The Night We Let Them Build Their Own Plates: 19 Dinners Picky Eaters Actually Finish

If you have picky eaters at home, you know the feeling. One dinner, five opinions, and somebody always pushing a plate away. The night we stopped making one plate for everyone was the night dinner stopped being a fight. Pediatric experts agree that kids do better when they get some say in what goes on their plate, and when at least one food they already like is always on the table. So every dinner below is a build your own bar with a safe base and a few fun toppings to try. Pull up a chair..

Taco Night, the Build-Your-Own Dinner Picky Eaters Love Most

Taco night works because every person builds their own. Warm tortillas and plain seasoned beef are the safe base that almost every kid will eat. Then you set out the try it toppings: corn, black beans, tomato, avocado and lettuce. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it can take children 15 to 20 tries to like a new food, so do not worry if the lettuce bowl comes back full tonight. Just keep putting it out.

You will need: 1 pound ground beef or turkey, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, 10 small flour or corn tortillas, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1 cup corn, 1 can black beans rinsed, 2 tomatoes diced, 1 avocado sliced, 2 cups shredded lettuce, sour cream, mild salsa.

How to make it: 1. Brown the meat in a skillet and drain any fat. 2. Stir in taco seasoning and water and simmer 5 minutes. 3. Warm the tortillas in a clean towel in the microwave for 30 seconds. 4. Warm the corn and beans. 5. Put every topping in its own small bowl with a spoon. 6. Let everyone build their own, and adults build theirs too so kids can watch.

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl Bar

White rice and plain chicken bites are the safe base here. The teriyaki sauce goes on the side in a little pitcher so kids can pour as much or as little as they want. Then set out edamame, shredded carrots, cucumber and sesame seeds as the try it toppings. Some kids will build a whole rainbow bowl. Others will eat plain rice and chicken. Both are a win.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs in bite size pieces, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, 4 cups cooked rice, 1 cup shelled edamame, 1 cucumber, 2 carrots shredded, sesame seeds.

How to make it: 1. Cook the chicken in oil until golden and cooked through. 2. Simmer soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic in a small pan. 3. Stir in the cornstarch mix until glossy. 4. Pour the sauce into a small pitcher. 5. Set out rice, chicken and each topping in separate bowls. 6. Let everyone build and sauce their own bowl.

Loaded Sweet Potato Boats Picky Eaters Can Fill

Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, which makes them an easy first step for picky eaters who usually say no to vegetables. Bake them whole, split them open, and let everyone fill their own boat. Butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon is the safe choice. Black beans, cheese, pulled chicken or a spoon of Greek yogurt are the brave ones. Which topping would your kids pick first?

You will need: 4 medium sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons butter, cinnamon, 1 cup shredded cooked chicken, 1 can black beans rinsed, 1 cup shredded cheese, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, 2 green onions sliced, salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400F. 2. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a lined sheet for 45 to 55 minutes, until soft. 3. Let them cool 5 minutes and split them open. 4. Fluff the insides with a fork and add a little butter and salt. 5. Warm the chicken and beans. 6. Set out all the toppings and let everyone load their own.

Make-Your-Own Quesadilla Night

A quesadilla is really just a grilled cheese with a tortilla, which is why picky eaters trust it. Let kids choose their fillings from a lineup: cheese only, chicken, beans, peppers, spinach or corn. Then cook them in a hot pan and cut them into triangles. Put mild salsa, sour cream and guacamole out for dipping. Dipping is a fun way to try something new.

You will need: 8 flour tortillas, 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup black beans, 1 bell pepper diced, 1 cup baby spinach, 1/2 cup corn, butter, mild salsa, sour cream, guacamole.

How to make it: 1. Set out tortillas, cheese and all fillings. 2. Let each person sprinkle cheese on half a tortilla and add fillings. 3. Fold the tortilla in half. 4. Cook in a buttered skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and melty. 5. Rest 1 minute and cut into triangles. 6. Serve with the dips.

