Getting picky eaters excited about mealtime can feel like a never-ending quest, but rice might just be the secret weapon you need! It's versatile, mild in flavour, and the perfect base for all kinds of fun dishes. Plus, overcoming fussy eating is all about offering variety without pressure. Try serving familiar foods with a twist or letting kids get involved in the cooking process—it makes them more curious to try new things. Whether you're looking for something comforting or want to sneak in a few extra veggies, these simple rice recipes are bound to make your little ones say, ‘More, please!’ 

7 Delicious Rice Dishes Ideas For Picky Eaters

Rice can be a lifesaver for picky eaters! Now, let's explore some easy and tasty rice dishes that even the fussiest eaters will enjoy.

Quinoa And Chicken Rice Paper Rolls

Rice paper rolls are a great make-ahead option for a tasty lunchtime treat. They’re also ideal for serving a crowd: set out the ingredients buffet-style and let everyone make their own. For this version, we've used cooked chicken, quinoa, and fresh veggies, but feel free to switch the chicken for another lean protein and toss in any crunchy vegetables you have on hand. It’s a fun, interactive meal that’s easy to customise!

Type: Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Chicken

Makes 8 rolls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 chicken breast, sliced
3. 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or gluten free tamari), plus extra to serve
4. 1 tablespoon honey
5. 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
6. 8 round rice paper rounds
7. Mint leaves
8. Coriander leaves
9. 1 cup cooked quinoa
10. 1 large carrot, sliced into long thin pieces
11. 1 large cucumber, sliced into long thin pieces
12. 1 large capsicum, sliced into long thin pieces
13. Sriracha, to serve

Recipe

1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally for five minutes. Add the soy sauce, honey and ginger and cook for another five minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside. 
2. To assemble the rice paper rolls, fill a large round shallow dish with warm water. Immerse one rice paper round into the water for about 15 seconds until slightly softened. Transfer to a flat surface and spread out into a circle. It will be sticky and fiddly so it may take a few attempts to perfect it. 
3. Top the rice paper with a few mint and coriander leaves down the centre of the roll, leaving a gap towards the edges of the roll. Top with a spoonful of quinoa and spread down the middle of the round on top of the herbs. Add a couple of pieces of carrot, cucumber, capsicum and chicken. You do not want to overfill the rice paper as this will make it harder to roll up. Fold in the edges of the rice paper roll then roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining rice paper rounds and fillings. 
4. Serve the rice paper rolls with extra soy sauce and sriracha for dipping. Enjoy!

Bring some holiday vibes to your table with this festive Christmas Rice Pilaf! It’s the perfect way to add a little extra cheer to your meals, and trust us, your taste buds will be celebrating too!

Healthier Chicken Fried Rice

This lighter twist on a classic takeaway favourite is super easy to prepare and keeps well in the fridge or freezer for later. With cooked brown rice as the base, it's a perfect way to use up any leftovers and turn them into a delicious meal.

Type: Chicken, Gluten Free, Lactose Free

Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil 
2. 1 large chicken breast, sliced into strips 
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
5. 1 carrot, diced 
6. 1 cup frozen peas
7. ½ whole broccoli, cut into small pieces
8. 1 cup cooked brown rice 
9. 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce 
10. 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
11. 1 cup baby spinach 

Recipe

1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat. Add in the chicken and saute for 5 minutes until cooked. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.  
2. Add garlic and spring onions to the pan and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Add in the carrot, peas and broccoli and continue to cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. 
3. Return the chicken to the pan with the vegetables. Add the cooked brown rice, soy sauce and sesame oil, then cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly until everything is heated through and combined. Stir through the baby spinach leaves then remove from the heat. 
4. Divide the fried rice between serving bowls, and top with sliced spring onion if desired. Enjoy! 

Crunchy Chickpea And Miso Black Rice Bowl

This recipe is super flexible, letting you toss in any veggies you’ve got on hand. No kale or eggplant? No problem! Just raid your crisper drawer and use whatever you’ve got—it’ll still turn out delicious!

