Creative, Kid-Friendly Recipes for the BBQ

father and son at the grill


Weekend or weeknight, holiday or no holiday, firing up the BBQ is an all-time classic American summer tradition. The smell of the coals and the click of the propane conjures up memories of a summer day playing ball, swimming in the pool and gathering with family and friends.

Reaching for classics like hot dogs and hamburgers will never fade, but we wanted to gather a few recipes that are a little outside of the grilling box to help put a unique spin on your family meals this summer. 

From easy-prep foil grilling recipes to even pizza, we know you'll see something the whole family will love. You may even find yourself falling back to these delicious recipes all year long! 

Tacos in Foil

You'll love how simple these taco chicken foil packets are to prep, grill and serve. With individually wrapped serving sizes, it's also an easy recipe to personalize for picky eaters. Packed with flavor, protein and some veggies, this ready-in-30 recipe will be a favorite for the whole family! Click here to start preparing your tacos for the grill.

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

When it comes to preparing kabobs, we traditionally look at veggies: onions, squash, etc. Many of these selections (especially the onion) don't go over particularly well with our younger eaters. Enter fruit kabobs! Grilling fruit actually enhances the flavors, making them even more delicious. You and your kids will love this recipe that includes a key lime yogurt dip (a great addition of protein if you use Greek yogurt). Click here to try this tasty barbeque treat!

Grilled Pizza

Good news: You don't need a fancy wood-fired oven or even a pizza stone to successfully grill delicious pizzas! From making the dough to adding personalized toppings, pizza is not only kid-approved to eat but a fun thing to help make and prepare as well. They'll love the novelty of seeing it cooked on the grill, and you'll be glad to keep some of the mess outdoors. Click here for a recipe that breaks down all the helpful hints to successfully prepare this summer family hit. 

Elote

Sweet, creamy, tangy and spicy, elote takes regular corn on the cob to an unforgettable level. If you've never tried elote—commonly enjoyed from street vendors in Mexico—you are missing out on a flavorful experience that you and your kids are guaranteed to love! Better yet, it pairs well with any traditional BBQ food, from tacos to hamburgers. Click here to learn more!

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

While a bacon-wrapped hot dog isn't entirely "out of the box" as far as creativity goes, it's an irresistible way to dress up your traditional BBQ treat. Two kid favorites (bacon and hot dogs) paired with a plethora of additional toppings make this a meal the entire family is sure to enjoy. You may even be able to sneak some veggies in on top! Click here for this spin on a traditional BBQ.   

Grilled Potatoes in Foil

Another common side to most any BBQ meal is potatoes, but they're also easy to dress up into a main course. Whether you keep it light with some herbs, butter and spices, or go all out with bacon and cheese on top, you don't have to fire up the oven and the BBQ for these great recipes. Try a light potato in foil recipe by clicking here, and a more hearty potato in foil recipe here.

Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas

Just like fruit, grilling vegetables brings out delicious flavors unique to simply heating them up on the stove or in the oven. If that alone isn't the secret to getting your kid to eat more veggies, putting the grilled corn and zucchini into a cheesy quesadilla will undoubtedly have them asking for more. Click here for another creative recipe to add to your family's summer grilling list!

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