Cooking with Kids: 28 Meals Kids Can Make Themselves (2024)

These quick & easy meals kids can make will make your little chef in training’s eyes light up! Even if your kiddo doesn’t want to become a chef, he or she will love helping out in the kitchen. Plus, this is a fantastic opportunity to teach your child about healthy eating habits too.

At What Age Should I Start Cooking with My Kids?

Kids can be a part of cooking younger than you’d imagine. It’s not uncommon for moms to baby-wear their infants as they cook (just be careful around stoves), but even toddlers can get excited about some aspects of cooking, especially when they have a learning tower to see better.

School-aged children may find plenty of options for meals kids can make entirely on their own. There are plenty of recipes out there that they can make without tons of assistance—some of my favorites are listed at the bottom of this post.

5 Helpful Tips To Get Kids Excited About Cooking

Let your child be in charge. Kids are so used to adults telling them what to do when they are at home, school, or even during sports. Give them the freedom to choose what food they want to prepare. You can lay out a few appropriate options for meals that kids can make, but let them be in the driver’s seat.
Help them grow a garden. There is nothing more rewarding than making a recipe that comes from ingredients you grew yourself. Whether you make a huge garden, container garden, or grow some fresh herbs in your kitchen, your kids will be excited to help.
Let them help you. When you are making dinner, let your child come in and help. They will love the time they get to spend with you, plus they will be able to have a wonderful teacher!
Show your kids that cooking is fun. Even if cooking isn’t your most favorite task around the house, don’t treat it like it’s pure misery. If you do, they will follow your footsteps and mimic you.
Take your child shopping. Let them help you plan for meals and go to the store to pick out the food. You are never too young to learn how to pick out the perfect fruits or vegetables either. Being part of the entire process will give your child an even greater appreciation for cooking.

9 Meals Kids Can Make For Breakfast

Teaching your children to make breakfast will help you out too. It gives them a responsibility to get up in the morning and start the day, leaving you free to focus on getting yourself ready and out the door!

Fruity Yogurt Parfaits | Creative Green Living

Healthy and full of flavor, these yogurt parfaits are the perfect way to start the day. Kids can add all different types of fruit to make them unique. This is one of the easiest meals kids can make because there is no cooking involved.

Breakfast Toasts | Hot Beauty Health

This isn’t your ordinary toast! Your child can load it up with all their favorite toppings like fruit, avocado, cream cheese, or peanut butter. The best part is they can make something different every day.

Breakfast Kabobs With Maple Fruit Dip | Our Thrifty Ideas

Whether you are a kid or an adult, there is something so appealing about eating anything on a kabob stick. Your kids are going to be ecstatic to help make them.

Bagel With Cream Cheese, Tomato, And Cucumber | Real Simple

Not only does this bagel with cream cheese taste awesome, but they are also super cute too. Kids of all ages will love decorating their bagels to have faces.

English Muffin Breakfast Pizza | Damn Delicious

Not going to lie, even I would love to eat these delicious English muffin breakfast pizzas, so you know that your kiddos are going to go wild about them! Plus, each child can put all their favorite toppings on them—it will soon become one of their favorite meals kids can make.

Microwave Oatmeal | Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

9 Meals Kids Can Make For Lunch

Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas | Food Network

Pita pockets are terrific for lunch because they can be filled with such a large variety of ingredients. I love the idea of adding peanut butter and apples because they will fill you and your child up while also having a healthy, great flavor.

Ham & Cheese Rollups | The Cookie Rookie

Cheese, ham, and seasonings all rolled into a tortilla. You can cut them into bite-sized pieces or eat them whole. Your kiddos can personalize the ingredients to fit what they like.

BLT Wrap | The Spruce Eats

Not only will the kiddos enjoy making their own wraps, but they will also get some yummy nutrients out too. I count this as a win all around. :)

French Bread Pizzas | The Pioneer Woman

You can never go wrong when it comes to pizza and kids! They LOVE to help out and will enjoy picking their own toppings and preparing their pizza. This is one of those meals kids can make that is a perfect snack or lunch option too.

Salad In A Jar | Hello Wonderful

10 Meals Kids Can Make For Dinner

Mini Lasagnas | Catching Fireflies

These mini lasagnas are full of flavor, easy to make, and a blast! Marinara, wonton wrappers, and ricotta cheese are the main ingredients in this scrumptious recipe.

Taco Pizza | Life In The Lofthouse

Taco pizza is the best of both worlds—two of everyone’s favorite dinners all rolled into one. Your children can get as creative as they want and will be so proud of their hard work.

Hot Dog Nuggets | Lil’ Luna

These are such an easy meal for kids to make. It will keep their hands busy, and they will end up with a yummy dinner idea the whole family will love.

Cheeseburger Cups | Delish

These cheeseburger cups even make me hungry! They are perfect for little fingers to make. Note: if your kids are younger, they may need help getting the pan in and out of the oven.

Curried Egg Salad On Naan | Kitchn

If your child wants to be a chef, then this is the perfect recipe to try out! It’s packed with flavor, easy and is kid-friendly. It’s a hit all the way around.

Tater Tot Casserole | My Baking Addiction

This classic dish is ideal for teaching your beginning chef his or her way around the kitchen. The only warning I have is that you probably aren’t going to have leftovers as these are so delicious, lol.

Shrimp Stir Fry | Damn Delicious

You can’t help but feel like a legit chef when you make something like this. The best part is that it’s easy enough for kids to make on their own.

Zucchini Boats | Lil’ Luna

Watch out—these zucchini boats are highly addictive. Each kid can decorate their own with all their favorite toppings. Some ideas are cheese, hamburger, or pepperoni. They will barely know they are eating a veggie!

