37 Recipes to Trick Picky Eaters Into Trying New Things
Growing up in a household with picky parents meant no garlic, no salt, and a lot of unfortunately bland food. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, it's not too late to open up the palates of your friends and family who typically eat frozen meals and swear they would never touch an anchovy. Each of these recipes takes a familiar ingredient and adds a new seasoning or technique so you can ease them into trying new things. If all else fails, many of these are pasta recipes, and if they don't like pasta, there's no saving them now.
Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott1/37Fettuccine Alfredo
At home, every day can be Unlimited Pasta night. Breadsticks are optional.
- Alex Lau2/37
The BA Smash Burger
American cheese will make 'em feel right at home, so they won't notice when you use short rib and brisket—and season heavily with salt and pepper.
- Alex Lau3/37
Roasted Tomato Soup
Yes, there's a lot of garlic in here, but it's roasted and almost sweet. Omit the rosemary for picky kids.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams4/37
Extremely Cheesy Corn Casserole
Spiked with jalapeños and garlic, this easy corn casserole is rich, creamy, and yes, extra cheesy.
- 5/37
Perfect Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
For your Aunt Sally who makes dry boneless chicken breasts for her (and her cats), introduce her to crisp-skinned chicken thighs. Crispy skin is almost as good as bacon, and everybody loves bacon.
- 6/37
Roasted Domino Potatoes
An Instagrammable way to introduce everyone to the magic of flaky sea salt. The bay leaves don't impart too intense of a flavor, but you can remove them before serving too.
- 7/37
Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Carrots
Yes, your mom is going to yell at you for the pork being "undercooked," but whip out a thermometer and tell her it's safe to eat at 145 degrees when it's still pink. Distract her with cute baby carrots.
- Gentl & Hyers8/37
Herbed Faux-tisserie Chicken and Potatoes
Fennel seeds and red pepper flakes sound scary, so don't tell them—just pretend you got it at Costco.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca9/37
Classic Caesar Salad
Call this a cheese and bread salad instead of Caesar and maybe no one will notice the anchovies. Scale back a little on the fish and garlic if you're afraid of an outburst.
- Alex Lau10/37
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
The magic of brown butter and breadcrumbs transforms plain ol' mashed sweet potatoes into a magical casserole fit equally for a Wednesday night or Thanksgiving.
- Matt Duckor11/37
Sloppy Tacos
Like fast-food tacos and Sloppy Joe's developed a secret handshake. Lime crema will allow you to sneak some extra cilantro in under the radar.
- Christopher Testani12/37
Adam’s Beef Stroganoff
Our editor-in-chief's stroganoff uses maitake mushrooms, which are a bit milder than the typical button mushrooms nana is used to. Tell her that she's eating filet mignon—this does use beef tenderloin—and she'll forgive you.
- Alex Lau13/37
Cast-Iron Pan Pizza
When crust is this buttery and crunchy, no one will complain about torn basil on top.
- Nicole Franzen14/37
Skirt Steak with Shallot Pan Sauce
For the friend who has only ever had sirloin or filet mignon, teach them about this budget cut of meat. It's best served nearly rare, sliced thin, and drizzled with a shallot pan sauce.
- Chelsie Craig15/37
Bucatini with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Throw your friend's jarred sauce in the trash and give them a bowl of this butter-roasted tomato sauce instead. Instant convert.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog16/37
Salmon Teriyaki
Okay, fish is scary for a lot of people, but sweet-salty teriyaki sauce can be your training wheels. Remind them of how much they love Asian takeout.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi17/37
Parker House Rolls
"Why is there salt on the rolls?" someone may ask you. Just put one of these pillowy Parker House rolls in their mouth—they'll shut right up.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman18/37
BA’s Best Baked Ziti
Sweet dreams are made of cheese pulls—and the crunchy edges of baked ziti.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi19/37
Sweet Potato Fries With Sriracha Dip
That secret sauce looks like spicy mayo, but it's actually sriracha-spiked creme fraiche. You could substitute mayo for a little less tang, but it balances well with the sweet potato fries.
- Gentl and Hyers21/37
Parmesan Chicken Cutlets
A little Parmesan in the crust, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt all elevate a classic chicken cutlet without being too scary.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman22/37
BA’s Best Mac and Cheese
Go beyond just cheddar—or in some cases, Velveeta—with a mix of bubbly Fontina and Gruyére.
- Ted Cavanaugh24/37
Soy-Basted Chicken Kebabs With Sesame-Citrus Sprinkle
The marinade for these skewers is a spin on teriyaki, and Uncle Bob will eat anything on a stick.
- Zach DeSart25/37
Fried Chicken Biscuits
Ease someone into the hot sauce life with something familiar (fried chicken) and a buttery biscuit.
- Peden & Munk26/37
Iceberg Wedges with Grilled Bacon and Croutons
Iceberg lettuce tastes like nothing, so add zesty homemade ranch dressing, lots of bacon, and croutons. For the non-picky eater, you could also add blue cheese.
- Christopher Testani27/37
Swedish Meatballs
For your grandma who really loves IKEA. Just omit the lingonberry jam and use extra gravy if someone's scared of it.
- Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marc Williams28/37
BA’s Best Eggplant Parmesan
Looks like lasagna, contains lots of fried-and-sauced eggplant. Winner, winner, eggplant dinner.
- Alex Lau29/37
Fennel-Rubbed Chick-etta
Like rotisserie chicken with the crispy skin of porchetta. Tone the fennel down if need be.
- Hirsheimer & Hamilton30/37
Classic Garlic Bread
Perfect for dunking into pasta, soup, or directly into your mouth.
- Eva Kolenko31/37
Tomato and Cannellini Bean Soup
Bulk up tomato soup with beans and greens in a way that won't intimidate your dad.
- Alex Lau32/37
Classic Spinach Salad
Using mature spinach instead of the typical bagged baby variety will be new to a lot of people, but it stands up better to the creamy dressing.
- Alex Lau34/37
BA's Best Fried Chicken Sandwich
This looks like a fast-food chicken sandwich, but it's a juicy fried chicken thigh inside.
- Peden + Munk35/37
Fusilli Alla Vodka With Basil and Parmesan
Tomato sauce plus vodka, cream, and Parmesan is not a hard sell. You don't have to tell them there's actual vodka in there—they won't taste it.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling Emilie Fosnocht36/37
Extra-Saucy Baked Chicken Wings
Something that'll remind people of their favorite pizza joint, but it's a little healthier and more flavorful.
