Run Out of Ideas for What to Cook Kids for Dinner? This Mom Has the Answer

A mom has shared her simple hack to make mealtimes with kids a breeze—and it only needs one kitchen item.

Emily Solberg, 35, lives in Jacksonville, North Carolina, with her two children, aged five and six. Enduring mealtimes with picky young kids was getting her down, so she came up with a solution using a classic baking item—a muffin tin.

Dubbed "muffin tin dinner," on Friday nights Solberg turns to her mealtime hack. Putting together two muffin tins, she fills them with anything and everything for the kids to eat.

While the kids get to pick and eat a variety of foods, Solberg saves time and effort, and gets to clear some leftovers too.

"Any parent will tell you that mealtimes can be a real battle with picky young children. Especially by the end of the week, I'm normally exhausted and out of ideas for dinner, and I rarely have the motivation to cook or go food shopping," the mom told Newsweek.

Picky eating in children is a common phenomenon, as underscored by a comprehensive 2020 study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study delved into the dietary habits of youngsters aged four to nine, and the findings revealed that picky eating tendencies in children tend to persist over time, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.

Ideally, parents should proactively address picky eating habits before their child reaches the age of two, when their growing independence can make these habits more entrenched. To combat picky eating, the study recommends a proactive approach, encouraging parents to offer a diverse array of foods, particularly fruit and vegetables.

Cooking separate meals for children is discouraged, and the study advises instead to let kids partake in the family's dining experience.

But the study also looked at the role of parenting in children's eating habits. Researchers found that overly strict or demanding approaches to food choices could contribute further to picky eating, while a supportive and balanced approach had better effects on children.

Friday Night Means 'Muffin Tin Dinner'

"I don't remember where exactly I got the original idea, but one Friday evening when I was parenting by myself and at the end of my rope, I grabbed two muffin tins and started filling them with everything I had on hand in the fridge and the pantry," said Solberg. "Random leftovers, cut up fruit and vegetables, chips and crackers, nuts, dips, cereal, and of course a few sweet treats. I put a towel down on the floor in front of the tv and let my kids eat picnic-style. It was a huge hit and has become a weekly tradition in our house."

Now the kids know that Friday means "muffin tin dinner" night, they look forward to the week's mixed contents of food—and getting to eat in front of the TV as a special treat.

"The best part about this hack is that you can tailor it to your individual needs and preferences. You'd be surprised what you can fit in a muffin tin. I try to maintain a healthy balance in the contents, but the truth is some days we just need to take the pressure off ourselves and our kids," said Solberg.

"It's one meal out of 21 we eat every week so it's okay if it's not perfect. Use it as an opportunity to enjoy food and allow your littles to pick and choose what they like. I also like to introduce new foods this way because muffin tin portions are so small that if they aren't eaten it's not wasteful to throw them away," she added.

The mom shared her quick and easy meal idea on Facebook, where it has had over 122,000 reactions and more than 10,000 comments.

Dubbed "genius" and "so creative" by commenters, parents were quick to say they'd soon be giving muffin tin meals a try.

"Love this," said one Facebook user. "Pretty much the only way my fussy toddler will eat anything at the moment."

Solberg revealed that it isn't just a great idea for the kids either.

"I like to add meats, cheeses, dried fruit, nuts, olives, pickles, chips, etc. and pair it all with a glass of wine," she said.

But the best part? Probably the speedy clean up: "I just dump out any discarded food and stick the tins in the dishwasher. Voila!"