Easy cooking and baking ideas to make with kids

Cooking and baking with my kids is one of my favorite activities. It brings me back to my childhood, and every time I do it I know I am sharing something special with them. I still remember sitting on top of our table watching my mom cook rice and dice vegetables while I shared my stories from school, my big dreams, and my never ending banter. I know that if I cook with my kids, it will not only teach them life skills, but it will create lasting memories. 

Wether you're lactose intolerant, vegan or have a nut allergy, here are some cooking and baking ideas that are easy to customize and enjoy making with your children:

• Pizza: Kids love pizza, and making your own pizza is a fun and easy activity that they can participate in. Let your child help you make the dough, choose their favorite toppings, and assemble their own personal pizzas. Here is our favorite (super easy) pizza dough recipe. 
• Cookies: Baking cookies is a classic activity that kids of all ages enjoy. Whether you make chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies, let your child help measure the ingredients, mix the dough, and decorate the cookies.
• Smoothies: Making smoothies is a healthy and refreshing activity that your child can help with. We have a few combinations that we LOVE, but this is the one we use the most often: 10oz of soy milk, half a banana, 1/3 cup of frozen blue berries, and 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Sometimes I will also add a little bit of frozen spinach for a "super smoothie". 
• Fruit skewers: Fruit skewers are a fun and healthy snack that your child can help prepare. Let them choose their favorite fruits, such as strawberries, pineapple, and kiwi, and help them assemble the skewers.
• Sandwiches: Making sandwiches is an easy and fun activity that kids can do on their own. One of the first things my son showed interest in making was an almond butter and honey sandwich. He spent about a week making them for himself every morning. They require such little assistance, and your child will feel so accomplished taking one more step toward independence. 
• Pancakes: Pancakes are a quintessential childhood favorite, and they're a fun and easy activity that kids can help with. Let your child help measure the ingredients, mix the batter, and say "flip" when it's time to turn them over. 
• Tacos: Taco Tuesday is a weekly event for us. Tacos are a fun and interactive meal that allows kids to experiment with their food by varying the combinations of ingredients. Taco night is the one night I know my kids will for sure eat their veggies. Feel free to think outside the box with your ingredients. Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, and spinach all make great taco toppings. 

Cooking with your kiddos is fun and educational activity that can build lasting memories and teach them important life skills. These easy ideas can be adapted to suit your child's interests and tastes, so grab your aprons and get cooking!