7 Kids’ Foods Chefs Can’t Resist

You might think that chefs only enjoy the most sophisticated foods in their time off, like truffles and caviar. But just like the rest of us, culinary pros often crave the meals that got them through their childhoods — the fried, the frozen, and the microwavable dishes that are most often associated with the children’s menu. Here are some of the ‘kids’ foods’ that chefs still can’t resist.

Buttered noodles

“For my youngest daughter, Olive, her favorite is fusilli with butter and Parmesan cheese,” says 2008 F&W Best New Chef Gerard Craft. “I cook the pasta in just enough water to capture plenty of starch, so when the butter and cheese are added, it all emulsifies into a sauce that’s incredibly smooth and creamy. I always make a little (read: a lot) extra for myself,” he says. “What’s not to love about salty pasta with butter and Parm?”

Chicken fingers

2011 F&W Best New Chef Viet Pham enjoys chicken fingers with a side of crinkle-cut fries. “Eating them reminds me of getting school cafeteria lunch,” he says. Growing up, Pham wasn’t often able to afford lunch from the cafeteria, he explains, so this meal was a rare treat — one he’s still nostalgic about. 

Chicken nuggets

When it comes to chicken nuggets, chefs think beyond the Happy Meal. “Just Bare chicken nuggets are my jam,” says 2019 F&W Best New Chef Caroline Glover. “My biggest hack lately is a bagged salad with a handful of these nuggets, or a late-night snack of nuggets and mayo.”

2008 F&W Best New Chef Giuseppe Tentori swears by Whole Foods’ private-label 365 chicken nuggets. “They have no antibiotics and they are made with white meat only,” he says. Shockingly, his kids hate them — but that just means more nuggets for Tentori.

Ellio’s frozen pizza

“I secretly — I mean it, like, nobody knows — love Ellio’s pizza,” says 2025 F&W Best New Chef Phila Lorn. After a long night, Lorn relies on the frozen Sicilian-style pizza for delicious fuel. You can bake or air-fry the pizzas, but for optimal efficiency, Lorn prefers to microwave them until they’re “flaccid and pliable enough to roll up and devour.”

Bagel Bites

Every once in a while, 2014 F&W Best New Chef Ari Taymor craves Bagel Bites, the iconic frozen mini pizza bagels. “The only real way to eat them is straight out of the toaster oven while the cheese is boiling, ensuring that you burn and blister the roof of your mouth,” he says. “Only after that sacrifice is made can you properly enjoy the rest of your Bagel Bites.”

Gerber banana puffs

“My son is obsessed with Gerber banana puffs. He eats them before every baseball game,” says 2009 F&W Best New Chef Jon Shook. According to Shook, the banana-flavored whole-grain snacks are not only tasty — they are also good luck. “If he doesn’t have his puffs, he won’t hit well.” Shook has started to eat the banana puffs himself. “Honestly, they feel like a superpower.”

Boxed mac and cheese

Kraft Mac & Cheese is a family favorite for 1993 F&W Best New Chef Jody Adams. “When I was working like a maniac and the kids were little, Friday night was mac and cheese and movie night for my husband, Ken, and the kids,” she says. “When I’d get home after midnight, I’d look forward to opening up the fridge and seeing leftovers.” Adams would microwave the cheesy, bright-orange noodles and top them with salsa.

2018 F&W Best New Chef Brady Williams is also a big fan of boxed macaroni and cheese. “Annie’s Shells & Real Aged Cheddar is always in the pantry,” he says. “I say I’m making it for our daughter, but I probably sneak most of it.”