We Fed Our Kids Some Of Pinterest’s Most Popular Recipes And This Is What Happened

Three families, nine recipes, and more than a few Pinterest fails.

Jenny Chang/BuzzFeed

As the dad and two moms behind BuzzFeed Parents, we are on Pinterest just about every day — but like most people who love Pinterest, we look at these awe-inspiring recipes a whole lot more than we actually make them. While our colleagues from BuzzFeed Food are literal superheroes in the kitchen, we spend most of our time reheating leftovers for hangry children who don't have much appreciation for new and exciting recipes.

To find out if Pinterest is good for more than drooling, we challenged ourselves to each test three of Pinterest's most popular family recipes to see how they fare in the real world. Is Pinterest a real tool for meal planning, or is it just a bunch of pretty pictures? We took our families on a culinary adventure to find out.

Jenny Chang/BuzzFeed

Morgan

Macey Foronda for BuzzFeed

We're a family of three, but I'm still coming to terms with calling my 6-year-old an only child. (She's a solo kid, OK? My uterus is enjoying its downtime.) My husband, Scott, and I both work full time, and Delilah's officially a kindergartener, so the time any of us spend at home is pretty limited. That usually means takeout for dinner, or the few weeknight staples Scott and I have mastered over the years.

Jenny Chang/BuzzFeed

Mike

Macey Foronda for BuzzFeed

My wife, Heather, and I have two kids, Annie, 5, and James, 2. While James will eat just about anything, Annie is a much harder sell. I generally cook a few meals a week for my family, but I stick to the ones I know will go over well, like Saturday morning pancakes or grilled cheese. My food confession: I start every "what should we eat?" conversation by suggesting we order pizza.

Jenny Chang/BuzzFeed

Amber

Macey Foronda for BuzzFeed

I'm the mom to two kids, Carson, 3, and Camryn, 13, and wife to Damon, who has an extensive palate and loves to try new foods — the kids, not so much. I've used Pinterest to look for recipe ideas in the past but it's hard for me to get past the pinning and get to the actual cooking. Carson is much more excited about food than Camryn, so finding something they will both try and enjoy is quite the challenge.

Morgan's First Mission: Cauliflower Crust Pizza

gimmedelicious.com

From Gimme Delicious Food.

The Process

Scott Shanahan/BuzzFeed

OK, so the Cauliflower Pizza actually came out really well. One of my main struggles in life is convincing Delilah that she can't sustain on pizza and macaroni alone, so the idea of getting her to eat vegetables disguised as pizza was a really appealing one. AHA, kid! You just ate vitamin C and folate! Take that! (Although when she saw the ingredients on the counter and heard we were making pizza, she did ask if I "even know what pizza is.")

The Result

Jenny Chang and Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

This seemingly gimmicky recipe was actually really easy to make and looked and tasted surprisingly pizza-like!

Family Reaction

Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

Scott and I dug right in and loved it, while Delilah insisted "it smelled" until she polished off a whole slice and declared, "I actually kind of liked it."

Would you make it again?

All in all, this one is a definite would-make-again. Amateur-pro tip: You'll want to spread the pizza dough thin and bake it all the way through before you add your toppings. I could see myself making garlic "bread" this way, too. Grade: A

Morgan's Second Challenge: Broccoli Tots

gimmedelicious.com

From Gimme Delicious.

The Process

Scott Shanahan/BuzzFeed

Seriously EFF these broccoli tots. Have you ever made tots? Did you know you have to shape each individual tot by hand? Do you have any idea how long that takes? Do you have any idea how pissed off your husband will be if you make him take a photo of every tot you set down on the tray because you are doing this for a BuzzFeed post and you're a lunatic? Take my word for it. Don't make tots.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

Uch, whatever, they were fine, I guess. They looked like the photo, but they tasted like hours of wasted time and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Family Reaction

Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

Delilah hated them. Well, she couldn't actually be convinced to try them, but she was 100% certain she was going to hate them. Scott and I didn't hate them, but I did hate myself for making them, so potato/po-tot-o. (See what I did there?)

Would you make it again?

No. Not even under threat of death would I make these or any other type of tot ever again. Burn in hell, tots. Grade: Fucking C -

Morgan's Third Challenge: Ice Cream Sandwich No-Bake Cake

raininghotcoupons.com

From Raining Hot Coupons.

The Process

Scott Shanahan/BuzzFeed

My kid was excited, I was excited, and we were not disappointed. Putting this ice cream cake together took about 15 minutes max and it was pretty much ready to eat right away. We popped ours in the freezer while we had dinner, and the Cool Whip was the perfect frosting-like consistency when we pulled it out about an hour later.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

It wasn't the most stunning ice cream cake I've ever seen, but it was damn delicious. And my 6-year-old did most of the heavy lifting, so I think it was worth the aesthetic sacrifice.

