Kids love to help mom in the kitchen. Both of my girls always asked what they could do to help prepare meals. Here are several suggestions for recipes kids can help make that require no cooking:
1. Fruit on a stick. Buy already cut up fruit pieces and have the kids put them on short skewers. Kids love to make the skewers and then eat them. Try mixing colors, such as blueberries with either strawberries or pineapple, or strawberries with cantaloupe.
2. Dips for veggies. Kids love to dip. Start with either yogurt, mayonnaise or cottage cheese. You can add ranch dressing mix, or Italian dressing mix, or even onion soup mix. Buy the small carrots or any other veggie and the kids can have veggies and their own home made dip.
3. Frozen banana. Cut bananas in half. Place a popsicle stick in each banana piece. Dip the banana in chocolate syrup. Now roll the banana in crushed nuts, crushed corn flakes, or crushed graham cracker crumbs. Freeze for a few hours, in waxed paper.
4. 7 layer dip (this is one of my favorites). It’s served cold, there is no cooking involved. Start with a can of refried beans as your bottom layer. Chop up olives, tomatoes, onions, cheese and avocado (has to be very ripe). On the very top add sour cream. Use tortilla chips to dip. We have made an entire meal out of this great recipe.
5. Graham cracker peanut butter balls. Mix one cup peanut butter, one cup powdered milk and one cup honey (it’s a bit sticky and gooey). Roll into small balls and then dip into crushed graham crackers. Refrigerate for several hours. Serve cold.
6. Sandwich wraps. Use tortillas and tear strips. Kids can take a piece of lunch meat and wrap it with one strip to make a wrap sandwich. You can add mayonnaise or mustard on top of the meat before you roll. We also love to wrap spinach dip.
7. Ritz cracker sandwiches. We have put everything imaginable on Ritz crackers. We’ve used cut up cheddar cheese cubes, cream cheese, peanut butter and even chocolate and vanilla frosting.
8. Deviled eggs. My kids both like hardboiled eggs. Just slice the egg, scoop out the yolk and add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Then mix and scoop back in.
9. Pickle sandwich. Spread softened cream cheese onto a slice of either turkey or roast beef lunch meat. Wrap the meat around a pickle and chill. Cut into bit size pieces.
10. Orange Delight. Pour ½ cup of orange juice into a class. Add ½ cup orange sherbet. Pour in ¾ cup ginger ale or 7-Up. Mix and enjoy!
**** Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.todays-parent.com
