Cooking With Kids + MASTERCHEF JUNIOR Giveaway
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Today David, who will very proudly tell you he’s 6 and tallest in his class, made his adorable debut on my blog :). This post is all about cooking with kids and if you don’t have kids, borrow some (with permission of course)! Cooking with kids is a hoot. We had so much fun making this post, from the shopping to the tasting.
Watch the video to see what David cooked up and be sure to enter the fun giveaway! P.S. I included a round up of 20 kid friendly recipes from my blog to get you inspired.
Why cooking with kids is important:
1. Teach them a basic life skill: You have the opportunity to teach them to cook and how to do it safely. It’s better to teach them “how to fish” instead of just giving them the fish, if you will :). The kitchen is a great classroom!
2. Build confidence: It also helps kids feel grown up and important.
3. Inspire picky eaters: Something about choosing and combining ingredients makes kids more likely to try new foods.
4. Nurture a servant heart: They will feel good about serving others by making them a delicious meal, because that’s the heart of cooking :).
5. It’s fun: Messy, but fun. Don’t cry over spilled milk, literally. It’s much more memorable when an egg flies across the room (I’m not saying that will happen to you) ;).
Those squirrelly cheeks weren’t finished chewing before he went for slice #2!
We really enjoyed making this video. It was sponsored by The show; MASTERCHEF JUNIOR on FOX. We were so excited when they asked us to create this video because (1) we like the show and (2) my son loves to help in the kitchen. He has a fun-loving personality and I’ll take any excuse to hang out with him. We hope this inspires you to get your kids involved in cooking.
It’s a competition for kids between 8 and 13 to show off their culinary abilities and love for food. The contestants are adorable and award winning chef Gordon Ramsay is the host. The whole thing is so much fun to watch. They go through a serious of cooking challenges starting with 24 contestants and one talented MASTERCHEF JUNIOR takes home a $100,000 prize!
P.S. Don’t miss an all-new season of MASTERCHEF JUNIOR Fridays at 8/7c on Fox!
20 of our favorite kid-friendly recipes:
1. Greek Yogurt Pancakes
2. Quick and Easy Buttermilk Pancakes
3. French Toast
4. Breakfast Burritos
5. Corn Pops Treats
6. Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
7. Raspberry Pretzel Jello
8. Ukrainian Waffle Cakes
9. Cherry Cheesecake
10. Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
11. Baked Chicken Nuggets
12. Easy Chicken Strips
13. Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
14. Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon
15. Homemade Individual Pizzas
16. Easy Chicken Sandwich Melts
17. Chicken Cream Cheese Chili
18. Strawberry Smoothie
19. Blueberry Mango Smoothie
20. Lettuce wraps (our son loves these with ranch!)
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I would love to use this kit with my 3 girls to make pizza…they loooove helping out in the kitchen
Just fyi Natasha, all 3 of my children love it when you have a new video out. They love to watch them over and over again. We do pizza together with my children. The best part is that they get to choose what toppings to put on and then actually eat what they made! I see a future cook (or 2 or 3) growing up in my family. And of course, they love anything that comes specifically geared toward them.
That is so sweet :). Thank you so much for sharing that with me 🙂 – Natasha
I would use the kit in the future to cook with my son when he gets a bit older and ready to cook with me:) I would love to teach him some basic things like simple baking and mixing ingredients. Even though he’s small now, I introduce whole bunch of new things to his pallet. This would be so awesome to win!!:)
My kids are picky eaters. I signed up my daughter for cooking classes one year when she was about 4 and it helped her be more adventurous about trying new foods. I hope to use the kit in the same manner to expose my kids to healthier food choices.
I would love to make pizza with my 3 lil “pirates.” My son can watch me bake for hours and my daughters loves “messing” with the dough. So fun!!!
My son LOVES pizza and would love to learn to make his own. I would take him shopping and encourage him to get creative with his toppings.
We would make some really creative cupcakes!
