I must admit the phrase “cooking with kids” immediately makes me think of nothing but kitchen chaos. Flour in the hair, milk spilling off the counter, you get the picture. But if your child has expressed any interest in cooking or baking (and even if they haven’t), the process of making a recipe together can be a fun activity to share with your child, even if there’s a little messiness involved.
In the kids cooking subscription boxes I’ve chosen below, not only will you be creating a delicious meal or baking a yummy cookie, but perhaps you’ll learn something about the country where your recipe originated, try a STEM activity or learn a new cooking technique. Preparing a yummy meal or baking with your child is not only a great bonding activity, but when your child helps you cook, they’re also learning independence and teamwork. Kind of a no-brainer, right?
Each of these kids cooking subscription box companies offer one-off purchases or an option to sign up for multi-month subscriptions plans, if you end up wanting to try more than one. And who knows, maybe you’ll be fostering the talents of a future culinary whiz!
Ready to start cooking?
$24
With Raddish Kids, the all ages cooking club, each month’s themed box contains three recipe guides and culinary skill lessons, grocery list, quality kitchen tool, creative kitchen project, a colorful apron patch and four table talk cards (great for getting a conversation going around the dinner table). I also like the free “bonus bites” you’ll find on the website (this month you’ll find an extra recipe for Honey Lime Fruit salad and a spring picnic music playlist, among other delectable items).
$32.95
Baketivity is a personal favorite in my house, as my younger daughter has a major sweet tooth and loves to bake. Each month’s kit provides you with a detailed kid-friendly instruction booklet and every ingredient you need to make a yummy dessert (past choices have included chocolate chip cookies and red velvet heart cupcakes), with the exception of perishable goods like butter and eggs. And yes, an apron and pretty cool chef’s hat is included with each kit.
$24.95
With the tag line, “explore the world in your kitchen”, eat2explore invites families to cook together while learning about a new country and culture. Either subscribe to their monthly featured country box (this month is Greece), or mix and match to build your own package from countries all over the world. In each box you’ll receive 3 recipe cards, a shopping list, essential spice, sauce or grain mixes, an exploration guide teaching you about the country, educational activity sheets, fun cooking tools and a “passport” and stickers to mark off as you make your way around the world—from your kitchen. You also have the option to receive your box as gluten-free or vegetarian, which is a cool feature.
$23.99
Inside each Foodstir kit you’ll find three tasty recipes and a shopping list, a quality cooking tool, a copy of Foodie Fun magazine, a Wordstir family game and more. The Foodstir mission is to bring families together through food, and I love that their recipes are chosen with picky eaters in mind (we all know a couple of those!). I also like that you can see exactly what you’re getting ahead of time in that month’s video on their website.
$19.99
In each Little Sous subscription box, you’ll receive a high-quality, kid-friendly kitchen tool, a step-by-step cooking lesson designed to teach useful techniques kids will be able to carry with them, collectible recipe cards and hands-on activities designed to make cooking techniques and food science fun. Little Sous kits were created for kids age 5+. Children on the younger end will collaborate more with an adult, while kids who are 7 or 8+ can complete most all of the lessons/recipes on their own.
$19
Created by the founder and CEO of Farmbox Direct and her 7-year-old daughter, Harlow’s Harvest is a monthly cooking kit for kids ages 4 to 15. Focusing on STEM and nutrition education, with each kit you’ll receive three laminated recipes, a monthly science project, a unique kitchen tool, budgeting tips for grocery shopping and a monthly collectible pin for your apron (also provided when you sign up).
$39.95
Gluten-free kids, this one’s for you! Little GF Chefs creates delicious baking kits that are gluten free, contain no artificial dyes and are free of the the most common food allergens like nuts, soy, eggs and dairy. Offering subscription and one-time kits, recipes include yummy recipes for soft pretzel bites, unicorn donuts and pizza, among others.
$24.99
Young Chef’s Club is brought to you by the cooking experts at America’s Test Kitchen . Best for ages 5+, each month kids will receive a themed box filled with kid-tested recipes, hands-on activities and experiments. I love their “Make It Your Way!” recipe cooking challenge, which encourage kids’ natural creativity, and as a subscriber, you’ll also have access to the America’s Test Kitchen digital library of family-friendly recipes, activities, videos, and other educational resources. There you’ll be able to find each month’s shopping list so you can have all the ingredients on hand when your box arrives.
A version of this article was originally published on April 8th, 2021. It has been updated.
