Looking for some easy cooking projects for the kids? This collection of recipes has a range of options from savoury to sweet, healthy to treats, and they’re all made using store cupboard and easy to find ingredients.
In the last few weeks I’ve been gearing myself up to start blogging properly again, after some time out to deal with my mental health issues. But with the worsening health crisis across the world, my first thought was that my timing couldn’t be worse.
Eats Amazing is all about fun and creativity and at first glance, it didn’t really feel like the best time for Marshmallow Penguins or Apple Bugs. This is an anxious, frightening time for many people and I was worried about being insensitive at such a difficult time.
But with the UK government evoking the ‘wartime spirit’ and sense of community, I began to wonder how I could use my blog as a positive force. There will be a lot of ‘keeping calm and carrying on’ over the coming months, and many of us are likely to be stuck at home for long periods of time with restless children to entertain.
This makes me more determined than ever to get back on the blogging wagon so that I can provide lots of fun new tutorials and cooking projects to help keep you and your kids busy and entertained. I hope that Eats Amazing will be a happy place that you can come to get away from it all, and to that end, I will do my best to avoid any mention of current world events in future posts – there is more enough of that online already!
To start you off, I’ve combed the blog for the most store cupboard friendly recipes I could find. These recipes are great for helping you use all the bits and bobs you may have lingering in your cupboard – from flour, oats, dried fruit, nuts and seeds to tins of chickpeas, baked beans, pineapple rings and tomato puree, I hope you’ll find plenty of inspiration here!
Below you’ll find a list of savoury recipes, followed by a list of sweet recipes, from homemade granola to yummy chocolate fudge. Click on the photos or the links in the text below each recipe image to be taken to each recipe.
Savoury Recipes
Easy Roasted Chickpeas
All you need is a tin of chickpes, a little oil and some herbs and spices for flavouring for these delicious roasted chickpeas. They make a great healthy snack and even count towards your 5 a day! Try experimenting with different flavours – we love savoury Garlic & Herb Chickpeas or sweet Maple Spiced Chickpeas.
Easy Porridge Bread
Run out of normal bread? Why not try making a loaf of this delicious Porridge Bread! It’s packed with flavour, much more nutritious than standard wheat bread and it’s super easy to make – you don’t even have to knead it!
Cheese Oatcakes
These delicious Cheese Oatcakes are super easy to make and you can cut them into any shape you like! Dig out your cookie cutters, or even playdough cutters – don’t forget to give your cutters a really good clean in hot soapy water before you use them for baking though.
‘Monster’ Pea Hummus
My boys love a ‘monster’ themed recipe, and this bright green Homemade Pea Hummus fits the bill nicely! Use frozen peas, tinned chickpeas and dried mint for a quick, easy and healthy store cupboard snack.
Homemade Pitta Breads
You might be surprised how easy it is to make your own Pitta Breads, and they taste absolutely amazing! Make them in bulk and freeze any leftovers for another day, yum!
Easy Pitta Crisps
Use up leftover homemade pitta breads to make your own Pitta Crisps for a super tasty snack, or shop-bought ones work just as well if you have them.
Homemade Tortilla Wraps
Whilst you are in the mood for making homemade breads, why not try your own Tortilla Wraps. Like the pitta breads above, nothing beats the taste of these homemade wraps and they freeze really well too.
Easy Tortilla Crisps
We all love homemade Tortilla Crisps in this house – they never last long! You can go with the traditional triangle shape, cut them into strips or cut them into shapes with cookie cutters for extra fun. Use leftover homemade tortilla wraps from the recipe above, or shop bought tortilla wraps work just as well.
Ham & Cheese Savoury Muffins
These easy homemade Savoury Muffins have just 6 easy to find ingredients, and they are perfect for lunches or snacks for hungry children! Make in bulk and freeze leftovers for another day.
5 Minute Pizza
Whatever kind of bread products you have in the house, you can probably make a quick and easy pizza from them! Check out our recipes for English Muffin Pizzas, Naan Bread Pizzas, Vegetarian Pizza Quesadillas, Pesto Pizza Quesadillas or go straight to our 5 Minute Pizzas, 5 Ways! post.
Spaghetti Frittata Bites
Pasta is a great store cupboard staple, but if you’re anything like me, you probably always cook a bit too much! This Spaghetti Frittata Bites recipe uses leftover cooked spaghetti but any pasta would work. Googly Eyes optional!
The BEST Beans on Toast
If all else fails, why not teach your kids to make yummy Beans On Toast. This classic quick and easy meal will stand them in good stead throughout their life!
Sweet Recipes
Banana Oat Cookie Bites
Mix brown bananas with store cupboard staples oats and dried fruit to make these delicious and healthy Banana Oat Cookie Bites. Even the littlest children will love mashing the bananas and mixing it all together! For a child friendly recipe sheet and lots of different flavour suggestions, check out my latest updated version of this recipe: Easy Banana Oat Cookies.
