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Make Your Weekly Meal Plan Kid-Friendly With These 6 Dinner Recipes

We did the planning. You just need to do groceries.
These kid-friendly recipes will make your meal prep easier.
Getty Images
These kid-friendly recipes will make your meal prep easier.

Ah, the weekend.

Time to kick back, relax, and LOL nope. You're a parent, which means your weekend is spent keeping your tiny humans alive/happy, and maybe planning ahead on what to feed them next week so you don't do five days of frozen pizza/takeout/butter noodles again.

Not that we'd judge. We've been there.

WATCH: How to plan your menus and save time in the kitchen. Story continues below.

Getting dinner on the table each day can be a huge challenge for a lot of parents. Kids eat dinner early, which means you don't have time to putter around in the kitchen — it's EYE ON THE PRIZE time. They can also be notoriously picky, which makes it difficult to serve food you both might enjoy. (Oh, you mean you don't want to eat plain bread, a yogurt pop, and half a banana for dinner? Weird.)

You also probably want to feed your kids healthy meals, which can take some planning. And who doesn't love spending the only free time you have looking up recipes and creating a menu?

Well, good news. We did the planning for you this week. All you need to do is the groceries.

Below are six kid-friendly dinner recipes that parents will also enjoy eating, are fairly healthy, and are quick and easy to make.

Sunday: Slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is a perfect Sunday meal.
LauriPatterson/Getty Images
Spaghetti and meatballs is a perfect Sunday meal.

Sunday is the perfect day to throw something hearty in the slow cooker, and this recipe for slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs will not disappoint. It's easy, it's frugal, it's comforting, and most kids love slurping down a plate full of noodles.

The slow cooker takes the meatballs to the next level.

And you know what you can do while your dinner is simmering away? Take the kids out back and make snow cream to enjoy for dessert!

Monday: Bean and cheese quesadillas

Canada's new food guide stresses the importance of plant-based proteins, and an easy way to get kids on board with Meatless Monday is with bean and cheese quesadillas. The black beans are a great protein source, and they're stuffed full of cheese and corn.

The best part? They're ready in just 10 minutes. You can also make the stuffing ahead of time to make Monday's dinner even easier.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, and some veggie sticks on the side.

Tuesday: Maple-glazed sheet pan salmon with sweet potato and broccoli

We love sheet pan dinners for their convenience. And this recipe for maple-glazed salmon with sweet potato and broccoli uses just five ingredients, and is ready in less than 30 minutes. Hell to the yes.

Kids will love the sweet maple glaze, and adults will love eating a meal that actually feels like it's for adults.

Wednesday: Brinner!

Watch: Breakfast in a blanket recipe. Story continues below.

Happy hump day! You made it to Wednesday, and you and the kids deserve a treat. That's where brinner, a.k.a. breakfast for dinner, comes in. Kids will love shaking it up by enjoying a breakfast food for dinner, and so will you.

Breakfast in a blanket is the tastiest recipe. It's eggs, it's bacon, it's cheese, and it's all wrapped up in a delightful Pillsbury crescent roll. And it's ready in just 20 minutes. Serve it with some fresh fruit, and that's dinner.

Thursday: Slow cooker chicken and broccoli

Slow cooker chicken and broccoli is better than takeout.
Brian Macdonald/Getty Images
Slow cooker chicken and broccoli is better than takeout.

Time to bust out the handy slow cooker again. Slow cooker chicken and broccoli will remind you of your favourite takeout dish, but it's way more flavourful and healthy. So not only will your kids devour it, but you'll feel good serving it to them.

It stores well in the freezer, so you can even make it ahead of time and just reheat for dinner.

Friday: Pizza night

Flatbread pizza is fun for kids to make.
lvinst/Getty Images
Flatbread pizza is fun for kids to make.

Pizza is the perfect Friday dinner. It's fun, it's delicious, and kids can look forward to it all week.

This Health Canada recipe for fun flatbread pizza uses whole grain tortillas to keep it healthy, and it's ready in about 15 minutes. Plus, kids will enjoy the chance to make their own pizzas.

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