No matter their age or cooking experience, there are always opportunities to get your kids in the kitchen, cooking and baking with the whole family.
These five fun food-based activities, full of suggested recipes from 大象传媒 Food, are the perfect way to get their culinary imaginations racing鈥
1. Make a dish inspired by a country's cuisine
There are so many amazing flavours to try from around the world and it has never been easier to bring them into your kitchen, so choose a country or region from around the world with your child, do some research together - you could help them take a book out of the library, or search for resources online - then plan your meal.
Taking inspiration from last summer's Tokyo Olympics, perhaps you might decide to try something with Japanese flavours, like a simple katsu curry with chicken in crispy breadcrumbs - you and your child can decide how much chilli to put in at the end, depending on how spicy you like your dishes.
Or, for some tactile fun, you could make onigiri together - rice balls that you shape with your hands and can be filled with anything you like, from everyday classics like cheese and bacon, to Japanese flavours like kombo and umeboshi, just like this 大象传媒 Food recipe.
2. Try a TikTok recipe challenge
TikTok has plenty of food creators coming up with simple, tasty viral challenges that are perfect to try out with the kids! One sensation has been a simple, versatile wrap recipe where different fillings are loaded into each quarter of a tortilla wrap and folded on top of one another to create separate layers.
Chef Romy Gill's recipe uses delicately spiced chicken, fresh salad and seasoned mayo.
However, the beauty of this recipe is that you can replace ingredients with whatever you have in the fridge!
3. Bake a basket of tasty treats for friends and family
If you and your family have been bitten by the baking bug, you鈥檒l know that you always end up making more than your conscience will allow you to get through. So why not create a batch of goodies with family and friends in mind?
Encourage your kids to think about who they could bake for and what they might enjoy. Maybe it鈥檚 a lemon drizzle cake to share with grandad, or a batch of chocolate chip cookies for their friends at school?
Whatever they choose to make, the whole family can get involved with mixing, lining tins, beating eggs and timing the bakes!
4. Plan a picnic
A picnic? At this time of year? Forget it!
So you might think, but even if you're indoors, a picnic can make for an exciting break from routine that can get your child excited about food. Just make sure to pack a variety of snacky foods and then take them somewhere away from where you normally eat. Perhaps you could set up a blanket and pillows on the living room floor?
Besides the usual sandwiches, quiche and crisps, think outside the box for a few things you can make together for your picnic. Sliced veg and a nice homemade hummus can make for a great healthy snack, or if your child fancies a sweet treat, try making some chocolate brownies.
If you've got lots of ripe bananas going spare, you could even give banana bread a try - a simple, tasty bake and a true classic!
5. Make a family-style pizza
Okay, it鈥檚 not as easy as picking up a takeaway menu, but it鈥檚 actually much easier to make a pizza at home than you might think. A simple pizza dough is the perfect way to get your kids involved when making a base, but if you're a bit pushed for time you can use pitta bread, a tortilla wrap, or even a shop-bought puff pastry sheet.
Talk to your child about the different kinds of cheese you could use and how much they would like on their pizza - maybe they don't want any cheese at all! If they like their pizza with generous amounts of tomato sauce, this recipe from 大象传媒 Food is a fun way to get them acquainted with stirring and spreading actions in the kitchen.
Lastly, the toppings! Talk about what they might like on their pizza - different vegetables, seasoning, some protein like meat or meat alternatives - let them have some fun, but it is a great way to introduce the concept of balanced flavours. There might be a few odd choices, but who knows, you might even discover the best love/hate combo since ham and pineapple!
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