Easy Homemade Granola
Keep breakfast interesting by making your own granola from scratch – it tastes great and is lower in sugar than the ready-made stuff. You can add whatever dried fruit and nuts you have in the cupboards, or try different flavour combinations, like this Strawberries & Cream Granola, or Mango Pina Colada Granola.
Make Your Own Pancake Mix
Make your own American style Pancake Mix from store cupboard ingredients and you’ll have it ready to whip up a yummy weekend breakfast. All you need to add to the finished mix is an egg and some oil for frying, so it’s a great one to have on standby.
Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
You need just 3 basic ingredients; peanut butter, honey and rice crispies to make these amazing Peanut Butter Crispy Bars and you might well already have them in your cupboard. These are perfect for a yummy snack or dessert, I can guarantee they won’t last long with the kids around!
Pineapple Ring Ice Pops
Got tinned pineapple in the cupboard? That’s all you need to make these healthy Pineapple Ice Pops! I like to use pineapple rings for the fun circle shape, but you could also thread pineapple chunks onto bamboo skewers or lolly sticks and freeze them instead.
Healthier Muffins with Frozen Fruit
If you’re anything like me you probably have a bag of frozen fruit lingering at the back of your freezer. Use it up in these yummy Fruit Muffins for a healthier treat the whole family will love.
Homemade Coconut Sprinkles
If you fancy a really fun kitchen project with the kids, these fun homemade coconut sprinkles are a great place to start! Try the basic Rainbow Coconut Sprinkles, or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can make a whole range of different Colour Themed Coconut Sprinkle Mixes. Later in the year, you can make fun Halloween Themed Homemade Sprinkles too! Use them for cake decorating, cookie decorating, and many more fun food projects – you’ll find lots of ideas here on the blog.
Monster Energy Bites
These fun little Monster Energy Bites are nut free, dairy free, gluten free (if you use gluten free oats) and vegan, so they make a great treat for those with allergies and dietary restrictions. Roll them in homemade coconut sprinkles, or just use plain desiccated coconut if you’re short on time.
Pizza Mix Cinnamon Raisin Rolls
Got a pack of pizza mix in your cupboard? This Cheats Cinnamon & Raisin Rolls recipe is a great way to use it up without too much weighing of ingredients needed! Or for a similar recipe with a savoury twist, try these Muffin Tin Pizza Whirl Rolls.
Chocolate Popcorn Snack Mix
This Chocolate Popcorn Snack Mix is a quick and easy recipe that makes the perfect accompaniment for a family movie night or duvet day. It’s really easy to customise – try using white chocolate, dairy free dark chocolate for a dairy free version or add in different dried fruits, nuts and seeds to vary the flavour.
Giant Chocolate Buttons
Fancy making a treat? Dig out whatever dried fruits and nuts you have in the cupboard and pair them with dark, milk or white chocolate to make these yummy Giant Chocolate Buttons! Not got any dried fruit or nuts? Try making Giant Chocolate Jazzies instead with hundreds and thousands. Or for a really healthy version, these Frozen Yogurt Fruit & Nut Bites make a great snack too.
Coconut Oil Homemade Chocolate
My boys are always amazed by this Homemade Coconut Oil Chocolate recipe – being able to make their own chocolate from scratch seems almost magical and best of all it doesn’t take any time at all – just 10 minutes to set and it’s ready to munch! I’ve linked to a Christmas version here but you can add whatever toppings you like to suit the current season, or try making these variations on the same recipe: Raspberry Chocolates, Healthier Chocolate Nests, Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bark or Mini Coconut Oil Easter Eggs.
5 Minute Microwave Fudge
For a real sweet treat, try this amazing 5 minute chocolate fudge! It needs just two basic ingredients – chocolate and a tin of condensed milk, and you don’t even need a thermometer! I’ve made many variations of it over the years – try Marshmallow Chocolate Fudge, Maltesers Chocolate Fudge, Strawberries & Cream White Chocolate Fudge, Mini Eggs Chocolate Fudge or your own variations, mixing in sweets, nuts or dried fruits of your choice.
Easy No Cook Coconut Ice
Another sweet treat made with condensed milk is this amazing Coconut Ice – there’s no cooking needed and it’s always a hit with anyone who tries it. Be warned, it is super sweet – you’ll only need one piece at a time!
I hope you’ve found plenty of recipe inspiration here. You’ll find even more child friendly recipes in the Eats Amazing Recipe Index, or if you’re looking for something a bit different and extra fun, check out the Fun Food Tutorials Index too.
When you’ve had enough of cooking, check out this fabulous list of quarantine activites from local photographer Caroline Jenkins, it has loads of great ideas to keep you busy. Or try my favourite craft blogs; Red Ted Art and The Imagination Tree and one of my all time favourite family blogs – Family Days Tried and Tested for tons of brilliant ideas to entertain the whole family!
Happy baking and making!
Grace
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