To do: Choose a recipe you’d like to make as a family, write or draw a shopping list and go to the market together.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: Shopping list, trip to the market
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Choose a recipe that you’d like to make as a family! Use the suggestions below to get the whole family in the kitchen.

How to Get Started: To show your child the practical side of cooking a dish, search together for a recipe you’d like to make. Talk about the next steps with your child: “First, we make a list of ingredients we need for this dish. Do we have parmesan cheese and fresh baguette? No? Ok, let’s write a list.”

Let your child see you handwrite your list, or invite them to write/draw. Try these ideas for fresh recipes:

Fajitas: ‘Build-your-own’ fajitas or tacos are great for children that have different tastes. Here’s a great starter recipe from the BBC, and don’t be afraid to change it up depending on your preferences. Also, put your child in charge of shopping with this beautiful shopping list. Or, here’s a black and white one if they would also like to color it!
Fruit Parfait: Utilize the season of fresh fruits to concoct your very own parfait. While at the market, let your child pick 2 or 3 of their favorite fruits. Back at home, let children help with easy chopping or cleaning, then create layers of fruit, yogurt, and granola!
Market Sandwich: Grab a lovely fresh loaf of grainy bread, sprouts or greens, any vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers you enjoy on a sandwich, and local cheese if you can find it! Then, construct an amazing market sandwich full of fresh greens and a sprinkle of good vinegar on the bread. Enjoy!

What your child will learn: The logical steps to prepare a recipe. The practical skill of handwriting (which is becoming harder and harder for children to associate with), and the need to plan ahead! We can’t have everything RIGHT NOW if we aren’t prepared.

For your older child: Is your child interested in culinary arts? Invite your older child to create their own recipe, and go over the steps and ingredients needed. Use a cookbook or magazine recipe as a template, and write out the recipe, including drawings!

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