Cooking with kids is fun for kids and adults
I tweeted
https://mobile.twitter.com/saverang/status/665301836237139968
andysavi.mom@gmail.com
I would use this kit to make Chicken Noodle Soup & Banana Muffins with my kids! They love to help in the kitchen & this kit would be perfect for both of these dishes!
andysavi.mom@gmail.com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/665299394783260673
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I would allow my daughter to create her own pizza
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
My daughter is 2.5 and she loves to help out in kitchen already, we are making plimeni tonight:), she keeps on asking me if she can smell the dough 😂
I’m not exactly a mom (sorryy!), I’m more of a sister, but I do a lot of cooking at home. I have a little sister who’s 5, and she looves cooking. This would be great activity to do with her, and would teach her some cooking skills…. like those cookies she tried to make from scratch.. by herself.. without a recipe…
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/665205655373021185
I would make pizza with my son.
My daughter loves to help out in the kitchen. Her favorite activity is chopping up mushrooms or other soft vegetables for me.
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/665146476348198916
Well, we enjoy making cookies, muffins, and cinnamon rolls together, so we’d probably use the kit to make one of those! Pizza would be fun, too. Daddy makes real pizza so he might be better at that than me.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/665130678963466240
My children are all adults now but this would be great fun for my granddaughter. Kids are always more interested in cooking when they are making their favorite foods.
My grand kids like to help crush crackers or cookies and tear bread for stuffing or bread crumbs.
I think we’d mix up a batch of muffins with the kit.
Thanks for the contest.
https://twitter.com/slehan/status/665079818795376640
I would love making a pizza with this kit with my daughter! I recently had another baby so this would be a fun way to spend some time together in the kitchen!
tweeted
https://twitter.com/cshell202/status/665074813589827584
cshell090869 at aol dot com
This kit looks like a lot of fun. The kids would have fun with the dough and the toppings.
cshell090869 at aol dot com
My three year old LOVES to help me in the kitchen. However it always does get messy:) But there’s not a day where she doesn’t come running if she hears me prepping food in the kitchen. A kit would make my girl so excited! Especially since Christmas is coming up and that would be the best gift for her!
I would have to say pizza is such a fun meal for kids to help in because they can customize to their liking. 😉
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/664949492282753024
I would use the kit to have my daughter help me bake a cake for my mom’s birthday.
I don’t have a child of my own. However, I would cook with my younger brother. I would make cookies or soup.
My tweet https://twitter.com/Joan_1969/status/664917322025402369?lang=en
My son and I could make a home made pizza with this kit. We would go shopping together and pick out all the yummy toppings, what fun!
It would help my child learn so many different ways! From measuring, tasting, etc.
we would probably make cookies
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/664869469945204736
One of my favorite ways to cook with my kids is during the holidays. They love making Christmas cookies with me and their Nana!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/664820251725594624
No child to cook with here. But I would love to give this to my niece to use with her children. She loves to cook with them.
I got both of my kids into the kitchen at about the same age as your son and it got them interested in eating a wide variety of good foods because that’s how I cook. Your own enthusiasm rubs off on them when they see you enjoying something that they have never tried before. A little reverse psychology sometimes help by telling them they aren’t allowed to eat something because it’s ‘too spicy’ then turn your back. You know they will sneak a taste, ha!
Start them out carefully – let them wash the fruits and vegetables, help you with the ‘mise en place’, measuring, etc. Teach them kitchen safety, things that can burn, things that can cut and how to safely handle them. Their minds are little sponges and they will soak the knowledge right up. Preparing meals is a necessary daily activity, why not use it for quality family time? It gets their little noses out of the electronics and teaches them a life skill of healthy eating. I’m convinced that too many prepared foods in the diet are the bane of today’s top health problems, ugh. We can fix that. If a quick dinner is needed for a busy night ahead, make a double batch and freeze half for later.
Fast-forward about 15 years from now Natasha, and your little ones will be young adults that will be well prepared to eat healthy and live well.
tweet
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/664771523228647424
Wed make some cupcakes!
Tweeted-https://twitter.com/birdiebee52/status/664635864421687296
My granddaughter lives with me and helps me with all of the meal planning, meal prep and making. I would use this kit to provide her with additional cooking skills.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/664609585634783234
My boys would love to use these tools and help me make gingerbread men and cupcakes for the holidays.
My kids love to help me cook in the kitchen. This set looks like a lot of fun and our kids would love to use it and be inspired to create their own pizza versions.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/664579402756440064.
I make pizza at home at least once a week and this kit would give my boys the incentive to lend a helping hand and make their own creations!
