10 Best Kids Meals Your Child Will Love for Lunch & Dinner

The best kids meals combine familiar flavours, manageable portions and enough variety to keep mealtime interesting. Popular kid-friendly favourites include mini cheeseburgers, fish and chips, chicken nuggets, and lighter options like fried rice or grilled fish.

Below are 10 kid-approved meals, including real favourites you can order today at The Russell Inn in Morley.

Some of these are dishes you already know your kids will eat. Others might be the one that finally gets a vegetable past a fussy eater without a fight, or the one that turns into tomorrow’s lunchbox without any extra effort.

Here’s the full line-up, plus what each one is genuinely best for.

10 Tasty & Healthy Kids Meals at a Glance

Here’s a quick snapshot of the best meals for kids covered in this guide, and where each one comes from.

Explore Our Kids Menu

What Are the Best Kids Meals to Order or Cook?

These 10 dishes cover the classics kids ask for by name, alongside a few lighter and vegetarian options worth adding to the rotation. Each one is available from The Russell Inn’s Kids Menu or full menu in Morley, and a few double up nicely as next-day lunchbox material if you order extra to take home.

Mini Cheeseburger & Chips – A Perfect First Burger

A mini cheeseburger works because it gives kids the same burger experience the adults are having at the table, just sized for smaller hands and appetites. A beef patty, melted cheese and a soft bun keep the flavours simple, while the beef contributes iron and protein and the chips add the carbohydrates for energy. It’s one of the most popular burgers for kids on our kids menu in Morley.

Best for: a family dinner out, or a weekend treat lunch. If you’re after the best burger in Morley for the whole table, our main menu has bigger burgers too, so nobody has to order off a completely different list.

Fish & Chips – A Milder Way into Seafood

Our kid’s menu fish & chips pairs lightly battered fish with crispy chips, giving you a healthy kids meal that still feels like a treat. Fish is naturally rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, both important for brain development, and it’s one of the lighter options on the menu without skimping on flavour. It’s a firm favourite for kids who love their meals crunchy on the outside and tender within.

Best for: a relaxed dinner out.

Pro Tip: If you want to sneak in an extra vegetable serve, ask for a side of steamed veg instead of extra chips. It barely changes the order but adds real variety to the plate.

Chicken Nuggets & Chips – The Reliable Favourite

Chicken Nuggets & Chips never go out of fashion, and ours are made from real chicken breast pieces rather than reformed filler. They’re a reliable pick for picky eaters and pack in lean protein for muscle growth and repair. Served with chips on the side, it’s simple, familiar, and exactly what most kids ask for. Available on the Kids Menu for children aged 12 and under.

Best for: a fuss-free kids dinner, or the safe order when trying a new venue with a picky eater.

Pairing Tip: Pairing nuggets with a side of vegetables or salad or fruit is one of the easiest ways to round out the plate without changing what’s actually on it.

Chicken Parmigiana – A Bigger Meal for Bigger Appetites

Chicken Parmigiana is a Russell Inn classic and, cut into smaller portions, one of the best meals for kids who are ready to graduate from the Kids Menu. Crumbed chicken schnitzel topped with napolitana sauce and mozzarella delivers protein and calcium in a dish kids already recognise and love. Parents ordering for the table often find it easy to split one parmigiana between two younger diners, making it a practical, satisfying option.

Best for: a weekend family dinner.

Pro Tip: Split between two younger diners for built-in portion control. Sharing one main is a simple way to manage portion size without making either of them feel like they’ve been given the smaller option.

Fried Rice – A One-Bowl Option with Built-In Vegetables

For families after a lighter, vegetable-forward option, our Fried Rice (also available gluten-free) combines basmati rice with onion, garlic, vegetables and egg.

It’s a great way to introduce kids to a wider range of vegetables without a fuss, and it sits comfortably alongside the kid-friendly healthy recipes parents already cook at home. It’s mild, filling, and a smart pick for kids exploring beyond the usual burger-and-chips combination. Also, it reheats well if you’re packing leftovers for school the next day.

Best for: a lighter kids lunch, or a dinner order when you want more vegetables than a burger and chips.

Veggie Stir-Fry Noodles – A Vegetarian Crowd-Pleaser

Veggie Stir-Fry Noodles bring together noodles, fresh vegetables and a light soy, oyster and hoisin sauce for a dish that’s colourful, mild in spice, and easy for kids to eat with a fork. It’s one of our most popular vegetarian options and a good middle ground for kids who enjoy Asian-style flavours but aren’t ready for anything too bold. The vegetables in the dish add useful fibre and vitamins to round out the meal.

Best for: a vegetarian family dinner, or a lunch option that isn’t another sandwich.

Vegetarian choices are still surprisingly rare on kids menus around Perth, which makes this one worth remembering if you’re catering to a mixed group of eaters.

Beef Burger – The Grown-Up Burger Option

If your child has outgrown the Mini Cheeseburger, our full-size Beef Burger (gluten-free option available) is one of the best burgers Perth families order for older kids and pre-teens.

