Fun meals to cook with kids

Now that the kids are home for the holidays, the issue is keeping them busy! One great way to not only spend time together but also to fill their stomachs, is by cooking a meal together. With the ease of the internet, there are plenty of easy, healthy ways to do that with minimal fuss in the kitchen!

However, there are a few key tips you should keep in mind before bringing kids into the kitchen. First, it’s best to keep kids’ cooking separate from the commonly accessed areas. You can consider using the dining table or another counter for their work so they’re not in the way of anything. Second, make sure there’s plenty of time for any planned cooking activity. It will always take longer than you think! Third, it doesn’t end after the food is gone—involve the kids in the cleanup, too! This will teach them discipline and also to value the effort it takes to cook, not to mention a valuable life skill. Fourth, and this is important—praise them. It’s very likely they’ll mess up, but make sure you know they appreciate their effort so they don’t get discouraged from trying again.

Some simple snacks that you can try with your kids

Garlic bread

Garlic bread is a super simple snack for kids to make that doesn’t require much supervision. It can be made in a microwave, saucepan, or oven with only a few simple ingredients you can find easily in your kitchen.

There are a couple variations you can find online, but the basic principle is easy for anyone to grasp. Get some slices of bread—whether a baguette or simple toast—and chop some garlic into small cubes. Add this garlic to a pat of butter and melt it in the microwave. Smear it on the bread—adding some cheese if the kids want!—and pop it in the microwave oven, on a frying pan, or in the oven. Wait till it’s nice and crisp!

This recipe (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/garlic-bread-recipe-1951706) has more formalized instructions. Enjoy!

Simple hummus

You might have to go to NTUC to pick up the tahini for this, but it’s worth it. Hummus is a healthy and delicious snacks that your kids can help make, and paired with some carrot or cucumber sticks, can also be a great way to ensure they’re eating their veggies! (Or try eating on the garlic bread they’d just made.) Originating from the Middle East, hummus has now become a favorite snack around the world. And it’s so easy.

Just garlic, chickpeas, salt, and a little olive oil are needed in addition to the tahini here. We like this recipe from Jamie Oliver (https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/simple-houmous/), but plenty more are available with different variations on hummus if you look.

Milo balls

Everyone likes a good Milo dinosaur. But did you know you could also make a Milo snack for kids to make at home that has much less sugar than normal cakes? And all you need is some shredded coconut, digestive biscuits, sweetened condensed milk, and of course Milo powder! Even when kids aren’t on holiday, you can have them help make this on a Sunday and send it as a snack with them on Monday. It’s so delicious that they’ll be asking for more, for sure!

Plus, the reduced sugar is important for their health. It’s important to ensure that your kids aren’t having too much sugar so that their diets remain healthy and balanced, and also so their energy levels aren’t crashing! For the full Milo balls recipe, look at this website. (https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/easy-no-bake-milo-balls-4600?ref=collection_view%2Ccooking-with-kids)

 

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