Getting kids involved in cooking during the Easter holidays can be a great chance for them to learn and be creative with food, while also developing their fine-motor skills and hand-eye coordination. For parents, though, cooking with kids might sound like a recipe for mayhem. 

To help, cooking kit company, Gousto, has rounded up some of the best ways to help turn your kids into budding mini-sous chefs this Easter.

Below, you’ll find:

• Expert, age-specific advice on how to get your kids involved in cooking
• A list of recipes based on beloved children’s books, such as Peter Rabbit Carrot Cookies and Cruella de Vil Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Cupcakes, to provide some inspiration

Madhur Jaffrey ‘s advice on how to get your kids involved in cooking

1, Get Them to help with little tasks

Let’s face it – most children are not going to make a perfectly fluffy French soufflé the first time they set foot in a kitchen. Get them involved in some easier (and low-risk) cooking activities first. Madhur Jaffrey, the legend of Indian cuisine,and a huge believer in an early introduction to cooking, recommends letting them do small tasks like washing potatoes or breaking the ends off green beans. It’s best to have them doing activities which contribute to part of a recipe at first – they’ll feel proud to be part of a cooking team.

For 3-5-year-olds, tearing lettuce for salads or mashing ingredients together is a nice way to help their motor skills. For 5-8-year-olds, ask them to measure out ingredients, roll out the dough and read the recipe steps aloud. Cracking eggs into a separate cup (which keeps any shell from making its way into the mix) and scrambling eggs are brilliant, kid-friendly tasks that will build up their cooking skills. 

2, Make them your in-house taste testers

Cooking is a full-on sensory experience, packed with smells, sights, textures and (of course) tastes. If your kids can be quite picky with their food, try letting them smell and sample different ingredients while they’re helping out in the kitchen. Introducing them to new ingredients might even make them more willing to eat the end result when it’s served up on their plate. 

3, Let them have a choice

Find a selection of simple recipes that your kids can help out with  then let them pick one they want to cook. This way, they’ll feel more invested in the process and be less likely to get bored and wander off. 

4, Get Crafty

Whilst you’re busy prepping the meal, kids can also get involved with  arts and crafts. A family dinner won’t always look super fancy, but it is nice to sit down at a table that’s laid out and ready for a family meal. 

Armed with paper, tape, scissors and markers (coloured pencils or crayons will do perfectly well, too) the kids can make personalised placemats and napkin rings for the family. It won’t look exactly like a scene from Downton Abbey, but it will be colourful! 

This Easter, why not try out the tips mentioned in these simple recipes from Gousto? There’s everything from Cruella de Vil themed Cauliflower Mac & Cheese cupcakes to Pizza Naans (perfect for a quick lunch) and some super sweet bakes. 

Peter Rabbit Carrot Cookies

Ingredients (Makes 12):

• 125g butter softened to room temperature
• 150g baking sugar like caster or light brown sugar or a mix of the two
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla – optional
• 150g plain flour (Don’t have flour? Try using the same amount of crushed Rice Krispies)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon – optional, or try a small pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100g grated carrot

Step 1. Beat the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and smooth. Use an electric whisk if you have one or use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease – getting that whipped, fluffy texture is worth the effort.

Step 2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until a cohesive batter forms.

Step 3. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Finally, add the grated carrot until everything’s mixed together.

Step 4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and dollop golf ball sized cookies onto the sheet. Leave a good gap (around 3 inches) between each biscuit.

Step 5. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best) until the cookies are chilled and firm.

Top Tip: You can freeze your cookie batter! Place the cookies on the tray in the freezer overnight. Once they’re frozen solid, pop them in a Tupperware and stick them in the freezer until you need them. Then just bake from frozen ( add a few more minutes to the cooking time) whenever you fancy a sweet treat.

Step 6. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/195ºC/175ºC Fan. Place the cookies in the middle of the oven and bake for 12 minutes until they’re spread out and golden around the edges. Remove and allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes, before moving them to a cooling rack to cool.

