What meals do you cook with your kids?

[Teacher12345]

We bake but I would like to spend our extra time together teaching the kids how to cook ad other life skills.
They are only 4 and 7. I have had them marinade chicken for curry before. Any other ideas?

My eleven-year-old enjoys using the recipes from Jamie's 5 ingredients book. She can also do things like pasta with cheese sauce, a Greek salad, pan fried sea bass, shawarma and flatbreads, simple cakes, jacket potato, scrambled eggs and spaghetti bolognese or meatballs from scratch now. It generally looks a bit rough around the edges, but she's yet to poison anyone! DS is only 8, so needs a closer eye when making hot dishes ( he loves doing curries and fajitas) but makes a mean cheese quesadilla and can make and cook a pancake batter ( never successfully flipped though!). He learned to assemble Eton mess this weekend too.

I think it's important to start them young. I'm often faffing in the kitchen so they know that's where they get a bit of attention age a chat. Once they've learned a few basic ideas, even if it's just toast with butter and jam, their confidence and willingness to try new things grows no end.

My youngest (6) enjoys making tarts with ready rolled puff and veg/ cheese. Or pizza scrolls. Toasties. It's not real cooking but it's a start and they enjoy it which leads to proper learning and a passion ime.

My eldest(11) can make homemade soups, fresh pasta, pizza, baked potato's, pastry of most kinds, cakes and pancakes- savoury and sweet. Risotto and the Arancini the next day is her fave

My just turned 8 year old has been doing some Cooking this week as part of her badge work for Cubs.

She made pasta bake last week and side salad. That was fairly simple for her. And only really needed supervision getting it in and out the oven.
And she did a beef stew in the slow cooker as its just a chop n chuck it in job then she had a go at making dumplings with me.

This week she's going to make fajitas with some help from dad. And burgers.

Tbh slow cooker stuff is the best. It's just painful and slow going to do all the peeling and chopping. But she's enjoying herself and we all have to start somewhere. I've been telli g her it's a skill that takes a lot of practice.

Ours get involved in a lot of cooking, not necessarily the whole meal but they might peel or chop veg, they like to stir, I get them to taste stuff, chuck in herbs and spices. They are interested (read - greedy!) so I like to involve them while they are interested.

Chicken chow mein is a good one, just a basic recipe one off the internet. Veg chopping, sauce stirring and noodles. Winner!

Mine could easily feed themselves from age 8

They make their own sandwiches.
The are confident to use a knife for apples or carrots
They know components of a healthy meal (protein and fat and carbs on a basic level that you need a mixture)

They know what to peel for roast dinner.
They know HOW to:
Cook pasta and taste for readiness
Chop onion
Make sponge
Mix pancake batter thin and American
Basic tomato sauce
Spag Bol
Jacket spuds
Coleslaw
Toast, eggs boiled poached or scrambled...

I know they might not remember the quantities of things if they want to cook but they know the ingredients and the processes. If you can always include them and explain and taste as you go, that's all you need to do!

Both my DC are now 3 years old. We made a Simnel fruitcake on Saturday morning for Easter Sunday. Tomorrow they are helping me to make a baked potato for their supper. I ask them to help me measure out stuff and watch the oven when baking cakes as well etc.
They also helped me bake a easyish dessert for Christmas tea last year. One day a week I like to do a proper cookery lesson with them as my assistants. In the future I am planning to have them peel potatoes and teach them about oven and kitchen safety too. Cooking is a life skill. My mother taught me how to cook.

Try teaching them how to make their favourite meals, they'll be more interested

Veg chilli, macaroni cheese, omelettes, pastry, any cakes or biscuits.
6 yr old chopped onions, celery and garlic today.
Pancakes. Anything with chocolate.