Type: Vegetarian, Lactose Free, Gluten Free

Serves 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2. 1 teaspoon white or yellow miso paste (see Tips)
3. 1 teaspoon sesame oil
4. 1 teaspoon olive oil
5. 2 baby eggplants, cut into bite-sized pieces
6. sea salt
7. large handful kale
8. 2 eggs
9. 250g packet pre-cooked black or red rice (see Tips)
10. ½ avocado, thinly sliced
11. Sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the chickpeas, miso paste and sesame oil in a bowl and stir to combine well. Spread out the mixture on the prepared baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes or until crisp (watch carefully as they can burn).
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a little salt over the eggplant, then add to the pan with the kale and cook for 5 minutes or until the eggplant is golden. Move the mixture to the side of the pan.
4. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry sunny side up, or to your preference.
5. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
6. Remove the chickpeas from the oven. Divide the rice between two bowls and top with the eggplant mixture, crispy chickpeas, egg and avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them and enjoy!

Tips

1. You will find white, yellow, red and black miso on the supermarket shelves. The darker the colour, the stronger the taste, so a red miso can overwhelm a mild dish like this. You’re much better opting for the milder white or yellow varieties.
2. Black rice has a nutty, earthy flavour that is perfect for this dish, but don’t panic if you don’t have it in stock – red or brown rice will do just as well. Black, brown and red rice are higher in fibre than white as they are less processed, meaning they fill you up for longer. You can cook the rice from scratch if you like, but I often find it quicker and easier to use the pre-cooked packets of rice you find in supermarkets. 

Looking for more chickpea goodness? Try this Chickpea Scramble! It's a tasty, nutritious way to fuel your little one’s day and sneak in a healthy boost without the fuss. Give it a go—you might find them asking for seconds!

Pineapple Fried Rice

The fresh pineapple brings a tasty pop of sweetness to this dish. It's a great way to use up any leftover rice you’ve got hanging around. Feel free to mix it up by tossing in any extra veggies or spicing things up with a bit of chilli paste for a flavourful twist.

Type: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Lactose Free

Serves 6 as a side

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
2. 2 cloves garlic, crushed
3. 5 spring onions, sliced
4. 2 cups cooked brown rice
5. 1 cup frozen peas
6. 3 tablespoon soy sauce (salt reduced)
7. 3 eggs, beaten
8. 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
9. Fresh parsley, to serve

Recipe

1. Heat a large wok over medium to high heat. Add in the olive oil, garlic, and spring onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. 
2. Add in the brown rice, frozen peas, and soy sauce. Continue frying and stir everything together. 
3. Push the rice mixture to one side of the pan. Add in the eggs and stir until cooked through. Stir the eggs back into the fried rice mixture. 
4. Continue to cook for another few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is heated through. 
5. Stir through the fresh pineapple. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. 
6. Remove from the heat, serve and enjoy!

Cauliflower Fried Rice

This quick and tasty recipe is perfect for a speedy meal. To boost the protein, you can toss in an extra tin of lentils, scramble some eggs into the fried rice, or top it with grilled lean meat. It’s also a fantastic way to use up any leftover rice from the fridge—day-old rice works best for that perfect fried rice texture!

Type: Vegetarian, Gluten Free

Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
2. 1 brown onion, sliced
3. 1 clove garlic, crushed
4. 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and grated
5. 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
6. 1 red capsicum, chopped
7. 1 teaspoon turmeric
8. 1 tablespoon curry powder
9. 120g haloumi, cut into small cubes
10. 1x 400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed 
11. 2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
12. 1 tablespoon chilli paste, or 1 red chilli finely sliced
13. 1 bag baby spinach leaves
14. Handful coriander leaves

