Cooking with your kids might be messy, but it’s hands down, one of the best things you can do to encourage them to be healthy and adventurous eaters. When kids learn how to cook and have a hand in making dinner, other meals, or snacks, they gain confidence and feel empowered to make healthy choices.
With the holidays right around the corner, chances are, you’ve been thinking about gifts for your kids and maybe you’ve even finished your shopping— 44% of parents have according to a recent survey by LendingTree.
Whether you’re just beginning your search for the perfect present, or need to wrap up your shopping (no pun intended!), here’s a list of 21 holiday gifts for kids who like to cook.
HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR KIDS WHO LIKE TO COOK
From cutting boards and cookware to cookbooks and cooking classes, these are some of my favorite holiday gifts for kids who like to cook.
1. TOVLA & CO. KIDS KITCHEN KNIFE AND FOLDABLE CUTTING BOARD SET
I purchased this Kids Kitchen Knife and Foldable Cutting Board Set by Tovla & Co. for my daughter last Christmas because she loves to help out in the kitchen.
I love that the knives work but are still kid-safe and the cutting board is the perfect size and is foldable which cuts down on some of the mess that happens when you’re cooking with kids.
2. CREATIVITY FOR KIDS’ PLANT A PIZZA GARDEN
Teaching kids how to garden is one of the best ways to encourage healthy eating habits and it couldn’t be more fun than with this Plant a Pizza Garden by Creativity for Kids.
This kit comes complete with seeds for basil, tomatoes, oregano, and peppers and all you have to do is add water. Kids can decorate their pizza garden, watch the seeds grow, and then transfer them to larger pots. When they’re ready, they can start using what they grew in different types of meals.
3. MASTERCHEF JUNIOR KNIFE AND CUTTING BOARD SET
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly knife and cutting board set along with recipes to get you started, consider this MasterChef Junior Knife and Cutting Board Set ($25.99).
The set includes 11” and 9” knives, a 8 1/2″ x 12″ silicone cutting board, and 15 recipe cards for simple and easy recipes like banana chocolate chip pancakes, foil-roasted salmon and vegetables, and Mediterranean chicken sliders.
4. SDADI ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT KITCHEN STEP STOOL
Safety in the kitchen is always important and this SDADI Adjustable Height Kitchen Step Stool is one of the best holiday gifts for kids who like to help out in the kitchen.
Designed for babies and toddlers, the step stool is made from solid wood, has a durable, nontoxic, lead-free coating, 4 sided railings, and anti-slip strips on all four legs. It can also be adjusted to three separate heights.
5. TOVLA JR. KIDS COOKING AND BAKING GIFT SET
Tovla Jr. Kids Cooking and Baking Gift Set is one of the best holiday gifts for kids who like to cook. The set comes complete with measuring cups and spoons, a pair of tongs, rolling pin, kid-safe knives and a cutting board, cookie cutters, spoon, spatula, whisk, a kitchen time, apron, recipe cards and a convenient portable and reusable tool box. Since everything is made from safe, nontoxic, food-grade materials, you can feel good about cooking with your kids.
6. MASTERCHEF JUNIOR PIZZA COOKING SET
The MasterChef Junior Pizza Cooking Set has everything your little foodie needs to whip up dinner in no time, including a wood pizza board, personal pizza pan, plastic pizza cutter, and a ladle for the sauce.
The set also comes with 3 recipes and a blank card for kids to come up with their own pizza recipe.
7. MINDWARE PLAYFUL CHEF DELUXE COOKING SET
If you want to foster a sense of independence in the kitchen, consider the MindWare Playful Chef Deluxe Cooking Set.
With 22 kid-safe and kid-sized kitchen tools including measuring spoons and cups, a basting brush, whisk and more, the set also includes a durable fabric apron and a recipe book and parent guide.
8. MELISSA & DOUG STIR AND SERVE COOKING UTENSILS
This 7-piece set of Melissa & Doug Stir and Serve Cooking Utensils will make your kids feel so grown-up in the kitchen.
Ideal for kids ages 3 to 6, the utensils are made from high-quality stainless steel, and are food-grade and dishwasher-safe.
9. EASY BAKE ULTIMATE OVEN DELUXE GIFT SET
It wouldn’t be a list of holiday gifts for kids who like to cook without including the Easy Bake Oven.
As a kid, I have fond memories of making my own sweet treats and Easy Bake has come a long way over the years with new recipes you can make. This Easy Bake Ultimate Oven Deluxe Gift Set comes with mixes for pizza, old-fashioned pretzels and Sparkle Cakes.
10. BABYBJORN STEP STOOL
My kids are in elementary school but this BABYBJORN Step Stool has taken us through potty training and years of cooking together.
So if you’re looking for holiday gifts for kids who like to cook, this would make for a great gift.
Not only is the stool safe, but it’s small enough to tuck away under the sink when not in use and it’s easy to clean after your kids make a mess in the kitchen.
