Top 11 Dinner Ideas For Teens

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Teens can be fussy eaters, and coming up with new and exciting recipes every day is a daunting task. So, to help you out with it, we bring you this post on interesting dinner ideas for teens.

Teens generally crave spicy and tasty food for their meals. In addition, they have access to the Internet and television, which helps them broaden their taste palette. But how many new dishes can you invent every day? Do not fret.

Read on as we have compiled an interesting list of easy, quick, and family-friendly recipes that you can make for your children for dinner. Choose the ones you think will impress them the most.

11 Delicious Dinner Ideas For Teens

Here are a few dinner ideas your teen will love helping you out with:

1. Oven fried chicken

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 2 cups cut broilerⁱA chicken that is less than 10 weeks old. -fryer chicken
• ½ cup of dry whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2tbsp salt
• 1tbsp paprika
• ¼tbsp pepper
• ¼ cup of butter or olive oil

How To:

1. Mix the pepper, bread crumbs, salt, and paprika. Use a kitchen brush to brush the chicken pieces with butter or olive oil. Roll the chicken in the bread crumb mix.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a greased baking pan. Bake the chicken at 425°F until it turns tender.
3. Serve it with mint sauce or homemade tomato salsa to enhance its taste and enrich its nutritional value.

Quick tip

Replace breadcrumbs with crushed or powdered rolled oats to make the chicken coating and enhance the recipe’s texture and nutrition.

2. Pasta with no-cook tomato sauce

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 6 coarsely chopped tomatoes
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt and Pepper Powder
• Oregano
• Whole wheat pasta or qunioa pasta
• Fresh red pepper flakes – optional

How To:

1. Mix the tomatoes, basil, oil and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In the meanwhile, boil your chosen pasta as per the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta and add the tomato sauce.
3. You can garnish with red pepper flakes and oregano before serving.

3. Beans and hot dog bake

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You Will Need:

• 10 slices of hot dogs
• 15 ounces pork and beans in tomato sauce
• 15 ounces drained butter beans
• 15 ounces chili beans
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of chopped onion
• ¼ cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 2tbsp cider vinegar
• ¼tbsp oregano

How To:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Add into a baking dish and bake for two hours at 350°F.

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4. Cheese, tomato and herb omelet

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You Will Need:

• 1 chopped tomato
• 3 eggs
• 2tbsp chopped fresh herbs of choice
• Mozzarella Cheese
• 1tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

How To:

1. Mix the tomato and the eggs. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and pour the egg mix.
2. While cooking the omelet, make sure to flip it over to ensure that both sides are cooked evenly. Sprinkle some shredded cheese and fold it so that cheese can melt inside.
3. Once you see the omelet is fluffed, it’s ready to serve, and you can garnish it with the remaining herbs.

Quick tip

Thyme, garlic, chives, oregano, and parsley are some common herbs that give the omelet an irresistible aroma and accentuate its flavor.

5. Easy green salad

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 head red lettuce
• 1 head green lettuce
• 2 chopped green onions
• 1 cup of grated carrots
• 2tbsp vinegar
• 3tbsp honey
• 1tbsp Dijon mustard
• ½tbsp celery salt
• ¼ cup of olive oil

How To:

1. The first step of this quick vegetarian recipe is to mix the vegetables in a bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables before serving.

6. Tortilla hotdogs

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• Hot dog
• Flour or corn tortillas
• Lettuce leaves or sliced spring onions
• Salsa
• Ketchup
• Mustard

How To:

1. Heat the hot dogs and the tortillas. Place the hot dog in the tortillas and add some spring onions or lettuce leaves, salsa, ketchup, and mustard.
2. Roll up the tortillas and serve hot.

7. Quesadilla

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 2 finely chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup of finely chopped onion
• 3tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 minced fresh hot green pepper
• 1 minced garlic clove
• Juice of half a lime
• Salt as per taste
• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar
• For serving – guacamole

How To:

1. For the salsa – mix all the ingredients except tortilla, guacamole, and cheese. Keep them aside for an hour. Now, fill up the tortillas with the salsa.
2. Preheat oven to 200°F.
3. Heat a pan over medium heat. Place the tortilla and heat for about 30 seconds. Turn it over and add the cheese. Fold the tortilla and close it lightly.
4. Cook the quesadilla until the cheese melts. Place it on a baking sheet and let it remain warm in the oven. Serve with guacamole.