My middle child loves to watch baking and cooking shows and to bake and help me in the kitchen. I would love to use this kit to further our bond and her love for creating her “masterpieces” in the kitchen!
We would use it to make a treat each Sunday night.
This is a beautiful post! I got started cooking in the kitchen with my dad and great-grandmother and absolutely fell in love with it. I love all your reasons for getting your kids involved in the kitchen, and hope to do the same if/when I ever get around to having them!
I tweeted. https://twitter.com/poisonsix9/status/664522303695400960
I would use this kit for cooking projects with my daughters.
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/664475019922300928
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com
My son and I love to bake chocolate chip cookies.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com
i posted a tweet here:
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/664407180427161600
I have three kids, and all of them love pizza! We would use the kit to make pizza together! They would absolutely love to participate in the kitchen.
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/664339153946062848
we would make a family meal together
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/664340746967773185
amy [at] utry [dot] it
You two are adorable. 🙂 love your video. I would use this set to make my kids favorite Hawaiian pizza. My kids love hanging out with me in the kitchen.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
We would make pizza! Yum!
My daughter loves to help in the kitchen so it would be fun to have a kit to do something together and is kid friendly.
i would use the kit with my nieces and let them help make pizza
My kids love working with dough and they Love making their own pizza. This kit would be the perfect tool to use with my kids to make their pizza’s.
tweeted https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/664254325942820864
I would use it to become resourceful and teach my children some basic skills they can use. My six year actually asked me tonight what he could do to help cook dinner.
My son likes sweets so I would use this to make holiday desserts with him.
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/664242842072702976
I would use it to bake mini cupcakes
https://twitter.com/madikins09/status/664196317573480448
My 2 girls would love this!! They are always asking to help in the kitchen!! we would make pizza for sure!
This set would really help me, because kids always want to help me with things I rather not let ( stuff at the stove) don’t want them burning them self. Woukd love this set!!!
My son loooooves to be in the kitchen! Before he even turned one he was already always in the kitchen with the oven door open (standing on top ) and mixing things in pots, and to this day (he’s 5 already) whenever I’m cooking something and turn around to do something else like grate the carrots to go to the onion that’s frying in the pan and he’s walking by he sees there’s something in the pan frying he will mix it without even asking and then comes up to me and says “mama I saved your zazharka! It almost burned!” Lol (and sometimes he actually did save the zazharka for me lol) He’s a GREAT helper and I’m sure the kit will help him enjoy cooking even more!
We would use this kit to make pizza with my son who’s favorite food is pizza.
Btw my favorite part of the new video is when your son measures the sugar hehe
My daughter and son love to help prepare meal. They become so excited and have no problem eating their meal. This would be awesome to win such a fun giveaway. Thank you for the opportunity.
https://twitter.com/suburbsanity/status/664104046232473602
I think anytime you can give a child their own tools for any activity, you empower them. Cooking then becomes a joint effort and not a parent driven one.
I would use the kit with my 5-year old to connect with each other in the kitchen and simply have fun together. He loves helping me out anyways.
We would make birthday cupcakes
groogruxking40 @gmail dot com
My kids already love putting toppings on pizza. This would be great to teach them a little more.
I would use the kit with my son. He loves helping me with cooking. Especially if he sees me working with dough, he is grabbing the rolling pin whether I need it or not.
I think my three kids will have a blast cooking pizza from this kit.
I would use the kit to teach my son how to make pizza
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/663895613566619648
We love to bake together. My son will help me measure ingredients
My daughter would absolutely love this set. She’s with me in the kitchen ALL the time, and when I say All,I absolutely mean it. We peel, cut, and eat together. She would be super excited to have her own tools to use!
The pizzas look scrumptious! My boys love pasta dishes, maybe we try a lasagna dish!
I would use this kit with my sister.She would love it.
https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/663876428002365440
I would use this kit to help my daughter learn about measurements and how to follow a recipe. She could use the rolling pin to learn how to make homemade pizza dough!
David’s sugar measuring technique is perfect! :b
My kids would LOVE this. Their favorite food is literally PIZZA!!! We would probably bake some chicken pizza with Alfredo sauce.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/663852542539857921
I would use this kit to bake cookies with my daughter for the holidays.
