Cooking class / demo for kids. Any suggestions?

[jim nehmzow]

The company I work for provides close to 1000 day care meals per day. One of our largest clients is looking for me to do a hands on cooking demo / class for the children. The ages are from pre school to, 12 to 13 year olds. They would prefer the content be teaching actual technique for producing real edible food to develop self sufficiency skills. I have done some Chefs Tables and a couple of fun interactive dinners with adults but never anything with children. Any suggestions?? Thanks
JIM

[GB]

Kids like to get their hands dirty and really play with their food. How about something with meatballs so they could get their hands in there and mix things up. Most kids love spaghetti and meatballs. Making bread might be another good one.

Where will this demo be taking place. What tols and equipment will you have available to use?

[marmalady]

Jim, I used to assist at a cooking school that taught tons of kids' classes. I'd be happy to share some of the great, fun, simple recipes we put together for the kids.

I have the same questions as GB, but also would like to ask if you have an age range, or will it be all ages? Will it be 'hands-on' or demo only?

[jim nehmzow]

GB & Marmalady, Thanks for responding to my post. I am going to have my first meeting with the contact next week to sort out what venue I will have to use, ages and other info. If it is in a kitchen that is great. The ages are from pre schoolers to 11 & 12 year olds. The group sizes will vary but are around 12 children per group. They do want it to be a hands on make and eat type demonstration from what I have been told. I will update the post after I have my meeting.
Thanks JIM

[GB]

Here are things that come to mind...

Pizza
Calzones
Spaghetti with meatballs
Hamburgers
Meatloaf
Tacos

[biev]

I would make them do simple things that they will be able to make often at home. When I used to babysit I would often have the kids help me make macaroni and cheese, they always liked that.

[Quizzie]

Hotdogs is an easy hands on. Any kind of cookies. MAC and Chesse is a good idea (biev). Grilled cheese sandwiches is also a fav of kids.

Good luck Jim sounds like fun.

[Constance]

Don't forget to bake some cookies!

[Goodweed of the North]

Another great meal for kids is canned pork and beans, with some type of pre-cooked sausage such as kielbasa, or hot dogs, bratwurst, etc. They can just slice the sausage and warm with the beans. And the beans are highly nutritious too. Throw together a green salad with some tomato, cucumber, and a raspberry vinigairette and you have a ballanced meal.

Another great meal that's easy and yummy for kids is to cut and core 2 apples, a pear, peal and cut up a carrot into four chunks, add a can of pineapple (in its own juice) a cup of apple juice, and a brick of silken tofu. Trow it all into a blender and blend until smooth. This has been a favorite around my house for years. You can even add a banana or two to make it creamier, plus some cinnamon for flavor and to help control spiking blood sugars.

Three bean salad is quick and easy. Just open one can each of kidney beans, green beans, and and other bean you like. Garbanso, great northern white, pinto, black beans, etc., are great for that third bean. Dump them into a bowl, with the can liquid, add vinager, dill weed, celery seed, vinager, and sugar to taste.

And healthy sandwiches, don't even get me started.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Claire]

One thing I loved as a kid was real participation meals ... fondue, sukiyaki, etc. Something where the cooker goes in the middle of the table, and you can actually see your food go immediately from something raw to something cooked and ready to eat. Another fun thing is to buy some rice paper and make summer rolls.

When I was a kid that age, I was already fixing real meals. The above are just fun and kind of give them the science of cooking. A big help has always been an electric skillet. It is easier to control than stove-top cooking, and can be placed at any level (height wise). The aforementioned sukiyaki is made in an electric skillet.

If the point is to teach them life skills, things like tostadas and dressing up prepared foods are good for a dose of reality. Teaching how to take a can or frozen product and make it into a good, healthy meal.

My nephew loved, absolutely loved, to make pasta, as did the children of many of our freinds. It was simple and they were astonished that they could actually make a noodle all by themselves.

I'm all for cheating ... how about healthy pizzas made with pre-made crusts? Show them how healthy ingredients can taste as good as the junk food. THis could include a knife lesson.

I think my first coooking lessons were things like chili and spaghetti sauce.