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    Home » Blog » Easter

    30 Easy Easter Recipes Kids Will Actually Eat

    Published: Mar 24, 2019 · Modified: Feb 25, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Planning an Easter dinner for kids with plenty of easy side dishes helps to ensure that even the pickiest of eaters at your spring table will dine happy.

    A photo collage shows some of the delicious Easter recipes kids love.

    I have great sympathy for kids who don't like Easter ham. Even now as an adult, I'm not a fan of a big thick slabs of it on my dinner plate.

    It took me a long time to realize that thinly sliced spiral-cut ham covered in a sweet pineapple-mustard glaze is actually a super-delicious way to celebrate Easter.

    But, there just would have been no convincing me of that when I was a kid.

    Now that I prepare Easter dinner for my family, I try hard to make sure that there are several dishes on the table I know the kids will eat.

    After all, it is a whole-family holiday, it doesn't hurt to add in a few things you know will be surefire winners!

    Jump to:
    • Tips for Planning an Easter Dinner for Kids
    • Easy Easter Dinner Recipes
    • Easy Easter Brunch Ideas
    • Easy Easter Side Dishes
    • Easter Dessert Recipes
    • 💬 Comments

    Tips for Planning an Easter Dinner for Kids

    I don't cater to my children with cliche kid recipes like hot dogs or pb&j. I simply try to work around what their aversions are and find new ways to use the seasonal flavors that they will love.

    Be Flexible:

    If your kid really doesn't like Easter ham? Why not switch to a roast pork or fish this year?

    I have several perfect spring recipes for these main dishes that may be just the change your family needs this year.

    Load Up on Easter Side Dishes:

    The side dishes are a great place to add a wide variety of offerings to your Easter buffet. It's ok if your kids don't like one or two items if there are plenty of options available to sample.

    If your kids turns up their noses at potatoes? There are always hot cross biscuits or scones.

    If your kids groan at asparagus? You could switch to a citrus salad or roasted peppers!

    You could challenge the kids to try at least 2 or 3 things that get passed to ensure they have a little variety.

    Easy Easter Dinner Recipes

    From traditional spiral-cut Easter hams to more unique macadamia crusted halibut, these elegant and easy main dishes are perfect for your Easter dinner.

    Mustard Glazed Ham

    This mustard glazed ham was the winning recipe that convinced adult-me that Easter ham is delicious. The roasted pineapples on top are amazing but can be served on the side for picky eaters.

    • Slices of pineapple glazed ham sits on a platter next to the roasted pineapple slices. A tray of colorful Easter eggs sits in the background.
      Mustard Glazed Ham with Pineapple

    Crockpot Spiral Ham

    If my glazed ham seems too fussy, you can actually make a very similar recipe right in the slowcooker!

    My easy Crockpot spiral ham had nice thin slices of ham with a delicious brown sugar glaze that kids love.

    • The spiral ham is on a roasting rack so it can be broiled to make the brown sugar glaze crispy.
      Crockpot Spiral Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

    Ooey Gooey Ham Sliders

    If you must have ham but your kids can't stand the whole roast, gooey ham sliders are a fun twist on the traditional dinner. They are also great for using up leftovers of the spiral ham the next day.

    • A filled baking pan of mini ham sliders with butter dripping off the top and a sprinkle of poppyseeds on each one.
      Gooey Hawaiian Roll Ham and Cheese Sliders

    Ham Pot Pie with Biscuits

    Another great way to incorporate ham in a way that is friendly to kids--all chopped up and hidden inside ham pot pie with biscuit topped crust.

    For the pickiest of eaters, you could serve the biscuit on the side and the pot pie filling in a bowl so they can eat them separately.

    • A baking pan filled with ham pot pie filling and topped with fresh homemade biscuits instead of pie crust.
      Ham Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping

    Make Ahead Pork Loin

    One year we swapped the ham for Easter and made this recipe for an oven roasted pork loin instead. It might be my favorite Easter dinner ever, but I get vetoed by my husband and mom for our traditional ham every year since.

    You can serve the green peppercorn sauce in a pitcher at the table and just let the adults drizzle it over their servings if peppercorns make your kids anxious.

