Getting kids involved in cooking from an early age not only teaches them a valuable life skill but can be great fun too. I enjoy baking with the kids and they enjoy cooking simple suppers that the whole family can enjoy together. Here are my top 20 Delicious, Easy Recipes for Kids to Make. I hope you and your kids enjoy them too.

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Snacks / Starters

#1. Bell Inn Smokies

Delicious smoked fish, cream and tomatoes all topped off with Gruyere Cheese. Bell Inn Smokies are really simple to make but look very impressive and taste delicious.

Serve with chunks of brown or white bread to ensure you get all the juices out of the ramekin!

#2. Nachos

Great as a starter or a snack for hungry teens. Quick to prepare by simply taking a shallow, oven proof dish, add some of your favourite nachos, sprinkle a few sliced jalapeno peppers, a handful of grated cheese and a few spoons of salsa on top, add another layer until you have 3 in total. Place in a hot oven (180c)  and heat up until the cheese has melted. Serve with sour cream or natural yoghurt, more homemade salsa and some guacamole.

#3. Quesadillas

Carrying on the Tex Mex Theme, quesadillas are a mix of vegetables, chicken, pork or beef and grated cheese, added to a corn or flour tortilla and heated. Follow my simple Quesadilla Recipe and serve with sour cream or natural yoghurt, salsa and guacamole.

#4. Creamy Mushrooms on Toast / Pastry

A must for anyone who likes mushrooms simple fry sliced mushrooms and a sliced shallot in butter with a crushed clove of garlic. Once cooked and a few tablespoons of double cream and warm through.  Serve on thick slices of toast or add it as a topping to shop bought shortcrust / puff pastry that has been blind baked as per the instructions.

#5. Chicken of Fish Dippers

Dippers are just another word for nuggets but these homemade chicken nuggets  from Wholesome Ireland, are a far cry from the fast food versions our kids are so fond of!

To make fish dippers, simply substitute the chicken for a fillet of firm white fish like haddock or cod. And for anyone with an egg / dairy allergy, check out the recipe on our Allergy Friendly Party Recipes post.

You may also like 5 Simple Warming Winter Recipes Kids will Enjoy

Dinners / Main Meals

#6. Cous Cous with Baked Vegetables and Goats Cheese

This dish involves some chopping and time to prepare the vegetables. But once they are roasted it will come together quickly.

I use butternut squash, courgettes, aubergines (egg plant), shallots and peppers for my version. I chop all of them into bite size pieces, coat with vegetable oil and salt to taste and roast for approx 45 minutes in a hot over (180c).

Prepare the cous cous by combining 1 cup of grains to 2 cups of boiling stock in a heatproof dish, cover and leave for 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Once ready mix with the roasted vegetables, diced goat or feta cheese and serve. I also add chopped sundried tomatoes, preserved artichokes and pomegranate seeds.

You may also enjoy – 10 Budget Busting Ideas to Entertain Children on a Rainy Day

#7. Potato and Bacon Bake

My family love this Potato and Bacon Bake during the winter.

It is great for using up left over bacon or ham. Serve with a simple green salad to offset the cream and cheese!

#8. Homemade Pizza

Pizza always goes down well in our house. By creating your own, everyone can tailor make it to suit their tastes and it is more simple than you might imagine. For younger cooks, or if you are in a hurry, try out our Quick Pizza Dough Recipe and if you want to make it like the Italians do use our Neapolitan Pizza Recipe and add your own toppings.

#9. Cheats Spaghetti Carbonara

I have been cooking this Cheats Spaghetti Carbonara since my college days. I call it cheats carbonara, as I do not use eggs and add peas and mushrooms which are not traditionally found in carbonara. You can use pancetta, thick bacon slices or leftover ham or bacon. To make it even more impressive, add chopped parsley before serving.

You might also like: 9 simple pasta recipes for kids to prepare in no time

#10. Mushroom Risotto

Many people think that Risotto is difficult to master and needs lots of attention. The secret to our Mushroom Risotto recipe is to ensure the stock is hot and that each ladle is absorbed fully before adding the next one.

This recipe does contain wine, but just add a bit more stock if you don’t wish to add it.

Baking / Desserts

#11. Whole Grain Bread Rolls with Seeds and Porridge Oats

My Mum makes these great Whole Grain Bread Rolls to serve with homemade soup. The addition of seeds and porridge oats helps to make them filling, while slowly releasing energy during the day, so I often take a few home to add to lunchboxes. They are great as a snack with butter and cheese too and freeze well.

#12. Scones

Whether you decide on savoury cheese scones/muffins served with cream cheese and smoked salmon or sweet scones served with clotted cream and homemade jam, both are equally easy to cook and once you learn how to make them you will wonder why you ever bought them ready made!

#13. Pancakes

Who doesn’t like pancakes? There are many different kinds and like the scones above, they can be filled with sweet or savoury toppings depending on your mood. We love our pancakes here at Mykidstime and have a few pancake posts you may enjoy – 4 Simple Pancake Recipes, Lazy Porridge Pancake Recipe, Fun Pancake Shapes for Kids, Super Easy Pancake Recipe.

#14. Baked Cheesy Spirals

This Cheesy Spiral Recipe from Kraft uses shop bought pastry but feel free to make your own! This recipe uses ham and cheese, but you could add tomato paste, pesto or other ingredients. Equally great hot or cold, your friends will be impressed if you serve these up and they will never know how easy they were to prepare.

#15. Chocolate Brownies

I have been using this melt in the mouth chocolate brownies recipe for years. All my friends love it and when I go to visit, I usually make a batch to take with me. You can add nuts and dried fruit, like cherries or cranberries to the mixture before cooking but really they are delicious without any additions too. Enjoy!

#16. Pavlova

A great addition to any repertoire, Pavlova can be filled with fresh fruit and cream and makes a great dessert centre piece. I use this Pavlova recipe from Mary Berry and it works for me every time. I have not tried the lemon curd yet, I simply add raspberries, blueberries and strawberries with lashings of whipped cream!

#17. Lemon Drizzle Cake

Create a tempting treat with this Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe from Judy Kavanagh.

Prepared in a loaf tin, it will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Although, I doubt it will last that long! Or you could make a double batch and freeze one loaf.

#18. Cookies

From Christmas Cookies to Superhero Cookies and Summer Picnic Cookies to 8 Easy Cookie Recipes we have a cookie recipe to suit all tastes.

Most cookies are simple to make and you can have fun decorating them however you wish. Great for bake sales too.

#19. Flourless, Gluten Free, Chocolate Swiss Roll

This is a perfect chocolate swiss roll recipe that also happens to flour free so it safe to bake for anyone with a gluten intolerance.

I add raspberries and cream but you could add stem ginger, blueberries, strawberries or any filling you think goes well with chocolate.

#20. Butter Biscuits

With just 3 ingredients, you can produce tempting, crumbly butter biscuits that will melt in the mouth. Made even more impressive, when you pipe them using a star shaped nozzle before baking in a hot oven.

Have you tried cooking any of our easy recipes for kids to make? Please let us know how you got on in the comments box below.