This post was sponsored by YumEarth. All opinions stated are my own.
Ways to Get Creative in the Kitchen with Kids
There is so much value in getting kids creative in the kitchen and getting them involved in meal- preparation. Not only does nurturing their creativity help with their academic growth, but it is a great screen-free way to entertain kids when we are spending time at home. It also helps them to try new foods!
Ways to get kids creative in the kitchen:
1) Experiment with sweets and treats decorations
I love to bake allergy-friendly treats. One of my kids’ favorite ways to get creative in the kitchen is decorating. Having children help with decorating cookies or cupcakes is a great outlet to use their creativity and stay busy.
My kids and I loved using the new YumEarth Organic chewys to model decorations for these gluten-free Easter cupcakes. You can get Chewys on YumEarth.com right now AND get 15% off with this exclusive promo code - SWEETS15. (Code is valid until 4/30/21).
Here is how to make gluten-free Easter cupcakes for spring:
Bake your cupcakes
First, bake your gluten-free cupcakes. You can use my favorite gluten-free cupcake recipe, a store-bought mix, or my homemade gluten-free cake mix.
Frost your cupcakes
After they cool, frost with vegan buttercream. I tinted our frosting light green and used a grass tip. You can poke a few small holes in the corner of a sandwich bag to get the same effect without the frosting tip.
Make the Easter & Spring decorations using YumEarth organic candy
We softened each YumEarth Organic chewys piece in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Then kneaded it and shaped it into flowers, roses, and toadstool mushrooms. We placed our candy decoration on gluten- free frosted cupcakes to make gluten-free Easter cupcakes for spring.
We also used some of YumEarth Organic Chocolate Roll’n Stones as rocks on our cupcakes. You could also use YumEarth Organic Sour Beans as eggs.
My family loves YumEarth because all their products are organic, non-GMO, and free from the top 8 allergens.
Use the YumEarth store locator to find allergy friendly candy near you, or shop
online with code SWEETS15.
Modeling YumEarth Organic chewys was just like working with Play-Doh! However, chewys are edible and gluten-free, unlike most modeling doughs. Our little modeling creations were a tasty treat!
Think of cookie and cupcake decorating as an edible art project. (An art project I don’t feel obligated to store for years so they can throw it away as an adult). Treats are also an easy place to get kids started - because what kid doesn’t want to lick the frosting bowl, or sneak a few candies?
2) Have kids help with meal prep
After your kids are pros at decorating treats, give them easy tasks to do while you are cooking or baking. Using a kids-safe knife, they can cut lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, or tomatoes to help prepare dinner. Kids can help mix batter for pancakes, waffles, cookies, and cake. Once children get used to working in the kitchen and become comfortable, then their creativity will be ready to take off and grow!
3) Help them cook on their own!
As my children have gotten older, they need less help and support in the kitchen. I’ve gotten them their own children’s cookbooks, and even gluten-free kids baking subscription boxes to help encourage them to try things on their own. Each success in the kitchen builds their confidence and helps them to become more creative in the kitchen.
4) Make a “Kitchen Creativity Bin”
Once your kids get started in the kitchen, it can be hard to stop them! My youngest daughter is always testing the boundaries by mixing odd ingredients together, adding food coloring, sprinkles, and her favorite snack foods and candies.
So my daughter doesn’t get carried away using all the sprinkles or ingredients I’m saving for recipes I’m testing, I put together a bin of ingredients that are just for her. I included some sunflower seed butter, honey, allergy-friendly chocolate, oats, chia seeds, gluten-free breakfast cereal, and some YumEarth allergy-friendly and artificial dye free candy to get her started. She’ll ask me if she wants to add any other ingredients to her “Kitchen Creativity Bin.” Once she gets started, the sky really is the limit.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for helping kids get creative in the kitchen?
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