The weather is heating up, and everyone is getting ready for summer! Easy, no-bake recipes that use just a few ingredients offer a refreshing option for you and the kiddos in your care. Preparing recipes with children also provides a great opportunity for academic and social learning. Children will learn basic math concepts through measurement and counting and observing that recipe ingredients build upon each other. Team-building skills are encouraged as children work together, share, and take turns to create a tasty treat.
If you are interested in trying out a new summertime recipe, take a look at some of our favorites below!
Lemonade is one of the most popular summer recipes for many reasons. It’s quick and easy with minimal ingredients, and it can be enjoyed immediately. Lemonade is also a great option for cooking with larger groups of children, as it requires many lemons, giving every child an opportunity to try squeezing out the lemon juice. As an added bonus, fresh squeezed lemons have a beautiful, fresh fragrance that will make your classroom or center smell wonderful! Click here for a recipe from Angela Henderson, author of the blog Finlee + Me.
With a simple combination of yogurt and fresh fruit, you can easily make a healthy snack. Because these popsicles will take a while to freeze, it is best to do this cooking activity in the morning so that the popsicles can freeze during lunch and nap time and be ready for children to enjoy at the end of the day! Click here for the recipe from No Time for Flash Cards.
A homemade icee can be made quickly by simply combining fruit juice and ice in a blender. You might even consider making multiple flavors so that more children can take part in the process of adding ingredients. Click here to find the recipe. The author recommends pomegranate juice but this recipe can be made by using almost any juice you have available.
Summer brings many fresh, seasonal fruits, including berries, grapes and pears. A great way to enjoy these fruits is to make a fruit pizza. Using a whole wheat tortilla for the crust, and greek yogurt for the sauce, children can put fresh fruit toppings on their own pizza to make a filling and healthy snack. Click here for the full recipe from Super Healthy Kids.
To make a delicious and healthy frozen snack, cut bananas in half, add a popsicle stick, and dip in yogurt. By adding toppings (such as sprinkles, coconut shavings, or mini chocolate chips) and freezing, you can have a healthy and delicious frozen snack that children will love on a hot day. You can find a recipe here that uses yogurt pouches and sprinkles, or you can get creative and use almost any kind of yogurt and any toppings that you have on hand.
