17 Recipes We Ignored Growing Up but Crave as Adults

Some foods that once made us groan at the dinner table have a way of becoming irresistible later in life. These 17 recipes prove how ingredients and dishes we pushed aside as kids are now the ones we crave for comfort, nostalgia, and flavor. With simple methods and familiar ingredients, they are easy to bring back into today’s kitchens. As you scroll, you’ll find meals that spark memories, bring surprise, and remind us how tastes change with time.

Roasted balsamic glazed brussels sprouts in a black bowl. — Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Two lasagna roll-ups filled with spinach and ricotta cheese, topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, garnished with a fresh basil leaf—dishes every foodie should try before you die. — Spinach Lasagna Rolls. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls take about 50 minutes and transform spinach from a childhood struggle into a centerpiece of comfort food. Layers of pasta and cheese mellow the flavor into something hearty and balanced. Tomato sauce bakes everything together for a dinner both easy and satisfying. These rolls prove spinach can go from dreaded to crave-worthy when adulthood changes our tastes.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Honey Garlic Carrots

Honey Garlic Carrots cook in about 25 minutes, taking a vegetable many kids ignored and turning it into something craveable. Roasting brings tenderness, while the honey and garlic glaze adds caramelized flavor. The short cook time makes them a practical side for weeknights. These carrots remind us how vegetables once pushed aside now become dishes we seek out.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Carrots

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Red, yellow, and orange honey glazed carrots on a slate board. — Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots are done in 25 minutes, showing how a childhood dislike can become a favorite adult side. The oven brings out natural sweetness, while honey and thyme keep the flavors balanced. Prep is simple with just a few ingredients. These carrots prove that the foods we once ignored can be the ones we now crave most.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot soup on a white bowl. — Carrot Ginger Soup. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Carrot Ginger Soup simmers in about 35 minutes and turns an avoided vegetable into a comforting adult dinner. The carrots blend into a smooth base, while ginger adds warmth without being overwhelming. Cooking on the stovetop keeps the process straightforward. This soup shows how tastes evolve and how once-hated vegetables become bowls of comfort.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Ginger Soup

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp bakes in 45 minutes, turning rhubarb from too tart for kids into a dessert adults crave. Strawberries add balance while the crumb topping makes it comforting. Prep is simple with basic pantry staples and seasonal fruit. This crisp proves how a once-rejected ingredient can become the star of dessert.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Cheesy Cabbage Casserole with Cracker Topping

A casserole dish filled with a cheesy cabbage casserole. — Cheesy Cabbage Casserole with Cracker Topping. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Cabbage Casserole with Cracker Topping bakes in under an hour, turning cabbage from childhood chore to grown-up comfort food. Cheese and cream mellow the sharpness, while the cracker topping adds crunch. The oven handles most of the work, making it easy for weeknights. This casserole shows how overlooked vegetables can turn into recipes adults crave.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Cabbage Casserole with Cracker Topping

Creamy Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese

A black bowl filled with beetroot risotto, topped with pine nuts, goat cheese, and a small sprig of thyme, placed on a light-colored surface. — Creamy Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese. Photo credit: At The Immigrants Table.

Creamy Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese cooks in about 50 minutes, making beets from childhood dread into something adults welcome. The rice absorbs the beet color while goat cheese melts in for richness. It’s stirred slowly on the stovetop, requiring patience but no complex steps. This risotto proves that the vegetables we once avoided can become dishes worth craving.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese

Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower

Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower cook in 15 minutes, turning two disliked childhood vegetables into crisp-tender sides. The air fryer makes prep quick with minimal cleanup. Light seasoning enhances flavor without masking it. These vegetables prove that a change in cooking method can turn rejection into craving.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower

Easy Oven Asparagus

Cooked asparagus in a white bowl. — Easy Oven Asparagus. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Easy Oven Asparagus roasts in 12 to 15 minutes, turning a vegetable many kids avoided into a quick side adults now request. High heat makes it crisp-tender while prep is as simple as oil and seasoning. It’s fast enough for weeknights yet elegant enough for gatherings. This asparagus proves that tastes change and what was once ignored can be celebrated.
Get the Recipe: Easy Oven Asparagus

Chicken and Cabbage Soup with Ginger

A bowl of chicken and cabbage soup is shown on a rustic wooden cutting board with parsley and a red linen. — Chicken and Cabbage Soup with Ginger. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

Chicken and Cabbage Soup with Ginger simmers into a hearty dish in under an hour, making cabbage from childhood avoidance into adult comfort. The broth carries flavor from ginger, garlic, and vegetables while the chicken adds richness. A stovetop simmer keeps the cooking straightforward. This soup shows how once-avoided ingredients now deliver comfort in every bowl.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Cabbage Soup with Ginger

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup cooks low and slow for hours, turning a food often ignored as kids into adult comfort. The peas break down into a creamy base while vegetables add depth. Prep is simple—just load the slow cooker and let it work. This soup proves patience transforms childhood dislikes into adult cravings.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Scalloped Potatoes

Cheesy potato casserole in a white dish with a fork. — Scalloped Potatoes. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Scalloped Potatoes bake in about an hour, showing how a dish once seen as boring by kids becomes crave-worthy for adults. Thin slices of potato cook in a creamy sauce layered with cheese. The oven takes care of the work while flavors meld together. These potatoes prove how age changes perspective on foods we once pushed aside.
Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

A person holds a bowl of creamy beef stroganoff garnished with parsley. — Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff takes a childhood dinner many passed on and makes it crave-worthy with rich sauce and tender beef. The slow cooker creates depth of flavor without constant attention. Mushrooms add heartiness that adults now appreciate. This recipe proves that what once drew complaints now earns second helpings.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy

Sliced meatloaf with gravy on decorative plate, garnished with rosemary, accompanied by mashed potatoes. — Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy turns a dish once met with groans into adult comfort food. The meatloaf bakes into two loaves, making it practical for today’s kitchens. Onion gravy adds richness that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes. This recipe proves meatloaf can shift from childhood struggle to adult craving.
Get the Recipe: Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy

Best Sautéed Mushrooms

Sautéed mushrooms in a skillet with herbs and garlic. — Best Sautéed Mushrooms. Photo credit: MOON and spoon and yum.

Best Sautéed Mushrooms are ready in 15 minutes, flipping one of the most refused childhood foods into an adult staple. A hot pan and oil bring out earthy depth quickly. They pair with nearly any main course and take little effort to prepare. These mushrooms show how something once dreaded can now anchor grown-up dinners.
Get the Recipe: Best Sautéed Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Classic Yankee pot roast cooked slowly with vegetables. — Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast cooks all day until beef and vegetables are fork-tender, taking a meal some ignored as kids into an adult favorite. The crockpot handles the work, building flavor slowly. Potatoes and carrots soak in the broth, turning into comfort food worth waiting for. This roast shows how a meal once overlooked becomes one we crave with age.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts roast in 25 minutes, showing how one of the most disliked childhood vegetables becomes an adult favorite. The glaze caramelizes in the oven, leaving them crisp outside and tender inside. A hot sheet pan does most of the work, keeping things easy. These sprouts prove that the foods we avoided hardest often end up on repeat as adults.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts