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Complete Children's Cookbook: Delicious Step-by-Step Recipes for Young Cooks
Delicious dishes kids will really want to make. More than 150 fabulous recipes, divided into nine themed chapters (Breakfast, Soups and Salads, Light Bites, and more) will have you and your child in the kitchen and cooking in no time. From French toast to rainbow salad, vegetable lasagna to tomato soup, and ice cream to mini muffins, Complete Children's Cookbook has a recipe for every occasion. And with beautiful full-color photography, simple instructions, and a focus on safety, each one makes an ideal cook-together project that will have children excited to try the new flavors in the dishes they helped make. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and feature a picture for every step, so children can see clearly just what to do as they build basic cooking skills, safe kitchen practices, and adventurous palates.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
9 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Jill Bloomfield
10 books2 followersJill Colella Bloomfield loves to cook and eat. Her approach to cooking instruction for kids emphasizes practicing the basic fundamentals of cooking technique. No gimmicks, no food crafts, but real, honest cooking lessons for kids.
To learn more, visit: www.teachkidstocook.com"
To learn more, visit: www.teachkidstocook.com"
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 19, 2017
Excellent cookbook for sharing the love of cooking and baking with children. I use it as part of my Grandma project. We pick out recipes, make a shopping list, shop for the ingredients, then cook and bake. My granddaughters who are 8 and 9 are learning fractions as we change the recipes to suit us.
I'll write a more thorough review for my website with photos from our adventures soon and update this review with a link to it. Highly recommend this to those who want to share cooking and baking with their little ones, but it's also an excellent cookbook for beginning cooks, or cooks looking for some new ideas. It's full of beautiful photos for inspiration.
I'll write a more thorough review for my website with photos from our adventures soon and update this review with a link to it. Highly recommend this to those who want to share cooking and baking with their little ones, but it's also an excellent cookbook for beginning cooks, or cooks looking for some new ideas. It's full of beautiful photos for inspiration.
April 1, 2015
1.5/5 Stars
This was the weirdest kid's cookbook that I have seen in a long time. Although it is marketed for kids, it was written more from an adult perspective. Few of the pictures were even targeted towards kids. Most recipes were basically cooking 101 recipes partnered with others that the better chunk of kids won't touch.
When I give kid's cookbooks high rating, they are adorable cookbooks with kid friendly recipes. Partner with kids doing the cooking and it is a winner. This book failed at all aspects of that.
I was shocked given the publisher of the quality of this book. There are much more better kids cookbooks on the market.
ARC copy from publisher for honest review.
This was the weirdest kid's cookbook that I have seen in a long time. Although it is marketed for kids, it was written more from an adult perspective. Few of the pictures were even targeted towards kids. Most recipes were basically cooking 101 recipes partnered with others that the better chunk of kids won't touch.
When I give kid's cookbooks high rating, they are adorable cookbooks with kid friendly recipes. Partner with kids doing the cooking and it is a winner. This book failed at all aspects of that.
I was shocked given the publisher of the quality of this book. There are much more better kids cookbooks on the market.
ARC copy from publisher for honest review.
February 13, 2020
Beautiful and Practical
You know there's no such thing as a Complete Cookbook - or a complete any kind of book - yet in 304 pages, this attractive, hefty hardbound book provides over 150 not difficult, easy to follow (for almost any age from about third grade on up) recipes for standard North American favourite dishes in nine categories. Happily, this Complete Children's Cookbook from DK, a Penguin / Random House imprint, includes some vegetarian options. Every single photograph is in vivid full-colour; for the most part, you get a full page photograph of the dish on one side of the page, smaller pics with detailed preparation, cooking, and serving instructions on the opposite page. This cooking book also is fabulous for time- and imagination-challenged grownups who keep hearing or telling themselves, "make something tasty! quick!" You can discover and create something tasty quickly that's not obscure, exotic, pretentious, or requiring impossible to find ingredients. Too bad the gorgeous pics aren't edible!
Following the steps to fix each dish is easy, though I wish they'd formatted details of the numbered procedure or "method" in larger type for younger kids or for oldsters looking over the shoulders of youngsters to help them. As a graphic designer I love Love LOVE the page layout and book design, but I'd very much like easier to read page numbers. I truly get how fun it is to enclose pagination within a fun design, but please either make it larger, or leave the typeface the same basic size but leave it plain and clearly readable. Human (and food, too, I assume) models are from Capel Manor College in Enfield, Middlesex, UK.