Grilled Ham, Cheese, Pickle, and Potato Chip Sandwich | Joy The Baker

This is exactly the kind of dinner you would expect your kids to make on their own. Guess what! It’s actually pretty impressive and delicious.

Turkey Broccoli Cheddar Panini | Shutterbean

Kids are way more likely to eat their veggies when it’s their own idea. This sandwich is drool-worthy and will get them excited about eating their broccoli.

I hope this collection of meals kids can make inspires you to find new and creative ways to get your little ones involved in the kitchen. And who knows? Maybe you’ll raise the next Top Chef!

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Cooking with Kids: 28 Meals Kids Can Make Themselves (2024)

FAQs

At what age can kids make their own meals? ›

5- to 7-Year-Old Cooks

They can handle measuring, mixing, pouring, grating, and peeling, as well as setting the table. They still need constant supervision, but you may let them use a sharp knife—keeping in mind that the size of the knife should be appropriate for the child's hand and ability to manage it.

Should kids cook for themselves? ›

Depending on the age group, letting your children cook or help you cook has many benefits! Cooking builds self-esteem. Children develop confidence, responsibility and independence when they can help you prepare a snack or meal. When they get more practice, they will be able to prepare more foods on their own.

Should 10 year olds make their own food? ›

In fact, says Ellyn Satter, a leading expert on feeding children, around 10 or 11 years old is when kids naturally start developing good food management skills, which includes packing their own lunch. Before then, they just might not be ready.

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What food can a 9 year old make? ›

Cooking with 8-11 year olds

Use a knife with easy-to-cut foods (cooked meats, cheese, tofu, breads)
Use the microwave with your help.
Make their own school lunch.
Make a fresh fruit platter to go with dinner.
Use the stove, with supervision, to make basic recipes: omelets, pancakes, quesadillas, soups or grilled cheese.

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Oct 25, 2021

At what age can a child cook unsupervised? ›

10-12 year olds and up

This age group can usually work independently in the kitchen. Before letting them do grown-up tasks on their own, they should have close adult supervision to assess whether they can follow basic rules such as tucking pan handles, unplugging electrical appliances, and safely using a chef's knife.

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What age should parents stop cooking for kids? ›

Sadly, there's no one right or wrong answer here. Each person, family, and culture is going to have different ideas of the way 'things should be'. I'd argue that by 14, a parent should be teaching you to cook.. potentially transitioning to shared cooking responsibilities.

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Should a 10 year old be able to cook? ›

They should also learn the names for pots, pans, spatulas and other useful utensils. Cook on the stove. With an adult supervising, a 10-year old should be able to scramble eggs, stir fry vegetables or flip a pancake on an electric stovetop (you may want to wait longer if you have a gas range).

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What age do kids pretend to cook? ›

As a rule, a 16-18-month-old child might show some interest in a play kitchen for toddlers. Make sure to help them test their power of observation and imitation at their own pace: Infants are good at making dough. At the age of 1-2 months, parents should guide them through the process.

Can a 7 year old use a microwave? ›

Set boundaries. Kids under the age of 7 should not use a microwave without supervision. Consider your child's height, too. Reaching up to get hot food out of a microwave can lead to spilled hot food.

When can kids pour their own milk? ›

“In general, around kindergarten (age 5 or 6), a child should be able to pour milk and cereal for themselves. A slightly older child (age 7 or 8) could likely make toast or waffles in a toaster after being supervised initially,” Reshmi Basu M.D., a CHOC pediatrician, tells Romper.

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Why is my 10 year old sneaking food? ›

Some kids start sneaking food because they fear they'll be judged for eating the foods they like. Or they may be eating to make themselves feel better. This can signal disordered eating. So, it's a good idea to discuss these issues with a physician or a mental health expert, especially if it becomes a pattern.

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What age do kids refuse food? ›

Food refusal (either the refusal of new foods or the refusal of foods that were once eaten without any fuss) reflects a basic fear response. This fear response is actually a normal part of a child's development and the majority of children go through this phase, which tends to peak around 2 years of age.

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What a 13 year old eats in a day? ›

What to feed your teenager

At least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
Meals based on starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, pasta and rice. ...
Some milk and dairy products or alternatives. ...
Some foods that are good sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils.

Is it OK to eat at 9? ›

Several studies have found, for instance, that eating dinner within three hours of bedtime may worsen heartburn or acid reflux symptoms. And limited research has suggested that eating one to three hours before bedtime is associated with more disrupted sleep.

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What should I eat past 9? ›

The 14 Best Healthy Late Night Snacks

Tart cherries.
Banana with almond butter.
Kiwi.
Protein smoothie.
Goji berries.
Crackers and cheese.
Hot cereal.
Trail mix.

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Is 12 old enough to cook? ›

If you've been introducing your kids to cooking skills over the years, by the time they're teenagers they'll have the ability to do anything an adult can do in the kitchen (dads too!). They can plan, shop for, and cook a full meal for the family.

Can a 10 year old cook? ›

With an adult supervising, a 10-year old should be able to scramble eggs, stir fry vegetables or flip a pancake on an electric stovetop (you may want to wait longer if you have a gas range). Safety tip: Be sure to teach them to tie back long hair and never wear loose clothing around the stove. Prepare a sandwich.

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What age can you bake with a child? ›

Preschool (ages 2–5 years)

They are enthusiastically hands-on and enjoy stirring, kneading, and scooping batter into baking pans. Encourage them to use their senses — smell spices like cinnamon, touch flour, and even taste an ingredient before it goes into the mixing bowl.

Should an 8 year old be able to cut their own food? ›

It is often not until they are around 7 years of age that a child can use a knife and fork together to cut up food and are truly independent with self-feeding.

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