Ideas for simple meals DS could try cooking

[Brogley]

DS is 11yo and wants to try cooking. He can currently make cheese on toast using the grill, sandwiches, snack things in the toaster like toast/pop tarts/waffles, and heat-to-eat type things like microwave rice and snack pots that you add hot water to. He's autistic with some development delay so while he's 11yo hes probably closer to 7 or 8 in terms of cognitive ability and he's easily overwhelmed by large chunks of information.

He's asked to make dinner for us one night next week and beyond Freezer Surprise or pitta bread pizzas I'm a bit stumped about what would be easy for him to make with minimal adult support.

Any ideas?

I work with people who have a learning disability and/or autism. There are loads of easy read recipes online, perhaps have a Google of that and see what you find that he might like to try.

Soup? Just chopping and heating with stock. You could help with the blending. If you can get some part bake rolls he can heat those too so you can have them with it. Loads of simple recipes online too.

Eg www.southwiltsmencap.org.uk/news/easy-read-cookbook-bromley-mencap/

Omelette/frittata?

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/thingstodo/jbo-shortbread-peanut-butter-squares

Not for dinner but these are super simple for pudding! Especially if you don’t make your own peanut butter (you might need to rewrite the instructions out if that would throw him).

How about fajitas? Chop the onion, peppers and chicken and stir fry together and then it’s just an assembly job of the filling / grated cheese / salad / salsa and sour cream.

You could get a fajita kit box if easier?

If he wants to do more, look at getting him the Usborne Beginner's Cookbook. It has loads of basic but tasty recipes broken down into simple steps with accompanying pictures.

My world kitchen on CBeebies often has good recipes for about that age range

Could he make a pasta dish? Add some sauce and maybe pre cooked chicken, possibly fry off some vegetables to add?

Thanks for the links

He would need help with chopping but fajitas are a good shout, he likes any meal that involves some sort of bread.

fry some onions, peppers and mushrooms with some garlic. Cook some fresh filled pasta and mix together with pesto and some creme fraiche - my son started with this as it was quick and even if it wasn’t properly cooked no one would get food poisoning!

You can do roast in the bag chicken, with jacket potatoes.

My 8yo DD can make...
Pizzas (including the dough from a box)
Burritos/chilli
Fajitas
Scrambled eggs/omelette
Sponge cake
Cheesecake
Cookies

I'm teaching her Yorkshire puddings at the minute.... So I might get her to make toad in the he this week.

DD2 (10 but NT) is currently helping DH make tea, DH made the chilli, she is making the guacamole. She can also do simple breakfasts like an omelette, or a fried egg and simple pasta dishes (we'd help with the boiling water) like pesto and pasta. Being given ownership of a small part of a larger meal might help.But with autism you might need to pick your cookbooks carefully, some writers like to be vague. Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall writes clear recipes I think so the river cottage family cookbook might be a good one to try. Or Heston Blumenthal has an interesting family cookbook with lots about the science of cooking, it's called 'Family Food', has recipes for things like ketchup. Not meals necessarily but a good training in cooking.

He definitely wants to try the fajitas and were8going to order the beginners cookbook.

Unfortunately he won't eat eggs or pasta but you've reminded me I haven't had frittata in ages so DH and I are having it for lunch tomorrow.

Any meal kit type ones? Does he like instructions to follow? You can get all sorts nowadays from pad Thai to jambalaya to risotto

some writers like to be vague.

Yes, this is an issue we've had. When he first made cheese on toast he asked how long to cook it for and I said "until it's melted" which he thought meant liquid so he left it under the grill waiting for it to entirely melt and getting increasingly cross that it was burning instead.

Bolognese?

He's very visual. A list of instructions/steps will have him muddled up and cross by around step 3 or 4 and he doesn't always interpret the information correctly (like with the cheese on toast), he finds pictures alongside the words easier.

There are lots of great cooking videos on Youtube. I find them easier to follow than recipes.

Some meals my 8yo can make:
Scrambled eggs on toast
Fajitas
Simple bolognaise
Salad (she has 'invented' her own with celery, leaves, cucumber and French dressing)

This might me fun & rewarding meals with easier prep.
Homemade Sausage rolls,/ pigs in blanket
Bacon and egg pie.
Canneloni (ham and cheese) , rocotta& spinach ( fun to fill with piping bag)
Apricot chicken in a slow cooker? Skinless chicken thighs (can be slightly browned first), can of apricots 2 with natural juice , finely diced / sliced red onion, Tsp morrocon spice, slowcook 4-6 hrs. Then simoly Add on a bed of rice or cous cous / and or vege

Sushi - can be vegetarian or salmon or chicken .. fun to prepare raw vege then roll all together.

Macaroni cheese?

Fajitas yes
Jacket potato and beans cheese
Toastie
Omelette

DD is 7 and loves making this www.rte.ie/lifestyle/recipes/2012/0328/745077-spiced-lamb-pittas/

She also makes salmon or chicken goujons, carbonara, sausage and root veg tray bake, and hand pies.