The Thanksgiving spread can often seem boring and bland to kids—and we get that! We can see why the appearance of a plate of carrots and roasted turkey might not be exciting to the kiddos.
But luckily, Thanksgiving food for kids doesn’t have to be a challenge! There are plenty of ways to get your children excited for the holiday festivities this year, including making dishes that get the kids involved in the cooking process.
From homemade rolls to easy creamed corn and fluffy mashed potatoes, this holiday lends itself to ingredients that are rich yet fresh, simple and comforting (perfect for a kid’s palate). Read on for our kid-approved Thanksgiving recipes, sure to be loved by the little ones and adults alike!
Homemade Rolls & Biscuits
Homemade rolls and biscuits make the perfect kid-friendly side dishes for Thanksgiving. They’re hearty, wholesome and pair with just about anything! Whether you’re serving them alongside turkey, mashed potatoes or savory gravy, they act as an excellent tool for soaking up every last bit of flavor from your holiday plate.
These Pull Apart Dinner Rolls are soft and delicious, wonderful for a kids’ Thanksgiving table or a holiday dinner party. Our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and Potato Flour come together to create a flavorful and traditional yeast-raised roll that the whole family will love. Brush your rolls with melted butter and serve hot.
For something unique that incorporates the flavors of the season, go for this Whole Wheat Pumpkin Drop Biscuits recipe. These drop biscuits are light, fluffy and easy to make. They’re wonderful served with honey and cinnamon or alongside mashed sweet potatoes. Make Thanksgiving for children festive and fun by enlisting their help with these drop biscuits. They’ll love tasting the final result and sharing it with family and friends. For easy Thanksgiving meal prep, these biscuits can even be made ahead of time (up to 3 months!) and stored in the freezer.
Creamed Corn
Photo by togetherasfamily.com
To elevate a kids’ Thanksgiving favorite, skip the canned cream corn this year and make it homemade. Creamed corn is rich and creamy, and if you have picky eaters in the household, it can be a yummy way to fill their bellies on Thanksgiving evening.
This Honey Butter Creamy Skillet Corn from Together as a Family makes the list of Thanksgiving food for kids thanks to two superstar ingredients: cream cheese and honey. Just melt your butter and honey in a skillet, add the corn followed by the cream cheese, salt and pepper, and you’re all set.
This Homemade Creamed Corn from Spend with Pennies is another go-to, as it utilizes things you most likely have on hand in the fridge already. The end result is decadent and filled with flavor, especially once the fresh thyme is added. Make a big batch so you have leftovers to enjoy with the family throughout the week.
If you’re looking for a hands-off recipe that’s super simple to throw together, try this one for Slow Cooker Creamed Corn from Damn Delicious. It calls for just five ingredients: corn, cream cheese, milk, butter and sugar. On Thanksgiving morning, throw everything in the crockpot, cover and stir. After a few hours, you’ll have a sweet side dish for turkey and potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes
Photo by thekidscookmonday.org
No Thanksgiving for children would be complete without the comfort of mashed potatoes! Mashed potatoes are a versatile side dish that can be whipped up fast.
Our Potato Flakes are made from genuine russet potatoes, and make a quick and delicious mashed potato. Just add your potato flakes to hot water, fluff with a fork and serve with a bit of butter, milk and sea salt. Top your potatoes with the kid-friendly favorites of your choice.
Mashed Potato Hills are another fun idea for a kids’ Thanksgiving spread. This creative recipe takes cheesy mashed potatoes and transforms them into hills sprinkled with parsley for greenery. The result is whimsical and tasty, an excellent choice for a festive Thanksgiving tradition.
For a simple yet fantastic recipe, you can never go wrong with Ultimate Mashed Potatoes. Epicurious guides readers through all the best tips and tricks to achieve those light and perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes, from cutting your potatoes evenly to using a potato ricer. Give their article a peek to ensure your potatoes are a crowd pleaser (and a kid pleaser) this Thanksgiving.
You can also feel free to go a new route with your mashed potatoes this year. Surprise your crowd this Thanksgiving with a sublime Sweet Potato Crumble Casserole. Our granola is combined with sweet potato and flavors like ginger, maple syrup and nutty pecans for a standout dish that’s sure to please.
Stuffing
At Bob’s Red Mill, we absolutely love stuffing. What’s better than a bread-filled mix with herbs and onions? The best news about stuffing is that it’s one of our tried and true kid friendly side dishes for Thanksgiving.
For a no-fail recipe for kids’ Thanksgiving, whip up a big batch of these creative Thanksgiving Stuffing Muffins. With individually portioned amounts of stuffing, this dish makes for easy serving when you’re cooking for a crowd. Once you’ve combined your ingredients, bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are browned. Remove from the oven and let cool, then serve warm. This is a great Thanksgiving food for children who might otherwise be picky eaters, as it puts a classic Thanksgiving dish into a uniquely fun form.
For an elegant recipe that’s also kid-approved, try our Bacon and Sage Cornbread Stuffing. It calls for our Gluten Free Cornbread Mix, which is cut into cubes after it’s prepared. Once combined with bacon, onion, sage, garlic and chicken broth, this hearty dish becomes crisp, brown and perfect for a Thanksgiving spread.
While most stuffing recipes are kid-friendly, this Kids Apple Sausage Stuffing from Weelicious is one of the best. It’s made with bread cubes, chicken apple sauce and apples, with a hint of fresh thyme. Although it’s geared towards the little ones’ tastebuds, it’s certainly a dish that adults will love, too!
Pies & Tarts
Pies and tarts had to be included in this roundup, as they’re the thing we all look forward to! And believe it or not, depending on which pie and tart you’re choosing, they can be chock full of healthy ingredients, too! We like to think one of the greatest pleasures of food is enjoying a slice of pumpkin pie the morning after Thanksgiving.
This Savory Butternut Tart can be served as a side dish for your turkey-day feast or as a vegetarian main dish. As an added bonus, it’s also an easy Thanksgiving food for kids to help make. It utilizes our Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix for a light and flaky crust that no one will suspect is gluten free! Plus, it’s an excellent way to incorporate the nutritional benefits of butternut squash into your Thanksgiving feast.
For a pie that kids and adults alike will swoon over, try this Vegan Pecan Pie courtesy of Aimee Stock from The Veg Life. Made with Aimee’s mom’s old recipe, it calls for just six ingredients and is an easy recipe to make from scratch. We love the use of Flaxseed Meal in the crust and the filling, which gives this pie a mild, nutty flavor and a wealth of omega-3 fatty acids.
Of course, we can’t forget the classic Pumpkin Pie! Pumpkin pie is a perfect Thanksgiving food for kids and tastes delightful for dessert and morning-after breakfast or brunch. No Thanksgiving would be complete without a scrumptious pumpkin pie, and this one is great if you have any gluten free members of the family. It utilizes our Gluten Free Pie Crust mix and a bounty of other ingredients, like pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs and butter. With cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, this pie contains all the best flavors of the season.
Have any favorite kid-friendly side dishes for Thanksgiving? We’d love to hear about some of your go-to dishes that help make Thanksgiving for children fun and exciting. From a beloved mashed potato recipe, to the tastiest rolls and breads, we look forward to hearing what you create in your Thanksgiving kitchen.
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, thanks for reading! We hope this article inspired you to get to the kitchen and whip up something savory or sweet and of course, delicious! We’re wishing you a happy and healthy holiday ahead with your family and friends. Whatever you bake or cook, we know it will be filled with lots of love and tons of flavor.
