Cooking with Kids!
Want to have a great conversation with your kids? Cook with them. They forget to be tight-lipped when they are licking the chocolate off the beaters. But don’t stop with dessert – here are some wonderful cookbook titles to start those conversations!
(Some things to consider when selecting a cookbook: Are you cooking FOR your kids or WITH your kids? Are you looking for a fun activity or are you promoting healthy eating? Will your child be doing the READING of the cookbook? Is there more than one child cooking? Have they expressed an interest in a type of ethnic food? Will you let the kitchen get messy? Who knows, maybe the next Emeril or Rachel Ray is right under your nose!)
Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook
by Georgeanne Brennan (Random House Children’s). I have had green eggs and ham, green orange juice and green butter on toast. And you can’t help but laugh your way through that meal. But this cookbook provides more than just food coloring. Recipes range from simple to simply complex, using tomatillos and guacamole and herbs. This is a good way to introduce young children to a wider range of ingredients in that goofy Dr. Seuss way.
The Toddler Cookbook
by Annabel Karmel (DK Publishing). In typical DK Style, this book is filled with pictures of kids who are, well, a little older than toddlers. But Karmel is an experienced writer with plenty of cooking titles under her belt. Look for her other titles including Mom and Me Cookbook, as well.
The Spatulatta Cookbook
by Isabella and Olivia Gerasole (Scholastic). The website Spatulatta.com won a James Beard award in 2006. These two sisters have hit gold with video clips and recipes available online. This recipe book is written by and appeals to kids ages 8 and up, yet it provide real, hands-on, grown up cooking techniques. Even dividing the chapters by season teaches the process of cooking with fresh ingredients when making Bunny Salad or Mashed Potato Ghosts!
Kids Cook 1-2-3: Recipes for Young Chefs Using Only 3 Ingredients
by Rozanne Gold and Sara Pinto (Bloomsbury). Just the idea of three ingredients will immediately appeal to young teenage cooks. But even the Peanut Butter and Jelly page will surprise you! Increasing confidence in the kitchen will hopefully pave the way for better choices outside the home. Beware, though - - no photographs of finished products.
The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue
by Missy Chase Lapine (Running Press). You’ve heard about the book by Jerry Seinfeld’s wife. Try this book. Lapine is the former publisher of Eating Well magazine and is featured at Whole Foods Markets as well. This is the most recent Sneaky Chef cookbook, and she has added chapters for allergies, lower calories, more variety and celebrations. Hide this one from the kids!
Everyday Recipes and Activities
By The Junior League (FRP Publishing).
This new kids’ cookbook has tasty recipes that parents can teach their kids to make at home. Recipes include Gobble-Up Turkey Burgers, Berry Healthy Banana and Blueberry Pancakes, Make-a-Meal Sunrise Smoothies, Ham and Cheese Quesadillas with Tropical Fruit Salsa, Mac-and-Cheese Your Way, and Health-By-Chocolate Cookies. With how-to pictures and clear directions, kids can learn cooking techniques, and the recipes range from simple to advanced.
Julie Hubble has a messy kitchen in Leawood.