Ideas For Weekend Snacks With the Kids

Spending time in the kitchen with your kids over the weekend is a fun way to break the routine, but it’s also a great opportunity to instill essential values such as self-reliance, patience and a love of healthy eating. When children get their hands dirty, they not only discover the pleasure of creating something for themselves, but they’re also more inclined to taste foods they’d otherwise ignore. So making fun snacks together can become a rewarding activity that strengthens family bonds while awakening their curiosity.

Which savoury snacks are easy to prepare with your children?

Mini pizzas

Homemade mini-pizzas are a classic that children always love. To make them, we recommend using a large pizza dough, which you then cut into fun shapes using cookie cutters.

To do this, roll out the dough and let the children use the cookie cutters to obtain a variety of shapes such as stars, hearts or animals.

Once the shapes are ready, place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread each shape with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Then offer children a variety of healthy toppings such as grated cheese, thinly sliced turkey, sliced mushrooms, diced peppers and sliced olives.

Children can top their own mini-pizzas with the ingredients of their choice, encouraging them to make healthy food choices while having fun putting together their own meal.

Bake the mini-pizzas in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for around 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges of the dough are golden and crisp.

Vegetable rolls

For something fresh and simple, why not opt for vegetable wraps? Start by selecting large tortillas and laying them out on a flat surface. Next, ask the children to spread a thin layer of fromage frais or hummus over the entire surface of the tortilla.

Next, prepare a selection of crunchy vegetables for the children to arrange on their tortillas. Carrot sticks, cucumber sticks and fresh spinach leaves are excellent choices. You can also add other vegetables such as bell pepper strips or small salad leaves to add color and variety.

Once the tortillas are well filled, show the children how to tightly roll the tortillas to enclose the fillings inside.

Then, using a sharp craft knife (adult use or under strict supervision), cut the rolled tortillas into slices about two centimetres thick. This will create pretty, colorful rolls that children will be proud to show off, and even more delighted to eat.

Vegetable sticks and dips

This preparation is both healthy and interactive, perfect for encouraging children to eat a variety of vegetables.

Start by preparing a variety of vegetables. Cut carrots and peppers into sticks, cut broccoli into small florets, and prepare cherry tomatoes whole or halved according to size. Arrange these vegetables attractively on a large platter.

Alongside, prepare a few small bowls of dips, such as guacamole, tzatziki or hummus.

What sweet snacks can you make with your kids?

Sweet snacks are usually kids’ favorites, and they can be both nutritious and fun to make. Here are a few simple and delicious ideas:

Rainbow fruit skewers

To make these, choose a variety of fruits such as strawberries, mandarins, pineapples, kiwis, blueberries and grapes. Each fruit corresponds to a color of the rainbow, creating a visually appealing effect.

Start by cutting the fruit (strawberries into halves, kiwis into slices) and letting the children thread the fruit onto skewers in the order of the rainbow colors. This activity is excellent for developing fine motor skills and teaching them about colors while having fun.

Personalized frozen yoghurt

Start with plain yoghurt or Greek yoghurt for a creamier base. Then, in a large bowl, let the kids add a touch of sweetness by incorporating honey or agave syrup to suit their taste.

After mixing the yoghurt and sweetener, offer a variety of toppings for children to personalize their creation. For example, add pieces of fresh fruit such as chopped strawberries, blueberries, peaches or mangoes.

Add chocolate chips, mini marshmallows or crushed cookies for a gourmet touch.

Once each child has topped their yoghurt mixture according to their preferences, help them pour the mixture into molds. You can use classic molds or small plastic cups with Popsicle sticks inserted in the center. Place the molds in the freezer for at least four hours.

Original cookie shapes

To make delicious cookies with the kids, start by gathering all the ingredients you need for the dough. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 200g butter (at room temperature to make it easier to work with)
• 300g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 400g flour
• pinch of salt
• A teaspoon of baking powder

In a large bowl, start by beating the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This may take a few minutes. Next, add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition.

Once the eggs are fully incorporated, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add these dry ingredients gradually to the wet mixture.

When the dough is ready, it’s time to have even more fun with the cookie cutters. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5 mm. Let the children choose their favorite cookie cutters to make animal shapes, stars, hearts, or even letters to spell out words. They can press the cookie cutters into the dough and create their own cookie designs.

Then place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure to leave a little space between each one so they don’t stick together when baking. Bake the cookies at 180°C for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Conclusion

Cooking with your children at weekends is not only a way of teaching them to prepare healthy, tasty meals, it’s also an opportunity to spend precious time together as a family. These activities stimulate their creativity, reinforce their cooking skills and teach them the importance of a balanced diet.