Original reviewed in May 2015
You know there's no such thing as a Complete Cookbook - or a complete any kind of book - yet in 304 pages, this attractive, hefty hardbound book provides over 150 not difficult, easy to follow (for almost any age from about third grade on up) recipes for standard North American favourite dishes in nine categories. Happily, this Complete Children's Cookbook from DK, a Penguin / Random House imprint, includes some vegetarian options. Every single photograph is in vivid full-colour; for the most part, you get a full page photograph of the dish on one side of the page, smaller pics with detailed preparation, cooking, and serving instructions on the opposite page. This cooking book also is fabulous for time- and imagination-challenged grownups who keep hearing or telling themselves, "make something tasty! quick!" You can discover and create something tasty quickly that's not obscure, exotic, pretentious, or requiring impossible to find ingredients. Too bad the gorgeous pics aren't edible!
Following the steps to fix each dish is easy, though I wish they'd formatted details of the numbered procedure or "method" in larger type for younger kids or for oldsters looking over the shoulders of youngsters to help them. As a graphic designer I love Love LOVE the page layout and book design, but I'd very much like easier to read page numbers. I truly get how fun it is to enclose pagination within a fun design, but please either make it larger, or leave the typeface the same basic size but leave it plain and clearly readable. Human (and food, too, I assume) models are from Capel Manor College in Enfield, Middlesex, UK.
Original reviewed in May 2015
April 30, 2018
I don't agree that this great for children--more mid or late teens. My 10 year old daughter was unable to make these recipes without major assistance throughout. However, there is an abundance of great recipes listed therein. My other complaint is how vague some directions proved to be. For example, one recipe stated in the ingredients and instructions "mixed herbs" without specifying how much or which herbs. We winged it and made something up, but more guidance there would have been much more appropriate for a children's cookbook. I would recommend this for parents who may want to cook with their children and let the child pick from many recipe options that would appeal to the younger set.
May 31, 2017
BBQ Chicken Skewers!!!
August 29, 2018
Lots of good food ideas
May 18, 2019
Bought it for my two sons as an introduction to cooking. Lots of bright pictures and easy steps for them to follow. We tried the Rainbow Beef, phenomenal!!
December 13, 2020
Nice cookbook, great pictures of every recipe. Easy to read and with great recipes that have fruits and veggies but look tasty!
Want to read
March 31, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 29, 2023
I want to use this when I start cooking with our boys. So fun and practical and lots of pictures.
December 28, 2016
A good cookbook for kids and parents to use together.
July 14, 2019
1* It might just be me and my family's style, but there weren't many recipes in this book that looked appetizing to us.
Read
November 6, 2016~ this book was a Review Copy
I have kids who cook at home BUT don't let the 'Children's' in the description turn you away from this cookbook. It would be fine for Adults and here's why. The recipes in this book are healthy and what's just a cool, quick! Nothing from Mini Fish Cakes to Soups take a long time. Most are probably a half hour, with only a few taking 60 minutes. (The tomato soup takes 20-25 minutes to simmer.)
PRESENTATION
Perfect presentation. This book is bright and colorful with step by step instructions. There are pictures of the final product and then instructions broken down into actions. For example, for the Quiche Lorraine you PREHEAT the oven, PRICK the bottom of the dough in the pan, PLACE the bacon in a non stick pan and cook, WHISK together the eggs and cream..., . the Pan on the Baking sheet, and PLACE the sheet in the oven. And for every one of these steps there's a picture and instructions.
RECIPES
There are a variety of recipes. Everything from smoothies to fish cakes to french toast to vegetarian moussaka. Now MY KIDS love french toast, but they are going to balk at fish cakes. They just aren't sophisticated eaters. But having said that, there are plenty of recipes in this book that they'd try. The Noodle Soup and bake goods will no doubt be popular.
FOR KIDS?
This is NOT a book that children can use all by themselves. Even my teens aren't allowed to deep fry. And I prefer standing over my son when he uses a sharp knife.
SUMMARY
Fantastic cookbook. Like I said initially, I don't think adults should be put off from buying this book for themselves. The recipes are sophisticated enough that there's spiciness and tanginess where appropriate. And what really sells me on the book is that for most of the recipes the cooking time is minimal. These are dishes you could easily make after coming from work, or quickly between kid activities.
Recommend.
I have kids who cook at home BUT don't let the 'Children's' in the description turn you away from this cookbook. It would be fine for Adults and here's why. The recipes in this book are healthy and what's just a cool, quick! Nothing from Mini Fish Cakes to Soups take a long time. Most are probably a half hour, with only a few taking 60 minutes. (The tomato soup takes 20-25 minutes to simmer.)
