Cooking with Kids: Recipes and ideas to make it fun!

One of the joys of parenting is to share your love of cooking with your children. Whether you want to pass down a family recipe or have a grand time with your kids, cooking, singing, and bonding, the kitchen is the perfect place. If this is your first time cooking with your children, go easy on them. Do not expect them to cook a three-course meal or grill steaks on the first try. Instead, focus on easy-to-follow recipes that your children will enjoy cooking. So, what are you waiting for? Grab an apron, take out the ingredients, and get cooking!

How to Get Started?

Cooking is an art, but it’s also an activity that isn’t without the potential for hazards. Hence, if you want to get your children involved in the kitchen, you must prioritize safety and try having a rough outline of what you want them to make. Prepping ingredients takes time, and you want to ensure you have all the ingredients necessary to prepare a delicious snack or, better yet, a tasty meal. Make sure you ask your children what they really want to cook and eat later.

For instance, if your children have a sweet tooth and love chocolate chips, you should try making cookies with them. You can take this a step further and make cookie bars with them instead of plain biscuits. Paired with a warm glass of milk, your kids will relish the fruits of their hard work once these bars are cooked. Hence, to get started in baking these magic cookie bars, go through the ingredients list, make sure you have everything at hand, and follow the instructions carefully. Preparation is key!

Additionally, do not let your children handle sharp knives, the stove, or any element that can severely hurt them. Taking simple precautions goes a long way, and instead of a kitchen nightmare, you create a lasting memory for your kids.

Here is a list of recipes to try with your children:

1. Grilled Pizza roll-ups

Kids love pizza, so why not make roll-ups instead of baking an entire pie? These snacks are easy to assemble and do not require much work. Your children can easily put the ingredients together and enjoy this delicious treat.

To make this dish, you need about four slices of sandwich bread; cut the crusts off and roll up each piece.

Next, you will need about four mozzarella cheese sticks, or ask your children to grate about ½ a cup of grated mozzarella. After you set those aside, ask your kids to place a piece of pepperoni on each slice of bread. Once you assemble the pizza bread, you must tightly roll it up.

Heat about 1 tbsp of butter in a pan and cook the rolls until golden. You want to ensure that they are uniformly golden. The last step is to cut each roll into sushi rolls and serve it with warmed marinara sauce.

2. Tomato Spaghetti

Thinking of going Italian tonight?

Add 2 tbsp of butter and ½ a tbsp of oil into a pan and let them melt. Next up, finely chop up one small onion, one large carrot, and about two stalks of celery.

Ask your kid to add the onions and cook them on medium heat until they soften for about two minutes. Once soft enough, ask your child to add carrots, celery, and one to two cloves of crushed garlic to the pan.

Let your child stir the ingredients until the entire mix softens. Following this step, you must add about two tins, or 800 grams of chopped tomatoes, to your vegetable mix. Season the sauce with about ½ tsp of dried oregano, twenty capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Ensure you cook the sauce for ten to twenty minutes while simultaneously boiling the pasta.

3. Chocolate Marshmallow Mug Cakes

What is not to love about mug cakes? They are a sweet treat in a cup without the added hassle of baking a cake. Your children will also have a blast making these delicious desserts since it has plenty of sugar and marshmallows.

To make a batch, whisk about ½ cup of sugar and buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, one egg, and ½ tsp of vanilla in a large bowl until it smooths. Next, ask your child to whisk in 1/3 cup of flour, 2 tbsps of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/8 tsp of baking soda, and a pinch of salt.

Once the batter is set, butter four small microwave-safe mugs and divide the batter equally among them. Make sure you microwave them one at a time for about two minutes each. Once the cake cools, make a slit and guide your children to pipe marshmallow cream into them. You can top up the cake with warmed chocolate frosting and dive in!

How to Make Cooking Fun?

Cooking should always be fun; your children should enjoy getting their hands dirty and experimenting in the kitchen. Here is how you can make cooking fun for them:

1. Allow Kids to Get Messy

Children are messy; they will spill, pour things more than they should, and topple over bottles. That is completely fine. Allow your children to get messy, and let them laugh as they cover themselves with sauce. You can always teach them to clean up afterward, but do not spoil the moment.

2. Conduct Science Experiments

The kitchen is where science comes to life. There is immense chemistry involved in cooking. Show your children interesting experiments like how yeast reacts to different ingredients, how certain ingredients react together, and what can spoil a dish. Undoubtedly, your children will fall in love with cooking more.

3. Let There Be Spice

Cooking with your children is an excellent way to introduce them to spices. Flavor can appeal to their adventurous spirit and encourage them to try more food. Engage them by letting them smell spices like cumin, cloves, cayenne, and cinnamon. Let them taste it, too. Make it into a game by allowing them to blind-test tiny amounts of spices and ask them what they like.

4. Let Them Use Tools

Kitchen prep should feel like playtime by letting your children handle tools like rolling pins, measuring cups, vegetable peelers, and crinkle cutters. Allow your kids to cut fancy shapes without interfering with their work.

Final Thoughts

Cooking with your children is a fun and exciting activity. As a parent, you should involve them in cooking, prepping, and experimenting so they can learn. Find a recipe they will enjoy, encourage them to test their skills, and cherish whatever time you spend with your children.