My son turned 8 this past December, and recently we’ve been talking about some goals he’d like to work on. He wants to learn to play the piano, study scriptures every day, and he wants to be able to cook!

My son loves when he gets to help in the kitchen. On Sunday mornings, I usually let him feed all the kids toast (because I’m usually busy trying to get showered, feeding the baby, etc). He also loves making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunches on days when I let him. I’m realizing it’s really nice to have someone available to help with food sometimes, and as he gets older you can bet I’ll be using that help more and more! It makes my life easier ;), but it also is a great life skill that my children need to learn for their own future! In addition, it builds self-confidence, gives them opportunities to serve, and is a great boredom buster!

But it’s a little overwhelming sometimes thinking of what’s age-appropriate when it comes to mealtimes. I think a lot of it boils down to what each individual child can handle. Some children are just more responsible than others, and if a child has shown they can be trusted to handle things safely, you can expand their horizons a little more by letting them use the stove, the mixer, slicing things, etc. But a lot of this is going to be up to parental discretion, and obviously you need to work with your child carefully at first until you’re confident they can use something safely!

If you have a child or grandchild that has shown an interest in cooking, here’s a great little list of simple meals to get you started!

• Macaroni and cheese
• Tortilla pizzas
• Yogurt parfaits
• Cereal
• Buttered toast and eggs
• Peanut butter and banana toast
• Chicken nuggets or fish sticks
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Pancakes with scrambled eggs
• Pigs in a blanket
• Ham and cheese tortilla roll-ups
• BLTs
• Nachos
• Cheese quesadillas
• Ham, cheese and cracker platter
• Tuna fish sandwich

With all of these, add a fresh fruit or vegetable as a side, which will also help teach your child how to wash and prepare fruits and veggies!

And of course, there’s the fun recipes that aren’t really a meal, but a great way to increase your child’s skills in the kitchen!

• Banana bread
• Cupcakes
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Fruit salad
• Fruit smoothies
• No bake cookies
• Green salad

This list is in no way comprehensive, but just something to get you started! And these are meals I expect my 8 year old to pretty much make on his own, with the occasional bit of help from me (like putting something in the oven). And it goes without saying- your child can help with so much more in the kitchen! Really anytime you’re cooking, see if there are ways you can involve your child in the process!

What would you add to this list? What are meals a child could make on their own? Share your thoughts below!