A char-grilled beef patty, cheese, leafy greens, tomato, red onion and chipotle sauce on a brioche bun gives a heartier, more grown-up take on the same comfort-food favourite, without straying too far from what kids already love.

Best for: dinner with older kids, or when the family’s ordering from the same menu rather than two separate lists.

Tip: Extra portions also make a solid next-day lunchbox filling if you’re taking some home.

Club Sandwich – An Easy Lunch Choice

For a lighter lunch for kids, our Club Sandwich (gluten-free option available) layers grilled chicken, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and sriracha mayo on sourdough. It’s easy to share or halve for younger diners, and it’s a good choice for a weekday lunch visit rather than a full dinner-sized meal. The mix of protein, cheese and fresh vegetables keeps it balanced without being heavy.

Best for: a practical kids lunch on a midweek visit, or a lighter option before sport.

Pro Tip: Ask for it cut into quarters for a younger child, and it turns one sandwich into easy finger food, or a ready-made lunchbox filler the next day.

Barramundi – A Genuinely Healthy Meal for Kids

Barramundi is one of the lighter options on our full menu and a great choice for parents after a genuinely healthy kids’ meal. Grilled and served with potatoes, tomatoes, snow peas, lemon and caper creme, it’s light, mild in flavour and a good introduction to seafood beyond fish and chips. It’s especially popular with families who visit us regularly and want to rotate their child’s usual order.

Best for: dinner when you want a lighter option for the whole table, not just the kids.

Tip: Introducing new textures like grilled fish alongside familiar sides is one of the easier ways to expand a picky eater’s range without turning dinner into a battle.

Vanilla Ice Cream with a Topping – The Finishing Touch

No list of the best kids meals in Perth is complete without dessert. Our Kids Menu finishes with 2 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream, with a choice of chocolate, strawberry, mint, caramel or banana topping. It’s the simple reward kids look forward to at the end of a meal, and it rounds out a visit that’s already covered protein, vegetables and a proper feed.

Best for: the end of any order, or a treat after a bigger shared main.

What Makes a Healthy Kids Meal?

A healthy kids meal doesn’t need to be complicated or restrictive. Australian dietary guidance points to a mix of the five food groups across the day; protein, grains, vegetables and fruit, and dairy, rather than any single perfect meal. In practice, that means a plate with a protein like beef, chicken or fish, a carbohydrate such as rice, pasta or bread, and something from the vegetable or fruit group, in a portion that suits your child’s age and appetite.

When dining out, parents can mix and match sides or share a dish from the main menu to round things out, the same balance many kid-friendly recipes aim for at home. A few simple swaps go a long way:

• Swap chips for a side salad or steamed vegetables
• Add a piece of fruit alongside or instead of a sweet dessert
• Choose water instead of a sugary drink
• Split a main-menu dish between two younger kids for built-in portion control

Looking for a Kid-Friendly Restaurant in Perth?

If you’re comparing kids restaurants in Perth, look beyond the kids menu at seating, parking, atmosphere and whether the adults at the table have decent options too. The Russell Inn Bar & Restaurant in Morley is open seven days a week, with a kids menu covering the essentials and a full menu that gives parents plenty to choose from, including burgers, schnitzels, seafood and salads.

It’s the kind of kid-friendly restaurant in Perth where nobody has to compromise on their meal. Families keep coming back because the whole visit works, not just the food. Whether you’re weighing up family friendly restaurants in Perth for a weeknight dinner or want the best child-friendly restaurant for a weekend outing, we’re set up for both.

Browse our food and drinks menu for the full range, check what’s on for family-friendly nights out, or get in touch to plan a celebration through our Functions page.

FAQs

What are the best kids meals when eating out in Perth?

The best kids meals for eating out are simple, familiar dishes such as mini burgers, fish and chips, chicken nuggets, or a shared pasta or rice dish, ideally with the option to add vegetables or salad on the side.

What makes a healthy kids meal?

A healthy kids meal includes a source of protein, a carbohydrate and some fruit or vegetables, in a portion suited to your child’s age, rather than following any single strict rule.

What are easy kids dinner ideas for picky eaters?

For picky eaters, stick to familiar formats like nuggets, fried rice or a mild pasta dish, and introduce new vegetables gradually alongside meals they already enjoy.

Does The Russell Inn have a kids menu in Morley?

Yes. The Russell Inn’s Kids Menu includes a Mini Cheeseburger & Chips, Fish & Chips, Chicken Nuggets & Chips, and Vanilla Ice Cream for children aged 12 and under.

Tired of the same old dinner debate over what the kids will actually eat?

Enjoy the Best Kids Meals in Morley at The Russell Inn

Skip the negotiation and let the kids pick from a menu built around meals they’ll actually finish, while you choose from burgers, schnitzels, seafood and more on the main menu.

The Russell Inn Bar & Restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with plenty of space for the whole family.