Bestselling Cookbook Author Shares Hacks for Cooking Healthy Meals for Children
Cooking with toddlers can feel intimidating. Toddlers are notorious for their fierce independence and opinions. Plus, they often reject vegetables, which can throw a wrench into your cooking plans.
Annabel Karmel, a bestselling cookbook author and creator of an award-winning recipe app specializing in toddler meals, has some tips and tricks to make cooking with your little one a little easier. Plus, she shares hacks and strategies for making healthy everyday meals your toddler will actually eat!
Read on to learn Karmel's top tips for cooking with children, her favorite products, and hacks that can help take the stress out of dinnertime.
Tips for Cooking with Toddlers
Karmel offered her top recommendations to make cooking with children fun and stress-free.
Keep it Simple
Karmel: Children (especially toddlers) have short attention spans, so start with recipes that are extra easy and provide a result reasonably quickly.
The classic cupcakes and cookies are an obligatory early introduction to cooking for any child, but you can also introduce a few healthier and equally fun food choices. Children will love cutting out sandwich shapes and muffins. Mini energy balls or frittatas are also great starting points.
Food Art
Karmel: Unleash their inner Picasso by getting creative with their edible masterpieces. Task them with creating animal faces on their bowl of morning porridge, with lots of healthy cut-up fruit, or try some monster face pizzas.
Offer Them a Cooking Power Hour
Karmel: Have a shelf with some colorful cookbooks or find some inspiring recipe websites (or my app!) to scroll through with them. Ask your child to pick a few recipes that they like the look of and sound of.
Kids are more likely to try something new if they see a picture that looks good to them. Also, by allowing your child to select recipes, they will gain a sense of empowerment from helping you plan a meal and begin to understand the cooking prep and process.
Grow Your Own
Karmel: My kids used to get so excited growing cress in egg cups. Growing your own doesn’t require a huge garden or equipment. Get your kids growing their own herbs or sprouting seeds in little pots on window shelves. Doing this can get them really excited about food.
Cooking with Children Is Worth the Effort
Karmel: It’s amazing how being involved in the planning and preparation of a meal can stimulate a child’s appetite. Children of all ages can benefit from spending time in the kitchen.
Whether it’s mixing, mashing, stirring or rolling, there are lots of simple tasks for tiny hands. And they will be much more inclined to give something a try if they’ve had a role in preparing it!
Annabel Karmel's Top Product Picks for Cooking with Kids
The right tools and furniture can boost your child's independence and make cooking together a more enjoyable experience.
Piccalio Foldable Toddler Tower
Karmel: I love Piccalio’s Foldable Tower because it makes it so easy (and safe) to bring little ones into the kitchen with you. It’s perfect for all those everyday recipes where children can help with mixing, stirring and sprinkling, and I love that it folds away neatly afterwards.
Piccalio Mini Cutter
Karmel: “The Mini Cutter is brilliant for getting toddlers involved in the prep side of cooking, especially with softer fruits and vegetables. It’s ideal for recipes like banana pancakes, fruit salads, or helping chop ingredients for a mild curry or pasta sauce - and it’s such a confidence boost for little ones.”
Cutting Board
Karmel: “Piccalio’s Cutting Board is the perfect size for small hands and makes children feel like they have their own ‘proper’ cooking station. It works beautifully for simple recipe steps like slicing strawberries for porridge, or helping build little wraps and sandwiches.”
Apron and Hat
Karmel: “The Apron and Hat set is such a lovely way to make cooking feel like an occasion - children instantly feel like real little chefs. It’s perfect for fun, hands-on recipes like pizza faces, cupcake decorating, or anything involving a bit of mixing and messy baking!”
Hacks for Toddler Snacks and Meals
Karmel also had tips for parents looking to create healthy meals and snacks for their children. Here are her top tips:
Batch It
Karmel: Keep it simple (and strategic!). I always recommend batch-cooking where you can: if you’re making a pasta sauce, soup or curry, make a double portion and freeze toddler-sized servings. It saves so much time on the days when you’re stretched thin.
Don’t underestimate your freezer. Having a stash of homemade pancakes, mini muffins, meatballs or veggie fritters means you always have something nutritious on hand that feels like a proper meal, even when you’re short on time.
Practical Ways to Offer Healthy Foods
Karmel: Sensible snacking can provide an important source of nutrients and can be a good opportunity to introduce new foods. Try a mezze platter with veggie sticks and dips such as hummus or guacamole or some mini falafels or frittata muffins, for example.
Another favorite tip is to prep a nutrient-packed sauce such as a veggie-loaded Bolognese that you can quickly use as a base for different meals during the week – with pasta, baked potatoes, loaded quesadillas, etc.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Toddlers don’t need endless variety every day, and it’s absolutely fine to repeat their favorites. A simple ‘rescue meal’ like scrambled eggs on toast with fruit can be just as nourishing as something more elaborate — and it keeps mealtimes calmer for everyone.
Healthy Twists on Classic Foods
Karmel: We’ve all been there when they insist on only liking a small handful of failsafe favourites - which are often less than healthy. But you can add healthy twists to these – here are a few to try:
Hidden Veggie Chicken Nuggets
I have a fantastic recipe on my app which contains grated carrot and zucchini.
Sweet Potato Wedges
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A, packed full of goodness, and are really versatile. Roast wedges in the oven with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and sage as a healthy alternative to chips.
Cauliflower or Broccoli Pizzas
Who would imagine that grated cauliflower and broccoli could make a tasty base for a pizza? Make a quick homemade tomato sauce and then simply add your little one’s favourite pizza toppings to keep the takeaway at bay.
Hidden Veggie Burgers
Beef burgers can be a fantastic source of iron, but it’s always best to make your own so you know exactly what is going into them. Add some grated apple and carrot – the natural sweetness of the apple will add extra appeal for youngsters and the carrot will help to sneak in some extra veggies. Or why not try an Omega-3-filled fish burger for a tasty all-important dose of the good stuff.
Not So Devilish Desserts
Make a batch of fresh fruit popsicles from fruit juice and pureed fruits. Alternatively, why not try a fresh fruit banana and strawberry ice cream?
Need help with what to serve for dinner? Annabel’s award-winning recipe app is home to 1,300+ simple and delicious ideas for the whole family, PLUS new recipes every week.
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