    • A white platter with slices of roasted pork drizzled with green peppercorn sauce has sprinkles of peppercorns and a bunch of fresh thyme. There's a fork and a green napkin.
      Make-Ahead Oven Roasted Pork Loin

    Macadamia Crusted Halibut

    This recipe for macadamia crusted halibut with lemon butter sauce is SO delicious that we've made it for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day. If it's a party, you will likely find this on our table. It would be a perfect Easter recipe for anyone who doesn't like ham.

    The light and crispy coating is a hit with kids and the whole dish can be made in advance.

    • A filet of macadamia encrusted halibut is covered with a drizzle of lemon butter cream sauce. Fresh green asparagus and a serving of wild rice sit next to it on the plate.
      Prep-Ahead Macadamia Crusted Halibut

    Mustard Roasted Salmon

    Another delicious spring recipe, mustard roasted salmon is such a happy pink color for your Easter table. My kids lovingly call it "pink fish."

    The sweet mustard glaze gives an amazing texture to the flaky fish.

    • A plate with mustard glazed salmon and a leafy citrus salad with a scoop of couscous side dish.
      Mustard Glazed Salmon

    Roasted Shrimp

    Do your kids love shrimp? This simple recipe for roasted shrimp would be a quick and easy dish to accompany your ham for the kids. Don't forget to add a few yummy dipping sauces for the shrimp for kids who love to dunk.

    Or, you could make a bigger batch of the recipe and feed it to the whole family with plenty of side dishes to round out a full meal.

    • A blue plate with roasted shrimp next to lime wedges. Fresh parsley is sprinkled over the top. A blue napkin is under the plate.
      How to Cook Frozen Shrimp
    • Several containers of different dipping sauces are laid out for shrimp.
      11 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp

    Easy Easter Brunch Ideas

    If you prefer to celebrate with an early day Easter brunch, you'll want a mix of savory Easter recipes and sweet Easter baked treats.

    Eggs are the obvious answer but you could also add an item or two from the Easter dinners section, too!

    Egg and Sausage Casserole

    This recipe for egg and sausage casserole is also a huge hit on Christmas morning. Sprinkle some fresh spring green onions over the top of each serving rather than swirling them into the batter if you've got kids who don't like onions.

    • A white baking dish has a cheesy sausage and egg casserole with green veggies mixed in.
      Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole with English Muffins

    Cheesy Egg Pie

    I love quiche because you can mix and match whatever fillings your family loves most but the next best thing is a 2-crusted egg and ham pie.

    You could add chunks of ham, sausage, cheese, peppers, broccoli, or onions, whatever your kids will love.

    And it will all be tucked away inside the flakiest butter pie crust you've ever had.

    • Cheesy Egg and Ham Slab Pie

    French Toast Casserole

    For kids who want something a little sweeter at the table, how about a baked French toast casserole?

    My favorite version has a pecan bourbon twist, but I included 14 flavor variations for easy swaps. You're sure to find one the kids will love.

    • A serving of French toast casserole topped with pecans has slices of bacon on the side.
      Overnight French Toast Casserole {14 Flavors!}

    Blueberry Scones

    This recipe for blueberry scones is easy enough the kids can make it all by themselves. You could swap the dried blueberries and use currants for a hot cross bun-inspired treat.

    • A blue plate has a pile of homemade blueberry scones on top.
      Easy Blueberry Scones

    Easy Quick Bread

    Choose your child's favorite flavor and serve a sweet quick bread recipe sliced in a bread basket. Almond poppyseed bread is great for spring, the kids won't even taste the zucchini in the banana bread, and you could leave the almonds off the top of the peach bread if you need to.

    • A sliced loaf of almond poppy seed bread is ready for serving on a white platter.
      Almond Poppy Seed Bread
    • Homemade banana zucchini bread has been sliced to show the inside and sits in a white ceramic bread basket with a grey striped napkin.
      Banana Zucchini Bread
    • The baked peach bread with almond glaze and toasted almond slivers has been sliced so you can see the fresh peaches inside.
      Peach Bread

    Homemade Chocolate Croissants

    These bite-sized chocolate puffs taste just like chocolate croissants but are easy enough for the kids to make. They are an adorable and easy Easter brunch idea.

