21 kid-friendly salad recipes - Today's Parent (2024)

This is a fresh twist on a Cobb-style salad, with all of your ingredients served separately. This is the perfect salad for kids (or adults!) who don’t like to mix their foods because eww, you can’t eat tomatoes and chicken at the same time.Get the recipe:Grilled Chicken and Veg Chopped Salad

Photo: Jodi Pudge

Cut those chicken fingers up and toss them in a salad. Yum! Kids will also love the thinly sliced carrots. There’s something fun about slurping your veggies like a very long noodle.Get the recipe:Coconut-Crusted Chicken Chopped Salad

Photo: Jodi Pudge

For every piece of yummy pasta you eat, you have to eat one veggie! Oh, the beauty of pasta salad.Get the recipe:Greek Salad Pasta

Photo: Jodi Pudge

Sometimes the trick to getting kids to eat their veggies is putting the healthy stuff in a fun container. Make this Salad in a Jar and let your kid have some fun shaking up all the ingredients before chowing down.Get the recipe: Salad in a Jar

Photo: Roberto Caruso

Get the recipe: California Grilled Turkey Chef’s Salad

Photo courtesy of Ontario Turkey

Kids like having choices and this dinner gives them lots of options. Just want tomatoes and chicken? Go for it! Want to mix everything together? Delicious! Or eat each dish separately? Sounds good.Get the recipe:Salad Supper

Photo: Maya Visnyei

This is a superfood side dish your kids will want to eat. Get the recipe:Kale, Carrot and Feta Salad

Photo: Jodi Pudge

Not all kids like broccoli—actually many kids hate it. But make broccoli sweeter by mixing it with dried cranberries (they taste like candy) and this extra-creamy dressing.Get the recipe:Broccoli and Cranberry Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

The trick to getting kids to eat kale? Add bacon!Get the recipe:Kale Salad with Bacon and Dates

Photo: Maya Visnyea

Sautéed cubes of squash are candy sweet! And we all know kids never say no to candy.Get the recipe:Sautéed Squash and Quinoa Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

Who says salad has to include lettuce? Sweeten things up by making a side dish of cucumbers and watermelon. Bonus: This meal is super hydrating—perfect for hot summer days.Get the recipe:Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Photo: Andrew Grinton

Sometimes the way to get kids to try veggies is by switching things up. Instead of serving boring carrot sticks, try grating carrots and topping with a red-wine vinegar dressing.Get the recipe:Grated Carrot Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

Celery, cucumbers and apples may not sound like an appealing combo to a kid. But top it with a creamy yogurt dressing and they’ll be asking for seconds.Get the recipe:Hoisin-Glazed Salmon with Crunchy Apple Salad

Photo: John Cullen

Pretend you’re on a tropical island somewhere with this delicious salad combination. The citrus dressing is unparalleled and even your kids will love it, promise!Get the recipe:Island Chicken and Mango Salad

Photo: Jodi Pudge

This salad is perfect for those with little fingers. They can pick each bean up one by one. And topping it with oranges and pomegranate seeds give this salad a sweet and tart finish.Get the recipe:Jewel Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

Have a little meat and potatoes lover? Throw the good stuff on top of spinach and watch your tyke eat his greens with glee.Get the recipe:Pan-Seared Steak Salad

Photo: Jodi Pudge

Kids love cucumbers. So why not make a whole salad out of this Vitamin-A filled veggie. Your little guy can eat the salad by itself or in a pita.Get the recipe:Chopped Cucumber Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

Crunch, crunch, crunch! Your little one will love chomping on this salad. Beets aren’t usually a kid favourite, but pair them with apples to make a sweet salad.Get the recipe:Roasted Beet and Apple Salad

Photo: Maya Visnyei

How do you get your kids to eat their greens? Put a little maple syrup on them! This extra sweet dressing is yummy on this warm salmon and orzo salad. You might want to skip the capers, but add a little extra salmon so your kid gets their daily dose of omega-3s.Get the recipe:Warm Salad of Salmon, Baby Spinach, Orzo and Crispy Capers

Photo: Maya Visnyei

Eat your broccoli! And your cauliflower, too. This isn’t hard to convince kids to do when you add yummy raisins, pine nuts and a creamy dressing to the mix.Get the recipe:Sicilian Chopped Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Photo: Ryan Szulc

Wheat berries take a while to cook, but there is something really satisfying about this salad. Get the recipe:Wheat Berry Salad

Photo: Ryan Szulc