Family Reaction

Morgan Shanahan/BuzzFeed

This was by far the biggest hit of all. (Surprise! We like ice cream!) Between the crushed Oreos and the chocolate syrup between the layers, I couldn't believe how good this tasted. I have a feeling this just became a birthday dinner staple.

Would you make it again?

I already have. (That cake was good.) Grade: A+++

Mike's First Mission: California Breakfast Casserole

favfamilyrecipes.com

From Favorite Family Recipes.

The Process

Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

The recipe was described as "easy to make," but the prep alone took me 30–40 minutes (there was a fair amount of chopping required). To be fair, though, I could have done it a lot faster if I were more familiar with the recipe and didn't have a toddler nipping at my heels the whole time.

Something else that slowed the process — but was totally worth it — was letting Annie help. I figured that if she helped make the food, she would have a sense of ownership over it and be much more likely to actually try it.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

This one plated really well, but — real talk — didn’t taste as good as it looked. The main problem was that the recipe called for the hash browns to be defrosted, and even though I left them in the crisper overnight, they didn’t defrost as much as they should have. I thought they’d soften up in the oven, but that didn’t happen as I had hoped.

Family Reaction

Spohr/BuzzFeed

I got the biggest thumbs-up from James, who cleaned his plate. Full disclosure, though: James cleans his plate when you give him a bowl of almost-stale cereal, so he’s not the best judge (more Paula than Simon). Annie (the Simon of the family) said, “I didn’t like the green stuff [avocado], and I didn’t like the potatoes either.” After moving the food around on her plate a while, however, she discovered the breakfast sausages underneath, which she loved. Of course, if I knew that was all she was going to eat I could have just microwaved the sausages for her in a few minutes. Oh well.

My wife, meanwhile, saw the potential in the casserole and thought it would be a good one to try again for family events.

Would you make it again?

This first try might not have been a home run, but there are a number of things I would do differently a second time (like fully defrost the hash browns and — oh yeah — not forget the salt and pepper). Like a lot of recipes, this one might take a few tries before you really figure it out. I'd definitely try this again for a family function, as my wife suggested, but probably not for the kids since Annie hates "the green stuff." Grade: B -

Mike's Second Challenge: Meat Loaf Cupcakes

cincyshopper.com

From Cincy Shopper.

The Process

Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

When I told my wife I would be making meat loaf cupcakes, she was like, "Nope. Not eating those." My co-worker, Morgan, had a similar reaction ("That's just rude," she said), but the cupcake gimmick struck me as one even the finickiest eaters could get behind, so I was determined to give it a shot. I was quickly rewarded for my choice because the prep was super easy. It was so easy, in fact, that Annie was able to help even more this time.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

These came out of the oven burbling appealingly and looking a whole lot like actual cupcakes, especially after I added a dollop of mashed potatoes.

Family Reaction

Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

In an incredibly rare event in our home, my wife was proven wrong when she tried the cupcakes and declared them to be "delicious." As I imagined, Annie loved the meat loaf's cupcake-like appearance and devoured her plate. I think the cupcake-iness was also a selling point for James, considering he cleaned his plate — but then again, he always cleans his plate, so who knows? When I asked Annie what her favorite part was she said, "Everything!"

Would you make it again?

Absolutely. In fact, Annie has already requested them again. This meal went over so well that I can see how recipe hunting on Pinterest can get really addictive. If my family loved this one so much, what other recipes might be out there? Pinterest win! Grade: A

Mike's Third Challenge: Nutella S'mores Dessert Pizza

picky-palate.com

From Picky Palate.

The Process

Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

You know when a sporting team has a huge win, and then comes out the next day a bit cocky and loses big? That's what happened here. I was sure Nutella S'mores Pizza was going to be an even bigger win than the meat loaf cupcakes, but 10 minutes into the process things went south fast. I was getting flour and sugar all over the kitchen and the dough was NOT looking like anything resembling dough even after a few minutes in the stand mixer. It turns out the recipe called for a dough hook, which I didn't have, and whatever hook I did have wasn't cutting it.

As you can see, though, Annie didn't seem too concerned with my inferior-looking dough.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

OK, this was the most Pinterest-fail-looking of the three recipes. I'm going to own that. The poorly mixed dough tasted pretty blah, but — shocker — the marshmallows and chocolate still tasted damn good.

The Family Reaction

Heather Spohr/BuzzFeed

Heather declined the chance to eat this monstrosity on the grounds that she's "not a huge fan of sweets," but that doesn't strike me as historically accurate having been with her for 13 years. Oh well. I'll let it slide.

My 2-year-old garbage disposal, on the other hand, did what James does, and Annie also loved this chocolate and marshmallow Frankenstein. She said, "This is so good! I love this!" — which makes me wonder how she'd react if the dough had come out better.

Would you make it again?

I'm definitely going to make this one again, but I might try an easier work-around for the dough. Grade: B

Amber's First Mission: Spaghetti Carbonara

damndelicious.net

From Damn Delicious.

