Cooking With Kids Who Are Too Young To Cook

You may have seen that recently on our Facebook page we posted an article discussing how to teach kids about math, reading, and other school subjects by cooking together.  That got me thinking about all the times I've cooked with my one-year-old, and how much fun we've had.  At first I thought she was still too young to cook with me at only one year old, but with a little creativity I discovered some great jobs for her!  All it takes are some basic gross motor skills on her part, and a little creativity on yours, and you can get your young toddler into the kitchen to learn, have some fun, and have some special time together!

The Salad Spinner
What young toddler doesn't love pushing buttons?  Well, if you have an OXO Salad Spinner or similar model, your toddler is probably already a pro at drying off the lettuce for your dinner salad.  She'll also love tearing the lettuce into bite-sized pieces with her hands, and being responsible for the very important job of transporting greens from the cutting board to the spinner, and from the spinner to the serving dish.

Pouring Ingredients
Maybe she's not quite coordinated enough to pour things on her own, but just getting her hands on a bottle of sauce or a cup of sugar to help you pour will be exciting.

Stirring
If your young toddler can hold a spoon, she can stir!  Put anything that needs stirring into a non-breakable dish for her to work with.  You may also want to hold the dish, place the dish on the floor, or simply have a set of backup ingredients in case the contents of the dish end up on the floor.  Heavy bowls with non-skid placemats underneath also do a great job of helping things stay in place.  Sure, you'll probably have to finish the job, but your toddler will love it while it lasts!

Instant Pudding
Instant pudding is a great recipe to make with young toddlers.  It's quick, simple, and doesn't require any cooking.  And, your toddler can help with every step of the process.  It's great to "cook" as a special dessert for a family member, or to celebrate one of your toddler's achievements.

Taste-Testing
You can show your young toddler you value her thoughts and opinions by having her taste-test the ingredients in the dinner.  Let her taste the various ingredients you'll be putting into the food, both raw (when safe) and cooked.  This is a sneaky way to get your young toddler to try some new foods she probably wouldn't touch if presented at the dinner table!

Cleaning
Most toddlers love cleaning up.  Give them a wipe to clean up spills, or put them at the sink with a brush to wash veggies such as potatoes and carrots.  (Sure, you'll probably have to wash them again, but it's worth the thrill.)  Check out this toddler-sized veggie brush, perfect for small hands.

Slicing
Yes, your young toddler can actually help you slice!  For example, this banana slicer is perfect for little hands.  Depending on her kitchen skills, you can also give your young toddler a plastic chef's knife to cut soft fruits and veggies.

Mashing
Whether your toddler is mashing with her hands or a toddler-sized utensil, this job is sure to be a hit.  Your toddler can mash avocados for guacamole, potatoes or cauliflower for a side dish, or cheese or berries for a dessert.

Arranging
Time to serve?  Have your young toddler arrange bread in a basket, or put a roll on each plate before it goes to the table.  Or maybe she can arrange veggies or crackers on a serving platter.  She'll get a kick out of all the help she's giving.

Dishes
Finally, help with the dishes!  Have your toddler hand you utensils and non-breakable dishes from the dishwasher for you to put away.  Sure, it'll take twice as long, but it's guaranteed to be at least eight times the fun.


Of course, remember to be safe when cooking with your kids.  Most young toddlers shouldn't be working with hot ingredients, or at or near the stove.  It's also important to be mindful of placing knives and other dangerous objects out of reach.  Cutting out of reach is also recommended because little hands can wander!  In other words, be sure your common sense always goes with you into the kitchen.

Once you do get your young toddler in the kitchen, you'll both find great benefits from it.  There are infinite opportunities for her to learn, and even more opportunities for the two of you to bond.  Participating with you may even help your toddler's self-esteem.

So, what are your favorite ways to get your young toddler involved with dinnertime?

Simple Saturday: Terrific Tacos

Make-ahead tacos are not only a fun meal that kids can assemble themselves (thereby making it more delicious to them, of course!), but it's also a great way to ensure your dinner includes some veggies, as vegetables don't always freeze well.  This dish focuses on veggies that will freeze!

Ingredients

Taco stands make taco night
even more fun!

• 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey for a lighter meal)
• 1 T Fiesta Party Dip Mix
• 1 T Onion Onion
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1-1/4 cups diced tomato
• 1 T fresh chopped cilantro
• 2/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 T lime juice
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar or mexi-blend cheese
• 6 (or more) tortillas or taco shells

Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a large skillet, combine ground beef, Fiesta Party Dip Mix, and Onion Onion.  Saute until meat is browned and cook through.  Drain fat.
• Stir in tomato sauce, water, and cumin.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Let cool, and transfer meat mixture to freezer container.
• In another freezer container, combine tomato, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and salt.
• Measure cheese into a third freezer container.
• Pack all containers into one, label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely in refrigerator.
• Place meat mixture in a large skillet.  Heat on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
• Assemble tacos, with each one having: 1 tortilla or shell; 1/6 of meat mixture; generous 1/4 cup salsa; and 1 T shredded cheese.
• Or, for a "fun" meal, create a taco assembly line on the kitchen counter!

Have you tried a taco assembly line with your kids?  Does it help them stay interested in dinner?