Cruella de Vil Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Cupcakes

Ingredients (Makes 14-16)

• 200g Macaroni
• 1 Small Cauliflower (500g -600g)
• 125g Mozzarella ball
• 60g Italian Hard cheese
• 30g Butter
• 30g Plain Flour
• 300ml Milk
• 40g Black Olives

Method (45 mins)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil a kettle and chop the cauliflower into small bite-sized pieces

Step 2: Cook the macaroni in a pot of boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked with a slight bite. Add the cauliflower halfway through, then drain the water and reserve the pan

Step 3: Grate the Italian hard cheese. Drain the mozzarella, then pat it dry and rip it into small chunks

Step 4: Return the pan to a medium heat and add 30g butter when it’s hot. Once melted, add 30g flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 1-2 min or until a sandy paste forms — this is your roux. Gradually whisk 300ml milk into the roux and cook for 5 min or until a smooth, thick sauce remains — this is your béchamel sauce

Step 5: Once thickened, add the grated hard cheese, mozzarella and macaroni cauliflower, then stir until combined. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper

Step 6: Place spoonfuls of the mixture into mini muffin tins and top each one with a few sliced olives. Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave to cool in the tin before serving

Easter Bun-nies

Ingredients (Makes 12 bunnies)

• 1 sachet fast action yeast
• 300ml tepid water
• 20ml olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 560g strong white flour
• 2 tsp flaky salt (or 1tsp table salt) plus extra to decorate
• Splash of milk to decorate

Step 1. Mix the yeast, water, oil and sugar together in a jug then leave for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has activated and gone foamy.

Step 2. Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook) and create a well in the centre.

Step 3. Pour your activated yeast mixture and mix until all the liquid is incorporated. Knead for 15 minutes by hand (empty your dough onto a clean work surface) or for 10 minutes if using an electric mixer. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s smooth and silky and will spring back if you press it.

Step 4. Wipe the bowl out, then grease it with a little olive oil. Roll your dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with cling film, a clean tea towel or a clean, new shower cap and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

Step 5. Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and knead a few times to knock the air out of it.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and cover with a bit of cling film.

Step 6. One at a time, roll the dough into approximately 25-30cm sausages. Then cut about 2cm off one end and roll this into a ball (this will be your bunny’s tail) and set to one side.

Step 7. Line the two ends up (these will be your bunny ears) then about 5cm down, twist the dough round twice, place your bunny down on a lightly floured baking tray. Spread the ears out a little and straighten up the body, then place the bunny tail in the hole in the centre, brush the tail with a little milk and sprinkle it with salt. Repeat with the other 11 pieces of dough, making sure that they are well spread out as they will grow!

Step 8. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour or until they have doubled in size.

Step 9. Preheat oven to gas mark 7/220ºC/200ºC fan.  When your rolls have risen, bake them for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Chorizo Naan Bread Pizza 

Ingredients for 2 people 

• 125g mozzarella ball 
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 plain naans 
• 100g diced chorizo 
• 64g tomato paste
• 125g cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6. Put a large baking tray (or two) in the oven to heat up (this will stop the pizza bottoms from going soggy!). Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic.

Step 2. Add the tomato paste to a bowl with the chopped garlic and a generous pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Add 5 tbsp cold water and give everything a good mix up – this is your tomato sauce.

Step 3.  Drain and pat the mozzarella dry with kitchen paper (squeeze as much liquid out as you can!) Tear the drained mozzarella into rough, bite-sized pieces.

Step 4. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

Step 5.  Remove the heated tray from the oven and add the naans. Divide the tomato sauce between the naans and spread it evenly all over them.

Step 6.  Top the naans with the torn mozzarella, diced chorizo and some cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle over the dried oregano. Put the tray in the oven for 15 min or until the chorizo is cooked through – these are your chorizo pizzas.

Credit: Recipes from recipe box Gousto, offering 60 meals to choose from weekly. Visit Gousto.co.uk.