You may be seeking activities to keep your children active, engaged, and amused now that many schools are closed due to the current COVID-19 epidemic.
Although several things may keep children occupied, cooking is one of the most acceptable options since it is enjoyable and instructive.
Cooking may help them enhance their problem-solving and hand-eye coordination abilities, boost their confidence and even improve their food quality by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. (1, 2, 3)
However, it is essential to choose age-appropriate recipes and assign acceptable kitchen responsibilities for your kid.
Younger children, for example, may assist by washing vegetables, stirring ingredients, and cutting out designs using cookie cutters. Still, older children can help with more sophisticated activities such as chopping and peeling.
Here are 14 healthful dishes for you and your children to try.
1. Oatmeal with overnight oats
Overnight oats are a kind of oatmeal that you make ahead of time and chill overnight — no cooking necessary.
Cooking nutritious breakfast alternatives ahead of time not only saves you time but picking meals that children can prepare themselves may also help your children get interested in preparing healthy food.
Overnight oats are easy to make and great for persons of different ages. They’re also simple to personalize, enabling youngsters to be creative and experiment with various nutrient-dense toppings like berries, almonds, coconut, and seeds.
Try these simple, kid-approved dishes with your kids. Depending on their age, they may help by measuring, pouring, and slicing items. Allow your children to customize their oats by adding their toppings.
2. Yogurt pops with strawberries and cantaloupe
Because most youngsters like fruit, strawberry, and cantaloupe yogurt pops are an ideal snack.
Strawberries and cantaloupe are high in fiber, vitamin C, and folate, a B vitamin essential for growth and development. (4, 5, 6)
Dip fruit in protein-rich yogurt to increase its nutritional content and promote feelings of fullness.
This simple dish is suitable for children of all ages. Depending on their age, children may chop the fruit, dip it in the yogurt, and put it onto popsicle sticks.
3. Banana bread in a single dish
Many banana bread recipes call for many processes, which may make your kitchen shambles.
Notably, this healthful meal just takes one bowl and is suitable for children.
Because of the almond flour, eggs, and flax meal, it’s abundant in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. As a result, it’s guaranteed to keep your kids occupied in between meals.
Furthermore, the dark chocolate chips and banana provide a note of sweetness to this bread.
Allow your children to mash the bananas, measure the ingredients, and mix in the chocolate chips. When it comes out of the oven, kids may top their pieces with nut butter for a protein boost.
4. Ants on a wood
Ants on a log, a popular snack for many youngsters, mixes crunchy celery, smooth or chunky nut butter, and sweet, chewy raisins.
All you need are those three essential components; however, you may add more if you like. Allow your children to help by spreading their favorite nut butter on the celery and adding exciting toppings on the “logs,” such as chocolate chips, granola, and fresh or dried fruit.
If your kid is allergic to nuts, you may substitute cottage cheese, cream cheese, or even mashed avocado for a more savory variation.
This recipe includes many varieties of ants on a log that are guaranteed to delight even the pickiest diners.
5. Guacamole
Avocados are among the healthiest foods available. They’re high in good fats, fiber, and micronutrients like potassium, folate, and vitamins C and E. (7)
Its smooth, creamy texture is appealing to children, especially when turned into guacamole and served with tortilla chips or vegetable sticks.
Guacamole is simple to prepare and tailored to your child’s preferences. You may, for example, add vegetables like onions and tomatoes, as well as fresh herbs like cilantro, to the mix.
Children will enjoy pounding the avocados with a portable masher or an old-fashioned mortar and pestle.
6. Mini pizzas with eggplant
This tiny eggplant pizza dish is excellent for both kids and adults.
It has an eggplant foundation instead of pizza crust, which might enhance your child’s vegetable consumption.
Children of all ages may help by spreading tomato sauce on the eggplant rounds and sprinkling them with cheese. More daring diners may try various toppings such as olives or anchovies.
7. Green smoothies for kids
Smoothies are a great way to get extra fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious items into your child’s diet.
