Christmas dinner. It’s one of the biggest meals of the year, one that a lot of us wait very patiently for all year long, knowing what’s to come: roast turkey with all the trimmings, perfectly roast veggies, gravy, a flaming pudding for dessert… all the good stuff. But would you ever let the kids take over the kitchen and cook the Christmas dinner?
If the idea scares you silly, don’t worry! You’d be pretty brave to hand the reigns over on such a mammoth meal but Christmas is the perfect time to teach kids how to make all their favourite “family secret” recipes. Getting the kids involved in the preparations doesn’t have to be a stress either, here are a few tips and simple tasks the kids can help tackle on December 25th.
Cooking with kids, a few tips
1. Read all the way through a recipe before beginning. Get all the ingredients ready and on the countertop.
2. Bring the kids up to your level, or bring the cooking down to theirs. Let them work on a lower table where they can easily mix, peel, grate or spread. You can also bring them up to your level with step stools or sturdy chairs.
3. Don’t sweat it if there are spills. We’ve all tipped the milk jug at least once in our lives. It’s nothing a damp mop can’t handle and it’s all part of the process of learning to be careful while cooking and baking.
Our favourite Christmas recipes
Ready to go? Let’s get our aprons on and wash our hands before getting into these yummy recipes.
Gingerbread men – There is nothing more festive than a plate of gingerbread men and the best bit comes after they’ve cooled: the decorating. We’ve been leaving these out for Santa for many years and he’s never left one behind yet! Kids may need help using the hob for this one to melt the butter but kids of any age will love rolling out the dough and using cutters to make their biscuits. Find the full recipe over at CookieCrumbles.co.uk.
Image via: Creative Commons
Pigs in blankets – This is the ideal pre-supper snack to serve in the afternoon before dinner is ready. These can be made either with smaller cocktail sausages or bigger ones. With clean hands, show kids how to wrap the bacon around the sausages and place them onto a baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Once the tray is full, pop it into the oven at 180°C until they’re cooked all the way through.
Image via: Creative Commons
Roasted veggies – Older kids, ages 8+, are great helpers in the kitchen. At this age, they can learn how to safely use small knives for cutting and chopping as well as vegetable peelers and graters. Get them involved in the prep work by showing them how to safely peel the potatoes and carrots for dinner.
Kids always take such pride in their food when they have helped prepare it. Plus, they’re more likely to ask for more carrots or greens if they were the ones to cook them! Will your kids be helping in the kitchen this Christmas season?
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