Get Kids Cooking–as Young as Three!

To get kids cooking, I start them young, when the idea of cooking is still fun and not a chore. So, when Miss T was about three, we began to experiment with small projects in the kitchen.  A bonus for grandma was that the child ended up preparing her own healthy snacks while entertaining herself in the process of making them.

Recently, Master N, almost three, took his turn at making deviled eggs with grandma.  Though not as dexterous as his sister was at his age, he had no trouble turning out a fine result.

Making deviled eggs is a great kids’ cooking project. Simple to prepare, this tasty snack requires just a few common ingredients already found in the fridge.

Eggs, eaten in moderation, are healthy, too. While we make a plateful, the child consumes just one or two–the rest of the deviled eggs are served when the family gathers for Friday night dinner, so everyone can sample the eggs and laud the child’s accomplishment.

How to Make Deviled Eggs with a Young Child

1. Cook the eggs and cool them down in ice water (see How to Cook Perfect Eggs below).
2. Let the child crack and peel the eggs; you’ll have to run the peeled eggs under water to remove any bits of shell they’ve left behind.
3. Give the child a table knife and show them how to halve the eggs.  They’ll want to cut them crosswise, rather than lengthwise, so let them.
4. Have the child separate the yolks from the whites and put the yolks in a small bowl.
5. Ask the child mash the yolks with a fork; then you can add enough mayonnaise to moisten. Season the yolk mixture with a little salt. Taste together; discuss with the child whether or not you need more salt or more mayo.
6. Next, using scissors, snip across the bottom corner of a plastic sandwich bag about 3/8 inch; fill the bag with the yolk mixture, pushing the mixture towards the hole. Seal the bag.
7. Demonstrate to the child how to squeeze out the yolk mixture through the hole in the bag, into the halved whites. Alternatively, you can skip the plastic bag and just spoon the mixture into the yolks, although children have better control with the plastic bag method.
8. Garnish each egg half with an herb leaf, if you like.
9. Put the deviled eggs on a pretty dish; explain to the child that an attractive presentation adds taste appeal.

A fun cooking project for older kids is making gummy Lego-style candy.

How to Cook Perfect Eggs

I’ve always struggled to get hard-boiled eggs to peel perfectly to make deviled eggs. I used to cook extra, to compensate for the pockmarked eggs that would result when some of the shell bits refused to release.

The secret, I discovered, is steaming. I learned this from a friend, the food director of Rachael Ray Every Day. She said she learned the technique from the American Egg Board.

This method below is just a slightly different variation. You will need a pot with a lid, a steamer basket and large eggs.

• Put about an inch of water in the pot, then set the steamer basket inside.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Using a large spoon or tongs, gently place eggs in a single layer into the steamer and cover the pot.
• After 12 minutes (13 minutes for extra-large eggs), remove the eggs from the pot and put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. The eggs will peel like magic!

What Kids Learn from this Cooking Project

• Taking on a project and completing it, from beginning to end.
• Following instructions.
• Manipulating small objects–working with a knife, removing yolks, filling the whites.
• Appreciation for plate presentation.
• Confidence working in the kitchen.

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