There are certain dinners that you’ll forever associate with being a kid. Mostly, they were quick and simple, but they were also fun and tasty. The good news is that you can still enjoy those dinners; the bad news is that they won’t make you young again!
1. Spaghetti and Meatballs
This dinner was always delicious, but it was fun, too. Remember twirling a bunch of strands around with your fork? Maybe the best was slurping them up when your parents weren’t looking!
2. Grilled Cheese
Such a simple meal had an awfully strong ability to please. Even today, frying one up quickly takes you back to the carefree days of summer vacation when you were little.
3. Chicken Nuggets and French Fries
It didn’t matter whether it was the home-cooked variety or you got to go to McDonald’s. Either way, this was always a favorite, and you probably still like it today.
4. Macaroni and Cheese
Cheap and easy to make, mac & cheese was always a pleaser. A lot of people had it so much that they got tired of it, only to rediscover their love for it years later.
5. PB&J
Somehow, having this for lunch so often didn’t stop you from enjoying it for dinner, too. Secretly, your parents were thrilled that they could fill you up with something so nutritious that cost so little and was so easy to make.
6. Tacos
Which was better, the taste of getting to make them on your own? And they actually got better as you got older because now you get to decide what you want to get to make them, and car keys mean you can dash out to a food truck whenever you want.
7. Chicken Pot Pie
The first time this was what was for dinner, you were probably a little skeptical. Then you took a chance, plunged your fork through the crust, and brought it back to your mouth. You were sold.
8. Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce
Even if you weren’t a fan of tartar sauce, you probably loved fish sticks. It was that crispy, deep-fried batter. There are a lot of people who don’t normally like seafood but who will gobble up fish sticks.
9. Spaghetti-O’s
Admit it: you still indulge in these every once in a while even though they’re supposed to be for kids. Do you still try to see how many you get on your fork’s tines at once?
10. Sloppy Joe
It was almost a contest to see who could get the messiest face when devouring this combo of meat, onions, and sauce on a bun. Also, the fun factor was trying to eat one fast enough before the bun got too soggy and it all fell apart.
11. Pancakes
Maybe your pleading finally paid off. Or maybe your parents just felt like doing something different one night. However, it came about, breakfast for dinner turned out to be spectacular, and the first time wasn’t the last.
12. Pizza Parlor Pizza
Store-bought pizza wasn’t so great for many of us as kids. It was a big deal to get to go out to a pizza restaurant, which often was still called a pizza parlor back then. Birthday parties and sports team celebrations were other excuses to go, and who can forget begging parents for more quarters for arcade games?
13. Pizza Bagels
Pizza bagels were an easy option for a simple dinner or an after-school bite. All you needed were sliced bagels, sauce, mozzarella cheese, and whatever toppings you wanted. They beat French Bread pizza because bagels didn’t get as soggy.
14. Hot Dogs and Baked Beans
This is an American classic you probably still enjoy today on holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July or as a once-in-a-while dinner. Which camp were you in– dipping your hot dog, bun, and all, into the bean sauce or slicing it up and mixing it with the beans?
15. Hamburgers and Tater Tots
Burgers are super-popular with every age group, and people of all ages eat tater tots, too, but something about tater tots was special when you were a kid. They always seemed to come out crispier and tastier than frozen fries did. Plus, there was the fun of stacking them into a tater-tot tower.
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