Ten Recipes for Children to Cook during the School Holidays

You may want to use the school holidays as a time to get children involved more in the kitchen. It’s a slightly daunting task getting children involved in what others may see as their task or domain but believe me when I say that these recipes are simple but also something that may make children inquisitive and more confident in the kitchen.

1. 3 ingredient banana pancake – what could be simpler than a three ingredient recipe. So simple to make and once made you can start to play with the ingredients a little. You could also serve it with different accompaniments such as a dollop of peanut butter or some berries and natural yogurt.
2. raspberry chia jam – if you tend to steer clear of jam generally due to the sugar content then do give this really easy jam recipe a go. The children will love the chemistry involved in taking raspberries and adding chia seeds then leaving nature to take its course.
3. salmon fish fingers – most of us are omega 3 deficient and salmon is one of most accepted fish to eat as far as children are concerned. This is a baked fish finger recipe, with a delicious crumb added to the fish fingers before baking. They’re delicious!
4. pizza omelette – eggs make a fantastic alternative to dough as a pizza base. This great-tasting dish is simple to make and I recommend that you encourage your children to add whatever their usual pizza toppings are.
5. noodle jars – these jars can be prepared in advance then hot water added close to when they are to be eaten. They’re a really easy meal and your children can add their own favourite ingredients to their own jar.
6. easy cheesy flapjack – these savoury slices are a hit with children. There’s a bit of grating to do to prepare for this recipe but that’s a brilliant task to get younger children involved in.
7. child-friendly protein shakes – of course these shakes use natural sources of protein and natural ingredients to create delicious and filling drinks for children to enjoy. They’re a great opportunity to remind children that protein comes in multiple forms.
8. homemade hummus – there’s some research showing how many more vegetables get eaten by children if served alongside a dip. Hummus is a very popular dip with children but some don’t like the slightly bitter taste from tahini (the sesame seed paste). This recipe just removes the tahini from the mix entirely which is also useful if anyone has a sesame seed allergy! More than one child? Get one making the dip and others chopping vegetables to dip in.
9. easy pasta sauce – a jar of pasta sauce is easy to use but it doesn’t always contain the best ingredients, right? This sauce is ridiculously simple and a great one for children to have in their repertoire. It’s made from scratch and they’ll no doubt use it when they leave home, in part because it is easy and in part because it is cheap!
10. banana bread – a great way to use up those very yellow bananas that are on the turn. I’ve yet to find a child that doesn’t enjoy eating banana cake. This recipe allows them to make it themselves too.