This green smoothie is naturally sweetened with frozen fruit and offers a healthy dose of fat and protein from wholesome ingredients like Greek yogurt and avocado.
In addition, the fresh greens give this smoothie an appealing color.
Your children may assist by cleaning, cutting, and putting the items into the blender.
8. Spring rolls in rainbow colors
Though many children detest vegetables, presenting them in entertaining and engaging ways may encourage them to try new meals.
The transparent rice paper used to make spring rolls enables the bright contents to show through, making for a visually attractive lunch or snack for children. Spring rolls are straightforward to create and quite flexible.
Your children may assist by spiralizing vegetables into long, thin strands, arranging items in rice paper shells, and preparing delightful dipping sauces.
Carrots, zucchini, and cucumbers are excellent spiralizer vegetables. To make the rolls more full, you may add protein sources such as chicken or shrimp.
9. bites of no-bake raisin chocolate chip cookie dough
Try this chocolate chip cookie dough bite recipe if you’re searching for a delicious treat for your kids that isn’t loaded with extra sugar and artificial additives.
It’s full of nutritious ingredients like almond butter, coconut milk, and raisins, sweetened with honey and dark chocolate chips.
It also doesn’t need any baking. It just requires one bowl and takes only 10 minutes to prepare. Children may assist by stirring the ingredients and making the dough balls.
10. Apple pie in a jar
This delectable recipe combines almond flour, eggs, honey, apples, and coconut oil to make a sweet but nutrient-dense snack-size delight.
While most sweets use refined ingredients like white flour and vegetable oil, these small apple pies are significantly healthier.
Children may help by shaping the dough into separate balls, stirring the ingredients, and putting the pie jars together.
11. Vegetable omelets
Making omelets teaches children a lot about cooking. They’re also customizable and high in nutrients that promote development.
Eggs, for example, are sometimes referred to as “nature’s multivitamin” because they include a variety of vitamins and minerals, including choline, iron, and vitamins A, B12, and E, all of which are vital for children’s health. (8)
Adding colorful veggies like peppers and greens increases the nutritional value of omelets even more.
Furthermore, children will likely like breaking the eggs, stirring the ingredients, and cooking their products on the stove. Older kids may even be assigned to prepare their omelets from start to finish.
12 cheesy, healthy crackers
Some popular kid-friendly foods, such as cheese crackers, are high in additives such as unhealthy oils, preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors. (9)
Nonetheless, you and your children may produce healthy snack choices with essential, nutritious items at home.
This cheesy cracker recipe calls for four ingredients, including real Cheddar cheese and whole grain flour. Before baking, have your children cut the dough into exciting shapes.
13. Colorful salad jars
Making colorful salad jars with your children is a fantastic approach to encourage them to eat more vegetables.
If your child is a picky eater, making veggies more visually attractive and giving them numerous opportunities to taste them may increase their veggie consumption. (10)
Furthermore, studies suggest that children prefer sweet vegetables over bitter ones; thus, combining both sweet and bitter vegetables in one meal may help to vary your child’s diet. (11)
Allow your children to assist you with layering vegetables and other healthful foods like beans, seeds, poultry, and eggs in Mason jars. Allow your kid to choose the vegetables they like, but encourage them to eat a variety of both bitter and sweet vegetables.
Kale, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli are examples of bitter vegetables, whereas carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, peas, and maize are sweet vegetables.
14. Yogurt popsicle
Many ice cream and yogurt pops include added sugar and artificial colorings, and sweeteners. Because these components should be minimized in children’s meals, consider preceding store-bought yogurt pops in favor of having your children assist you in making nutrient-dense, homemade yogurt pops.
This frozen yogurt pops dish incorporates protein-rich yogurt and is naturally sweetened with frozen fruit and a touch of honey.
Gathering the materials, putting the fruit and yogurt purée into paper cupcake liners, and placing the tray in the freezer are activities that kids may participate in.
The bottom line
Culinary with your children not only keeps them occupied but also teaches them cooking skills and encourages them to try new, nutritious meals.
Try including your children in any of the recipes above to get them excited about cooking and creating great snacks and dinners.
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