Everything you want to know about cooking with toddlers

Learning how to cook with kids can be a nightmare if you’re not prepared. We’ve had tons of parents contact us and asking “What can I cook with my toddler?”. So, we’ve decided to collate all the most common questions we get asked and create a blog for all the parents who want to cook with their toddlers, but are a little too nervous about doing so.

Here are all the questions we will be covering in today’s blog:

• What can I cook with a toddler?
• What can I bake with a toddler?
• Why is cooking important for toddlers?
• What can I cook for my 2 year old?

You can use the quick links found to the right of this blog if you want to jump straight to a question you’ve been asking.

What can I cook with a toddler?

You can cook lots of things with toddlers, BUT you need to remember a few things:

1) Toddlers can be clumsy
In other words, stay away from sharp objects and if you have a dish in mind which needs a knife, make sure you keep an eye on your fingers! I doubt you want a crying toddler in pain.

2) Toddlers get easily distracted
Toddlers are always learning and discovering things for the first time so its no wonder that they are jumping all over the place.

They are always excited about something new.

It’s easy for your toddlers to see something while in the middle of doing something and get bored and walk away to the next shiny thing.

To combat that, give them lots of smaller activities like

• passing you equipment and food
• hold this for a second
• crack this egg open
• could you put this in the bin
• can you arrange all the coloured peppers into the same group
• will you taste this
• here, pour this sugar into this bowl

these little activities are suitable for learning new things and how to handle and get used to foods/equipment.

A lot of parents find this first time experience either cute or tedious because, well, you need to show your toddler what’s what which delays the process of cooking.

However, toddlers brains are like sponges so as long as you keep the experience positive, they will quickly learn and on your next cooking session with your toddler, they will be a pro.

Dishes you can cook with a toddler

Before picking a dish with your toddler you need to remember one core thing:

1) It’s new for your toddler, so they won’t know what to do or realise risks unless you make them aware over and over. Patience is key.

Now. What dish to pick with your toddler?

If you want to cook a main meals dish with your toddler, then here is a list:

• Pizza
• Pizza swirls
• Sushi
• Stir fry
• Soup
• Pasta in a tomato or cheese sauce

If you’re going to cook some desserts with your toddler, then here is a list:

• Cupcakes
• Fruit crumble
• Cookies
• Jammy tarts

All these dishes are simple, easy and fast. They all cover the basics of using equipment and overall, you stay away from too much danger.

What can I bake with a toddler?

Baking with a toddler can be the same as if you are cooking a normal dish with them.

Here are a few ideas to help you bake with your toddler:

Sheep cupcakes – Baking sheep cupcakes are a fantastic way to teach your toddler different baking skills, such as,

• How to mould and pipe icing
• How to mix ingredients
• How to portion the cupcake mixture

It’s a great way to keep your toddlers creativity in shape and get them learning how to bake in a fun and practical way.

Why is cooking important for toddlers

Cooking is important for toddlers because of the life skills it teaches them.

Many parents overlook just how beneficial it is getting their child to slice some cheese or put an egg in a pan.

I know two 25-year-olds who were never taught how to cut a steak or spread butter on a bagel…

It’s not that they were stupid, it’s just they were never taught, and often things turn into habits, so even though they could pick up a knife, the action of using it was wrong and problematic.

Children’s Cooking Classes Prevents Obesity

Did you know by giving your children cooking classes or sending them to cookery classes prevents obesity later on in life?

According to Standford Medicine, studies show that when a child develops confidence in the kitchen not only using the equipment but understanding how to handle and prep food, they are less likely to buy takeaways in the future life?

That information alone is enough to start cooking with your toddler.

Prevents Risk Of Food Poisoning

When toddlers learn about foods, they learn what to eat and what not to eat just by looking at it or smelling it.

A lot of people often smell food rather than use both senses, which increases the chances of food poisoning because food that goes bad does not always smell.

Kids who go to cookery classes are taught the basics and naturally start understanding food and how to judge the ripeness of it.

Toddlers Cooking Classes

Sending your toddler to a children’s cooking class has huge benefits.

Often, a lot of parents who try to cook with their toddle without realising takes full control. “Here, let me do it”.

Often forgetting that to become good at something, just being shown is not enough. If you’ve ever watched the karate kid you will know the famous line “wax on, wax off”.
In other words, repetitive actions get your child to the level needed.

Sending your toddler to children’s cooking classes can prevent the above and allow your little one to gain the wax on wax off experience needed.

When should a child start cooking?

Once your child starts to understand verbal instructions, that’s when they should start cooking.

A lot of toddlers start understanding instructions at around 2 years old.

What can I cook for my 2 year old?

It seems a lot of you ask what sort of dishes you can cook with a 2 year old.

Well, mentioned above, you want to keep cooking with a 2 year old pretty simple as they have a limited concentration span and, let’s face it, they are pretty clumsy.

So, making something fun and straightforward like a sheep cupcake is likely the best sort of dish to start with.