Build-Your-Own Fried Rice for Picky Eaters

Fried rice is a great way to use leftovers, and it is easy to make a bar out of it. Cook a big pan of simple egg fried rice as the safe base. Then let picky eaters stir in their own add-ins: peas, diced ham, pineapple, chicken or shrimp. Kids love that they get to make it their own. Is your kid team plain or team everything?

You will need: 4 cups cold cooked rice, 3 eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 green onions, add-ins in bowls: 1 cup peas and carrots, 1 cup diced ham or cooked chicken, 1 cup pineapple chunks, 1 cup cooked shrimp.

How to make it: 1. Heat oil in a big skillet or wok. 2. Scramble the eggs and push them to the side. 3. Add the cold rice and press it into the pan to crisp for 2 minutes. 4. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. 5. Warm each add-in separately. 6. Serve the rice and let everyone stir in their own add-ins.

Noodle Bowl Night

Noodles are on the safe list for most picky eaters. Toss lo mein or spaghetti noodles with a mild soy and butter sauce, then build bowls with chicken, broccoli, snap peas and bell peppers on the side. Chopsticks or a fork, kids get to choose that too. Put a tiny bowl of something new next to their plate, with no pressure to eat it.

You will need: 12 ounces lo mein noodles or spaghetti, 2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 pound chicken strips, 2 cups broccoli florets, 1 cup snap peas, 1 red bell pepper sliced, 1 tablespoon oil.

How to make it: 1. Cook the noodles and drain. 2. Toss with butter, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. 3. Stir fry the chicken in oil until cooked. 4. Quickly cook the broccoli, snap peas and pepper until bright and crisp tender. 5. Put noodles, chicken and each vegetable in separate bowls. 6. Let everyone build their own noodle bowl.

Breakfast for Dinner: A Pancake Bar Picky Eaters Love

Breakfast for dinner feels like a party to kids, and pancakes are a classic safe food. Set out sliced bananas, berries, a few chocolate chips, peanut butter and yogurt as toppings. Add scrambled eggs on the side for protein. Let each kid make a pancake face with fruit. You may be surprised what they eat when it has a smile on it.

You will need: 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 3/4 cups milk, 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons melted butter, toppings: bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peanut butter, yogurt, mini chocolate chips, maple syrup.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 2. Whisk the milk, eggs and butter and stir into the dry mix until just combined. 3. Heat a greased griddle over medium heat. 4. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake and cook until bubbles form, then flip. 5. Keep warm in a low oven. 6. Set out toppings and let the decorating begin.

Burrito Bowl Bar

A burrito bowl bar is a lot like taco night, but everything goes over rice, which some picky eaters find easier. Keep the base mild: rice, plain chicken and cheese. Then add pinto beans, corn, peppers, salsa and guacamole as the brave toppings. Parents can load theirs up, and kids can copy whatever looks good. Modeling really helps here.

You will need: 3 cups cooked rice, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 can pinto beans, 1 cup corn, 1 bell pepper sliced, 1 cup shredded cheese, mild salsa, guacamole, sour cream.

How to make it: 1. Stir lime juice and cilantro into the warm rice (keep some plain for picky eaters). 2. Rub the chicken with taco seasoning. 3. Cook in oil for 6 to 7 minutes per side and slice. 4. Saute the pepper slices until soft. 5. Warm the beans and corn. 6. Set everything out and build bowls.

Mini Slider Night for Picky Eaters

Mini burgers are less scary than a giant one, and little hands can hold them. Make plain beef or chicken patties as the safe choice and let picky eaters add their own cheese, pickles, lettuce or tomato. Small portions take the pressure off, because trying one tiny slider feels doable. Which slider would you build?

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 12 slider buns, 6 slices American or cheddar cheese halved, toppings: pickles, lettuce, tomato slices, ketchup, mustard, mayo.

How to make it: 1. Mix the meat with salt and garlic powder. 2. Shape into 12 small patties a little wider than the buns. 3. Cook in a hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through (160F for beef, 165F for chicken). 4. Add cheese for the last minute. 5. Toast the buns. 6. Set out toppings and let everyone build their own.

