Ask any parent—whether they’re in the office, work from home, or work in their home—and they’ll all probably tell you that the most important thing is quality time with the family. 

I’ve always believed that there’s no quality time like the time spent around the dinner table. 

This is often the only meal families have the time to eat together. It also gives everyone a chance to catch up and talk about their day. This is the experience I had as a young girl and one I have with my family nowadays too. 

Another thing any parent will tell you? Getting your kids’ interest and keeping it is basically an Olympic sport!

When it comes to any new adventure, in the kitchen or outside it, it’s important that your kids enjoy what they’re doing. On the flip side, coming up with new ideas to keep them entertained can be nerve-wracking as a parent—trust me, I’d know :) 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few ideas that will have your kids elbow-deep in entertainment and give you some time to put your feet up for a well-deserved break. Try these recipes with your kids and enjoy a dinner that has plenty of love and warmth in it!

Tomato sauce: As parents, we know the struggle of trying to get our kids to eat as healthy as possible. While tomato sauce may not seem like the most exciting recipe, it will give your kids the chance to make a healthier alternative to that usual bottle of Heinz. 

This is also a great base for a ton of other recipes like pasta dinners, pizza, homemade fries—the sky’s the limit!

If your kids have been indoors for the most part over the last few months, as a parent, it’s entirely possible you may be worried about all the time they spend playing video games or browsing the internet. 

As a mom of two, I can tell you that I worry about the same things. I’ve found that it’s hard keeping kids engaged while they’re at home. There’s always the temptation to leave them to their own devices—literally!

My kids love doing different things. One way I managed to get them on the same page and keep them off their tabs and phones was—you guessed it—cooking. I took them to the kitchen and helped them make some of the things they love to eat. 

In the midst of baking lemon tarts, apple roses and other favorites, I showed them why I love cooking and why I do what I do.

Since I evoked a love of cooking in them, (cooking and baking being my love language), this is also the way my kids, now adults, take care of me. They cook for me on my birthday and for Christmas, they whipped up probably the best steak dinner I have ever had! (Of course, I paid for it all, but I did not have to cook!!!).

If your kids are cooped up at home for any reason and you’re finding it hard to guide them to more purposeful pastimes, learning to cook could be a great way for them to spend their time. 

Kids cooking classes help your kids have fun—the good kind!
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As a teacher, this is what is most important to me. I want the kids that learn from me to have a good time and look forward to their cooking lessons. 

Kids cooking classes can help your kids work through simple, easy recipes and give them a rundown on kitchen basics, like safety tips and cleaning up. They learn useful skills including how to cook, how to clean up, and have a great time, all at once!

Your kids learn to trust themselves and become confident in the kitchen (and everywhere else)

In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of teaching kids how to cook and how to tackle a recipe is that they learn how to make decisions and trust themselves.

These, as I’ve learned, are the foundations of confidence. It’s something the school system just doesn’t teach our children.

Kids cooking classes fill this gap. When they’re conducted online, your kids are also exposed to their own kitchen. This doesn’t sound like much but the truth is that getting to know your kitchen—where your utensils are, how your stove and oven work, and the ingredients you have—gives your kids the knowledge they need to feel like they’re in control. 

Your kids become more creative

For me, one of the best things about cooking for kids is that it teaches them to think on their feet. 

This is something I learned from first-hand experience. It wasn’t just travelling around the world that helped me tap into my creative juices; it was all the experimenting I did with food and different cuisines.

Kids cooking classes will tap into this element of exploration and help your kids see your kitchen as a cooler, much safer science lab! Trying out different recipes, playing with different ingredients, and learning to think on-the-go in the heat of the moment will help your little ones unlock that part of their brain that allows them to think like dreamers.