
This is truly the Best Vegan Banana Bread you (or your kids will ever taste), and it is so easy to make that your kids can even help you make this recipe. With just 8 ingredients, it’s simple yet extremely delicious. Plus, it’s moist, tender, and light, not dense or dry.
29. Raspberry Crumble Bars
These Vegan Crumble Raspberry Bars have a thick jammy layer of raspberries mixed with raspberry jam nestled between a buttery oat crumble crust and topping! They’re vegan and easy to make gluten-free and refined sugar-free, so you don’t have to worry about over-hyper kids ;)
30. No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
These No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars taste exactly like a PB&J sandwich but even better! Made with just 6 ingredients, these healthy peanut butter jelly bars are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and soy-free and make great healthy snack bars or breakfast bars for kids and adults alike!
31. Vegan Brownies
Finishing off this list with an incredible recipe for the most chocolate-y, fudgy and chewy brownies you’ve ever tried. They have that elusive shiny, crinkly top so hard to reproduce in vegan brownie recipes and are the perfect treat for the whole family!
32. No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Vegan Cookie Dough Bars (and 25+ Kid-Friendly Recipes)
Ingredients
- 1 packed cup of soft Medjool dates pitted*
- 2 3/4 cups rolled oats (~260-275g), certified gluten-free if needed**
- 1/4 cup smooth tahini (56g) (or almond butter or cashew butter)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (170-180g) vegan chocolate chips, divided (I use these mini chocolate chips)
- 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil, melted (optional; omit to keep oil-free)
Instructions
- If the dates are not very soft, cover them with hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- Place the oats in the bowl of the food processor and pulverize them until you have a fine oat flour. Alternatively, you can use store-bought oat flour. See note below.
- Add the pitted dates, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to the oat flour. Blend until the mixture forms into a sticky dough (it should turn into a ball). If it feels dry, add a spoon of plant-based milk a teaspoon at a time until the dough just sticks together when pressed.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into the dough using a silicone spatula.1. Note: If the dough is too sticky to handle with your hands (this is more likely if your kitchen is warm), place the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm it up a bit.
- Line a 8×4-inch (20×10 cm) or 9×5-inch loaf pan (23×13 cm) with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling. Spread the dough out into the prepared pan and smooth the top out evenly, pressing all the way into corners using your fingers or a flat-bottomed steel cup to get the mixture even on top.
- Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes (or longer) to set. Once chilled, remove from the freezer and using the parchment paper as handles, lift the cookie dough out of the pan.
- Before removing from the freezer, melt the chocolate.1. Double boiler method: Add a few inches of water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Nestle a large heatproof glass bowl that sits on top of the saucepan without touching the water to create a double boiler. Once the water is simmering, add the vegan chocolate chips and coconut oil to the bowl. Whisk frequently with a spatula until the mixture is just melted.2. Microwave method: Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high in 25 to 30-second intervals until the chocolate is almost melted (about 3 intervals). Use a spoon to stir the chocolate until it is melted.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cold cookie dough and lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. If the chocolate doesn’t immediately harden, return it to the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set, then slice into 8 thick bars or into smaller squares. Store leftovers in the freezer (they’ll stay good for several weeks).
Notes
** If using store-bought oat flour, you’ll need slightly less than the amount of oats – about 2 1/4 cups oat flour.
Awesome and easy. I also switched tahini for sunflower seed butter and it still turned out great.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Karen!
Thank you for this incredible list! My kids are so excited to try a bit of everything. I have one who loves spicy and one not so keen so I love the tips to change things up.