Image: Shutterstock
Finding a good pastime that combines fun and learning for your little one can be challenging. However, if your child shows interest in cooking or trying new delicacies, introducing them to cooking shows for kids can be beneficial.
Cooking shows help teach children the basics of cooking and the culinary arts while keeping them engaged. It is also a good activity for parent-child bonding. These shows not only entertain but also let children know about nutrition, food preparation, and cultural diversity. Engaging with these shows can enhance their culinary skills and inspire creativity in the kitchen. Read on to find a list of the top cooking shows that children can enjoy binging on.
Key Pointers
- Inspire the upcoming junior chef in your house to explore their skills with some popular kid-friendly cooking shows.
- Kids Baking Championship and MasterChef Junior are shows where talented child chefs compete.
- More such cooking shows your little chef will enjoy are Sugar Rush and Nailed It!
Top 16 Cooking Shows For Kids
1. Waffles + Mochi
Image: Netflix
Ever wonder what food from around the world tasted like? Maybe there are ingredients out there that are yet to be discovered. The 2021 series Waffles + Mochi takes the audiences on a global food expedition.
The puppet pals team up with former first lady Michelle Obama to explore cuisines from across the world. They also learn how to cook various interesting dishes. This show is ideal to learn more about the culture and cuisines from around the world.
Watch it here: Netflix
2. Christina Tosi’s Bake Club
With so much pent-up energy and not much to do during the quarantine, children tend to get frustrated. Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, came up with an idea to ward off those pandemic blues.
Bake Club goes live on Instagram every week and you can cook along with Tosi while grooving to fun and uplifting music. You can find the ingredients being used a day before the episode goes live. It’s fun to guess the dish with your child since you won’t know what it is until Tosi goes live. Watch out for Butter, Tosi’s dog, who makes an appearance every now and then.
Watch it here: Netflix
3. Be Our Chef
Angela Kinsey gears up to challenge five foodie families to prepare creative dishes. Disney-themed challenges sets the show apart where the families go head-to-head to garner as many wins as possible. The top two then face off in the finale.
With Disney films, shows, and characters being a hit with children, you can always let inspiration come to you through this show. You can certainly pick up a few innovative recipes.
Watch it here: Disney+
Point to consider4. Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck
Sesame Street’s very own Cookie Monster and Gonger team up in one of the best TV shows for kids. Along with the leading characters, children also feature in the show. The two puppets go around in their food truck and take up orders from children through a video message. But there’s a catch! One of the ingredients is missing from the recipe. The duo then prowls around town to look for it and, in the process, learn many fun facts about these ingredients.
Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck is not just fun for children but a cool learning experience, too, as they learn about the ingredients and where they come from. It’s entertaining and informative. Who knows, you may even pick a few new recipes along the way.
Watch it here: YouTube
5. Kids Baking Championship
Image: IMDb
Seeing other children competing in a challenging and entertaining cooking show can be fun, exciting, and inspirational for young children. Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli are on the hunt for talented junior chefs. The winner of this baking competition would win a $25,000 cash prize.
The young bakers compete in some fun yet challenging rounds and bake some innovative dishes. You never know; your child could be inspired to be the next young chef on this show.
Watch it here: Amazon Prime
6. Sugar Rush
Unlike its namesake candy-filled game, Sugar Rush has four professional bakers go head-to-head in three tough challenges.
With pro bakers running the show, you are sure to learn a thing or two about blending different flavors and creating something unique. It is ideal for older children if you wish to introduce them to cooking and baking.
Watch it here: Netflix
7. MasterChef Junior
Even if you haven’t watched the show, MasterChef is a household name that is solely responsible for a generation of millennials to take up cooking. MasterChef Junior follows the same format but has children aged between eight to thirteen competing on the show.
Although the show focuses on the competition, you can always pick up cooking tips. Plus, the MasterClass is a great way to learn new or innovative recipes.
Watch it here: Voot
8. Duff’s Happy Fun Bake Time
Duff Goldman and trusty puppet are all set to understand the science that goes into cooking. We’ve always seen cooking as a chore or hobby, but rarely has anyone taken the time to understand that cooking is a beautiful blend of art and science.
For children, this show is a fun way to learn the science behind the food they eat. A combination of animation, puppetry, and live-action, Duff’s Happy Fun Bake Time features sweet and savory recipes. You and your child can have a great time learning how to prepare ice creams, eggless cakes, bread, and pasta right from scratch.
Watch it here: Prime Video
9. The Great British Baking Show
The Great British Baking Show’s contestants may be polite and exude great sportsmanship, but they are also armed with jaw-dropping culinary skills.
Although the Great British Baking Show doesn’t feature children, they can still learn some tips and tricks as well as enjoy watching the show. Clean content, competitive spirit, and innovation make this program a must-watch.
Watch it here: hoopla
10. Nadiya’s Time to Eat
If you are in a rush but want home-cooked meals, Nadiya’s Time to Eat is the show for you. Watch Nadiya create delicious dishes that barely take any time to prepare.
Quick and easy recipes are also a great way to introduce your child to cooking. It is, after all, a life skill that’s essential for good health and survival. Learn new shortcuts that don’t skimp on taste or quality and enjoy yummy home-made delicacies..
