What's Your Best Kid-friendly Pasta Salad Recipe?

The problem with kids is it is hit or miss. You may want to call the family and ask. Sans one of my kids they would eat anything, I mean anything. I think it could still be moving! That doesn't mean someone else's kids will or will not eat it.

So rather than share I suggest calling you may find out their kids love pasta salad.

My go to pasta dish is just noodles, olive oil, garlic and romano cheese. Yes, it is mac n cheese but not. My kids would eat it for every meal given the chance, even the picky eater.

my dad always made it simple and everyone always loved it and raved about it.

-One package of those spiral multi color pasta noodles
-two packages of the make yourself salad dressing (put one whole bottle on the day you make it and if it sits overnight the pasta seeps up all of the dressing (yummy but it needs that extra bottle)
- 3 or 4 pieces of american cheese, ham, and salami (really thick so you can cut into tiny cubes)
-a few cucumbers cut really thin in circles
- a few tomatoes (not diced but cut into chunks)

that's it/ every family party we go to people rave about it and then try and make it and put in extra stuff like peppers, onions, olives and it neve tastes as good and less people eat it (although I love those things in this salad if you stick to J. the basics people will devour it...ecpsecially kids with the cubed up meat)

Tri-color rotini or tortolini, cubed ham, peas, diced red or yellow sweet peppers and (believe it or not) ranch dressing. Personally I think it's kind of gross but kids seem to love it.

Well... do you know if they like tortellini?

My daughter (4) loves a pesto tortelini pasta salad that I make. She will even occaisonally eat the veggies I put in.

The veggies in it can even be tailored to fits the likes of the audience.

If you think they would like it PM me and i will send the recipe for the pesto and the salad. Just a note: pesto has pine nuts in it, so if there are any allergies this might not work for you.

Just spring noodles, italian dressing and parm cheese (grated Kraft). I add in for me pepperocinnies and daddy adds in olives, we both might add in meat like salami or chicken too. In this case simplicity wins out in my house!

Bow tie pasta.
Then after cooking and draining it, put it in a big bowl. Add salt and olive oil to taste, and toss. Then add chopped up deli ham, and cheese cubes, and quartered cherry tomatoes. Or you can substitute bacon, for the ham.
Simple.
Good.
My kids love this.
Can be eaten cold or room temp.

My kids love anything with bow tie pasta.

Or, simply call that family and ASK them, what they like. You may think a pasta salad has to be included, but they may not like pasta salad.

OK, if your son doesn't eat it there's no guarantee the children your're taking food to will either, but I was thinking the same thing a few weeks ago about my 3 year old, and went to my fave kid-friendly site, Family Fun, and found this, he loves it ツ

This one is with chicken:
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/garden-pasta-salad-with-c...

Also, for the 4th I bought some First Street Rotini Salad at Smart & Final, and doctored it up by adding drained canned tuna, cubed mozzarella cheese, canned sliced olives, and it was a hit with everyone including him.

Call the family and ask. What's 'kid friendly' REALLY varies.

My sons 3 favorite cold pasta salads are orochiette or shells w cream sauce (thin Alfredo) and broccoli and tomatoes. Or pesto and peas and tomatoes. OR rice noodles, Asian dressing, and whatever else veggie wise is handy done Asian pickle style (cukes rubbed with salt and sugar until limp, etc.)

Won't work if your kids hate broccoli, tomatoes Alfredo,, pesto, peas, or bite sized pasta.... Or ginger sesame soy dressing, rice noodles, etc.

He won't touch tricolor pasta of any shape, and would rather eat than rotini or fusilli, or Italian dressing, or shredded cheese of any kind.

Or just make whatever, and starving parents will eat it while feeding the kids something they like & not have to cook twice!!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-and-vegetable-pasta-...

I just did this one - and added yellow sweet cherry tomatos cut in half, as well. I wouldn't say it is kids friendly, but it just depends on the kids....kids that like different foods will like it - kids that are picky probably will not.