10 Easy Recipes to Make With Your Kids

You walk a fine line when you teach a child to cook. Don’t let them do enough, and they get bored. Leave them to do too much on their own, and something is apt to be burned (be it a hand or a loaf of banana bread).

Instilling a love of cooking in a child is a process—it’s not something you can teach in one lesson.

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It’s important to have fun in the kitchen, especially for young children. Making silly and creative snacks together (like these) can help children learn to appreciate cooking.

Let’s be honest, you’re never too old to enjoy an edible fairy princess wand. But as kids get older, it’s important for them to practice making more practical foods that they can recreate down the road. Cooking for oneself is an underappreciated and underutilized skill.

Now, I’m not saying your 10-year-old needs to master the art of French cooking. But in letting your little ones help prepare foods they actually enjoy, you’re setting them up for future success in the kitchen.

So the next time you have a little bit of extra time to put towards prepping a family meal, consider tag-teaming one of these kid-friendly recipes with your child—you never know what dish may a lasting impression.

This four-ingredient meal only takes 20 minutes to make.

Use canned crescent roll dough to whip up this easy, after-school snack.

If your child is too young to understand the importance of food safety, let them take over mixing duties. You can handle the raw chicken yourself.

Give your child control (within reason) over this single-serving dish.

This classic, family-favorite recipe is short and sweet.

Kids will love seeing the squash become “noodles” so much, they’ll completely forget it’s good for them.

These easily assembled roll ups make the perfect packed lunch, and there’s no actual cooking required.

Kids will love this fun, no-fuss recipe.

Skip the Dijon mustard for an even more kid-friendly meal.

This simple, four-ingredient recipe is delicious and nutritious.

An easy, gluten-free option.

These colorful cookies are as fun to look at as they are to bake.