By Sarah Skerrett, Mr. Food Editor
As a kid, it seemed like we had a revolving door of dinner table staples I wasn’t always excited about. There were certain meals I looked forward to (ravioli with a huge serving of parmesan cheese) and could eat five days a week, and some meals I would dramatically choke down (chicken pot pie). At least a few times a week, me or my brother would complain, “This again??” 
What does it take to turn that familiar complaint into a “Yum!” and a clean plate? Just a creative spin on traditional favorites, like this collection of 15 Kid-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes. Now, it’s generally not difficult to get a child to eat a Sloppy Joe…they’re messy, fast and kids love ‘em. But you can only serve the same Sloppy Joe so many times before the complaint chorus kicks in.
Instead of eliminating Sloppy Joes from your dinner repertoire, simply update your cookbook with new variations like Barbecue Joes and Veggie Packed Sloppy Joes! Other delicious recipes using ground beef include Cheeseburger Bake, Spaghetti Sundaes, Pizza Fondue, Hula Sliders and more.
Some of these recipes aren’t just tasty, they’re fun for kids, too. Normally, kids are told not to play with their food but you won’t mind when they’re eating Volcano Meat Loaf! These mini meatloaves are covered in creamy mashed potatoes and “lava” – beefy gravy – pours from the top of the volcano. For this ground beef recipe and more, check out Mr. Food and make dinner fun tonight!
Here’s some more great kid-friendly ground beef recipes to round out your dinner (and lunch!) options:
Cooking with Kids: Shepherd’s Pie (thanks to Cheri at Adventures in the Kitchen!)
Ground Beef Stroganoff (thanks to Amy at Kitchen and Kids!)
Kid-Friendly Beef, Quinoa and Veggie Meatballs (thanks to La Jolla Mom!)
Easy Weeknight Lasagna (thanks to Heather at Family Friendly Frugality!)
Share and Enjoy
So, here we are, the beginning of a new year and ready to start eating healthier. As a household, we all need to make some changes for the positive.
