Fun Foods to Make with your Kids

Whether I’m recipe testing for personal chef clients or just getting dinner onto our table, my kids find their way into the kitchen and want to “help.”  However, in a time when I am work-focused, having my kids wanting to participate is everything but helpful. That said, fostering their love of food, cooking and creativity is high on my list of values. Much like preparing meals for my family and clients each week, having a having a strategy for kitchen time with kids is the key to doing it successfully. Choosing fun foods to make with your kids can transform these moments into enjoyable learning experiences.

Three things we love to make together are Pasta, Pizza & Ice cream. Each one teaches a different set of skills and lets them practice different parts of being in the kitchen. These are fun foods to make with your kids!

Pasta

Making pasta is so hands-on.  It’s really the perfect thing to make with kids. With just a few simple ingredients (flour, eggs, olive oil, water, salt), some patience and some time, you can make delicious pasta dough. The process of mixing the ingredients with clean hands, feeling flour hydrate and form into a dough is so tactile and meditative. It’s the perfect antidote to screen time. We love using the KitchenAid pasta maker attachments  to roll theirs out and make all different shapes of noodles. If we’re feeling adventurous, we’ll make a simple spinach and ricotta filling for ravioli and for a simpler project, we’ll roll out piles of linguine and fettuccine. 

Recommended products:

KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachment – Pasta Roller & Cutter (*paid link)

KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachment- Gourmet Pasta Press for making pasta shapes (*paid link)

Pizza 

Starting with a ball of dough (we either make our own, or purchase some pre-made dough from our favorite local pizza shop) and a few tried and true toppings like fresh tomato sauce, shredded and buffalo mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms and basil. They love to stretch out their dough and decide which toppings they want and how and where to put them. For the perfect crispy base, we recommend the Hans Grill pizza stone.

Recommended products:

Hans Grill pizza stone (*paid link)

Ice Cream

With so many delicious flavors and varieties of ice cream available at the grocery store, there isn’t really a good reason to make your own. Except for the fact that you can! My kids get such a kick out of coming up with their own innovative flavor ideas, combining a few simple ingredients and watching a mixture change forms before their eyes. There’s even a built-in science lesson. The Cuisinart ice cream maker makes it super quick and easy. Pass the sprinkles!

Recommended products:

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, 2-Qt with Double-Insulated Freezer Bowl (*paid link)

So, when you’re ready, make a plan, equip yourself with the ingredients and kitchen tools you need and spend some time in the kitchen with your kids!

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