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You are here: Home / Cooking / Kid Friendly Food: Meatloaf Muffins

Kid Friendly Food: Meatloaf Muffins

June 12, 2013 By Shannah 17 Comments

Kids are a funny bunch. They can be the pickiest eaters on the planet and forget trying to get them to eat any vegetables. These kid friendly meatloaf muffins are a perfect way to make a classic dinner more kid friendly! 

My kids love finger foods of just about any type.  I decided to try and make a few of favorite homemade meals into a more kid friendly size.  When the macaroni and cheese “cupcakes” were such a big hit, I decided to try turning our regular meatloaf into little muffins. {You can call them cupcakes if you want because most kids will eat anything that is called a cupcake.}

I typically don’t like the term “kid friendly food” because it refers to a set of foods that are typically tasteless and majorly lacking in nutrition.  Think: chicken nuggets, hot dogs and the link.  Here, I’m referring to something a litte different: size and shape!

A great thing about meatloaf is that it is pretty easy to hide additional vegetables in the mixture.  These have carrots in them but you could also throw in zucchini or another squash too. Just finely chop or shred it and add to the pan when sweating the onions.

I use an ice cream scoop to put the mixture into my muffin tin but a spoon works fine too. The little silicone cupcake lines are perfect for getting the meatloaf muffins out easily. 

These bake in less than 30 minutes which is super fast compared to traditional meatloaf. When I am doing Sunday meal prep, I get them all assembled and then just keep them in the fridge until I am ready to bake. You can also freeze them prior to baking too.

For a little fun, we will do mashed potato frosting on top. Of course, it is totally optional. 

 

If you like these kid friendly meatloaf muffins, be sure to try:

  • Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins
  • Turkey Feta Meatloaf Muffins
  • Macaroni and Cheese Muffins

Essential Items Needed for this Recipe:

  • Saute Pan
  • Muffin Tin
  • Silicone Muffin Cups

If you make these kid friendly meatloaf muffins, I’d love to hear to about it. Let me know in the comments or snap a photo and tag it #MySuburbanKitchen on Instagram or Twitter.

Print
Kid Friendly Meatloaf Muffins
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Cuisine: Main Course
Servings: 6
Calories: 346 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 cup onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 carrot finely chopped
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup ketchup divided
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp mustard
  • 2 tsp worchestershire sauce
  • 2 eggs
Mashed Potato Frosting (Optional)
  • 1 cup prepared mashed potatoes
  • 2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
  1. 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cups of muffin tin with cooking spray or use silicone cupcake liners.
  2. 2) In a pan coated with cooking spray, saute onion, carrot, garlic and oregano for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. 3) In a large bowl, combine beef or turkey, 1/2 cup ketchup, and all other ingredients {through eggs}. Mix well to combine. The easiest way to do this is with your hands so go ahead and plan to get them a little messy.
  4. 4) Using an ice cream scooper {or large spoon}, fill muffin cups 3/4 full with meatloaf mixture. Divide remaining ketchup evenly on the tops of the muffins. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
  5. 5) If using the frosting, mix the mashed potatoes with 2 Tbsp of milk. ā€œFrostā€ the top of the meatloaf muffins with the mashed potato mixture before serving.
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Filed Under: Cooking, food, Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: cooking, dinner, Food, Just Us Four Recipes, kid friendly food, Recipes

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Comments

  1. Happy Valley Chow says

    June 12, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    Those are SO awesome!! I loved that you put mashed potatoes on top like the icing…so creative. Feel free to stop by my link party and share some of your fantastic recipes!
    Happy Valley Chow recently posted…Keep Calm it’s Hump Day #1My Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 13, 2013 at 3:30 pm

      Thanks! My kids love cupcakes so I thought making these little meatloaves into things that looked like cupcakes would be super fun.

      Reply
  2. Annie says

    June 12, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    This is a great idea! I am sure my kid will love it!
    Annie recently posted…Cinderella Dress for Little MomoMy Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 13, 2013 at 3:25 pm

      Thanks! Definitely give it a try. I bet the kids will love it.

      Reply
  3. Tonia@thegunnysack says

    June 13, 2013 at 10:12 am

    Brilliant idea! I love how the mashed potatoes look like frosting!
    Tonia@thegunnysack recently posted…Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears RecipeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 13, 2013 at 3:22 pm

      Thanks! The kids loved the “frosting” on the top too. It definitely made them more fun to eat.

      Reply
  4. Hannah says

    June 17, 2013 at 10:04 am

    SO FUN! And so delicious too, I am for sure pinning this and can’t wait to try it šŸ™‚

    Hannah ♫
    Sew Lah Tea Dough
    Hannah recently posted…♫ High Five to my students! ♫My Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 18, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      Thanks! The kids {and adults} around here really love these. The little bit of “frosting” makes them feel like a treat vs. dinner.

      Reply
  5. Julia@Happy House and Home says

    June 18, 2013 at 11:18 am

    I’m pinning! Cute idea – I thank you! Julia

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 18, 2013 at 1:20 pm

      Thanks! They are definitely a kid favorite around our house.

      Reply
  6. Maria says

    June 18, 2013 at 9:24 pm

    How adorable (and delicious looking, too!), I love the “frosting” on top!! Super cute!
    Maria recently posted…Ways to follow Shopgirl…My Profile

    Reply
  7. Carrie from Carrie This Home says

    June 21, 2013 at 10:50 pm

    What a great way to put a creative spin on meatloaf! It looks so good! I’m stopping by from Tatertots & Jello (#86 DIY Photo Canvas and #115 Spend A Little & Invest In Yourself) Have a great weekend!
    Carrie from Carrie This Home recently posted…Spend A Little & Invest In YourselfMy Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 24, 2013 at 2:56 pm

      Thanks! The kids really love the idea that they are cupcakes with frosting. They are always a huge hit.

      Reply
  8. Jamie says

    June 24, 2013 at 1:19 am

    This is amazing! I love turkey meatloaf. I’ve gotta try this with my kids. Thank you so much for sharing at Give Me The Goods Monday!
    Jamie @
    Better With Age
    Jamie recently posted…Frame Art Without A MatteMy Profile

    Reply
    • Shannah says

      June 24, 2013 at 2:43 pm

      This is always a hit with kids around our house. Let me know what you think when you try it.

      Reply
  9. Ali @ craftyWImama says

    June 25, 2013 at 9:31 am

    You make me want to lick my screen. Those look amazing! Now, i must say that I won’t be piping on the potatoes all nicely, as a big dollop would work just as well in my house šŸ™‚
    Found you on Make it Pretty Monday.
    Ali @ craftyWImama recently posted…Starting A Second Blog – Budget WeddingMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Laurie Hatch says

    March 9, 2021 at 11:24 pm

    This is such a great idea! Can’t wait to make these and see how much my kids will love it. Thanks!

    Reply

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About Me

Hi, I'm Shannah! Welcome to My Suburban Kitchen, where you'll find tons of recipe ideas including family friendly dinners, sinfully delicious desserts and even Paleo and Whole30 recipes. I love spending time in our kitchen and also share little glimpses of my life as a wife to one awesome Mathlete and working mom to 2 cute kids! I hope you'll grab a seat at our table and enjoy your time in the kitchen with us.

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