Getting your kids in the kitchen helping with meal preparation and cooking is fantastic for raising more adventurous eaters. By becoming more familiar with new foods in a fun, no pressure to eat environment it can help increase their acceptance and willingness to try new foods. It is also great for helping develop your child’s fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and learning math, language and science skills.

If you are looking for some child friendly cooking inspiration I would recommend trying these recipes. I particularly love the pizzas for helping to increase vegetable exposure!

Pita Bread Pizzas

Ingredients

• Wholemeal pita bread bases
• Tomato paste, salt reduced
• Fresh herbs (e.g. basil or oregano)
• Mozzarella cheese, grated
• Chicken, diced
• Capsicum, diced
• Mushrooms, diced
• Pineapple, diced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220˚. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the pita breads on the tray. Spread with tomato paste and sprinkle over fresh herbs.
3. Lightly add some cheese then add the chicken, capsicum, mushrooms and pineapple. Sprinkle with extra cheese over the top.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the topping is melted and the base is crisp.

Note: These pizzas can be made with a variety of different vegetables to suit your child’s preferences.

Blueberry Wholemeal Pancakes

Ingredients

• ¾ cup wholemeal plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp bi-carb soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup frozen berries
• Olive oil for cooking

Method

1. Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
2. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the milk and eggs, whisking until smooth.
3. Rest for 10 minutes. Do not stir after resting.
4. Heat a small amount of olive oil in the fry pan. Pour ¼ cup of mixture into the pan. Sprinkle some berries into the batter. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles begin to appear. Turn the pancake and cook on the other side for a further 1-2 minutes. Repeat. ⁣⁣⁣
5. Serve with extra berries and a drizzle of maple syrup or yoghurt. ⁣

Banana and Date Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 large bananas
• ⅓ cup oil
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup dates, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line 20 small muffins tins with patty pans.
2. Sift wholemeal self-raising flour and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl mash the bananas. Add the oil, milk and eggs. Whisk to combine.
4. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir briefly to combine. Add the dates and gently stir through. Be careful not to over mix otherwise muffins may become tough.
5. Spoon the mixture into the patty pans and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. When cooked the top of the muffin if lightly pressed should spring back into shape.

Yoghurt and fruit popsicles  

Ingredients

• Yoghurt of your choice (ideally look for one low in added sugars)
• Fruit of your choice, diced or pureed
• Ice-cream moulds (If you don’t have moulds you can use mini plastic cups with paddle pop sticks

Method

1. Mix the yoghurt and fruit together and spoon into ice-cream moulds and freeze.
2. To remove the popsicles from the moulds run a hot cloth along the outside of the moulds or run the moulds under warm water for 10 seconds.