8. Simple radish and arugula salad

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 radish
• 2 sliced small bulbs of fennel
• 1 bunch of de-stemmed arugulaⁱA Mediterranean herb with yellow flowers.
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper as per taste
• Cottage cheese to serve

How To:

1. Place the vegetables in a bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add some cottage cheese just before serving.

Quick tip

Arugula is a spicy-flavored cruciferous vegetable that can be paired with feta cheese, cubed watermelon, and  balsamicⁱA fragrant vinegar fermented in wood barrels. dressing to make a nutritious and delectable salad variation.

9. Tuna melt

You Will Need:

• 4 English muffins
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 4 thinly sliced scallionsⁱYoung onions with a slender shape and mild flavor.
• 2 finely chopped shallots
• 170g tuna
• 2tbsp ketchup
• 6tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 grated lemon zest
• 4 slices Cheddar

How To:

1. Preheat a broiler rack and split the muffins.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the pepper, shallots, and scallions. Cook for about three minutes. Add tuna and stir. Cook for a minute. Remove from heat and keep it aside. Add the ketchup, mayonnaise, and lemon zest.
3. Spread the remaining mayonnaise over the muffins and add the tuna mix and cheese slice. Cover with the other muffin halves. Grill until the cheese melts.

10. Ground turkey tacos

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 4 small-sized tortillas
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 200g lean ground turkey
• 125g black beans, rinsed and drained
• 125g homemade salsa
• 50g shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) for a minute.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Once the oil is warm, add the onions and minced garlic. Sauté until translucent.
4. Add the turkey and cook until it turns slightly brown. Season with pepper and salt to taste.
5. Spread a layer of the shredded romaine lettuce on each tortilla.
6. Put cooked turkey filling onto the lettuce layer and sprinkle black beans evenly over the turkey.
7. Add a spoonful of homemade salsa on top and layer it with diced tomatoes.
8. Sprinkle shredded cheese over each taco and place them in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Serve warm with a glass of smoothie to make a delectable and nutritious meal for children.

11. Meat tacos

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• Salt
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• 1 chopped green pepper
• Minced meat of choice
• 1 cup hot vegetable stock
• 4 chopped tomatoes
• A handful of chopped cilantro
• 8 taco shells
• 75g shredded cheddar

How To:

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt into the pan. Cook until the onion turns soft. Add garlic and pepper. Stir fry for a minute and then add the meat. Add the vegetable stock and cook until the meat turns tender.
3. Now add the tomatoes and cilantro. Cook for five minutes.
4. Spoon the mix into the taco shells and add cheese. Grill in the oven until the cheese melts.

If your teen is a foodie and loves trying new dishes, these dinner ideas for teens will definitely make them happy. These meals are nutritious and filling and also easy to make. You can also experiment with different ingredients to make your own version of the recipes. If your teen has a sweet tooth, you can try some easy and tasty dessert recipes for teens that they will devour in no time. These desserts serve as a perfect end to an enjoyable dinner.

Infographic: Delicious Dinner Options for Teens

Teenagers are a hungry bunch of individuals. But you must ensure that they eat healthily and avoid poor eating habits. One of the best ways to do it is to let them explore tasty and nutritious recipes. In the infographic below, you’ll find a list of delicious food your teen can eat.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Top 11 Dinner Ideas For Teens

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Fed up with monotonous dinner recipes? Look no further than this video, showcasing 26 speedy and delectable dinner ideas!

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Shivani SikriPublic health and Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics

Shivani Sikri is the chief nutritionist and co-founder of Nutri4Verve and holds about 13 years of experience in the field of nutrition. After completing her Masters, Shivani Sikri did a postgraduate in nutrition and health education, a postgraduate diploma in public health and nutrition (PGDPHN), and a postgraduate diploma in nutrition and clinical dietetics.

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  Varsha Khatri is a registered nutritionist, a senior Yoga teacher, an Ayurveda consultant, and a health educator with over 12 years of experience. She holds a degree in Physiology and Health and a masters in Health Education and Nutrition. She is also qualified in Nutrigenomics.

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