8 Healthy Kid-Friendly Recipes You'll Love Too (2024)

FAQs

What food can a 9 year old cook? ›

Cooking with 8-11 year olds

Use the microwave with your help. Make their own school lunch. Make a fresh fruit platter to go with dinner. Use the stove, with supervision, to make basic recipes: omelets, pancakes, quesadillas, soups or grilled cheese.

The Bottom Line. Pizza is not only delicious but can also be a healthy meal choice when thought is put into its preparation. Though many frozen and fast-food varieties tend to be high in calories, fat, sodium and other unhealthy ingredients, pizza can be made healthier.

With an adult supervising, a 10-year old should be able to scramble eggs, stir fry vegetables or flip a pancake on an electric stovetop (you may want to wait longer if you have a gas range). Safety tip: Be sure to teach them to tie back long hair and never wear loose clothing around the stove.

A standard 10 year old should be willing to eat anything put in front of them. However, a picky 10 year old would probably prefer a few foods over others. This includes pizza, mac and cheese, hot dogs, ice cream, chicken nuggets, hamburgers and grilled cheese.

Autism and Picky Eating: a Sensory Consideration

According to the study cited above, autistic children most commonly like chicken nuggets and grain products, such as pasta and bread.

Sensory issues with food: Kids on the autism spectrum often express a strong preference for foods that feel a certain way in their mouths. Some prefer soft or creamy foods like yogurt, soup or ice cream; others need the stimulation that crunchy foods like Cheetos or — if a parent is lucky, carrots — provide.

Healthy options include fresh vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheeses) or dairy substitutes, lean proteins (beans, chicken, turkey, fish, lean hamburger, tofu, eggs), and whole-grain cereals and bread.

What to cook for 5 years old? ›

For example: carrot coins or sticks, cucumber, broccoli, bell pepper strips, asparagus spears, summer squash ribbons, or grape tomatoes. Choose any 1 healthy protein. For example: Beans, edamame, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, hummus, veggie burger, roasted turkey or chicken slices, or a hardboiled egg.

Breakfast provides key nutrients.

Children who eat breakfast are more likely to meet their overall nutritional needs. In fact, studies show that children who eat breakfast eat more fruit, drink more milk, and consume less saturated fat than those who don't eat breakfast.