    • A white platter of homemade chocolate croissants made from puff pastry. One has been broken in half to show the melted chocolate filling, there's a Hershey's square of chocolate next to it.
      Easiest Chocolate Croissant Recipe Ever

    Easy Easter Side Dishes

    From simple spring veggie sides to buttery and decadent biscuits and potatoes, these Easter recipes for side dishes are a huge hit with kids:

    Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

    Since we moved to the South, our family has adopted the tradition of serving baked mac and cheese as a holiday side dish for family gatherings.

    I found the perfect make ahead mac and cheese that is easy to sneak into the oven while the ham is resting.

    That way, not matter what else I serve, my kids know there will be at least one thing on the table they are super excited to eat.

    • A blue baking dish filled with mac and cheese with bread crumb topping. A serving spoon has removed a portion to show the creamy elbow noodles.
      Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

    Roasted Pineapple & Peppers

    A perfect complement to the Easter ham, these roasted pineapple and peppers are perfectly sweet and tangy and a fun twist on a veggie side for kids.

    • A serving bowl of roasted pineapple and pepper chunks sits in front of a roasting pan with spatula.
      Roasted Peppers and Pineapple

    Citrus Salad

    This sunny citrus salad would be perfectly pretty on the holiday table. My kids gobbled it up when I served it this winter.

    If you've got picky eaters, you can easily serve it in deconstructed separate dishes and let them nibble on the citrus, nuts, and cheese separately on their own.

    • A platter of sliced oranges with crumbled cheese, chopped pistachios, and seasonings.
      Simple Citrus Salad

    Creamy Fruit Salads

    If your kid loves Cool Whip or cream cheese frosting as much as my kids do, why not try one of these vintage fruit salads? Grandma made them for a good reason: kids LOVE them.

    My creamy grape salad has a brown sugar and pecan topping, but you could skip the nuts if the kids aren't into it.

    My pistachio fluff and pineapple marshmallow salad both use Cool Whip and pudding mix to coat the pineapple and orange segments hiding inside and I'm not sure who loves them more, me or the kids!

    • A big blue bowl is filled with a creamy grape salad with cream cheese, covered in brown sugar and pecans.
      Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad {Copycat Recipe}
    • A large serving bowl of pistachio fluff has chopped pecans sprinkled over the top and a blue napkin on the side.
      Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad
    • A serving of pineapple ambrosia has a spoon for serving.
      Pineapple Marshmallow Salad {No-Mayo Ambrosia}

    Roasted Carrots

    My kids tend to prefer carrots cold, raw, and crunchy but I think they they also love them when I roast carrots since the oven makes them even sweeter.

    • A roasting pan has crisped roasted carrots sprinkled with seasonings.
      Oven Roasted Carrots

    Hot Cross Biscuits

    Since moving to the South, I've become obsessed with perfect biscuits. I make these hot cross biscuits once every year for Easter and they are my favorite. The kids can't resist the cream cheese cross on top.

    • A platter of hot cross biscuits has a ceramic carrot accessory. Each biscuit has a cream cheese frosting cross on the top and currants inside.
      Make-Ahead Hot Cross Biscuits

    Potato Pancakes with Applesauce

    Looking for a new potato side dish for Easter? Try my make-ahead potato pancakes. Serve them with a 10-minute homemade apple sauce. Your kids can eat them together or separately.

    • A platter of homemade potato latkes next to cups of sour cream and applesauce with spoons.
      Make-Ahead Potato Latkes
    • A serving of applesauce with a spoon.
      Microwave Applesauce

    Cheesy Cornflake Potatoes Casserole

    Kids can't resist that crispy cornflake topping on these delicious funeral potatoes. This is a little like serving mac and cheese, but so much better.

    • The funeral potatoes recipe has been baked and a spoon has scooped out a serving from the baker.
      Cheesy Cornflake Potatoes {Oven or Crock Pot}

    Hard Boiled Eggs

    Hard-boiled eggs: Our Easter Bunny always hides real hardboiled eggs for the Easter egg hunt. He has since I was a little girl. I simply place a bunch of pretty ones on an egg tray for the table and it's always a hit with the kids.

    Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza

    One part appetizer, one part side dish. My kids gobble up this easy cold veggie pizza and you can top it with pretty spring veggies including chopped asparagus or baby peas, too.

