Find the best Thanksgiving recipes for kids to share with your family. Each recipe is easy to make, is designed to be easy for kids to eat, and yet is still delicious enough for the adults at the table, too.
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.)
Your toddler won’t eat? Help is here!
Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.
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.
Silky, smooth, and dairy-free, these Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are SO darn good as a holiday side or a weeknight veggie. Bonus: These sweet potatoes are a super delish baby food!
Creamy, easy to make, and so delicious, these Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are a favorite for holidays and family meals. (I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe. They are usually widely available at grocery stores.) Double or triple this recipe as needed.
Serve these plain or add one of the seasoning suggestions below—mashed butternut squash is very versatile!
You can break or cut these into any size you prefer. I usually just break them in half.
Try these quick Shredded Brussels Sprouts for a simple side for dinner. It’s extra flavorful from lemon and Parmesan and is also slightly sweet and pleasantly nutty. Your kids might (they might!) just surprise you by eating it up! (If not? More for you!)
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 .
This fresh pumpkin puree is mellow and flavorful and can be combined with other purees to make delicious baby food combinations (see the Notes for flavor options). The amount of puree you wind up with will vary according to the size of the pumpkin you start with.
Perfectly creamy Sweet Potato Puree is a very favorite easy side dish (and baby food!). This is delicious in fall, takes less than 30 minutes, and can be flavored in all sorts of ways.
There’s no one right serving size for every child, so start with a smaller amount and offer more as indicated by baby. When they turn their head or close their mouth, end the meal—it’s usually pretty obvious when they want to be done!
Learn the easiest way to turn fresh acorn squash into Acorn Squash Baby Food as a puree and a baby-led weaning finger food. This can also work as an easy side dish for the entire family, or you can easily freeze portions for future weeks.
Transform fresh apples into Sliced Baked Apples as a simple snack, side dish, or as baby led weaning apples. The super simple method takes just 5 minutes to prep, and they work as a topping for oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, and more!
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.
Yes, this is delicious on turkey, but it also makes a great jam or addition to a bowl of plain yogurt with honey!
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.
You can quickly stir together this Healthy Pumpkin Bars recipe (with oatmeal and low added sugar) for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert. The method is so quick and easy and the result is moist and full of pumpkin goodness. Win, win!
Tender, fluffy, and perfectly spiced, these easy Pumpkin Muffins are a one-bowl, no-special-equipment recipe that’s perfect to share for breakfast or snack.
This bread has the classic flavor and moist crumb of a traditional Pumpkin Bread, but with half the sugar. It stores well too! (Heads up: There’s a full can of pumpkin puree in this, so it takes a little longer to bake.)
Combine a handful of simple ingredients into fresh Cranberry Orange Muffins to share with the kids come breakfast or snack time … or to serve alongside your favorite chili, soup, or holiday recipe. (These mini muffins work best with fresh cranberries.)
This delicious Cranberry Orange Bread is flavorful and tender—and it works really well to bake ahead and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve it. We love it topped with cream cheese, but butter and honey also work.
Moist and nutritious, these healthy cornmeal muffins are an easy side, quick breakfast, or yummy snack.
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.
With a simple stir-together method, these easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a perfect fall dessert to share with the kids! They have less sugar than similar cupcakes yet deliver big time on both texture and flavor.
With a super simple, lightly sweetened dough, these Thanksgiving Cookies are such a fun dessert to make and share with the kids. You can do any shape you prefer, though we’re partial to tiny turkeys!
With a super short ingredient list and a method so easy the toddlers can almost make it on their own, this is our-go easy Pumpkin Pie. It’s reliable, delicious, and so easy.
With sweet-tart flavors and an easy method, this pie is perfect for the winter holidays! Use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe for the best results. Discard any that are blemished or shriveled.
Butternut Squash Pie is a family favorite in my house and this super easy recipe is perfect for the fall and winter holidays. It’s a delicious twist on a classic pumpkin pie and is so easy to make!
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.)
You can make this in about 15 minutes on any morning, or make the whole recipe ahead and simply warm right before serving. See the Notes for variations to make it with other types of oats.
These Pumpkin Pancakes stir together in one bowl, are fluffy and flavorful, and are a perfect breakfast to share with the kids. They’re made with whole wheat flour and just enough spice.
Use this easy method to make the best Pumpkin French Toast to share with the kids. These are a versatile, delicious breakfast option—and they take less than 15 minutes to make and reheat in 2 minutes!
Learn how to make the easiest French toast casserole with this simple method. It works with any fruit and is a great option for using up leftover bread!
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!
This post was first published October 2020.
