10 Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Kids

Cooking with kids is a fantastic way to create lasting memories, teach valuable life skills, and, of course, enjoy delicious food together. It can be messy, it can be chaotic, but it’s almost always worth it. Getting kids involved in the kitchen fosters a love of cooking, teaches them about nutrition, and helps them develop essential skills like math, reading, and following instructions. Plus, they’re more likely to try new foods if they’ve helped prepare them! Here are ten delicious  chilean food and kid-friendly recipes to get you started:

1. Mini Pizzas:

This is a classic for a reason! Kids love customizing their own pizzas.

• Ingredients: Pre-made pizza dough (or homemade!), pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a variety of toppings (pepperoni, veggies, olives, mushrooms, etc.).

• Instructions: Divide the dough into individual portions. Let kids roll or stretch out their own dough. Spread with sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and add their favorite toppings. Bake according to the dough package directions.

• Kid Involvement: Rolling dough, spreading sauce, choosing and arranging toppings.

2. Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Dip:

A healthy and fun snack or dessert.

• Ingredients: Assorted fruits (strawberries, grapes, melon, pineapple, etc.), skewers, yogurt (plain or flavored), honey or maple syrup (optional).

• Instructions: Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces. Let kids thread the fruit onto skewers. Whisk yogurt with honey or maple syrup, if desired, for dipping.

• Kid Involvement: Washing and cutting fruit (with supervision), threading fruit onto skewers, mixing the dip.

3. Chocolate Chip Cookies:

A timeless treat that everyone loves.

• Ingredients: Butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips.

• Instructions: Follow your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. There are countless variations online!

• Kid Involvement: Measuring ingredients, mixing dough, scooping cookies onto baking sheet, adding chocolate chips.

4. Homemade Chicken Nuggets:

Healthier and tastier than store-bought.

• Ingredients: Chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces), flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika).

• Instructions: Set up a breading station: flour, beaten eggs, and seasoned breadcrumbs. Have kids help dip the chicken in each, then bake or fry until golden brown.

• Kid Involvement: Dipping chicken in the breading station (with supervision), helping to season the breadcrumbs.

5. Mac and Cheese (from Scratch!):

Forget the box! This homemade version is surprisingly easy.

• Ingredients: Elbow macaroni, butter, flour, milk, cheddar cheese (shredded), salt, pepper.

• Instructions: Cook macaroni according to package directions. Make a cheese sauce by melting butter, whisking in flour, then gradually adding milk. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Combine with macaroni.

• Kid Involvement: Measuring ingredients (with assistance), stirring the cheese sauce (with supervision), mixing everything together.

6. Quesadillas:

A quick and versatile meal or snack.

• Ingredients: Tortillas, cheese (shredded), and any desired fillings (beans, veggies, chicken, etc.).

• Instructions: Place cheese and other fillings between two tortillas. Cook in a skillet or panini press until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden brown.

• Kid Involvement: Choosing fillings, spreading cheese, assembling quesadillas.

7. Smoothies:

A great way to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables.

• Ingredients: Frozen fruit, yogurt or milk, spinach (optional, but blends in well!), honey or maple syrup (optional).

• Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

• Kid Involvement: Choosing fruits, adding ingredients to the blender (with supervision), blending.

8. Omelets or Scrambled Eggs:

A breakfast staple that’s easy to customize.

• Ingredients: Eggs, milk or cream, salt, pepper, and desired fillings (cheese, veggies, ham, etc.).

• Instructions: Whisk eggs with milk or cream, salt, and pepper. Cook in a skillet, adding fillings as desired.

• Kid Involvement: Cracking eggs (with assistance), whisking eggs, adding fillings.

9. Rice Krispie Treats:

A simple and sweet treat that’s perfect for beginners.

• Ingredients: Rice Krispies cereal, marshmallows, butter.

• Instructions: Melt butter and marshmallows together. Stir in cereal and press into a pan.

• Kid Involvement: Measuring cereal, stirring melted marshmallow mixture (with supervision), pressing mixture into pan.

10. Decorated Cupcakes:

Baking and decorating cupcakes is a fun and creative activity.

• Ingredients: Cupcake batter (from a mix or scratch), frosting, sprinkles, and other decorations.

• Instructions: Bake cupcakes according to the recipe. Let cool, then frost and decorate.

• Kid Involvement: Measuring ingredients (with assistance), mixing batter, frosting cupcakes, adding sprinkles and decorations.

Remember to always supervise children in the kitchen, especially when using knives, the stove, or oven. Adapt these recipes to your family’s preferences and most importantly, have fun! Cooking with kids is about more than just the food; it’s about creating memories and sharing experiences.