3 Tips for Successfully Cooking With Kids 


Rain or shine, kids will always enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and getting their hands stuck into a new recipe. Cooking with your kids is one of the easiest activities to enjoy together as a family — and one which reaps the most rewards!

Here are three tips for cooking with kids to make sure your next culinary adventure with your brood is a success. Plus, one of our favourite recipes for cooking with kids — banana fritters with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Tip #1: Safety first

Before you get started… double-check that what you’re making involves some elements which are easy for little people to do and aren’t dangerous. Chopping isn’t out of the question if the food they’re cutting up is soft, for instance, and could be done with a rounded, child-friendly knife — such as bananas.
Kids can quickly become frustrated if “cooking” becomes “watching”, so scan through your recipes and be sure there are enough elements they can get involved in throughout the process to keep them involved. Below, we’ve included a banana fritters recipe that is a great one for cooking with kids yet super delicious.

Tip #2: Maximise the learning

Why not get your child involved in reading the recipe, as well as managing weights and measurements to help their reading and maths skills? Even running a little quiz while you cook can help them learn new things about where ingredients come from, how long they will stay fresh for, what could be substituted and how. You’ll be surprised at how much they will remember next time you bring out the recipe book and test them again!

Tip #3: Let them get messy

If you’re in any way kitchen proud, it can be hard to let go and let kids get messy as they cook. But the best way to learn is undoubtedly to experiment and make mistakes for yourself — so try and let the kids have as much freedom as possible as they cook. This will also help them enjoy cooking whilst growing in confidence and creativity.

Here’s one of our favourite recipes for cooking with kids — delicious banana fritters that are fun and safe to make for kids.

Banana fritters with cinnamon and nutmeg

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients


3 bananas, very ripe
1 egg
100g raw sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp cinnamon
1 knife point nutmeg powder
1 knife point salt
200g flour
1tbsp baking powder
200ml milk, if needed more

Garnish: Fruits and cinnamon sugar

Method:

• Peel bananas and puree them with a potato masher in a bowl (the kids will love this part).
• In a separate bowl, combine egg, sugar, vanilla essence, cinnamon and nutmeg with a whisk. Add the banana puree and stir until a homogeneous mass is acquired.
• Sieve the flour with the baking powder and mix it together with the other ingredients. Add milk bit by bit.
• Brush griddle or skillet lightly with oil and bring it to medium heat. Take a ladle and pour one scoop of batter on the griddle or skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to burst and turn. Continue to cook about 1 minute longer or until golden.
• Sprinkle the banana fritters with cinnamon sugar and garnish with fresh fruits.

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