Cooking with children can be a real pleasure or a little nightmare. It all depends on how the parent approaches it. There is, however, a way to turn this activity into a small party and recipes that any child will want to do.
The Preparation
The first thing to keep in mind is that a child’s perception differs totally from that of an adult. If we really want to interest a child, there has to be something in it for him or her. Therefore, it will be necessary to choose recipes that the child will want to prepare. This doesn’t mean that the child should be introduced to junk food. However, if you have a child who hates vegetables, for example, forcing him to prepare only those recipes during the first cooking session together will not be a good idea. Everything comes with time and patience. So, I recommend that you start with simple recipes.
The Recipes
It is important not to avoid any product. However, the introduction to the menu should be done slowly and intelligently.
Fruit Purée
Let’s take some fruit at random. Generally, I choose them according to my taste, but with a little improvisation. I recommend that you allow the child to taste each fruit, especially if you are introducing a new product. Fruit purée is a sweet dish, so add some vegetables, carrots and beets, for example. Add a little milk or cream, and it’s done. To add some texture, let’s throw in a few more pieces of fruit.
Pizza
Here the choice is wide. I recommend you not to buy prefabricated dough. Preparing with our children also means introducing them to healthy cooking. There is nothing complex.
- Simple and easy recipe
Ingredients
Flour — 300g
Olive oil — 3 tablespoons
Sugar — 1 tablespoon
Baker’s Yeast — 1 packet
Salt — 1 pinch
Sift the flour and pour it into a bowl, add the olive oil and sugar at the same time and mix. Pour the packet of yeast into a glass of hot (not boiling) water, add to the flour and knead until a uniform dough is got. Form a ball and leave it in the bowl after covering it with a towel. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes in a warm or slightly warm place. After half an hour, roll out the dough and start the preparation.
I advise you to take this opportunity to allow the child to develop his imagination. The portions are not enough for a pizza. If we increase them, we can make several. Nothing prevents us from making mini pizzas. This is a great opportunity for children to discover new flavors. If, for example, there is a vegetable or other product that we have tried unsuccessfully to make him eat since then, I recommend that you put it in the list of ingredients. Children know how to be stubborn. To avoid a culinary rebellion, draw. By slicing broccoli, for example, which we will use to draw the hair, dress or other accessories of the man on the pizza, the child will be tempted to taste it.
Sandwich
It’s the easiest thing to do. We can start making sandwiches with children as young as one and a half years old. It’s the best way to have fun discovering new flavors. In western countries, the preference is given to salty sandwiches. There are also sweet sandwiches, but very often we make them with the same products: chocolate paste and jam. That’s why I invite you to take a tour on YouTube and discover the Asian sweet sandwiches. They are incredibly creative.
Drinks
Only one keyword here: creativity. Juices, milky drinks, teas, the list is long and depends only on the fantasy of the parent and the child. I regularly recommend to parents to prepare drinks with their children to prevent them from the youngest age to be interested in industrial drinks. We have no difficulty controlling the sugar level and other harmful ingredients in a home-made drink. In addition, children who get into the habit of making their drinks are less likely to drink sodas afterwards.
To get the child used to it, let’s start with drinks made only from sugared fruit. Later, as he wants to experiment, we can add vegetables. If the drink is not sweet enough, I suggest adding only natural sweeteners, such as honey.
Cooking with the family and especially with the children not only empowers the children but also allows the whole family to have a good time.
