what to bake with your kids

what to bake with your kids? i’ve gotcha.

Because they’re STILL HOME.

Now – let me just say this right up front:

I don’t like baking or cooking with ANYONE.

For real.

When Chelsea and Conor were little they had zero interest in my attempts to get them to bake with me. And I was secretly 100% okay with that. Because I’m a control freak in the kitchen. I have my own way of doing things and I don’t like messes. I’m not that mom who thinks that NOT leveling off the tablespoon is anything less than diabolical, and I’m ALSO not that mom who will spontaneously start flicking flour “for fun”.

I’m not a cool mom.

Noah has had much more interest in the kitchen, but for the most part limited to the “neat” tasks. So, no cracking eggs, forming meatballs, breading chicken.

Except for now. Now he’s home and wants to bake ALLTHETHINGS and prep dinner with me every night. Like, PREP PREP. And so I decided to make meal prep a “unit” in our homeschool day.

Because: math (right?).

Now we’re not whipping up Milk Bar cakes around here, and I don’t suppose you are either. But truth be told, if you’re just a bit prepared, baking and cooking with your kids can be totally not horrible.

Here are my top tips – gathered over almost 30 years and 3 kids:

1. Know your kids – it’s really okay if they don’t want to do certain tasks. If they don’t like getting messy, prep the ingredients in advance. You can crack all the eggs and let them pour them into the bowl. You can let them mix the meatball ingredients but you form the actual meatballs.

2. Know yourself – if you’re a confident cook/baker, great. But if not, don’t feel you have to go all Julia Child. Even a boxed cake mix requires measuring and mixing, and will get you to the finish line with no tears. The idea is to do it together and have fun. So keep it simple and manageable for YOU too.

3. Be ready – I wrote a post recently about the must-have ingredients for a baker’s pantry. Having the items on-hand – especially now that you’re home more – will allow for more spontaneity and less disappointment.

4. Break it up – it’s a LONG day these days. One thing I do is to have our “prep” time after lunch, and then finish making dinner later, after homework. If Noah wants to continue helping at that point he can, or he can go play/watch tv while I finish up.

The dinner recipes I posted last week are not only simple and family-friendly, but most are great to do with your kids. So I thought for this post I’d list some fun baking and snacking recipes that are very doable.

Take a look!

Really easy, really good classic brownies.

2-ingredient Nutella waffles – you’re gonna lose your mind.

This recipe makes a bajillion and are a must-have for the endless tea parties some of you are hosting.

If you’re gonna make rice krispies treats (and at some point during this you will), make the BEST rice krispies treats.

Also rice krispies treats, but with cookies instead of rice krispies (yes).

Movies on repeat? Serve up color-coordinated popcorn, why don’t you?

And while you’re at it, stuff Milk Duds into chocolate chip cookies.

Make ice cream bowls you can EAT.

Sheet pan pancakes > regular pancakes.

Though it’s easy to forget, Spring is officially here – celebrate with these edible birds’ nests.

Surprise cupcakes are just what everyone needs right now – and boxed cake mix makes them easier than they look (promise!).

I don’t even know how many Muddy Buddy recipes I have on here at this point – but they’re the most fun to make.

2- and 3-ingredient Nutella brownies – you’re gonna lose your mind.

Buy a few cans of biscuit dough. Then. Make. All. The. Things.

So there you have it – some easy ideas to sweeten things up and (hopefully) have some fun while you do it.

And maybe math?

Let me know what you make! xo

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