3 Simple Summer Recipes To Make At Home With The Little Ones

You know that old saying of, “families who cook together, eat together”, or something like that.

That’s why there isn’t a better time to rally the little ones into the kitchen and teach them how to create all those yummy family-favourite recipes (including a few new ones too).

We’ve compiled a list of 3 Simple Summer Recipes to make at home with the little ones. Even if there is a spill (or two or five) we know that culinary fun is just around the corner, with little (and big) tummies bound to be super happy thanks to all of those easy and delicious recipes.

Cooking with the little ones not only results in a tasty final product (naturally) but it has several benefits for the entire family too, such as:

1. Learning about nutrition: Cooking together provides a relaxed and easy way to discuss the importance of nutrition. When children create their own meals, they’re automatically more aware of the variation and colour on their plates. Discussing the importance of “eating the rainbow” and why it is good for our health becomes a fun topic, rather than a chore.
2. Engage other senses: For picky eaters, tasting new food can be challenging. Cooking encourages children to explore new foods, making use of their other senses besides relying on just their taste. This helps to create positive associations with food. Chopping vegetables, stirring sauces and kneading dough involves touching food and being comfortable with texture.
3. Learn a new skill. Besides learning how to make a meal from scratch, time in the kitchen also teaches little ones valuable life skills. Not only is cooking a necessary requirement in life, who knows, but it could also lead to a possible career.

So grab those aprons and let’s get chopping with these simple summer recipes.

1. Easy Peasy Chicken Tacos

We know these Chicken Tacos will go down a treat with the entire family *Cue Taco Tuesdays*. Besides being a delicious and rather healthy option, they’re also fun to make and can easily be adapted for non-meat eaters too.

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Level: Easy
• Serves: 4

Pantry Staples:

• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Chilli powder

Add-0n Ingredients:

• Tacos or tortillas
• Sour cream
• Chicken breasts

If your family likes things spicy, keep the chilli powder in the recipe, if not, simply remove it – these tacos will still be just as tasty.

The little ones can help with slicing and chopping (with a child-friendly knife), as well as measuring ingredients and placing them into bowls. For the full recipe, simply click here.

Oh, one last thing, we suggest playing this catchy taco tune on full-blast while prepping all of those yummy ingredients – there’s no better time to have a taco toe-tapping moment!

2. Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Mmmmm, we’re pretty sure that bolognese is one of the most-liked loved recipes on the planet. And with good reason, it’s super versatile, pretty economical too and simply delicious.

This vegan bolognese is well, one for the vegans, but we know that the meat-eaters will want to tuck into some spaghetti twirling too as it’s just so super-duper tasty.

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Level: Easy
• Serves: 4

Pantry Staples:

• Smoked paprika
• Nutmeg
• Tinned tomatoes
• Vegetable stock
• Soy sauce
• Mixed dried herbs
• Marmite
• Spaghetti

Add-0n Ingredients:

• Mushrooms
• Vegan mince
• Vegan Parmesan-style cheese

Best you get those forks out because there will be loads of spaghetti-twirlin’ happening with this scrumptious spaghetti recipe.

Oh and don’t forget to crank up the spaghetti song while slurping all of that yummy pasta and sauce – just remember not to sneeze *giggles*.

3. Cheeseburger Sliders

Cheeseburgers, the one food we know ALL children love (we’re pretty certain that Moms and Dads do too).

We think a burger night is definitely on the cards – include bowls of additional toppings to add to your cheeseburgers – a great way to sneak in those all too important vegetables

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 40 minutes
• Level: Easy
• Serves: 4

Pantry Staples:

• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• Butter

Add-0n Ingredients:

• Mini-burger buns
• Cheddar cheese
• Onion

These baked cheeseburger sliders are not only a quick go-to family dinner but they’re also an easy dish to whip up to feed a crowd. So best you save this cheeseburger slider recipe because we know it’ll soon become a firm favourite.

There you have it, THREE simple summer recipes to conquer the hunger these holidays with some help from the little ones. We wouldn’t be surprised if there are requests to start a “home restaurant” over the weekends too.

Once everybody has had their fill of cooking time, remember that a trip to Wonderdal should also be on the cards. Not only is it (always) super fun but the little ones will appreciate learning about nutrition facts in our Health Kitchen and put their new cooking skills to the test by making a healthy balanced meal for their Amuki too.

Happy Cooking x