I cheat a lot as I am very time poor so I’m following this, but here are some things I also do. When I cook with my four year old is more about him feeling he is doing something as potatoes are too hard to chop at times, so I’ll peel and chop and he will pop in the drainer thing for rinsing. Same with other veg. I still tell him he has helped cook and he feels he has.
Roasted Mediterranean veg pasta sauce. I buy the prepared veg in a tray, roast and then pop in the job with garlic and a tin of tomatoes. I then have to blitz as my son hates the texture of some veg! I use this as sauce for bolognaise, meatballs and lasagne - just pour over the meat and ta-da! I try and cook in bulk and freeze. Loads of veg in it, so he gets used to the flavours of different vegetables. Also use fresh pasta as it’s quicker. (He doesn’t help with the sauce as I need to keep the veg hidden!!)
Pesto pasta - boil sweet corn and peas with pasta, stir in pesto. He can add pasta to the pan before water is added.
Fresh chicken soup and a part-baked bread roll. I also make my own chicken and veg soup when I have the time. I again have to blitz it (take out the chicken first as I use legs) and then add shredded chicken on top. He helps with the preparation of the veg.
I also use root veg mash rather than normal mash to increase vegetables. Really easy to make, can even buy chopped, but you can find it ready to microwave if you’re tight on time.
Tortilla pizza. Really fun to make. One tortilla wrap, passata and topping of your choice with cheese. Again to make this even quicker buy grated cheese and chopped veg. I have also been known to add my roasted veg sauce as pizza base - that stuff gets everywhere! 🤣 I let him assemble this himself!
We are having curry - just a Lloyd Grossman one, so I’ll let him sort out the rice before it’s cooked.
I think it’s probably easier to bake with younger kids sometimes or just give them jobs to do so they can be involved.