baked sole goujons on a plate

Whether you're stuck at home or just looking for something to keep little hands busy, cooking with kids is a great family activity. We’ve pulled together a list of recipes that cover breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and they’re all perfect for small sous-chefs (with a bit of help, of course).

Jools’ gorgeous hearty soup is a family favourite, but it’s also a great one to get older kids involved with. Chopping all the root veg is a good way to practice knife skills, and it’s a rustic soup so it doesn’t have to be perfectly sliced and diced. You could also knock up a batch of easy homemade pesto, and serve the soup with a spoonful on top.

HOW TO MAKE EASY PASTA WITH THE KIDS

child making fresh purple pasta bows

Fresh, homemade pasta is easier to make than you might think. Here, our friends at Lunch Lady have all you need to make gorgeous pasta from scratch, including three twists to help add a burst of colour to your plate – perfect for getting kids cooking.

Fish fingers are good, but these homemade sole goujons are great. Get the kids cooking with you in the kitchen by putting them in charge of dipping the fish in egg and flour. It’s messy work, but they’ll love it!

This houmous is so easy to make and it’s a fantastic thing to have on hand. I like to keep a batch in the fridge for quick snacking. To curb any afternoon cravings, get the kids to help with chopping up some cruditées for dunking. Any crunchy veg will do, but a mix of carrot, radish, chicory, celery and fennel is a great place to start.

Get the kids to help out with the veg prep here, and let them really go to town with the rolling pin! Feel free to swap out the veggies for anything you’ve got in the fridge, just as long as it’s got a bit of crunch to it.

This is such an easy breakfast to make, but it feels a bit special. It only takes 10 minutes to put together, and kids can choose their favourite berries to top with. Yum! 

Feeling inspired? Find more simple ideas for cooking with kids here.