Our top 15 dinner recipes that can be served as finger food or eaten with your hands! Brilliant for picky eaters to create a more fun dinnertime experience.
Why is finger food great for fussy eaters?
There’s something about finger food (or in fact any food that can be eaten with your hands) that makes mealtimes feel that little bit more relaxed and that little bit more fun!
And for a lot of kids, a more relaxed mealtime can often mean they are more inclined to try new things perhaps, or to eat that little bit more than they would if they were battling with knives, forks and spoons and the formality of it all.
Eating is such a sensory experience and if you think about it, lots of the snacks that kids seem to really enjoy like crisps, ice lollies, cake and the like are all finger foods or food that you eat with your hands so why not extend the sensory experience to to main meals too!
We’ve put together our top 15 dinner recipes that can be served as finger food or eaten with your hands!
15 OF THE BEST FINGER FOOD DINNERS FOR KIDS
Our top 15 dinner recipes that can be served as finger food or eaten with your hands! Brilliant for picky eaters to create a more fun dinnertime experience.
Airfryer Chicken & Cheese Pinwheels
Cheesy Chicken Pinwheels. A quick lunch for kids cooked in the airfryer with just four simple ingredients.
Airfryer Pizza Toast with Hidden Veggies
A quick and easy lunch idea for kids; pizza toast cooked in the airfryer with three hidden veggies
Airfryer Omelette Toast
A quick and easy lunch idea for kids; an omelette toast cooked in the airfryer in less than 10 minutes!
Cauliflower Cheese Fritters
Delicious savoury fritters made with cheddar cheese and frozen diced cauliflower. These are a great way to get some cauliflower into your fussy eaters.
Mini Burgers
Turn meatballs into mini burgers. A really fun and easy lunch or dinner for kids!
Airfryer Cheesy Sausage Bites
Delicious cheesy sausage bites made with just three ingredients and cooked in the airfryer to make them super crispy on the outside.
Popcorn Chicken
Popcorn Chicken makes a really delicious and fun dinner for kids. My recipe is baked to keep it super healthy but still really crispy thanks to the Rice Krispie coating!
Rainbow Veggie Pizza for Kids
This quick and easy Rainbow Veggie Pizza is ready in just 10 minutes. They’re a great healthy alternative to regular pizza that kids will love!
Easy Chicken Satay Skewers
The whole family will love this child-friendly no-marinade recipe for super easy Chicken Satay Skewers!
Ham & Cheese Roll Ups
Delicious Ham & Cheese Roll Ups made with puff pastry. They make a lovely treat tea for the family or can even be eaten cold for lunch!
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
These tasty Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas are so easy to make. Simply bung all the ingredients into the slow cooker and come back to a delicious dinner later in the day!
Slow Cooker Quinoa Lettuce Cups Recipe
Packed full of protein these Slow Cooker Quinoa Lettuce Cups make a delicious, healthy and fun dinner for the whole family!
Melty Ham & Cheese Mini Wraps
These Ham & Cheese Wraps and folded up like mini burritos and dry fried quickly to make them melting on the inside but soft and warm on the outside. So delicious and perfect for lunch at home or a packed lunch at school!
Crispy Baked Salmon Nuggets
Delicious crispy baked salmon nuggets made using fresh salmon fillets
Chicken & Apple Burgers
Delicious kid-friendly burgers made with chicken thighs and grated apple, all from the essential Waitrose range.
Pesto Parmesan Chicken Meatballs
Delicious chicken meatballs made with just 5 simple ingredients and flavoured with basil pesto and parmesan. Perfect for a finger food dinner for kids or even mixed into spaghetti and sauce.
Crispy Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
These delicious Crispy Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets are a tasty and healthy twist on a classic children’s favourite!
Quorn Taco Cups
Delicious and easy to make, these Winter Warmer Quorn Taco Cups are sure to inject a bit of fun into family mealtimes.
Cheddar & Chive BLT Waffle
A delicious BLT sandwich made with savoury cheddar and chives waffles!
Lentil Veggie Nuggets
Delicious Lentil Veggie Nuggets. A healthier alternative to chicken nuggets, these bite sized nuggets make brilliant finger food for kids and toddlers!
Veggie Pizza Roll Ups
Super easy to make and packed with mixed vegetables, these Veggie Pizza Puff Pastry Roll Ups are sure to go down a treat with the whole family!
Dippy Eggs with Avocado Grilled Cheese Toasties
Eggs aren’t just for breakfast. These Dippy Eggs with Avocado Grilled Cheese Toasties make a tasty and quick lunch or dinner for hungry kids!
Veggie Meatballs for Kids
Packed full of protein and fibre, these Veggie Meatballs make a super healthy meal for kids. They’re great finger food for baby led weaning too!
Crispy Tofu Fajitas
Delicious crispy crunchy marinated tofu in a soft floury tortilla and filled with your favourite toppings!
Oat Crusted Chicken Goujons
Delicious kid-friendly chicken goujons made with a crunchy oat coating
If you do try any of my finger food dinners for kids, then please do leave a comment below and share your pictures with me on Instagram. I always love to see your creations!
If you enjoyed this recipe collection, then you might also enjoy:
15 Of The Best 15 Minute (or less!) Kids Dinners – 15 of The Best 15 Minute (or less) Meals for Kids – quick and easy dinner time solutions for busy days! Nutritious and full of flavour too!
20 of The Best “Non-Sandwich” Lunchbox Ideas – 20 Delicious and Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids That Aren’t Sandwiches!
ORDER my new book THE FUSS-FREE FAMILY COOKBOOK out now. 100 healthy easy and quick recipes that the whole family will enjoy!
Sally says
Some really lovely dinner ideas here. Fab to have them all in one place too as my daughter loves finger food dinners!