Cooking with children can be messy, playful, and deeply rewarding. Teaching kids basic kitchen skills—especially how to handle fruits and vegetables—helps build lifelong healthy eating habits. August is Kids Eat Right Month, and in this episode I focus on the theme of Kids in the Kitchen. We prepare recipes like Chicken & Fresh Corn Salad and Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Pistachio Pesto, and I chat with my sister-in-law Karen (aka “Mrs. Broccoli”) and my niece Daisy about how children in England are learning to cook through a contemporary Food Tech curriculum.
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In this episode I take you behind the scenes of two kid-and-adult cooking classes I taught at Nantucket Culinary this summer and share the recipes we prepared. My guests are my British sister-in-law Karen, known to many as “Mrs. Broccoli,” and my niece Daisy. We discuss a practical and modern approach used in England—Food Tech—that teaches children hands-on cooking skills alongside nutrition education.
“Even if kids don’t love the final product, it’s valuable to have them involved in the cooking process.”
– Mrs. Broccoli
Show Highlights:
- A small June class at Nantucket Culinary where we made roasted radishes, homemade coleslaw, salmon fish tacos, and an apple-berry crisp.
- Why parents shouldn’t shy away from teaching kids how to safely slice and dice fruits and vegetables, with appropriate supervision and age-appropriate tools.
- A larger July class where participants prepared Chicken & Fresh Corn Salad, make-your-own smoothies, deviled eggs, and roasted cauliflower steaks with pistachio pesto.
- Details on “Liz’s Chicken Salad,” made with fresh corn kernels, tarragon, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper—add peas for a true taste of summer.
- The simple “Mother Spoon” technique to prevent double-dipping when kids taste food.
- How to cut and roast cauliflower steaks for maximum flavor and texture.
- Why a mini food processor is ideal for pistachio pesto, which combines extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, tarragon, grated Parmesan, pistachios, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and kosher salt and pepper.
- Karen and Daisy describe the food and nutrition landscape in the U.K., noting fewer additives and artificial colors in many products and stricter school lunch rules—typically only fruit, a sandwich, and water are allowed.
- Stories from the U.K. about school food reform and how cooking lessons have evolved.
- Daisy’s favorite things to cook: crepes (called pancakes in England) and smoothies.
- An overview of Daisy’s Food Tech class: kitchen skills, nutrition basics, and recipes such as bread rolls, omelettes, pasta sauce, and Victoria Sponge Cake.
- The goal of Food Tech: to give students hands-on practice at school so they can prepare foods for their families at home.
- Other elements of the curriculum include woodworking, textiles, and graphic design, offering a broad practical education.
- Why Karen and I admire Chef Yotam Ottolenghi for his inventive vegetable-forward cooking.
- The origin of Karen’s “Mrs. Broccoli” nickname and the story behind it.
- Daisy’s top takeaways from class: kitchen safety, knife skills, and how to tell organic from free-range eggs.
Tweet suggestion: “August is Kids Eat Right Month. Celebrate with my podcast on Kids In The Kitchen. Tune in to Liz’s Healthy Table for nourishing recipes kids can make and tips like using a ‘Mother Spoon’ when tasting. Guests: Mrs. Broccoli + 12‑yr‑old Daisy.”
Contact:
My email: [email protected]
Resources mentioned:
- Kids in the Kitchen — a collaboration for Kids Eat Right Month featuring dietitians and family food bloggers sharing tips to get kids cooking.
- Cooking classes at Nantucket Culinary.
- Recipes: Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Pistachio Pesto and Chicken & Fresh Corn Salad.
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