Simple Saturday: Honey Apple Ribs

This grill sauce goes great with chicken,
steaks, pork chops, and more.

This weekend, we're spending our time getting ready for our annual Memorial Day Camping Trip next weekend.  Because I hate chopping, dicing, and general prep work while camping, among other things, I'm spending the weekend making-ahead all of our camping meals.  One recipe I can't wait to dig into around the campfire are these Honey Apple Ribs, made using Tastefully Simple Honey Apple Grill Sauce.

Ingredients
1-2 Racks Pork Ribs
1 Jar Tastefully Simple Honey Apple Grill Sauce
1/2 Onion, chopped

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Place raw ribs in a 6-qt slow cooker.
• Pour 1/4 jar Honey Apple Grill Sauce into small freezer bag; set aside.
• Sprinkle on onion, and pour remaining Honey Apple Grill Sauce over all ingredients.
• Cook on low 7-8 hours.
• Let cool.  Place entire contents of slow cooker in a freezer bag.  Place rib bag plus bag of sauce into another bag and freeze.

To Serve

• Pre-heat gas or campfire grill.
• Place ribs on grill; brush frequently with remaining sauce from rib bag.  Cook until heated through.
• Use extra bag of sauce for spreading or dipping.

Here's what else we'll be enjoying at camping this weekend:

Grandma Peterson's Flank Steak Marinade

White Chicken Chili

Chipotle Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Need equipment?  Check out some of our favorites:

Coleman All-In-One Cooking System

Magma Nestable Non-Stick Cookware

Simple Saturday: Simple Beef Stroganoff

This is a great meal to make-ahead and toss in your slow cooker in the morning, for a great dinner all ready when you get home.  Or, make this a 15-minute meal by browning the beef in a skillet, then mixing in the other ingredients.  Either way, it will be simple and delicious!

Ingredients

• 2 T Onion Onion
• 1 T Garlic Garlic
• 1 tsp Seasoned Salt
• 1.5 lbs cubed beef stew meat
• 14.5 oz can beef broth
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 7.3 oz jar sliced mushrooms
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 c egg noodles, uncooked

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine Onion Onion through pepper in a gallon-sized freezer bag.
• Measure sour cream into a sandwich-sized freezer bag.
• Measure egg noodles into sandwich-sized freezer bag.
• Combine all bags into another - seal and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Place beef mixture into a greased slow cooker.  Cook on low 8 hours (or more, up to 10).
• Stir in sour cream just before serving.
• Cook noodles according to package directions.
• Spoon beef mixture over cooked noodles and enjoy.

Serves: 4

Simple Saturday: Savory Grilled Chicken

This is a light, healthy dish you can cook up in just a few minutes - and if you're on a freezer cooking kick, it's worth making in several batches for that impromptu dinner party get-together.  It is also very versatile, and you'll find it just as satisfying right off the grill in the summer, or hot out of the oven in winter.

Use your leftover Onion Onion mix to prepare
Onion Onion dip - great for a backyard barbecue!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Onion Onion
• 1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag.  Freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Arrange chicken on preheated grill.  Discard extra marinade.  Grill chicken to reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
• Or, place chicken on a brimmed cookie sheet or broiling pan.  Pour extra marinade over chicken.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Try these complementary side dishes with it:

Baked Baby Reds

Light and Delicious Veggie Grill

Baked Baby Reds

This is a versatile side dish that goes very well with savory winter dishes and can be cooked in the oven.  But it also makes a great summer side by using a grilling basket (we highly recommend this Weber version) to cook these potatoes up on the grill!

In general, potatoes don't freeze well (although blanching first can help).  But, they can last up to 30 days in a cool, dry, and dark location, so you can always keep a bag of baby reds on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby reds, washed and quartered
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T Onion Onion
• 1 T Garlic Garlic
• 1 tsp Seasoned Salt

To Serve

• Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.
• Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange potatoes in single layer on a brimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, until tender when tested with a fork.
• Grill Method:  Place potatoes in grill basket on pre-heated grill.  Cook approximately 30 minutes, tossing frequently.  Potatoes are done when tender.

Try this with the following main dish recipes:

Jack Daniels Glazed Ribs

Apple Cranberry Pork Roast

Garlic Buttered Steak

Simple Saturday: Tikka Chicken

In this recipe, curry powder transforms what would otherwise be a Mexican-flavored dish into a classic Indian-inspired meal.

Fiesta Party Dip Mix, prepared as dip - YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 can (10.75 oz) golden mushroom soup
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. Onion Onion
• 1 tsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix
• 3 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 c water
• 1 c frozen peas
• 1 c rice (uncooked)

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine chicken, soup, mayonnaise, Onion Onion, Fiesta Party Dip Mix, curry powder, and water in a freezer container.
• Measure frozen peas into a separate freezer container.
• Measure rice into separate freezer container.
• Combine containers, label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Place chicken mixture into a greased slow cooker.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.  To cook longer, add 1/3 cup water.
• 30 minutes before serving, stir in peas.  
• Prepare rice as directed.
• Serve chicken and sauce over hot rice.

Try this dish with a side of steamed broccoli cooked in a few tablespoons of chicken broth with some Tastefully Simply Seasoned Salt.  

Have you tried this recipe?  Let us know what you think!

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson