If you’re the parent, you’ve probably dealt with a picky eater at some point in your life. Kids can be hard to please in terms of what you offer them for a meal, but pasta tends to be one of the tried-and-true favorites.
If you want to mix it up and branch away from macaroni (even though we have it on our list), we have just what you’re looking for with 17 pasta shapes kids will love, which include:
- Alphabet pasta
- Farfalle (bowtie)
- Fiori
- Gnocchi
- Gomiti
- Jumbo shells
- Lasagna
- Macaroni
- Mezzelune
- Penne
- Ravioli
- Rotelle
- Rotini
- Tortellini
- Ziti
We’ll explain what all of these pasta shapes look like and why they’re likely to be kid favorites!
15 kid-approved pasta shapes
- Alphabet pasta
One of the most kid-friendly pasta shapes is alphabet pasta, which is shaped like the 26 letters of the alphabet. Most famous for “alphabet soup” (a tomato-based soup), alphabet pasta can be used in other dishes as well – after all, pasta is pasta!
- Farfalle (bowtie)
Farfalle is more well-known by its name ‘bowtie pasta’ in the United States. Its large and fun shape is sure to be a kid’s favorite.
- Fiori
Fiori is Italian for ‘flower’, which is what this pasta shape resembles (a flower center with six “petals” around it).
- Gnocchi
Gnocchi’s chewy texture is likely to be another kid-approved type of pasta. It’s made from flour, potatoes, and eggs, which sets it apart from most other types of pasta.
- Gomiti
Gomiti means ‘elbow’ in Italian, though it doesn’t look like the elbow noodles you’re probably used to seeing in grocery stores in the US (which are curved macaroni).
Gomiti looks more like a snail shell and is curved and ridged, which makes it interesting enough to catch kids’ eyes.
- Jumbo shells (conchiglioni)
Who doesn’t love stuffed shells? Load them up with meat, sauce, and cheese and you have a hearty meal for the whole family.
- Lasagna
It might not be the most new and interesting pasta shape on this list, but lasagna is generally a kid-approved meal (like stuffed shells).
- Macaroni
Likely the most popular pasta shape for kids, you can’t go wrong with good ol’ mac and cheese!
- Mezzelune
What the heck is mezzelune? It’s like ravioli but has a semicircular shape that is usually stuffed with cheese and vegetables (a great way to get those veggies in for the picky kids!).
- Penne
Penne pasta is tubular and angled, which can make it easier for kids to pierce with a fork or even better, eat with their fingers. It also has ridges that make it easier for little fingers to grasp if you have a finger feeder.
- Ravioli
Like macaroni, ravioli is a tried-and-true favorite for kids and adults alike. You can’t go wrong when you combine pasta and cheese, right?!
- Rotelle (wagon wheel)
Wagon wheel pasta is good for more than crafts with its fun shape that kids are sure to love!
- Rotini
This fun tightly-spiraled pasta holds on to sauce well and is a favorite for pasta salads.
- Tortellini
Another stuffed pasta that is acrowd-pleaserr for both kids AND adults, tortellini is usually filled with ricotta but can have other fillings as well.
- Ziti
Rigatoni is like penne but it’s straight, not angled, and isn’t ridged on the outside unless it’s a “rigate” version with a ridged exterior. It’s larger and easier to eat with a fork compared to other types of pasta, which is a plus for younger kids.
Baked ziti is similar to lasagna in terms of ingredients if you want to mix things up just a bit!
FAQs:
Some of the most popular pasta shapes in the United States include macaroni, spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagne, and penne, but these are just a few!
Toddlers and finger feeders will appreciate larger, easy-to-grab pasta shapes like penne. For fun shapes, try alphabet pasta, rotelle (wagon wheel), and fiori, which look like little flowers!
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