5 Recipes You Can Make With Your Toddler

If you're thinking about getting a learning tower, I encourage you to pull the trigger! It's the #1 toddler item used in our house and the one we recommend most to parents.

Here are some fun recipes to make with your little ones.  Victoria, who is an RECE and Montessori Casa Teacher, has put together five easy ones that your children will enjoy making.

Not only does Victoria teach in the Casa classroom but she also runs an after-school cooking program for the children in her school. She knows first hand what works (and what doesn't) in the kitchen with little ones.  

Fruit Skewers 

You will need:

• A selection of fruits.  Choose a selection of fruits that your child can wash and cut on their own (strawberries, blackberries, bananas, etc.)
• Colander
• Cutting Board
• Child-sized Knife
• Wooden Skewers 

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.
   
   
2. Select some fruits and place them in a colander so they can be washed.  Wash under cold water and place each piece of fruit on paper towel to dry.  
   
   
3. Demonstrate how to cut up fruits into bite sized pieces. Invite your child to help.
   
   
4. Using a long skewer, demonstrate how to pierce each piece of fruit one at a time onto the skewer. Invite your child to prepare their own skewer or take turns and make a fruit skewer together.  
   
   
5. Continue making fruit skewers until all fruit has been used.
   
   
6. Place your fruit skewer on a plate, drizzle melted chocolate or honey over top for an extra special treat.  You could also dip the fruit into yogurt!

Banana Popsicles

You will need:

• Bananas
• Popsicle Sticks 
• Cutting Board
• Child-sized Knife 
• Tray lined with parchment paper 
• Chocolate (melted)

Toppings:  Hemp harts, sprinkles, chopped nuts, nut butter, etc. 

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.
   
   
2. Work with your child to peel banana(s) and cut in half.  Note:  To make peeling easier, cut a slit down the peel length wise.  
   
   
3. Insert popsicle sticks into the banana and place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Put the tray in the freezer and remove when the bananas are frozen. 
   
   Note:  You could stop here and enjoy these banana popsicles plain.  If you want to turn them into a sweet treat, keeping reading!
   
   
4. Melt some chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds.
   
   
5. Dip your banana in the melted chocolate and watch the chocolate drip. Once the dripping has stopped, place back on your lined tray.
   
   
6. Lastly, top your frozen banana popsicles with any toppings of your choice!

Yogurt Bark

You will need:

• Vanilla Yogurt
• Maple Syrup
• Assortment of washed fruits 
• Shredded Coconut
• Colander
• Mixing bowl and spoon 
• Cutting Board
• Child-sized knife 
• Tray lined with parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands with your child.
   
   
2. Wash the fruits under cold water in a colander and place each piece of fruit on a paper towel to dry.
   
   
3. Once dry, slice your fruit and set aside.
   
   
4. Mix 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to a cup of a vanilla yogurt.  Invite child to stir together.  Spread mixture onto tray lined with parchment paper. 
   
   
5. Sprinkle the fruit and shredded coconut over top of the yogurt.
   
   
6. Place the tray in the freezer for 6-8 hours. Once the yogurt bark is frozen, cut or break into pieces and enjoy!  Store them in freezer bags in the freezer.

Oatmeal Bites

You will need:

• 1 1/4 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup of nut butter 
• 1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup
• Any additional ingredients of your choice to mix in, for example:  chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit, chia seeds, etc. 
• Mixing bowl and spoon 
• Tray lined with parchment paper 

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 
   
   
2. Pre-measure ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
   
   
3. Invite your child to pour ingredients into bowl and mix together with spoon.
   
   
4. Demonstrate how to roll mixture into small balls and place them on tray lined with parchment paper.  Invite the child to roll the oatmeal bites.  
   
   
5. Bake the oatmeal bites for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.  Let them cool and enjoy!  Store the remaining oatmeal bites in a sealed container in the fridge.

Quesadillas

You will need:

• Tortillas
• Cheese
• Cheese grater
• Salsa (optional)
• Tray lined with parchment paper 

Instructions:

1. 1. Wash your hands.
   
   
2. Demonstrate how to grate the cheese and invite the child to help.
   
   
3. Place the tortillas on the tray lined with parchment paper.
   
   
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese over tortillas.
   
   Optional:  Spread salsa over half of each tortilla.  You can also add any other ingredients you would like at this point.  
   
   
5. Demonstrate how to fold the tortillas in half.
   
   
6. Broil on high for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Aside from the typical Montessori-based benefits of encouraging your child to help in the kitchen - independence, self-confidence, fine motor skills, etc - there's another HUGE benefit that's often overlooked.

Having your child participate in their own food prep, can often encourage more adventurous eating. Their pride children feel for a dish they helped to make is likely to translate into wanting to eat it!

If you're currently combatting picky eating, a learning tower is a wonderful way to help encourage your child to try new things!

Check out our Learning Tower here:  Learning Tower - Made In Canada. Food Safe Finish. Designed For Safety. - The Montessori Room  It comes with a free child-sized, child-safe knife!