Summer in Oregon means berry-stained fingers, backyard sprinkler runs, and the unmistakable smell of something tasty sizzling on the grill. But let’s be honest—grilled food for kids needs to be fun, fast, and actually edible without a negotiation strategy.

Here are 10 kid-friendly grilled recipes with Oregon ingredients that bring the flavor, embrace the fun, and just might get your kid to say, “Can I have seconds?”

1. Mini Burgers with Tillamook Cheddar

Sliders are just burgers with better portion control and less napkin commitment. Plus, kids can build their own—like edible Legos.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Oregon-raised ground beef or turkey
  • Salt and pepper
  • Slider buns
  • Tillamook cheddar cheese, sliced
  • Toppings: ketchup, lettuce, pickles, grilled onions, etc.

Instructions:

  1. Divide meat into 8 small patties. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill over medium heat, about 3–4 minutes per side.
  3. Add cheese during the final minute of cooking.
  4. Serve on slider buns with toppings of choice.

2. Hot Dog Kabobs (aka “Pigs on a Stick”)

Why serve a regular hot dog when you can put it on a stick with veggies and make dinner feel like a fair?

Ingredients:

  • 4 Zenner’s hot dogs, sliced into 1-inch rounds
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Cheddar cheese cubes
  • Mini bell peppers, chopped
  • Skewers

Instructions:

  1. Alternate hot dog slices, cheese cubes, tomatoes, and peppers on skewers.
  2. Grill over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly charred and heated through.

3. Grilled Chicken Skewers with Marionberry BBQ Glaze

Sweet, sticky, these are the chicken nuggets of the backyard grill.

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ cup marionberry BBQ sauce (or mix ¼ cup marionberry jam with ¼ cup BBQ sauce)
  • Wooden skewers, soaked in water

Instructions:

  1. Thread chicken onto soaked skewers. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill over medium heat, turning frequently, for 10–12 minutes.
  3. Brush with BBQ sauce in the last few minutes of cooking until caramelized.

4. Grilled Quesadillas with Don Pancho Tortillas

Think of it as grilled cheese with extra swagger. Melty cheese and crispy tortilla = guaranteed win.

Ingredients:

  • Don Pancho flour tortillas
  • 2 cups Tillamook shredded cheese
  • Optional: grilled chicken, black beans, sautéed veggies
  • Olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Place cheese and optional fillings on one side of tortilla, then fold over.
  2. Lightly brush outside with olive oil.
  3. Grill for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
  4. Slice into wedges.

5. Corn on the Cob with Oregon Butter

Grilled corn: tasty snack, makeshift microphone, and dental challenge all in one.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ears of corn, husked
  • Rogue Creamery or local Oregon butter
  • Salt

Instructions:

  1. Rub each ear with butter and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in foil.
  2. Grill over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally.
  3. Unwrap carefully and serve with extra butter (because you’re in Oregon and we go big on dairy).

6. Personal Grilled Pizzas with Local Toppings

Let kids build their own pizzas. Just maybe supervise, or you’ll end up with a salami-marshmallow combo.

Ingredients:

  • Pizza dough or naan bread
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
  • Toppings: Carlton Farms pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, roasted veggies, etc.

Instructions:

  1. Roll dough into small rounds or use naan. Grill one side for 2 minutes.
  2. Flip, then add sauce, cheese, and toppings.
  3. Close lid and grill another 3–5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

7. Grilled Fruit Kabobs with Oregon Strawberries

Fruit disguised as dessert? That’s a parenting win.

Ingredients:

  • Oregon strawberries, hulled
  • Pineapple chunks
  • Banana slices
  • Wooden skewers
  • Optional dip: ½ cup Greek yogurt + 1 Tbsp honey

Instructions:

  1. Thread fruit onto skewers.
  2. Grill over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, turning once.
  3. Serve warm with yogurt dip.

8. Grilled Mac & Cheese Bites

Like crispy grilled cheese married creamy mac & cheese, and they invited your grill to the wedding.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooled mac & cheese
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar
  • Foil
  • Muffin tin

Instructions:

  1. Stir extra cheese into cooled mac. Scoop into muffin tins and chill until firm.
  2. Remove from tin and wrap each portion in foil.
  3. Grill 5–7 minutes per side until heated through and crisp outside.

9. Foil-Packed Oregon S’mores

The campfire classic, minus the smoke in your face.

Ingredients:

  • Graham crackers
  • Woodblock or Moonstruck chocolate squares
  • Marshmallows
  • Foil

Instructions:

  1. Sandwich marshmallow and chocolate between graham crackers.
  2. Wrap in foil.
  3. Grill for 3–5 minutes until gooey.
  4. Unwrap carefully and enjoy the sticky nostalgia.

10. Grilled Peaches with Oregon Ice Cream

It’s a dessert that says, “I’ve got my life together,” even if you burned the corn.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe Oregon peaches, halved and pitted
  • Olive oil
  • Vanilla ice cream (Salt & Straw, Umpqua, etc.)
  • Optional: honey or caramel drizzle

Instructions:

  1. Lightly brush cut sides of peaches with oil.
  2. Grill cut-side down for 3–4 minutes until caramelized.
  3. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream and optional drizzle.

Final Thoughts:

From the Tillamook cheese to the marionberry glaze, Oregon gives us everything we need to win at summer dinners. So fire up the grill, hand your kid a skewer (blunt side, please), and enjoy a meal where “playing with your food” is basically part of the recipe.

Have a favorite kid-friendly Oregon grilling recipe? Send it our way—we might just feature it next!