Getting the kids involved in cooking will help them to try some new things. It also gives them a sense of independence. Even at a young age there are some things that kids can start to prepare for themselves. You might have to do a little of the prep work, like cutting up fruit and vegetables, but then allow them to put it on skewers for some kabobs.
The older kids get, though, the more they can begin doing alone. Make sure you go over how to be safe in the kitchen before they start. It wouldn’t be wise to let your five-year-old use sharp knives and the oven, but there are kid safe knives they can start with.
Here are five recipes kids can do on their own. So what are you waiting for? Get your kids to try something new with one of these kid-friendly recipes.
1. Fruit Salad
This is something that even the young ones can do as long as you prep the fruit.
Ingredients:
* Your favorite fruits, cut and washed
* 2 tbsp lemon juice
* 2 tbsp lime juice
* 2 tbsp orange juice
* 1/3 cup water
* 2/3 cup sugar
Place the fruit in a large bowl and stir it up. Mix the juices, water, and sugar together and pour it over the fruit in the bowl. Toss the fruit and serve.
2. Yogurt Parfait
Another simple one that kids at any age can do.
Ingredients:
* Yogurt
* Granola
* Fruit
In a dish, put a layer of granola on the bottom, then yogurt, and then fruit. Repeat this until you end with fruit at the top of the dish.
3. Sandwiches
Whether you’re making peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese, this is something that most kids can put together themselves. You don’t even need a recipe for it; the ingredients are spelled out there. If you don’t want your kids using a knife just yet, then the backside of a spoon for spreading the peanut butter and jelly will work in a pinch.
4. Soup and Salad
Okay, we’re not talking about making a homemade chicken soup here, but soup from a can for an older child who has been shown how to work a stove will be just fine. And with some pre-cut veggies (or if your child is old enough and ready to use a knife he can cut them himself), your child can make a delicious garden salad to give a well-balanced meal.
5. Pizza
Again, this is not something for a small child to make. This is for a child who can operate the oven. But you don’t even need to make your pizza on actual pizza crust. There are so many other mediums your child can use to make his own pizza. A tortilla, a bagel, or even an English muffin make for great crusts for a kids’ homemade pizza.
Add some leftover sauce, mozzarella cheese, and whatever favorite pizza toppings of your child and you’ll have a very tasty pizza. Put it in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F until the cheese is melted and bubbling and you’re good to go. Just make sure your child knows how to operate the oven and doesn’t forget to use pot holders.
These are just a few of the things that you can let your kids cook in the kitchen on their own, depending on their age and what they have been taught. It’s probably good to set some ground rules for cooking, like there should be an adult in the house before using the oven and have certain safety knives just for your child to use. However, once you lay down these rules there might be no stopping your child. He might find something he really loves doing, too.
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