Teach Your Kids to Cook
Cooking is an essential skill that our children will use throughout their lives. Fortunately, it’s also an easy skill to teach. You don’t need a complicated curriculum; just get your kids in the kitchen and prepare meals together.
Younger children will usually be eager to help and can do simple tasks like washing vegetables or mixing ingredients. As they get older, move on to tasks like peeling potatoes and cracking eggs. Later, they can begin slicing vegetables and preparing simple dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches and scrambled eggs. As their skills grow, keep increasing their responsibility and freedom in the kitchen. Before long, they will be able to prepare recipes on their own!
Below are some free resources your family can use to prepare meals together and to encourage your children’s interest in cooking. You’ll find downloadable cookbooks, YouTube channels, and more to help kids learn to cook.
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Free Downloadable Cookbooks for Kids
These downloadable cookbooks are full of simple recipes that will help teach your kids to cook.
ABC Snacks Cookbook– Creative snacks for every letter of the alphabet
Fast Meals & Quick Snacks– A cookbook for teens created by the USDA
FoodCorps– Recipes, tips for cooking with kids, and food safety information
Jane Louise’s Cook Book– Vintage children’s cookbook, published in 1930
Keiki Can Cook!– Fun and healthy recipes to make with kids, published by WIC Hawaii
A Little Cook Book for a Little Girl– Classic cookbook published in 1905
The Mary Frances Cook Book (or Adventures Among the Kitchen People)– A storybook and cookbook combined, published in 1912
Recipes for Healthy Kids– Created by the USDA
When Mother Lets Us Cook– Recipes for children to make without assistance, published in 1916
When Mother Lets Us Make Candy– Beginning candy making, published in 1915
You Can Cook– A step-by-step cookbook for kids
YouTube Cooking Channels for Kids
Cooking videos are a fun way to teach kids to cook or encourage an interest in cooking.
Bigger Bolder Baking– Lots of baking recipes
Carli’s Crafty Kitchen– Videos hosted by Carli and her sister
Cooking With Kids– Cook-along video series hosted by Jamie Oliver’s son
Cook with Amber– Teenage host prepares a variety of recipes
Eats Amazing– Makes healthy food fun
Everyday Food With Sarah Carey– Cooking tutorials featuring simple meals
Family Fun Pack– Kid hosts prepare a variety of recipes
Fun With Food– Educational cooking show hosted by a registered dietitian
Hey Kids, Let’s Cook!– Recipes, nutrition, manners, and more
Hoopla Kidz Recipes– Cakes, cupcakes, and more
How to Cake It– Cake decorating
Nerdy Nummies– Baking creations resembling characters from video games, TV, books, and movies
Cooking Websites for Kids
These websites offer recipes created for kids, plus other resources, tips, and information.
Able2Learn– Step-by-step visual recipes
Allrecipes.com’s Kid Chef Recipes– Hundreds of recipes for kids to make
Cooking With Kids– Recipes and how-to videos
Food Hero– Recipes, activities, coloring sheets, and more
Kids Are Great Cooks– Recipes and cooking lessons
Kids Cooking Activities– Large collection of kid-friendly recipes
The Kids Cook Monday!– Recipes, tips, and more
Nomster Chef– Illustrated picture-book style recipes and videos
Free Cooking Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and guides help parents teach kids cooking and kitchen skills.
Clabber Girl– Baking lesson plans
Cooking Matters– Recipes, lesson plans, and printables
Family Consumer Sciences– Lots of lesson plans covering cooking and nutrition
Food Literacy Center– Lesson plans covering recipes and kitchen skills
Home Baking Association– Lesson plans and age-specific activities
A Guide to Cookery Skills by Age– A helpful guide created by the BBC
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Note: This post was originally published on October 9, 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
