email this pageNeed some summer activities to keep the kids engaged? Herd them into the kitchen for a culinary adventure. Cooking with kids is not only fun, it's also educational. While children are busy creating culinary magic, they're reaping dozens of benefits. From sharpening academic and organizational skills to promoting social and emotional development, the payback from a little kitchen activity is powerful
- Cooking with Kids:
- Boosts self-esteem and confidence. Children feel good about themselves and experience the pride of ownership after completing a successful cooking project.
- Puts math, science, reading and writing into action. When kids count and measure ingredients, see ingredients transform as they cook, jot down items on a grocery list and read through a recipe, they're putting these basic academic tools to use.
- Sharpens fine motor skills. A little bit of mixing and measuring goes a long way in developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Fosters organizational skills and logical thinking. When children gather ingredients, follow recipe steps and figure out timing, they're learning how to follow directions and organize.
- Gives them life skills. Teaching children how to shop, cook and practice food safety fosters self-sufficiency and develops valuable skills they'll use for a lifetime.
- Promotes good eating habits. Children almost always eat what they make themselves. When they become invested in what they eat by planning and preparing nutritious meals and snacks, they're more likely to improve their eating habits.
- Exposes them to new cultures and family history. Little cooks' eyes open to other cultures when they experiment with ethnic foods, and learning to cook treasured family recipes passes down family traditions.
- Cultivates imagination, curiosity and creativity. Kids are exposed to new ideas, concepts, foods and vocabulary when they explore the culinary world.
- Provides great quality time and bonding opportunities. Making something delicious in the nurturing environment of your kitchen will bring you and your child together in a special way.
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
Mark Boughton
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This smoothie tastes like a creamsicle in a glass. Kids use their fine motor skills, practice math and learn how to safely operate kitchen equipment when they make this nutritious breakfast or snack drink.
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 cup skim milk
1 (6-ounce) container low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup calcium-fortified frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ice cubes
Instructions
1 (6-ounce) container low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup calcium-fortified frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ice cubes
1. Combine milk, yogurt, orange juice concentrate and vanilla extract in blender. Blend 15 seconds to combine ingredients. Add ice cubes and blend about 20 seconds to crush ice. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
By Joan Cirillo, "Relish Cooking with Kids," July 2006.
Nutritional Information
By Joan Cirillo, "Relish Cooking with Kids," July 2006.
Per serving: 198 calories, 1.5g fat, 10g prot., 38g carbs., 1.5g fiber., 128mg sodium
Pasta “Fazool”
Italian comfort food at its best, this is an easy dinner to make with the kids. My children call this “fazool,” my family’s southern Italian dialect for fagiole (beans). For nutrition and color, we’ve added spinach to our simple family recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can premium diced, peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 (48-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 cup ditalini or alphabet pasta
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
4 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed (about 1 10-ounce bag)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can premium diced, peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 (48-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 cup ditalini or alphabet pasta
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
4 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed (about 1 10-ounce bag)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan; add garlic, sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, pasta and beans and stir. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to bottom of pan. Add spinach and continue cooking, covered, until leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. (Pasta tends to absorb liquid as soup sits. Add more liquid as needed. If making ahead, separate liquid from other ingredients and combine when ready to serve.) Serves 6 to 8.
By Joan Cirillo, "Cooking with Kids"
Nutritional Information
2. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. (Pasta tends to absorb liquid as soup sits. Add more liquid as needed. If making ahead, separate liquid from other ingredients and combine when ready to serve.) Serves 6 to 8.
By Joan Cirillo, "Cooking with Kids"
Per serving: 254 calories, 7g fat, 15g prot., 33g carbs., 5g fiber, 707mg sodium.
Apple Puff Up Pancake
Kids love watching this eggy batter puff in the oven like magic. We’ve added apples to this pancake, known as a Dutch Baby or German Pancake, for added flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 large Granny Smith apple
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Preheat oven to 450F and place rack in center of oven. Peel, core and slice apple. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour and vanilla until smooth.
2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Spread apples in pan and cook for 4 minutes. Turn apples and continue cooking 3 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over apples and cook another minute or until sugar begins to melt. Remove pan from heat, stir apples lightly to coat with sugar, and then top with batter.
2. Bake 15 minutes or until mixture puffs up and turns golden brown around edges. Remove from oven and cut into four wedges. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Serves 4.
By Joan Cirillo, "Relish Cooking with Kids," July 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Spread apples in pan and cook for 4 minutes. Turn apples and continue cooking 3 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over apples and cook another minute or until sugar begins to melt. Remove pan from heat, stir apples lightly to coat with sugar, and then top with batter.
2. Bake 15 minutes or until mixture puffs up and turns golden brown around edges. Remove from oven and cut into four wedges. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Serves 4.
By Joan Cirillo, "Relish Cooking with Kids," July 2006.
Per serving: 247 calories, 10g fat, 7g prot., 32g carbs., 1.5g fiber, 65 sodium.
Related Stories
If you enjoyed reading this story, School's Out, Kitchen's Open, then you might enjoy these other stories.- Kids and Veggies
- Fun in the Kitchen
- Recipes from Compass Group’s Culinary Program for Kids
- Other Kid-Friendly Recipes
- The Culinary Institute of America
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