Baking with Kids

Do your kids love to help in the kitchen as much as mine do? My oldest vividly remembers the first time we made red velvet cupcakes–they were a hit!

And guess what? They were most likely a box mix 😆

But who cares? Baking those cupcakes got my kids even more excited about helping out in the kitchen, which has lifelong benefits.

I think it’s so important to get your kids excited about cooking. The more my kids help out with meal prep, the more likely they are to try new foods.

But I’m getting ahead of myself!

Baking is the best first step to get your kids to want to help out in the kitchen because it is so fun! (And delicious)

Here’s how to start baking with your kids this week:

Let them be in charge of the recipe

Give them the freedom to choose the recipe. Let them flip through cookbooks or your box mixes. Let them do the mixing and pouring. This will be harder for some of my fellow control freaks!

Introduce your kids to basic kitchen tools

Teach your kids to use measuring cups, mixing bowls, spatulas, blenders, hand versus stand mixers, and more!

Practice your math skills

I honed my understanding of fractions by baking. Not sure how you can help your kids with this?

My friend Heidi with WiseKinde Math Tutors put together this tutorial video for you and your kids to help them better understand baking and fractions! Heidi makes fractions really easy–your kids will be fraction whizz-kids before you know it!

Ok, now I’m going to say something controversial…

No-bake treats are just as fun to make with your kids

Baking does not have to be hard. While I have family favorite recipes that I love, I use plenty of box mixes! And your kids won’t care if you make a no-bake recipe. Sometimes, those are even better since they can taste it immediately.

Would you like a few recipe ideas to get you started? These are all approved by my kids!

Our Favorite Recipes:

Want to make your time in the kitchen as smooth as possible? Here are a few tips and tricks:

Allow Extra Time. Baking with kids is never quick.
Plan for Messes. Flour is usually all over my kitchen.
Get them their own tools. They will love having their own mini spatulas and aprons.
Ensure they can see the counter. Get a stepstool, or kitchen helper so that they can reach the counter.

Even if you don’t love cooking, I think it is critical to teach your kids (both boys and girls) basic kitchen skills. After all, your kids will eat for the rest of their lives, so why not give them the tools to make the food they love to eat?

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