Rice Paper Roll and Lettuce Cup Bar

This one feels like a craft project, and that is the magic. Kids dip a rice paper wrapper in warm water, then fill it with whatever they like: rice noodles, cucumber, carrot, cooked shrimp or chicken. Lettuce cups are an easy backup. Getting kids involved in making food is one of the top tips from pediatric dietitians. Looking for more sneaky ideas? Try these hidden veggie recipes kids will eat.

You will need: 12 rice paper wrappers, 4 ounces thin rice noodles cooked, 1 cucumber in thin sticks, 2 carrots in thin sticks, 1 cup cooked shrimp or shredded chicken, butter lettuce leaves, fresh mint, peanut sauce or sweet chili sauce.

How to make it: 1. Set out all fillings in small bowls. 2. Fill a wide dish with warm water. 3. Dip a wrapper for 5 seconds until soft. 4. Lay it on a damp board and add fillings in a line. 5. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly. 6. Serve with dipping sauce, and offer lettuce cups to anyone who prefers them.

Mini Kebab Skewer Night

Food on a stick is fun, and kids who build their own skewers are often more willing to try them. Cut chicken, pineapple, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and zucchini into chunks and let everyone thread their own. Use blunt wooden skewers and help little ones. A plain all chicken skewer is totally fine for the most careful eaters.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken cut in 1 inch cubes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt, 1 cup pineapple chunks, 1 red bell pepper, 1 zucchini, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, wooden skewers soaked in water.

How to make it: 1. Toss the chicken with oil, lemon, garlic powder, paprika and salt. 2. Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces. 3. Set everything out and let everyone thread their own skewers. 4. Heat the oven to 425F or heat a grill pan. 5. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches 165F. 6. Serve with rice or pita.

Soup and Dippers Night

A bowl of smooth tomato soup with a plate of dippers turns dinner into a game. Grilled cheese strips, buttered toast sticks, crackers and cheese cubes are the safe dippers. Roasted broccoli trees and carrot sticks are the brave ones. Pediatric dietitians note that dipping can encourage kids to try new foods. Tell us your favorite dipper.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter, 1 onion chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup cream, salt, dippers: grilled cheese strips, toast sticks, crackers, cheese cubes, roasted broccoli.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft. 2. Add the tomatoes, broth and sugar. 3. Simmer 20 minutes. 4. Blend until smooth and stir in the cream. 5. Season with salt. 6. Ladle into mugs or bowls and set out the dippers.

Mac and Cheese Toppings Bar for Picky Eaters

Mac and cheese is the ultimate safe food for picky eaters, so make it the base and let the toppings do the exploring. Peas, broccoli, crispy bacon bits, diced ham, cherry tomatoes and breadcrumbs go in little bowls. Even one pea on top counts as a step forward. Celebrate it quietly and keep going.

You will need: 1 pound elbow macaroni, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 1/2 cups milk, 3 cups shredded mild cheddar, salt, toppings: peas, steamed broccoli, bacon bits, diced ham, cherry tomatoes, buttered breadcrumbs.

How to make it: 1. Cook the macaroni and drain. 2. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. 3. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer until thick. 4. Stir in the cheese until smooth and season. 5. Fold in the pasta. 6. Serve in bowls with all the toppings on the side.

Pita Pocket Bar

Pita pockets are fun to stuff, and kids love filling them up. Warm pitas and plain chicken are the base. Cucumber, tomato, shredded lettuce, feta and a mild yogurt sauce are the options to try. Cutting the pitas in half makes small, easy pockets. Ask your kids to name their creation, it makes them proud to eat it.

You will need: 6 pita breads, 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt, 1 cucumber diced, 2 tomatoes diced, 2 cups shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup feta, 1 cup plain yogurt mixed with lemon and a pinch of dill.

How to make it: 1. Rub the chicken with oil, oregano, garlic powder and salt. 2. Cook in a skillet 6 to 7 minutes per side, then slice. 3. Warm the pitas and cut them in half. 4. Mix the yogurt sauce. 5. Put all fillings in bowls. 6. Let everyone stuff their own pockets.

