Thanksgiving is the perfect time to bring the family together, and what better way to bond than by cooking with your kids? Preparing a meal as a team is not only fun but also a great way to teach your children valuable kitchen skills. Plus, kids love being involved, and they'll feel proud seeing their creations on the dinner table.
For this year's Thanksgiving, try out these five family-friendly recipes that are simple enough for kids to help with and delicious enough for everyone to enjoy.
1. No-Bake Turkey Brownies
These brownie treats are simple enough to make for children as young as three years old. It also does not involve any baking, which helps make sure your kids are not at risk of burning themselves.
To make Turkey Brownies, you need:
- Bite-size brownies (store-bought or made from scratch the night before)
- Candy corn
- Candy eyes
- Chocolate frosting
Use the frosting to stick two candy eyes and candy corn to create the turkey.
2. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
No Thanksgiving celebration is complete without creamy mashed potatoes. That said, this classic side dish can take quite some time---from peeling and boiling the potatoes to mashing and seasoning them.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to make this recipe with the help of an Instant Pot. You can easily make a batch of mashed potatoes within eight minutes, according to this recipe from Baking Beauty.
3. Pumpkin Pudding
If you're looking for an easy and healthy Thanksgiving dessert for your kids, try making pumpkin pudding. This recipe from Good Life Eats can help you prepare a super creamy pudding by blending together a few pantry ingredients, including:
- Pumpkin puree
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Evaporated milk
- Pumpkin pie spice blend
Before serving, add some whipped cream on top of the pudding. You can also add some chocolate shavings for a hint of sweetness.
4. Green Bean Casserole
Another great side dish to have for Thanksgiving is green bean casserole. This recipe calls for more ingredients than other dishes on this list, but the taste makes it worth the effort. You'll need:
- Green beans
- Butter
- Yellow onions
- Mushrooms
- Cream sauce
While you can use canned cream of mushroom soup, there is a certain depth of flavor you can only get when using fresh mushrooms and cream. Follow this recipe from Delish.