My grandchildren love love love their pizza. This would be the perfect birthday gift for my granddaughter, Jazlyn Rose, who’s turning 6 years old on 11/24. Pepperoni and cheese please with extra sauce for dipping.
I would use this kit to make holiday desserts with my son.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/663838144735928325
I would bake cookies with my kids.
I loooove love the idea cooking with kids! I can’t wait till my baby girl is grown up so we can cook and bake together
tweeted – https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/663819328937025536
My six-year-old son is just starting to get into cooking. We’d use this set to foster his love of cooking and help him be more independent in the kitchen. He likes to help with everything from dinner to dessert.
My son would love this his favorite dish PIZZA lol he always helps me in the kitchen I have a little 4year old masterchef in training!!😁😁 hope we win!
Shared on twitter! https://twitter.com/cdhabolt/status/663806047916658688
I would love to use this kit with my sons, especially my 9 year old. He is my little chef! He pretty much baked and decorated his own cake last week because he loves cooking so much! Of course mama was there to guide him =)
What a great giveaway and fun idea! My 3 year old loves to help me in the kitchen with baking cakes and cooking soups.. We haven’t tried piZza making so this would be perfect. You and your assistant are super adorable ;))
I would love to win pizza kit for my little one ,she loves to cook with her mama .And also we love to watch the show.
we plan on baking christmas cookies
My kids would love this..they always want to help me cook and this would be a great kit for that…
So I take it your son is going on the show next?! Or he isn’t as fond of cooking as his parents?
You look great Natasha – that hair just looks awesome. Your sister does a great job and I love following you on Instagram
Anna // Happy Medley
My little sisters and niece love watching masterchef junior. Just watching kids cook is awesome. Making food on their own is what they love to do.
Cooking with kids is super fun! My little sister and niece love pizza, so they would definitely love to make it themselves. 🙂
I tweeted https://twitter.com/HerCupofJoy/status/663789636087582720
Wow congrats on the collaboration with Master Chef Junior, it’s pretty inspiring seeing your blog grow so quickly!
I would use this kit to show my toddler how to make a pizza, on of her favorite foods!
Good job David on the pizza making, you are a famous little chef in this corner of the web 🙂
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/663771731874594816
This kit is perfect for homemade pizza with kids. They are going to love it.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
What a great opportunity to spend quality and fun time with your child! My 6 year old loves to make pizza and she loves to help me in the kitchen! This kit would be very useful and a great gift for my daughter!
Thank you Natasha for all your hard work!
Tweet:
https://twitter.com/ErinLoves2Run/status/663762694701367296
Erin
ErinLoves2Run at gmail dot com
I would use this kit to show my girls how fun and exciting cooking is. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
Erin
ErinLoves2Run at gmail dot com
This could get my picky eater to actually enjoy his food and eat. I once did a taco night and once they made their own taco’s they were having fun; my picky one’s taco was made of just onions and cilantro.
I would get my girls to make pizza, of course !!! 😋
I love that show! Those kids put my cooking to shame! Lol. I’ve got little sisters that love helping in the kitchen ( especially rolling out the dough) so i can see this kit being a lot of fun! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would use this kit with my kids for pizza night, which we usually have on Fridays.
Tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/663711784373628928
I would use the kit to get my son and daughter excited about cooking and try out the recipes that are geared for kids and have them try out their delicious meals that they made! By us cooking together it will give them a sense of accomplishment!
This video is cute, my little one requested to watch it 3 times 😂😄. Would love to win the gift card and buy that set. My daughter loves making pizza, and eating it too!
That’s so sweet :). Thanks for sharing that with me! – Natasha
Natasha! I was the first one to comment on your awesome video! Thank you so much for the video. Can’t wait to show it to my 3 year old:) he can watch David’s Mac and cheese video like 5 times in a row – now he will have another video to watch:) say thank you to David for such a video:) and we are waiting for many more videos with himp
Can’t wait till your little princess will start cooking too:)
I read your comment and he said “Yay!!” He’s happy he can teach kids stuff is what he says ;). – Natasha
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/663644942632292352
I would use the Cooking Essentials kit to show them the basics of how to prepare vegetables for cooking, such as the different ways to cut them. I would use the Pizza kit to show them how to make a basic pizza.