And the best part is I went from a finicky 5 year old to now a 12 year old who will eat nearly anything!

But yes.....I so understand - often kids come from families that view black pepper as an exotic spice so I recommend recipes like http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/cheesy-couscous or http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/chicken-alfredo-couscous or http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/pizza-pot - kids will love them.
Also consider ramen - http://www.trailcooking.com/search/node/ramen or mashed potatoes: http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/cheesy-bacon-mashers

Kids love these recipes!