Recipe

1. Heat a large wok over medium to high heat. Add in the olive oil and onion. Fry for 1-2 minutes before adding in the garlic, ginger, and cauliflower. 
2. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring often before adding in the capsicum. 
3. Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir through, ensuring the vegetables are coated. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the cauliflower is softened. 
4. Push the vegetables to one side of the wok to allow some space, then fry the haloumi for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Add the lentils and rice into the wok. Turn up the heat to high and stir to combine all of the ingredients. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring often. 
6. Turn down the heat before adding in the chilli paste, baby spinach and coriander, then stir everything together. Fry for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring often to ensure everything is coated in the spices and chilli paste. 
7. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Boost your fried rice game with this Healthy Prawn Fried Rice recipe. It’s packed with flavour, and the prawns add a delicious touch of seafood goodness. 

One-Pan Spicy Rice

Prepare this tasty one-pan rice dish with minimal cleanup! Serve it warm alongside your favourite lean protein—grilled chicken with lemon or Moroccan spices would be perfect. Also, it keeps well in the fridge, so you can enjoy leftovers later.

Type: Vegetarian, Gluten Free

Serves 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. 3 tablespoons olive oil
2. 1 garlic clove, crushed
3. 2 cups basmati rice
4. 2 teaspoons ground cumin
5. 1 teaspoon paprika
6. 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
7. 650ml boiling water
8. Pinch of salt and pepper
9. 2 eggs, whisked
10. ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt
11. 1 lemon, juiced
12. Handful parsley
13. ½ pomegranate 
14. Extra chilli flakes to serve, if desired

Recipe

1. Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 
2. Add in the rice, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes and stir to combine. Pour the boiling water over the rice and add a pinch of salt and pepper. 
3. Stir everything together then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. 
4. After 10-15 minutes once the rice has cooked, use a fork to fluff the grains of rice. Pour the whisked eggs over the rice, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stand for a further 5 minutes with the lid on. 
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the yoghurt and lemon juice. Set aside.  
6. Once the rice is ready to serve, top with parsley leaves. Whack the back of the pomegranate with a wooden spoon over the top of the pot so that the seeds fall out and scatter the top of the rice. 
7. Serve immediately with the lemon yoghurt and extra chilli flakes and enjoy!

Vegetarian Rice Bowls

We’ve added leftover tahini sauce to this dish, but you can easily swap in any similar sauces—peanut satay, your favourite dip, or whatever you’re in the mood for. This recipe is super flexible, so don’t hesitate to mix things up or make it your own.

Type: Gluten Free, Lactose free, Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1 cup brown rice, uncooked 
2. 1 medium sweet potato, chopped roughly
3. 1/3 cauliflower, with stem and florets chopped into bite sized pieces 
4. 2 good shakes cumin
5. 1 teaspoon olive oil
6. 2 cloves garlic
7. Handful green beans cut into bite-sized pieces 
8. 1/2 block firm tofu, cubed
9. Leftover tahini, to serve

Recipe

1. Turn on the oven and heat to 180°C. 
2. Cover cauliflower and sweet potato with oil and add cumin only to cauliflower florets. Spread out evenly onto a baking tray, including leaves. Roast for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Set aside. 
3. Meanwhile, cook the brown rice according to packet directions, then divide between four bowls.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat then add garlic and cook for 1 minute until soft. Add the tofu and green beans. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until tofu is slightly crisp and the beans are still slightly crunchy.
5. To serve, divide the roast cauliflower and sweet potato between the four bowls. Top with the sautéed garlic tofu and bean mixture, then drizzle the tahini over the top before serving. 

Wrapping Up

Rice dishes are a total win for sneaking in nutrition while keeping things easy and delicious. These recipes are perfect for picky eaters, featuring a mix of flavours and textures that are sure to hit the spot. With options for veggies, tasty sauces, and savoury proteins, mealtime becomes a breeze. So, round up your ingredients and get cooking—you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to whip up a meal everyone will love!
Looking for more healthy cooking ideas? Check out our Recipes section for tasty inspiration!