John asks…
My son wants to enter a cooking contest for kids.
They asked him to make anything with a Williams Great American seasoning. He wants to make steak that he created by watching a bunch of different shows and he will make his own ultimate steak. I don’t think many kids eat steak or the judges will think he had help. What else can he make?
Jan answers:
Let him cook the steak, Dad. Don’t make him change his recipe just to please you. Why would the judges think he had help? Don’t you think he is up to the task? Give him the benefit of the doubt – he should know what he is capable of doing with his cooking abilities. And if he should fail, he will try even harder next time. Who knows, he may be the next Iron Chef! Let him spread his wings and go for it. Don’t hold him back. Encourage him.
Susan asks…
What is the best way for a stay at home mom to keep up with the house work, 2 kids, and cooking?
I know many other mothers have done it in the past and do it now, but I’m just feeling so far behind and want some advice on catching up and staying that way. I am also trying to fit in time to do home schooling type stuff and a job training program on my computer. I also want to have time to relax and maybe hang out with friends now and then. Im sorry I forgot to mention my kids are 1 and a half and 3 yrs. old.
Jan answers:
You have to have a definite schedule. Do the living room on Monday, bathrooms on Tuesday, etc. School is from 8 til 12, etc. You have to schedule time for yourself as well.
Helen asks…
Any kids cooking contests?
Are there any cooking type contests for kids around ages 12-17? Kind of like Iron chef and stuff? Where they could have cook offs against other kids with a team and to win prizes? I don’t want online stuff. Doesn’t matter where. Just the USA.
Jan answers:
Most cook-offs for kids tend to be at a local or state level. A school district might hold one, or there may be something at a state fair. There are a few contests with cook-offs that I’ve heard of that are national, but they are nearly always one-on-one competitions, not for teams.
Maria asks…
We’re having a kids cooking party for my child’s birthday, any ideas for activities after the cooking/eating..?
… is done? I’d love to stick with the food theme if possible…
Jan answers:
Doing the dishes and the clean up. LOL!
You could play games. When I was a kid we always did potato races, you put a potato on a spoon and try to race without dropping it. Then there is the dried bean toss. Use several shallow glass bowls or saucers, and the kids stand behind a “line” and try to toss their bean in the dish. The dishes are lined up, with like 4 in total, and whoever can get theirs in the furthest dish wins. You can also do a blindfold guessing game. Have funny foods for them to taste or feel, and they have to guess what it is. The kids will crack up watching the others tasting or feeling weird new fruits and veggies and trying to guess what it is.
Linda asks…
Cooking with kids?
My daughter 10 wants to cook with me tomorrow, so I would like some easy things to make as I’m not the world’s greatest cook. She is on about making biscuits for her friends birthday, any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
thanks
Jan answers:
It’s a good time to start teaching your child to cook!
You could cook simple cakes, maybe fairy cakes? I made muffins by myself when I was that age. They weren’t TOO bad, just kind of burnt, but they tasted ok if you stayed away from the burnt edges. You could make a simple cookie recipe, one that has just a few ingredients. Even grilled-cheese sandwiches would get her used to working in the kitchen.
Take care and enjoy cooking with your daughter!
Lisa asks…
Kids cooking activities?
I lead a kids group on a Friday afternoon at church (yrs K-2). This week, the activity is Cooking Chaos. I need to prepare the activity so the kids have a simple, yet fun thing to make. Any ideas?? It needs to be relatively cheap and easy to make and also.. it needs to be catered to around 40 kids. The Bible talk is based on “Loving God’s people” so i was thinking of getting them to make something to do with people or love. Anyway, any ideas will be greatly appreciated 🙂
thanks 🙂
Jan answers:
Years ago when my kids were really small (about the age of your kids’ groups) they made bread in Sunday School. I remember it well because the teacher borrowed my electric skillet. What food can be better than bread for a Bible class?!
Betty asks…
I want to get my kids involved in cooking christmas dinner
I want to get my 3 older kids involved in helping me in the kitchen for christmas, what are some easy and fun things I can get them to help me with? They are 11, 8 and 7.
Jan answers:
They can make sugar cookies and decorate them. Or how about rolls, those Pillsbury rolls that come in tubes, that you just shape and bake?
Really, the 11 year old can help with a LOT. The 8 year old, ehh. The 7 year old should be mixing, but NOT dealing with a hot oven.
Laura asks…
I want to do a cooking/baking gift theme for kids ages 4-8, need some ideas… read on please!
Hi there. I am planning on doing a cooking/baking theme gift for all the children in our extended family this coming year. I sew, so I plan on making each child their own apron and personalizing it. I am looking to include something along the lines of a mixing bowl and fun measuring spoons/cups. I also want to include a fun book- but I do not want the typical kids cook book. I am looking for a fun fiction children’s picture book that has some kind of cooking/baking theme… something where maybe the character(s) get into trouble while in the kitchen? What ever the book talks about I plan on incorporating into the overall gift. For example if the book talks about the character making cookies, I will add cookie cutters to the gift bowl.
So, I would like any book suggestions you have, along with anything you think would be a fun addition to the overall gift!
Thank you in advance!!! 🙂
Jan answers:
I don’t have a book suggestion, but I think it might be nice to include a “Cookie Mix in a Jar” as part of the gift. You put in all the dry ingredients in a jar and attach the recipe, and the kids add all the wet stuff, mix and bake. It would be a great first thing for them to bake and make it really fun so they will want to try to make something else from scratch.
Nancy asks…
What is the best Pampered Chef recipe you have tried that is great for kids?
I am building a custom show for Cooking with Kids for my Pampered Chef party. Any recipe suggestions for items that moms and dads AND kids can help prepare and enjoy all together?
Jan answers:
I had some Pampered Chef brownies once. I don’t remember what they were called but they had Rolos (the chocolate and caramel candies) crushed up in them, and walnuts. And if you ate them with ice cream it was amazing!!!