11. OZERI KIDS JUNIOR CHEF COOKING ESSENTIALS SET
For kids who are ready to use the stove, the Ozeri Kids Junior Chef Cooking Essentials Set is the perfect pick.
The set comes with a real 9.5″ frying pan, spatula kitchen timer, and coordinating apron in pink or blue.
The frying pan is 100% free of GenX, PFBS, APEO, PFOS, PFOA, NMP, and NEP chemicals and has a heat-resistant silicon-coated handle to keep your little ones safe in the kitchen.
12. PERSONALIZED CHEF APRON FOR KIDS
My kids love wearing their personalized aprons when we cook and bake together and this Personalized Chef Apron for Kids by The ApronPlace will make your kids feel like bona fide chefs and keep them clean.
Made in the USA, the aprons come in two sizes, 7 bright, beautiful colors, and are machine-washable.
HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR KIDS WHO LIKE TO COOK: COOKBOOKS
If your kids like to cook, they’ll need some cookbooks that are easy to follow and have tons of kid-friendly recipes.
13. SUPER SIMPLE COOKING FOR KIDS
Super Simple Cooking for Kids, by Jodi Danen, RD, teaches kids how to follow recipes, be safe in the kitchen, and when to ask for help. The book has 50 different recipes that use just 5 to 10 ingredients, are categorized by difficulty and designed with picky eaters in mind, you’ll transform your kids into healthy, adventurous foodies in no time.
14. THE COMPLETE BAKING BOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS
From America’s Test Kitchen Kids, The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs includes more than 100 recipes that were thoroughly tested by 5,000 kids and are designed for all skill levels. With step-by-step photos of the tips and techniques, this is one of the best holiday gifts for kids who like to cook.
15. AMERICAN GIRL MY FIRST COOKBOOK COLLECTION
With an emphasis on honesty, courage, kindness, and confidence, I love what the American Girl brand stands for so when I saw the American Girl My First Cookbook Collection, I knew I wanted to include it in my list of holiday gifts for kids who like to cook.
This 3-book set of American Girl Baking, American Girl Cooking, and American Girl Parties includes more than 120 recipes, simple instructions, and how-to guides to master basic kitchen skills and even throw parties.
16. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS COOK
I’m an avid reader of Good Housekeeping so I was thrilled to find the Good Housekeeping Kids Cook cookbook.
With more than 100 different recipes for kids of all ages—and plenty of variations— this cookbook also has basic kitchen and cooking how-tos and metric conversion charts to make cooking with your kids a breeze.
17. SUPER FOODS FOR SUPER KIDS COOKBOOK
The Super Foods for Super Kids Cookbook by Noelle Martin, MScFN, RD, is a super-fun cookbook for kids complete with guides on how to read a recipe, use chef speak, and practice kitchen safety.
With 50 recipes for dishes like banana sushi, mighty super chili, and rainbow salad, your kids will learn about superfoods, and how to use them in meals and snacks.
18. KID CHEF
Kid Chef by Melina Hammer is designed for kids 8 to 12, and includes more than 75 healthy recipes, and how-to guides about how to stock the kitchen pantry, make a grocery shopping list, and safely use a knife and cook using the stove.
What makes this cookbook different is that with recipes for dishes like Nutty Parmesan Kale Salad and Roasted Cauliflower with Dipping Sauce, it’s more sophisticated but still kid-friendly.
HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR KIDS WHO LIKE TO COOK:
FAMILY COOKING CLASSES
19. KIDS COOK REAL FOOD ECOURSE
The Kids Cook Real Food video eCourse is one of the best holiday gifts for kids who like to cook.
The course, created by Katie Kimball, founder of KitchenStewardship.com, helps kids master 30 basic cooking skills and make entire recipes with confidence.
Whether you’re a bona fide home chef or don’t know your way around the kitchen, the course is designed for parents to learn and experience cooking healthy meals and snacks together.
If you want to learn more, read my review of the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse.
20. RADDISH
Designed by chefs and educators, Raddish is a fun, immersive, and educational cooking club for kids ages 4 to 14-years-old.
Every month, kids receive an individually-themed kit that has 3 illustrated recipe guides, cooking techniques, tips and fun facts, a cooking tool like a measuring cup, a fun hands-on activity, game, and/or craft, and an apron patch to commemorate the kitchen skill.
To get $15 off a 6-month membership, use promo code: ATHOME.
21. KITCHEN LITTLE
Studies show kids who watched healthy cooking shows which feature healthy foods and was geared for them were 2.7 times more likely to choose healthy food than those who watched a different episode of the same show that featured unhealthy food.
My kids love watching the Kitchen Little videos, which pair celebrity chefs with pre-school aged aspiring chefs. Not only are the videos fun and engaging, but some of the chefs (ahem, Curtis Stone) are easy on the eyes.
The videos are cheap ($.99 an episode) or free if you have Amazon Prime.
