OT: Anyone have good toddler cooking ideas?

[JAM3]

I was thinking of doing a cooking party with DD and was looking for some recipes. DD knows her way around the kitchen well, but when you are talking about 5 kids, 4 of which are about to turn 3 and one 5 year old it is a different story. Anyone have any ideas of things to make?

 

[zoemurr]

and birthdaypartyideas.com

We did this when DD turned 5 (12 kids with their moms to help) and it was A LOT of work. However, all the kids made tiny little lasagnes in individual pans. They also made salad on a stick and decorated cupcakes. I made chef hats out of paper and tissue, and they used fabric markers to decorate aprons.

English muffin pizzas would be easier and fun also. When I taught preschool we always had a day where they kids made meat loaf. They always enjoyed that, but of course you need to be more careful with those ingredients.

Have fun!

 

[sockies31]

I can help you better if I know your theme with food....

Pizza would be cute--english muffins or pita bread (like better than english muffins) are easy. You can use squeeze bottles for the sauces (spaghetti, bbq, alfredo), have bowls with different cheeses and toppings....You could have a contest for the most creative, craziest, etc. You can buy ribbons at a school supply store.

 

[JAM3]

I was hoping to do a Mickey and/or flower theme. I realize that this might not really fit in too easy for the food, that is why I didn't mention it. I thought people might have a harder time combining the two. I thought if I could get some ideas for toddlers, I could try to Disney them up. I already thought Mickey Rice Crispy Treat decorating. I like the squirt bottle idea! That would make it so much easier. I will also have to check out the two sites that zoemurr suggested too!

Any more ideas?

 

[ktlm]

My dd who is not quite 3 loves making cookies from scratch. We get out a vinyl tablecloth and cover the floor and put all the ingredients and bowls down there and have at it. It is lots of fun, and so easy to clean up since you can just pick up the table cloth and take it outside to shake it off and wipe it. I have a friend who had a cupcake party where the kids baked them and decorated them and that went over really well with the kids.

 

[Neesy228]

If I wasn't completely tired, I might have more ideas, but this immediately came to mind:

For your flower theme you can make "Dirt" - crushed oreos and pudding...layered, add gummy worms. Really cute, easy to make and fun. You could make cookie flowers - just get sugar cookie dough and add food coloring for some small colorful flowers to stick into the Dirt. The kids can make petals, leaves and stems from the dough.

Sounds like fun! You're very brave to be considering this. I would go nuts!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have done English muffin pizzas successfully with 3-year-olds. (Maybe you could pre-cut tortillas in flower shapes and use those instead of the muffins?)

You could also do flower or Mickey cookies by having them roll little balls of dough and positioning them close together in those shapes on the cookie sheets. - They should flatten a little and stick together while baking.

 

[Young Pooh]

When I first read the heading I thought you were looking for ideas how to cook your toddler!!

 

[Kit'smommy]

When I first read the heading I thought you were looking for ideas how to cook your toddler!!

DH was reading over my shoulder and saw the title of the post. He suggested broiling or grilling...

But really, my child loves making mini pizzas. I use frozen bread dough and let him top it. Also, it isn't exactly cooking, but a make your own sundae goes over well.

 

[Disney1976]

When I first read the heading I thought you were looking for ideas how to cook your toddler!!

Me too! And then I was thinking, "gee, wouldn't they be all stringy and tough?"

 

[sockies31]

I know that kroger has a disney magic selections--in everything from dairy products to cereal to etc...and i think they have mickey shaped burgers or pasta I cannot remember....but i found some ideas on a website:

playhouse disney had a lot of cute ideas in the celebration center or i found this
Food and Drink

Mickey Mouse Birthday Cake:

*Mickey Mouse Cake: Bake one 9" round cake and two 6" round cakes. Position the cakes so the bigger cake is the face, and two smaller cakes are the ears of Mickey.

