The recipes in this section were selected to help children and teens to begin to prepare healthy snacks and small meals on their own.

• Breakfast Recipes
• Lunch Recipes
• Dinner Recipes
• Side Dish Recipes
• Snack Recipes
• Treat Recipes

Safety First

Children should always be supervised by an adult when learning cooking skills. Please follow the guidelines listed below when preparing food.

• Wash hands and fingernails well with soap and warm water before you begin preparing food. Remember to dry your hands well.
• Always wash hands after handling food, especially raw eggs and meats.
• Teach children how to use all kitchen tools and appliances safely. Children should always be supervised when using kitchen tools and appliances until they are approved by a parent to use the appliances on their own.
• Always get your parent’s permission before using any kitchen tool or appliance, including:
• Sharp kitchen tools such as knives.
• Anything that heats up, including ovens, stovetops, microwave ovens, toaster ovens, toasters.
• Kitchen appliances, such as blenders.
• Never plug or unplug electrical appliances with wet hands.
• Never put a knife or fork in a toaster to remove food that is stuck.
• Tie back long hair, roll up loose sleeves, and cover clothes with an apron.
• Have clean, dry oven mitts and hot pads handy near anything that heats up so you can safely handle hot pans, pots, bowls, and oven doors.
• When you cook on the stovetop, point pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent spills.
• Clean up spills on the floor right away to avoid slips.
• Turn off the stove burners and/or oven as soon as cooking is finished.
• Be prepared for emergencies by keeping a first aid kit and fire extinguisher handy.
• Keep emergency numbers near the telephone.

Safety tips adapted from: Cooking Up Fun for Kids with Diabetes, Geil and
Ross, 2003.