From hummus to eggs, here are 6 answers to the question, “What should a 7 year old be able to cook?”
- Hummus
- Pancakes, Pasta Dishes, Fruit Salad
- A Healthy Salad
- Cereal
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Eggs
Hummus
At 7 years old, a child should be able to cook simple dishes that are safe and within their capabilities. An uncommon example of something they could make would be hummus. It’s easy to make and requires few ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. With the help of an adult, the child can drain and mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher before stirring in the other ingredients. Hummus is a versatile food that’s healthy, nutritious, and delicious-perfect for snacking!
Pancakes, Pasta Dishes, Fruit Salad
Cooking is an important life skill, and with a bit of parental supervision, seven-year-olds can learn to make some pretty tasty dishes. Some classic recipes that are easy for children to prepare include scrambled eggs, omelets, pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and toast.
For something a little more involved, quesadillas or pasta dishes are a great option, as they require simple techniques such as stirring and chopping. Additionally, kids can help to prepare fruit salads and smoothies, allowing them to experiment with different flavors while having fun in the kitchen.
A Healthy Salad
Not exactly cooking, but my seven-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son love to make their own salads. They use knives to slice lettuce and tomatoes. They know how to peel cucumbers and carrots. My daughter uses the peeler to shave carrots for her salad. They add toppings like bacon bits and sunflower seeds, as well as an appropriate amount of dressing on top.
This is a mostly safe activity since there’s no heat involved, and the knives they use are fairly dull but just sharp enough to do the job. While we limit typical snacking between meals, we let our children eat raw vegetables and salads at any time without asking. This incentivizes them to choose these foods more often.
Cereal
As a guy who used to work as a summer camp counselor, I can say with confidence that I do not want seven-year-olds in the kitchen. Anything with heat and sharp objects mixed with children is a liability.
While seven-year-olds may not understand a) the milk-to-cereal ratio
, b) that milk is poured after cereal, or c) how to not spill or make a mess, there is very little chance that cooking this meal will result in a hospital visit.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Kids love cheese. I believe that a grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect thing for a 7-year-old to be able to cook on their own. Cooking is a great skill to know and can turn into a great hobby. A grilled cheese sandwich is something that your 7-year-old can enjoy cooking as much as they love eating it. Teach them how to cook a grilled cheese sandwich.
Eggs
As a dad, sometimes I wake up and can smell eggs cooking. It’s an amazing experience, especially since I can sleep in, for me, and a hugely empowering experience for the kids. Both my kids love cooked eggs; they have loved cracking eggs and cooking with us since they were four years old.
I’ve found it easy to teach them to cook eggs, as although it is somewhat difficult, there is a structured approach that makes it easy for the kids. Because it’s a healthy breakfast, they have opportunities to practice nearly every day, meaning they quickly mastered it.