Kids like it!

Help children discover the pleasure of making food

Children often enjoy food differently when they have taken part in preparing it. They might like measuring flour, arranging toppings, choosing a shape or simply serving something they helped to make.

That does not mean every child will like every recipe—and Kids Recipes will never promise that they will. Kids like it! is about making room for curiosity, participation and the satisfaction of learning a practical skill.

Here, recipes are organised according to what the child can do, what an adult should do and how much cooking experience is needed.

What does “for children” mean?

A recipe can be connected with children in several different ways. To make that distinction clear, Kids Recipes uses three descriptions.

Kids can make

The child can complete most of the recipe, with the level of supervision indicated. Some recipes may still include a step that requires adult help.

Cook together

The recipe gives both the child and the adult meaningful jobs. The child might measure, mix or assemble while the adult handles heat, sharp tools or other difficult steps.

Made for children

The dish is intended for children to eat, but it is prepared mainly or entirely by an adult. Being made for children does not necessarily mean that children can make it themselves.

Look for these descriptions before choosing a recipe.

Start with what the child can already do

Age can provide a general guide, but children of the same age do not always have the same experience, coordination or confidence. It is more useful to consider the particular task.

A kitchen helper might wash fruit, tear leaves, pour prepared ingredients or decorate a finished dish.

A beginner cook might measure, stir, spread, mash and assemble ingredients.

A growing cook might peel certain foods, cut soft ingredients with an appropriate tool or use a small appliance with supervision.

A more experienced young cook might prepare a complete dish, provided that the required equipment and level of supervision are suitable.

These skill levels describe tasks, not rigid age groups. An adult should decide what is appropriate for the individual child.

Choose a manageable first recipe

A good first recipe does not need to be elaborate. It should give the child something useful to do and produce a result they can recognise.

No-cook recipes are a natural place to begin. Sandwiches, wraps, fruit dishes, yogurt combinations and other assembly recipes allow children to practise following instructions without immediately introducing the stove or oven.

When choosing a first project, look for:

• A short list of familiar ingredients
• A small number of clear steps
• Tasks suited to the child’s present abilities
• A realistic preparation time
• Clearly identified adult-only steps
• Equipment the child already knows how to use

Finishing a simple recipe provides a better foundation than struggling through one that requires too many unfamiliar techniques.

Give children meaningful choices

Cooking together does not require the child to control every part of the recipe. A few suitable choices can make the activity more personal.

Depending on the dish, children might choose:

• Which fruit to add
• How to arrange the toppings
• Which shape to make
• Which suitable seasoning to try
• How to decorate or serve the finished food

Not every choice has to be about making food “healthier,” and ingredients do not need to be disguised. The immediate goal is to cook, practise and explore—not to pressure a child into eating a particular food.

Make substitutions carefully

Children often want to experiment, but ingredients cannot always be exchanged freely. A substitution may change the texture, cooking time, allergen information or safety requirements of a recipe. This is particularly important in baking and when replacing meat, eggs, dairy products or flour.

Use the substitutions provided with an individual recipe when they have been tested. If a proposed change has not been tested, treat it as an experiment rather than assuming that it will work in the same quantities or cook in the same way.

An adult should also check ingredient labels whenever food allergies or intolerances are involved.

Adult help is part of the recipe

Needing help does not make a recipe unsuitable for children. Many valuable cooking activities combine child-friendly preparation with an adult-only step.

Adult help may be needed for:

• Sharp knives or pointed tools
• The stove, oven or grill
• Hot pans, trays and liquids
• Electrical appliances
• Raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs
• Lifting or draining heavy containers
• Checking that food is fully cooked

Before beginning, read the complete recipe together and decide who will perform each task. Set up the workspace, wash hands and gather the equipment before starting.

Find the right place to begin

Ready to cook? Choose the route that best matches the child’s experience and the time available.