Top 11 Dinner Ideas for Teens: Delicious and Nutritious Recipes They’ll Love

Teens can be fussy eaters, and coming up with new and exciting recipes every day can feel like a daunting task. To help you out, here are some delectable and nutritious dinner ideas for teens that are sure to make them look forward to mealtime.

Teenagers generally crave spicy and flavorful food for their meals. With access to the internet and television, they often have a broad taste palette. However, how many unique dishes can you come up with daily? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with these easy, quick, and family-friendly recipes.

11 Delicious Dinner Ideas For Teens

1. Oven-Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cut broiler-fryer chicken
• 120g dry whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ cup butter or olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix the bread crumbs, salt, paprika, and pepper. Brush the chicken pieces with butter or olive oil and roll them in the bread crumb mixture.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a greased baking pan and bake at 220°C until tender.
3. Serve with mint sauce or homemade tomato salsa for enhanced taste and nutrition.

Quick Tip: Replace breadcrumbs with crushed or powdered rolled oats for a healthier coating.

2. Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 coarsely chopped tomatoes
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Oregano
• Whole wheat or quinoa pasta
• Fresh red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture.
3. Garnish with oregano and red pepper flakes before serving.

3. Beans and Hot Dog Bake

Ingredients:

• 10 slices of hot dogs
• 450g pork and beans in tomato sauce
• 450g butter beans (drained)
• 450g chili beans
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp oregano

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Bake at 175°C for two hours.

4. Cheese, Tomato, and Herb Omelet

Ingredients:

• 1 chopped tomato
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (thyme, chives, oregano, or parsley)
• Mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix the tomato, eggs, herbs, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and pour in the egg mixture. Cook evenly on both sides.
3. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and fold the omelet to melt the cheese inside. Garnish with herbs before serving.

5. Easy Green Salad

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

1. Mix the lettuce, green onions, and carrots in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, celery salt, and olive oil. Drizzle over the salad before serving.

6. Tortilla Hotdogs

Ingredients:

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

Instructions:

1. Heat the hot dogs and tortillas. Place a hot dog in each tortilla and add lettuce, salsa, ketchup, and mustard.
2. Roll up the tortillas and serve hot.

7. Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 2 finely chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 minced fresh hot green pepper
• 1 minced garlic clove
• Juice of half a lime
• Salt to taste
• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• Guacamole for serving

Instructions:

1. Mix the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, pepper, garlic, lime juice, and salt to make salsa. Let it sit for an hour.
2. Fill tortillas with salsa and shredded cheddar. Heat in a pan over medium heat until the cheese melts.
3. Serve warm with guacamole.

8. Simple Radish and Arugula Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 radish
• 2 sliced fennel bulbs
• 1 bunch of arugula (de-stemmed)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cottage cheese

Instructions:

1. Toss the radish, fennel, and arugula in a bowl with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add cottage cheese just before serving.

9. Tuna Melt

Ingredients:

• 4 English muffins
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 4 thinly sliced scallions
• 2 finely chopped shallots
• 170g tuna
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 grated lemon zest
• 4 slices cheddar

Instructions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Split the muffins.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the pepper, scallions, and shallots. Add tuna and stir for a minute. Remove from heat and mix in ketchup, mayonnaise, and lemon zest.
3. Spread the tuna mixture on muffin halves, top with cheddar, and broil until the cheese melts.

10. Ground Turkey Tacos

Ingredients:

• 4 small 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
• 1 finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 diced Roma tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add turkey and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Assemble tortillas with lettuce, turkey, beans, salsa, tomatoes, and cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

11. Meat Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• Salt to taste
• 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

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion with salt until soft. Add garlic, green pepper, and minced meat. Cook with vegetable stock until tender.
2. Stir in tomatoes and cilantro and cook for five minutes. Fill taco shells with the mixture, top with cheddar, and grill until cheese melts.

These nutritious and filling dinner ideas are easy to prepare and perfect for teens. Feel free to experiment with ingredients to customize these recipes to suit your family’s tastes.