Get some great tips for baking with little kids as a fun and inexpensive activity, perfect for divorced moms looking to stretch your budget!
Baking can be a fun and inexpensive way to spend time together and today we are sharing some tips for baking with little kids that can keep the fun and reduce the fuss. One of the great things about using baking as an experience is that it can be really fun for the kids, it can be a learning experience AND when you are done, you have yummy snacks and treats that cost much less to make at home than they do to buy in the store.
Here are some tips you can follow prior to embarking on baking as a family activity:
1) Keep things inexpensive by not selecting any recipes that require you purchasing any additional bakeware. Take inventory of what you have. If you don’t have much, borrower some bakeware from a family or friend. Chances are they have plenty that they are not using daily which you can utilize. Most cake recipes can be baked in different pans – you don’t need a fancy fluted bundt pan for that cake to taste delicious! Many cookies can be baked as bars and you can always bake in batches.
2) Keep the activity age-appropriate. We are not participating in Cake Wars! We are not making a Baked Alaska (my favorite dessert). We are making something that kids can do themselves, perhaps with the exception of putting things in and out of the oven. Starting with easy recipes and working your way up to the more involved can help you and your small ones gain confidence as you go.
3) Keep the ingredients as basic as possible. If you already have eggs, flour and sugar in your house, then you’re off to a great start and maybe only need to spend money on a handful of other ingredients to complete a recipe. Use what you have, ex raisins instead of other dried fruit or chopped up chocolate bars instead of chips.
4) Keep things timed well. Do not attempt a baking adventure close to when you need to leave for an activity or close to bedtime. Give yourself plenty of time. Do not add unnecessary stress to your day by cramming in cookie-making to a packed schedule.
5) Keep the primary goal in mind – spending time with your kids. The outcome most likely will not be Pinterest-worthy, and your kitchen likely will look like an absolute disaster. Have those expectation in mind going in to your baking, and you’ll have a better time. And don’t forget to involve the kids in the clean-up; many times for us it’s a chore but for them it can be part of the fun.
Another important tip is choosing your recipe – often the fun part! There are endless (and overwhelming) options. I recommend you scope them out for level of difficulty and complication of acquiring ingredients and bakeware, and then present your kid(s) with a few options you know will be great. Some things claim to be “easy” but if you’re not a culinary expert, they’re anything but.
A great tip is to search for recipes that are specifically designed FOR kids to help out. Here are a few sites that have nice collections:
https://blog.wilton.com/21-easy-baking-recipes-for-kids/
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/easy-baking-recipes-for-kids/
https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/easy-baking-recipes-for-kids
As you get more experienced baking with your kids and they get more experience in the kitchen you can broaden your repertoire. Here are a few other sources for easy baking recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/courses/dessert-recipes
https://www.foodnetwork.com/
Looking for other budget friendly activities? Check out these ideas.
As you use these tips for baking with little kids and start to do this more frequently, you can make an even bigger “event” of the experience and take your kid(s) to the local bookshop or library to select a cookbook from which you can browse recipes together. Just think – today, cookies and tomorrow – DINNER!