Kid Friendly Hand Roll Night

You do not need raw fish to make sushi night fun. Set out seasoned rice, small sheets of nori, and cooked fillings like crab sticks, cooked shrimp, avocado, cucumber and scrambled egg strips. Kids roll their own little cones. Picky eaters can make a rice and cucumber roll, and that still counts.

You will need: 2 cups sushi rice, 2 1/2 cups water, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 8 nori sheets cut in half, fillings: imitation crab, cooked shrimp, avocado, cucumber sticks, thin egg omelet strips, soy sauce.

How to make it: 1. Rinse the rice and cook it with the water. 2. Stir vinegar, sugar and salt into the hot rice and cool. 3. Set out nori and fillings. 4. Spread a small scoop of rice on the left side of a nori half. 5. Add fillings and roll into a cone. 6. Dip in soy sauce and eat right away.

Meatball Sub Bar for Picky Eaters

Meatballs in red sauce are a favorite with many picky eaters. Put the meatballs and sauce in a slow cooker, set out toasted rolls, and let everyone build a sub. Melted mozzarella is the safe topping. Sauteed peppers, spinach and parmesan are the bonus ones. Some kids will skip the roll and eat meatballs with a fork, and that is fine.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds frozen or homemade meatballs, 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce, 6 sub rolls, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1 bell pepper and 1 onion sliced and sauteed, 1 cup baby spinach, grated parmesan.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the meatballs in marinara for 20 minutes, or 3 hours on low in a slow cooker. 2. Split and toast the rolls. 3. Put out the cheese, peppers, spinach and parmesan. 4. Let everyone add meatballs and sauce to a roll. 5. Top with cheese. 6. Broil 1 to 2 minutes to melt, watching closely.

Snack Board Dinner With Hummus

Some kids just like little bits of everything. A snack board dinner gives them that. Fill a big board with hummus, pita triangles, cheese, crackers, grapes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and sliced chicken or meatballs. It feels like a picnic, and kids graze at their own pace. This is a great Friday night dinner after a long week.

You will need: 1 cup hummus, 3 pita breads cut in triangles, 6 ounces cheese cubes, 1 cup crackers, 1 cup grapes, 1 cucumber sliced, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup sliced cooked chicken or small meatballs, 1/2 cup olives, carrot sticks.

How to make it: 1. Put the hummus in a bowl in the center of a large board. 2. Warm the pita triangles in the oven for 5 minutes. 3. Arrange cheese, crackers and pita around the hummus. 4. Fill gaps with fruit and vegetables. 5. Add the chicken or meatballs. 6. Give each person a small plate and let them build their own.

Sizzling Fajita Night

Fajitas are like a grown up taco bar, and the sizzle gets everyone to the table. Cook the chicken and peppers separately so picky eaters can choose plain chicken in a tortilla. Others can pile on peppers, onions, guacamole and salsa. One pan, lots of choices, and nobody needs a special dinner.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast in strips, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon fajita or taco seasoning, juice of 1 lime, 2 bell peppers sliced, 1 onion sliced, 8 flour tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, mild salsa.

How to make it: 1. Toss the chicken with half the oil, seasoning and lime juice. 2. Cook in a hot skillet 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through and set aside. 3. Cook the peppers and onion in the rest of the oil until soft and charred. 4. Warm the tortillas. 5. Keep the chicken and vegetables in separate bowls. 6. Let everyone build their own fajitas.

Fruit Skewer and Yogurt Dip Dessert Bar

End the night on a sweet note that still feels like part of the plan. Kids thread their own fruit skewers with strawberries, grapes, melon, pineapple and blueberries, then dip them in honey yogurt. It is a happy, no pressure way to keep trying new fruit. Which of these dinners will you try first with your picky eaters? Tell us how it goes.

You will need: 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup grapes, 1 cup melon cubes, 1 cup pineapple chunks, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, a pinch of cinnamon, short wooden skewers.

How to make it: 1. Wash and cut the fruit into bite size pieces. 2. Put each fruit in its own bowl. 3. Mix yogurt, honey and cinnamon for the dip. 4. Help little ones thread fruit onto the skewers. 5. Let each kid make their own pattern. 6. Serve with the dip and enjoy together.