Watch it here: Netflix
Research finds11. Top Chef Junior
Top Chef Junior is another show that can teach children so much about food and inspire them to cook creatively. Watch the twists and turns in this show that takes you on the journey of twelve immensely talented children as they don their chef hats and compete to prove they have what it takes to be on the top.
The competitors tackle each challenge head-on and they also learn new methods, tips, and tricks of cooking.
Watch it here: Amazon Prime
12. Good Eats
It’s fun and innovative! Good Eats features pro chef Alton Brown. During the show, he gives insights into a variety of ingredients that are used to prepare the meals and the culinary customs and tools from different cultures around the world.
Brown’s wholesome humor and delicious recipes make Good Eats worth watching.
Watch it here: Discovery+
13. Chopped Junior
Image: Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
Watch children compete neck to neck where they cook delicious food items. The little chefs are all geared up to display their talent in this competitive cooking show.
The show is a refreshing change from the snarky cooking shows out there that focus more on the competition and less on the food. You can binge-watch this show along with your family and have a great time together.
Watch it here: Amazon Prime
14. I Draw, You Cook
I Draw, You Cook is quite a unique show. While not exactly a TV show, I Draw, You Cook releases short webisodes online where chefs take up drawings sent in by children and turn them into actual, real food. Sounds fun, right?
I Draw, You Cook is a wholesome series that can be watched anytime and anywhere along with your family and children. Send in an entry, who knows, maybe they’ll create something out of your children’s drawing.
Watch it here: YouTube
Quick tip15. Nailed It!
Anyone who doesn’t cook for a living knows how difficult it is to get a dish right. Something that you made so horribly the last time can end up perfectly the second time around.
Nailed It! touches upon just that. Home cooks try their best to recreate desserts made by professionals and along the way learn some cool new hacks. Watch as the cooks struggle and sail through challenges.
Watch it here: Netflix
16. Bake Squad
Bake Squad is an American baking show premiered on August 11, 2021. The show is hosted by American chef and cookbook author Christina Tosi. In the show, four skilled bakers collaborate to create delightful desserts for various clients, including those celebrating weddings and birthdays. The show is light on competition and does not have prizes or eliminations. In each episode, bakers have seven hours to whip up their tasty treats. They can seek assistance from Tosi for equipment or decorative elements. The winning dessert is chosen by the client, captured in a snapshot, and celebrated, giving viewers a delightful experience.
Watch it here: Netflix
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can learning cooking help with my child’s development?
Cooking is one of the essential life skills that are a must for every child. They help develop fine motor skills, understand the concept of measurement, learn the basic understanding of science and appreciate what it takes to bring palatable food to the table. In addition, children who learn cooking may prefer home-cooked meals rather than eating unhealthy processed foods.
2. What are the basics of cooking for kids?
Some basics of cooking for children include washing vegetables and meat, adjusting flame and heat, adding spices, whisking eggs, learning to use appropriate utensils, and setting up the dining table.
3. What age range are cooking shows for children suitable for?
Kids’ cooking programs are generally appropriate for a wide age range, typically from 6 to 12 years. However, depending on the specific content and presentation style, the suitability and appropriateness of cooking shows may vary. Therefore, parents must preview and evaluate the content to ensure the culinary programs for kids are consistent with their requirements, dietary choices, and safety considerations.
4. How can parents ensure their children are safe while cooking at home after watching cooking shows?
To ensure safe cooking for the children, parents must always supervise and guide them while they are in the kitchen. Parents must also educate them about fire safety, food hygiene, and using safety equipment and utensils. Lastly, parents must assign age-appropriate tasks based on the child’s abilities to make it an enjoyable and fun-filled experience.
5. Can children with disabilities benefit from watching cooking shows for kids?
Yes, children with disabilities can benefit from watching cooking shows. Cooking shows can help children with disabilities by providing knowledge, improving sensory motor skills, boosting their social skills, and inspiring them to be independent.
Cooking is an art and a life skill. If your child loves preparing food, these cooking shows for kids will inspire them to get innovative in the kitchen. The young participants in these shows will undoubtedly motivate your child to learn about cooking on a deeper level, and inspire them to read cookbooks and understand its concepts. Even if your child is not interested in cooking or attending cooking classes, the compelling visuals of these shows may stir their curiosity. A few more cooking show suggestions besides the ones mentioned above are Junior Masterchef and Junior Bake Off. So watch these shows with your children, and discover some new recipes. Further, bond with your children and create precious memories while trying the recipes at home.
Infographic: Cooking Shows For Children
Do you wish to introduce your children to your kitchen or teach culinary skills to them from an early age? Then, scroll through the infographic below for some child-friendly cooking shows that help them learn cooking and can also inspire them to be a chef. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Illustration: Best Cooking Shows For Kids To Watch
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Children are powerhouses of talent and if well guided, they can be taught to do anything. Here is a video on how a 6-year-old makes pancakes.
References
- Frans Folkvord et al.; (2020); Watching TV Cooking Programs: Effects on Actual Food Intake Among Children.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31706794/
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