The Process

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

My kids are not spaghetti eaters, so this was a bit of an undertaking to get them on board. Chopping and cooking the bacon and boiling the pasta took the longest, and once that was done, I had to move quickly to get my timing down so the egg didn't scramble in the heat. I just knew once my teenager saw the egg-Parmesan mixture she was going to freak out and refuse to try it, but I think having her assist in the cooking process was a great way to get her a little bit more excited about her dinner.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

Definitely a winning recipe. It was fast and easy AND tasted good. It made for a much better week of eating at home as the kids were already open to new dinner ideas. I couldn't wait to post to the ’gram.

Family Reaction

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

I was surprised at the kids' willingness to try it and keep chewing beyond the initial bite. Damon loved that it tasted healthy but still had a lot of flavor. Camryn was surprised that she liked it as much as she did and even had it again the next day on her own. This never happens. I had to be chill about it so she wouldn't know how happy this made me.

Would you make it again?

I would absolutely make this again. It looked great IRL, and the hubs and kids each gave it the thumbs-up. I love that it consisted of ingredients I would normally have on hand anyway, and the prep and cook time didn't have me in the kitchen all night. Grade: A

Amber's Second Challenge: French Toast Roll Ups

spendwithpennies.com

From Spend With Pennies.

The Process

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

The whole idea is to flatten the bread and make it easier to roll up, but I didn't realize that it helps if you cut the crusts off first until I was four rolls in. Dipping the roll ups into the cinnamon-sugar mixture was a sticky mess once my 3-year-old got involved, and there is still cinnamon on my cabinets to prove it.

Result

Jenny Chang and Amber Dorsey/ BuzzFeed

Oddly enough they ended up looking quite Pinterest-y, which surprised me. The toddler and the teenager agreed they were "yummy" while warm but were less enthusiastic after a few minutes. This is definitely one that needs to be eaten HOT!

Family Reaction

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

After the initial bite the excitement seemed to wane for the kids, but they both still gave it a marginal thumbs-up. My husband, Damon, wasn't too impressed — he thought the bread was "too soggy" and that there wasn't enough spread inside.

Would you make it again?

Not sure if this was a real winner in our books. French toast is usually a favorite, but this recipe just seemed to overcomplicate the concept. And by adding Nutella, it was over-the-top sweet. Grade: B

Amber's Third Challenge: PB&J Bento Box

cookingclassy.com

From Cooking Classy.

The Process

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

Make-ahead lunches are hard for me. I wait until the last minute to start and then I end up throwing rando items into a lunch box with no regard to portion or food group. The thought of making lunch cute enough that the kids would even want to eat it was extra daunting. They both love the traditional PB&J, so I figured putting a new spin on it would go over well. For Carson, I cut his sandwich into heart shapes, and I made Camryn PB&J sushi rolls. They both had cookies, applesauce, and a fruit strip, while Camryn got pretzels and Carson had veggie chips.

The Result

Jenny Chang and Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

It was actually kind of fun and came out super cute. Both Camryn and Carson were REALLY excited to eat their lunches the next day and it made me feel good to have done this little thing for them.

Family reaction

Amber Dorsey/BuzzFeed

Carson in particular enjoyed the spoils of his heart-shaped sandwich by eating the cut-off portions the night before, and his teacher informed me that he ate EVERYTHING, which he never does. Score one for mom! Camryn even ate the majority of hers (minus the carrot sticks), which has been a huge struggle with her this year. She even said she liked me making her lunch, but I told her not to get too used to it.

Would you make it again?

Getting my kids excited to eat their lunch the next day was a huge thing. I think next time we'll get even crazier with the shapes and branch out on our sandwich ideas as well. Grade: A

Morgan: I actually had a great time emulating these recipes. As a full-time working mama, I sadly don't think much about how I can make dinner more exciting for my family — my main concerns are always speed and nutrition. I'm usually pretty quick to roll my eyes at Pinterest and all of the perfection being peddled there, but setting my internet baggage aside and mixing up our standard fare turned out to be a really fun experience for my daughter and me. (Not to mention delicious.) I might even start a recipe board of my own now — just don't expect to see any tots on it.

Mike: Until taking this challenge I avoided trying new recipes for my family

because I was afraid of expending a lot of time, money, and effort on something they'd turn their noses up at in the end. In the end, taking the plunge into Pinterest-land was definitely worth it, as I had a blast trying new things in the kitchen. Most important, my picky-eating daughter really blossomed during the process, taking a greater interest in food and trying new things she probably wouldn't have otherwise.

Amber: I already love Pinterest and have made things from there before, but this was the first time I really got the family involved in the process. This was a great way to kick off our week and keep the kids looking forward to dinner. It may have backfired, though, as they keep asking me, "What new thing are we making tonight?" Hey — at least they're interested in eating, right?

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Andrew Richard