Looking for a way to get your curious toddler involved with meal preparation? Here are 30 recipes to cook with your toddler that you both will love!
Getting kids involved in the kitchen and teaching them to cook from a young age has many benefits. It stimulates creativity, teaching them a valuable life skill that they will take into adulthood as well as develops fine motor skills.
The Joy of Cooking with Toddlers: Unmeasured Happiness and Edible Life Lessons
Cooking can be a deeply rewarding experience on its own, but when you add toddlers into the mix, it takes on a new dimension of fun and education. If you’ve ever spent time in the kitchen with a toddler, you know that it’s a blend of controlled chaos and pure, unfiltered joy. The wonder in their eyes, the excitement in their voice, and the enthusiasm with which they approach every task, however small, makes cooking not just a chore but an adventure.
Fostering Curiosity and Creativity
Toddlers are naturally curious beings. They want to touch, taste, and understand everything around them. The kitchen is like a mini science lab where they can experiment with textures, colors, and tastes. Whether it’s mixing flour and water to see how they combine, or using cookie cutters to create different shapes, cooking provides a tactile and sensory experience that fosters curiosity and creativity.
Skill Development and Coordination
Fine motor skills are put to the test when children engage in activities like stirring a bowl of batter or using a spoon to fill muffin tins. Even if a fair amount of the mixture ends up outside of the intended target, the act of aiming, pouring, or scooping is excellent for their hand-eye coordination. Similarly, tasks like sorting ingredients, measuring, and sequencing steps of a recipe encourage cognitive development and logical thinking.
Building Self-Esteem and Independence
There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from creating something with your own hands, and this is magnified in the eyes of a toddler. Whether they’ve just helped spread jam on a piece of bread or assisted in making a more complicated dish, that sense of achievement can be a significant boost to their budding self-esteem. This empowerment also promotes independence, an invaluable trait that will benefit them in every area of life.
Bonding and Emotional Connections
Cooking is a communal activity by nature, and doing it with a toddler turns it into a bonding exercise. The simple act of spending time together in the kitchen can create cherished memories and rituals that both of you will hold dear for years to come. It also provides an opportunity for emotional development, as children learn to share, take turns, and even cope with disappointment if a recipe doesn’t turn out as expected.
Introducing Healthy Eating Habits
When children are involved in the cooking process, they’re more likely to eat what they’ve helped prepare. This is a great way to introduce them to fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food choices. Their hands-on experience can diminish the ‘yuck’ factor often associated with unfamiliar foods, encouraging a more diverse and balanced diet.
Unscripted Fun and Laughter
Let’s not forget one of the best parts of cooking with toddlers: it’s downright fun. The unpredictability of cooking with little ones can lead to spontaneous laughter and joy. Maybe the flour puffs into a mini cloud, or perhaps the sound of eggs cracking sends them into a fit of giggles. These unscripted moments make the whole experience unpredictable, but also incredibly enjoyable.
Cooking with toddlers may require a bit more time and a lot more patience, but the returns are invaluable. Through the spills, the flour clouds, and even the occasional culinary mishaps, you’re not just making food. You’re making memories, building foundational skills, and instilling a love for one of life’s most essential and enjoyable skills. So, roll up those sleeves, put on those tiny aprons, and get ready to cook with your toddler!
But sometimes it can be tricky to include a little one if the recipe is complicated or requires most of your attention. With these 30 recipes to cook with your toddler below, you can include your little one in the cooking process, teaching them and having fun at the same time!
Here are some healthy recipes that you will have fun preparing with your toddler! These 3 ingredient peanut butter oatmeal cookies are super These vegan zucchini muffins are soft, sweet, and full of These easy to prepare delicious eggless and vegan lemon Simple to make & a hit with the kids, these Homemade These No-Bake Energy Bites packed with all the delicious Believe it or not, pancakes just got better! Mini Gluten-Free Need high protein toddler meal ideas? Make these easy Tuna An easy and healthy meatless nugget that the kids will love! Gluten-free & Vegan Chickpea Nuggets that are top 8 allergy-free, grain-free, and have a secret dose of veggies too! A deliciously fun plant-based recipe for little hands at lunchtime or dinner! Super easy air fryer zucchini french fries that are healthy for you and served with a tasty dip! A super healthy and tasty treat, this homemade blueberry lemon sorbet is so great for dessert! This Hawaiian Chicken Salad with Pineapple makes a great Mini quesadillas are perfect for tiny toddler hands! These mini Broccoli Quesadillas are nutritious, easy to make in under 10 minutes, and a great healthy toddler recipe to make together - kids love putting these together. Nothing says childhood more than Goldfish crackers! Now These nut-free granola bars pack well and are perfect for These bliss balls are loaded with chocolate, are no-bake Homemade Granola is delicious, easy, and so economical to This easy healthy banana cream pie in jars is made with These Lemon Cool Whip Cookies are so easy, you’re going to These Mini Cherry Pies are so easy, even the kids will Apple Nachos are an easy, delicious snack or dessert that Learn how to air fry chickpeas without oil, with different These Sweet Potato Brownies are naturally sweetened with a With just a few ingredients you and your little one can Quick and easy homemade pop tarts are stuffed with your A family favorite, these wholesome kid-friendly air fryer Use your Instant Pot and only four everyday ingredients to Individual size, creamy and delicious egg-quiche, all wrapped up in filo pastry cases! Vegan potato cakes made with leftover mashed potatoes, Easy 5-minute flatbread pizza that kids will love! This These Nutella French Toast Roll-Ups are a fun, finger-friendly treat for breakfast or brunch. These portable, and easy to make S’mores Flatbread slathered with cinnamon-sugar flavored30 Healthy Recipes To Cook With Your Toddler
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
easy to make, even for a toddler, and taste fantastic!
