Yes chef! Look past the inevitable spills and a desire for Instagram-worthy plating and get kids involved in the kitchen with these easy recipes for kids.
From simple breakfasts to healthy popsicles and main-event meals, these recipes set kids up to be independent and excited to try adventurous ingredients.
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Avocado Pea Smash
Toddlers will love the "smash" in this avocado pea smash, perfect for topping toast. Plus, the folate in the peas plus the healthy fat in avocado is great for developing brains. Little hands can sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh tomatoes.
A with blueberries and coconut - this is a great recipe for kids to dump ingredients into a food processor with a satisfying "plop" and help pour them into a popsicle molds.
Sogoal Zolghadri shares her adaptable, party-ready crispy fried noodle recipe. She sticks to frying this Lunar New Year dish herself, but older kids can help chop and plate. Swap tofu for any protein your family likes.
Our go-to for sleepovers and movie nights this adorable recipe. Set up toppings along a table or counter and kids can DIY their personal pizzas. Use pre-made pizza dough and sauce to save more time for making heart-shaped toppings with tiny cookie cutters.
Rethinking quesadillas as a vehicle for something warm that adds protein or fiber: corn, bell peppers, black beans, diced chicken, or smashed sweet potato. Younger kids can help sprinkle cheese and smash the avo, while older kids can practice heating the tortilla with your help.
Is your mini learning how to hold a knife? Practice those safe knife skills together with a low-stakes recipe like a soup where less than perfect carrot slices will cook down and get pulsed with lentils, onion, and a hint of turmeric.
Yes, they'll help eat the cookie dough, but this recipe swaps dairy, eggs, and gluten for feel-good ingredients like coconut flakes, sun butter, and hemp seeds they can pulse and roll into balls.
In Scotland, fish cakes are a classic kids' dish, a combination of poached fish, mashed potatoes and savory vegetables or herbs. While sautéing may be advanced for most minis, they can help mix and form these fish cake patties Alainn Bailey swears by for kids who are learning to love fish.
A cocktail party hors d'oeuvres reimagined as breakfast bite, serve these with yogurt and berries for a complete breakfast. Make and freeze a batch in advance to pop them in the oven when you wake up. Many little hands can quickly knead the dough and roll it into 60 small balls.
Looking for luck before a test or a big game? With toast and a bagel as the base of this crowd-pleaser, it's simple for kids to make this colorful breakfast. They can toast, schmear, and top with fruit.
Pumpkin adds comforting creaminess to this vegan mac, while sage and nutritional yeast add a savory twist. If using a pumpkin (canned works too!), kids can help scrape, scoop, and roast. The sauce gets made in the blender so have mini add ingredients and blend till smooth.
Healthy wheat-free cookies that just need one bowl? Sign us up. These are a breeze to make - even little kids can dump everything into the food processor and watch the dough form. Older kids can measure things out too.
Erin Jang of The Indigo Bunting added sprinkles to Rice Krispie treats and slipped them into self-sealing cello bags. See who can make the silliest face when adding mismatched googly eyes to each treat bag.
A warm, gooey chocolate soufflé with a secret ingredient: a banana. Kids can help mash the banana, whisk the ingredients, and top the individual ramekins with berries or a spoonful of yogurt before serving.
A bright protein-packed quinoa salad can be made in one pot, making it easy to have mini help pour, whisk, stir, and fluff. Use fresh peas in spring and frozen when they're out of season.
Nutritionist and registered dietician Molly Rieger (and her daughter Maxie!) started making challah weekly during lockdown. Maxi likes to measure the ingredients, add them to the bowl, and mix the dough. Molly will break off a small amount of dough to let her make her mini challah, adding chocolate chips, raisins, or poppy seeds.
This five-ingredient treat doesn't require an ice cream maker and uses things you probably already have in the fridge. It's customizable so feel free to swap in other berries or pour into popsicle molds if you have them. Kids can help every step of the way––stir, pour and load into the freezer.
