Six safe 'recipes' for toddlers to introduce them to cooking

Six safe 'recipes' for toddlers to introduce them to cooking and healthy eating

If you've got a toddler in the house, you know how much mischief they can get in to, being the curious little cuties they are. Most parents know that constant supervision is required to keep them safe. Cooking tasks are usually not permitted, although toddlers are anxious to 'help' with food preparations in fact, it looks like a lot of fun!

Here we've got some ideas for recipes for toddlers that are a safe way to introduce them to cooking and healthy eating, while keeping them productively out of mischief. These six recipes for toddlers gets them involved in an educational activity centered around one of their favorite occupations eating! Although close supervision and your participation is required, you're doing that anyway, right? Who knows that you won't inspire a budding chef and ally in your efforts to start your child off with an interest in healthy eating habits?

No doubt, this list will inspire you to key off some of these ideas with others of your own. Our ideas include recipes for toddlers which almost every home cook prepares regularly.

1.Scrambled eggs are a breakfast staple. Most toddlers are used to having this dish set before them, but without knowing how that egg turned into breakfast. Get a large metal bowl (to make it easy for them to hit their 'target'), the eggs and a whisk. This also gives you an opportunity to introduce the 'washing hands' ritual as an integral first step when preparing food. Show the child how to break the first egg, with a sharp rap on the edge of the bowl, releasing the egg into the bowl. If a piece of shell ends up in the mixture, remove it yourself, letting them watch how that's done. When the eggs are in the bowl, let them prick the yolks (fun) and then let them go at it with the whisk. If you add milk, measure out the amount you want to add and let them add it to the bowl. You can take over from there, pouring the eggs into the pan and finishing off this easiest of recipes for toddlers. Now they know how an egg is transformed into breakfast.

2.Peanut butter and jam sandwiches are kid favorites, but how often do you let them put this concoction together themselves? Let them use a butter knife (the round-tipped variety) to dig in to the p.b. Jar and spread it on the bread. Give them a spoon for the jam showing them that separate utensils are used for each ingredient and let them create the sandwich. Believe me, they'll enjoy eating it more than usual.

3.Toddlers love smoothies! You prepare the fruits requiring a knife, such as strawberries. Let them wash the fruit under running water in a colander. Let them mash up a banana in a bowl. Measure out juice or yogurt. Let the child pour it all into the blender cup. You fasten the lid, place it on the blender. They press the blender button. This most satisfying of recipes for toddlers becomes magic, performed by their own hands. Pure enjoyment! Measure ice cream scoops and milk for a milkshake, or ice cream for a root beer float, letting them pour the root beer.

4.Toddlers love cookies. Bake up a batch of plain cookies and lay them them on paper towels to cool, but still slightly warm. Line up some toppings, such as sprinkles, finely chopped dried apricots, dates, raisins and nuts to sprinkle on the warm cookies. Again, with clean hands, let them press raisins and nuts into the just warm cookies, then enjoy the fruits of their labor!

5.Use a plain pizza crust from the supermarket, set out bowls of diced ham, pepperoni, cooked sausage, grated cheese, chopped olives, sliced mushrooms or whatever else you might like. Give them a squeeze bottle of pizza sauce and a spoon to spread it over the crust, followed by ingredients from the bowls. Good job! You pop it into the oven, then cut and serve warm.

6.Another of the great recipes for toddlers is salad making. Wash and break up the lettuce. Dice up tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers, or other favorite salad ingredients in separate bowls. They choose and 'make' a salad to their liking.

All of these recipes for toddlers are easy and safe. Your toddler will be so proud of their creation and their participation makes it so much more fun to eat! Give them a free hand doing their part and praise them. Don't worry about any messy or lopsided results. It's all part of the fun!