Vegan Zucchini Muffins (No Oil, No Refined Sugar)
healthy ingredients. With no oil and no refined sugar in the batter, you can feel good about serving them for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
lemon muffins (eggless, vegan & whole wheat)
muffins are made with whole wheat flour and will be loved by all little ones.
Homemade Strawberry Fruit Snacks
Fruit Snacks made with fresh strawberries are a healthy & inexpensive alternative to store-bought snacks!
No Bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Energy Bites
flavors of an oatmeal raisin cookie are the perfect healthy after school snack for the kids!
Mini Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pancake Bites (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
Cinnamon Pancake Bites that are vegan, allergy-free, and take just 10 minutes to bake! They’re a surprisingly healthy breakfast recipe that kids (of all ages) will love! Perfect for little hands to dunk in syrup and munch!
Easy Tuna Nuggets for Toddlers
Nuggets! They are perfect for toddlers and super easy and fun to make with them because there are no raw ingredients.
Gluten-Free + Vegan Chickpea Nuggets (Allergy-Free, Grain-Free)
Air Fryer Zucchini French Fries - Healthy Snacks
Homemade Blueberry Lemon Sorbet
Hawaiian Chicken Salad with Pineapple – Healthy Snack Idea!
healthy snack for toddlers and kids, and is a perfect after school snack! Make this super easy chicken salad on a busy weekday - there are no raw ingredients so it's perfect for toddlers to help you put this together.
Mini Broccoli Quesadillas – Healthy Toddler Recipe
Homemade Gluten-Free + Vegan Goldfish (Allergy-Free, Grain-Free)
you can make your own Homemade Gluten-Free & Vegan Goldfish that are top 8 allergy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and secretly protein-packed! A healthy snack recipe mom’s and kids will love!
Nut-free Granola Bars
the lunchbox (or purse!). They can also be made gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan and don’t require any special ingredients.
Bliss Balls Recipe (gluten-free, vegan options) - Texanerin Baking
and easy to make gluten-free and vegan. They only call for 6 ingredients and take 5 minutes to make!
Homemade Honey-Vanilla Granola
make! The recipe makes 16 servings and costs just $7.18 to make, that’s only $0.40 per serving!
Easy Layered Banana Cream Pie Jars Recipe (vegan, paleo, gf)
whole foods. Kids will enjoy helping parents put these together as they can easily assist in layering the jars! Vegan, paleo, gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
Lemon Cool Whip Cookies
feel like you forgot something. Delectable whipped cream combines with a tart lemon cake mix to make one delicious dessert.
Mini Cherry Pies
want to get in on the baking action. You only need two ingredients to make these addictive and delicious little morsels.
Apple Nachos (with nut-free alternatives)
kiddos can top with whatever they want. Set out a variety of toppings and let them go to town!
Air Fryer Roasted Chickpeas (No Oil)
flavor combinations. It’s a #1 favorite healthy air fryer snack that is so easy you will be wondering why it took you so long before you cooked air fryer chickpeas.
Sweet Potato Brownies
sweet potato boost!. A great recipe to make with your kids.
Apple Cake Recipe Perfect for Baking With Kids Video Tutorial Included
whip up a tasty Apple Cake! Just in time for apple picking!
Quick and Easy Homemade Poptarts
favorite filling, baked to perfection, and drizzled with a delicious frosting.
Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
pizza rolls are sure to be a hit in your household! Great as a snack or a meal, they’re so easy to make that your little ones can help make them as well.
Instant Pot Corn Dogs Bites
whip up Homemade Corn Dogs that are so much healthier than fried corn dogs.
Mini filo pastry quiches - great for kids to make!
Vegan Potato Cakes with Carrot and Rice
rice, carrots, onions, and last but not least parsley! These potato cakes are crispy and lovely from the outside and soft from the inside.
Easy Flatbread Pizza Recipe - Kid Friendly
pizza makes a great summer meal when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen.
Nutella French Toast Roll-Ups
French Toast Roll-Ups are filled with delicious Nutella, dunked into custard, sauteed until golden brown and then rolled in cinnamon sugar goodness!
S'mores Flatbread Dessert Pizza
butter and topped with crumbled graham crackers, ooey-gooey chocolate and marshmallows. This s’mores recipe doesn’t require a campfire so you can make them all year round!
Developing skills and nurturing creativity as well as an awareness of a variety of foods are just some of the many benefits of these recipes to cook with your toddler. Start today – there’s no better time!
For more toddler related posts be sure to check out:
- 15 Awesome Educational Stacking Toys For Toddlers
- 7 Toddler Discipline Strategies That Actually Work
- How Do You Monitor Your Child’s Screen Time?
- Say Hello to “Dot”: A new children’s animated series on the Sprout Channel!
- Stinky & Dirty: Animated Series Promotes Problem Solving and Recycling
- 7 Easy and Manageable Ways To Raise Healthy Children
If you liked these recipes to cook with your toddler be sure to check out these Easy and Impressive Dinner Meals Made In 30 Minutes Or Less!
Hi! I’m Nellie. I am a busy mama of three, wife to my high school sweetheart who loves to cook, workout and stay organized! I love to share helpful printables, the best recipes and fitness tips for the modern mom. I strongly believe that every mom can feed their family well, take proper care of themselves and have fun along the way! Read my story.
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