Frost the face with white frosting. Print a picture of Mickey off the internet. Use that image as a guide to outline the face of Mickey with a toothpick. Use cake piping bags to add facial features in color. Frost the ears with chocolate frosting.

Mickey Mouse Party Food Ideas:

*PB&J Sandwiches: Use cookie cutters of various shapes (stars, hearts, etc.) to cut the sandwiches.

*Mickey Mouse Sundaes: Use ice cream and melon ball scoops to create Mickey's face.

Put one large scoop of vanilla ice cream (using bigger scoop) for face, and two scoops (using smaller scoop) for ears. Add 1 chocolate chip for nose, 2 chocolate candies for eyes, and push in 2 Oreo cookies for ears.

*Daisy Crackers: Spread cream cheese on small round crackers. Cut grapes in half, and place 6 grape halves in a circle. Add blueberry in the center.

*Hot Dogs
*Mickey Mouse shaped hamburgers
*Rice Krispies
*Jello Jigglers (cut and arrange in Mickey Mouse face pattern)
*Cubed cheese
*Popcorn

Mickey Mouse Party Drink Ideas:

*Clubhouse Smoothies: Serve fresh fruit smoothies.
*Ginger Ale

 

[dis-happy]

I used to teach a children's cooking class where we tied in a storybook with a cooking project. Can't remember my entire curriculum off hand, but one example was baking gingerbread men and reading "The Gingerbread Man" story. It was a poplular course, always had a waiting list with my homeschool group.

Anyway, one thing to know: little kids can cut up many things successfully and safely if you give them a paper plate to cut on and a serrated plastic knife.

We had one party here for my dd where the entire party decorated the birthday cake. It was a flower cake from Family Fun and was super cute when it was done.

Have fun!

 

[Melani]

When my son was 3 we did a lot of casseroles (no knives or burners involved), but that's not very fun at a party.

You could make Snow White's gooseberry pie, or Cinderella's tea, or Aura's berry birthday cake or what did Belle cook?

Narrow your theme & match it to movie or book.

 

[camlace]

I was hoping to do a Mickey and/or flower theme. I realize that this might not really fit in too easy for the food, that is why I didn't mention it. I thought people might have a harder time combining the two. I thought if I could get some ideas for toddlers, I could try to Disney them up. I already thought Mickey Rice Crispy Treat decorating. I like the squirt bottle idea! That would make it so much easier. I will also have to check out the two sites that zoemurr suggested too!

Any more ideas?

You can do the pizza with a Mickey or Flower theme. Just use cookie cutters to cut the English Muffin/Pita/Pizza dough into the shape you want.

 

[mickeylove2]

I have a Disney kids cookbook at home, when I get off work I'll take a look at it and post some ideas for you.

 

[MNFootballMommy]

Check some of the kid websites--Nick Jr., Noggin, PBS, PBS Sprout, etc. A lot of them will have very age appropriate recipes that you can modify to your theme!

I suggest you keep it simple...sometimes just being able to spread their own jelly on a sandwich (then cutting it into a shape with a cookie cutter) is a big deal to kids that age. Fruit kabobs (pre-cut your fruit) is another easy one that they will have fun with...sometimes it's not the product, it's the process!

If you have one of those sandwich presses, the kids can make "pizza pocket sandwiches" and even fruit pies with them--they create it, you cook it.

 

[ferrytale]

I was hoping to do a Mickey and/or flower theme. I realize that this might not really fit in too easy for the food, that is why I didn't mention it. I thought people might have a harder time combining the two. I thought if I could get some ideas for toddlers, I could try to Disney them up. I already thought Mickey Rice Crispy Treat decorating. I like the squirt bottle idea! That would make it so much easier. I will also have to check out the two sites that zoemurr suggested too!

Any more ideas?

I have a Disney kids cooking book & there are lots of cute & easy things in there. I'll have to dig it out and see, I'll try to do that tonight and send you some ideas. I think the book was $10.99 at Sams Club, but it was a few months ago so I don't know if they still have it. I am sure you can probably find it at a book store.