    • A veggie pizza has been sliced and served with a small spatula.
      Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza

    Easter Dessert Recipes

    If there's one thing your kids are sure to eat at Easter, it would be just about anything off the dessert table.

    Even still, some Easter desserts are more popular with picky eaters than others. Here are some of my kids' favorites.

    Butterfinger Pie

    This Butterfinger Pie is a HUGE hit with my kids. This creamy, crunchy, chocolate-y pie is inspired by our favorite Easter candy.

    • A slice of no bake butterfinger pie sits on a floral plate. You can see the graham cracker crust and whipped topping.
      No-Bake Butterfinger Pie

    Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    The original version of this amazing carrot cake is a 2-layer masterpiece. It is one of our very favorite cakes so I dialed it down to make it easier (and smaller) for a smaller crowd at Easter.

    • A square slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting sits on a blue plate with a pink fork.
      Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Vanilla cupcakes have been topped with a swirl of cream cheese frosting and sit on a cake plate. There's a frosting piping bag on the counter in front.
      Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

    Lemon Torte

    This Simple Lemon torte is one of my favorite make-ahead Easter desserts. It is so light and refreshing! My youngest daughter loves to eat each layer, one at a time. Ha!

    • A slice of layered lemon torte sits on a blue plate. You can see the yellow lemon layer, a white whipped topping layer, and the graham cracker crust. A twirled slice of lemon sits on top for garnish.
      Lickety Split Lemon Torte

    Strawberry Lemonade Cake

    This strawberry lemonade cake is Little Pea's favorite cake. She requested it twice last summer. It is so moist and delicious. In my opinion it is the best cold right out of the fridge. You can definitely make it the day before and just keep it chilled until serving.

    • A square slice of strawberry lemonade sheet cake with a fork taking a bite. The frosting is pale pink with little pastel sprinkles.
      Strawberry Lemonade Cake

    Easter Treats for Kids to Bake

    7 Super-Simple Easter Treat Ideas To Bake With Kids: And if your kids really want to get in the kitchen to help, don't miss these simple ideas for sweet Easter treats the kids will have so much fun making!

    • Easter bunny butt cupcakes in pink polka dot wrappers have white frosting and little decorative candies that look like bunny feet, a tail, and ears.
      7 Super-Simple Easter Treat Ideas To Bake With Kids

    Chocolate Flourless Torte

    If your kids just can't get enough chocolate, everyone at the table is sure to love this rich, fudgy chocolate flourless torte. I serve it with my vanilla cream sauce, but this Amaretto cream sauce would be perfect for the adults at the table.

    • A rich chocolately round torte is on a cake plate with a pink ceramic flower accent. Powdered sugar is dusted over the top.
      Rich Chocolate Flourless Torte

    Orange Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake

    This stunning chocolate ganache covered orange chocolate bundt cake is a huge hit with kids but adults love it because the fresh orange zest helps keep it from being too sweet.

    • A chocolate glazed bundt cake sits on a white cake plate with a blue robins egg decoration to the left.
      Orange Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
    More than 30 Easter recipes that your kids will actually eat

    More Easy Easter Recipes

    • A family table is set with china and has fresh flowers and a two-layer carrot cake at the center. There are several photos of brunch recipes at the bottom.
      50+ Easter Brunch Ideas for Celebrating at Home
    • The photo collage showcases 4 easter breads on serving platters.
      14 Easy Easter Bread Recipes for Beginners
    • An easter bunny in a photo collage next to several potluck recipes.
      Easter Potluck Ideas: 30 Recipes that Travel Well
    • A white bowl is filled with wild rice pilaf, chunks of carrots and celery are peeking out.
      Wild Rice Pilaf {Instant Pot or Stovetop}

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    1. word games

      July 04, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      30 Easter recipes you share are very nice and helpful to us. The recipe is quite meticulous and easy.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. This easy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is the just-right size says:
      February 25, 2020 at 5:40 pm

      […] 30 easy Easter recipes your kids will actually eat […]

      Reply
    2. Make-ahead oven roasted pork loin with an easy green peppercorn sauce says:
      February 4, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      […] 30 easy Easter recipes your kids will actually eat […]

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    3. Watch your kids inhale the ham leftovers when you make this delicious pot pie says:
      March 25, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      […] 30 easy Easter recipes your kids will actually eat […]

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

    More about me →

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