PRESENTATION
Perfect presentation. This book is bright and colorful with step by step instructions. There are pictures of the final product and then instructions broken down into actions. For example, for the Quiche Lorraine you PREHEAT the oven, PRICK the bottom of the dough in the pan, PLACE the bacon in a non stick pan and cook, WHISK together the eggs and cream..., . the Pan on the Baking sheet, and PLACE the sheet in the oven. And for every one of these steps there's a picture and instructions.
RECIPES
There are a variety of recipes. Everything from smoothies to fish cakes to french toast to vegetarian moussaka. Now MY KIDS love french toast, but they are going to balk at fish cakes. They just aren't sophisticated eaters. But having said that, there are plenty of recipes in this book that they'd try. The Noodle Soup and bake goods will no doubt be popular.
FOR KIDS?
This is NOT a book that children can use all by themselves. Even my teens aren't allowed to deep fry. And I prefer standing over my son when he uses a sharp knife.
SUMMARY
Fantastic cookbook. Like I said initially, I don't think adults should be put off from buying this book for themselves. The recipes are sophisticated enough that there's spiciness and tanginess where appropriate. And what really sells me on the book is that for most of the recipes the cooking time is minimal. These are dishes you could easily make after coming from work, or quickly between kid activities.
Recommend.
February 8, 2017
This was a great book, most especially for children. Each recipe has pictured instructions on how to make everything and there are even cautions for stuff that may need adult handy. All the recipes are divided up into sections that are very helpful and EVERYTHING is pictures that makes me happy.
June 10, 2015
Brings together all that is wonderful about a DK cookbook - gorgeous photographs with simple instructions and truly inspiring recipes. The only sad thing (we thought) is that the book was so long that it was heavy. Almost too heavy to hold in your lap if you are enjoying it like a bedtime story.. not that everyone would do this but when our girls were younger we often enjoyed cookbooks that way.
So, we have this on our list to buy and it will have a lasting spot on the cookbook shelf and in our hearts.
So, we have this on our list to buy and it will have a lasting spot on the cookbook shelf and in our hearts.
October 31, 2015
Perhaps a little advanced for younger children, but I feel most children who loved to cook will definitely rise to the challenge (with adult assistance, of course!). If I had this book when I was a child, I wouldn't have needed rush learning how to make basic meals as an adult!
Beautiful health-conscious recipes are paired with fantastic step-by-step photographs. A fantastic gift option for a child who loves to cook, with pages on cooking basics too!
Beautiful health-conscious recipes are paired with fantastic step-by-step photographs. A fantastic gift option for a child who loves to cook, with pages on cooking basics too!
May 9, 2022
I tried their Carrot Cupcakes and they tasted more like ORANGE Cupcakes. YUCK!!!!!
April 26, 2017
What a great cookbook, for children and adults!
I love reading cookbooks to add variety and new ideas to our meals. I wouldn't usually venture into children's cookbook, because my preconception is that they are too simple (to the point of boring). But this book is the opposite of boring. It's so fun and engaging.
My 8-yr-old checked it out from the library, and literally devoured the book in one sitting, with lots of ambitious projects in mind. At his repeated urging over the next few weeks, I reluctantly started to flip through the pages and was totally amazed at how easy the recipes read and how engaging each of the ideas was. Being a visual reader and experienced home cook, I don't appreciate laboriously written instruction for cooking, so this book is perfect. We have already tried quite a few recipes from the book, and everyone loves those recipes! The best part is that it's easy enough to follow for my husband and my 8-year-old to create a new dish together while I was away :)
I love reading cookbooks to add variety and new ideas to our meals. I wouldn't usually venture into children's cookbook, because my preconception is that they are too simple (to the point of boring). But this book is the opposite of boring. It's so fun and engaging.
My 8-yr-old checked it out from the library, and literally devoured the book in one sitting, with lots of ambitious projects in mind. At his repeated urging over the next few weeks, I reluctantly started to flip through the pages and was totally amazed at how easy the recipes read and how engaging each of the ideas was. Being a visual reader and experienced home cook, I don't appreciate laboriously written instruction for cooking, so this book is perfect. We have already tried quite a few recipes from the book, and everyone loves those recipes! The best part is that it's easy enough to follow for my husband and my 8-year-old to create a new dish together while I was away :)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews