If you’re a parent, then you know that when your kids are young, you spend a ton of time making them food. They want snacks constantly, you need to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, and the requests for food can come at the most bizarre times. But the good news is that as your kids get older, you can start to teach them how to make their own food. Teens are at the perfect age to finally take charge in the kitchen. They’re old enough to understand the basics of kitchen and food safety, and teaching them how to make some basic meals for themselves or to help out the family will help boost their confidence and sense of self-assurance.
You also want to make sure that, when the time comes for them to live on their own, they’ll have the skills they need to make themselves delicious meals. That way they won’t end up spending all of their money on take-out, and they’ll be better prepared for independence. Start with these easy recipes for basic but beloved foods like pancakes, cheeseburgers, fried rice, chili, and more. Once they’ve mastered this list of basics, they can start adding their own touches to make the recipes their own. Even better? You’ll finally be able to get some help when it’s time to make dinner!
Scrambled Eggs
This breakfast staple is a great recipe to teach your teens. It’s loaded with protein so they can make themselves a nutritious breakfast in the mornings, and it’s nice to let them help out while you make the bacon and toast.
Get the recipe from Love & Lemons.
Omelette
While we’re talking about eggs, we might as well add omelets to the list. This super-easy recipe is a breakfast basic and one all teens should know how to make.
Get the recipe from Downshiftology.
Pancakes
Making pancakes is a satisfying and delicious way to start the morning. The batter itself isn’t hard to make, but you can help your teen learn how to make sure the pan is at the right heat so the pancakes don’t burn or stay raw, and show them how to look for the bubbles at the edges of the pancakes before flipping them over.
Get the recipe from Inspired Taste.
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Spaghetti with meat sauce is one of the first dinners I learned how to make for my family, and I was so proud to be able to help out my parents on busy nights. All your teen will need to make this easy meal is a box of spaghetti, ground meat, a jar of marinara, and some grated Parmesan cheese.
Get the recipe from My Every Day Table.
Arroz con Pollo
Chicken with rice is a staple in so many different cultures, and this arroz con pollo is a great intro recipe for any teen. Chicken is seasoned with dry spices and browned in a pan with some onion, creating a base of flavor for the rice it will cook with. Then, the rice is added with frozen veg, tomato sauce, and broth, and cooked until tender.
Get the recipe from Dash of Color and Spice.
Homemade Pizza
Store-bought pizza dough, either the kind that comes in a bag or the kind that comes rolled up in a can, is the secret to making easy pizza at home. Top the dough with sauce, cheese, and the family’s favorite toppings, and this is one easy recipe your teen can definitely master.
Get the recipe from Fresh April Flours.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
People can get really fancy with how they make their chocolate chip cookies, but this simple recipe is the best place to start. It’s a one-bowl recipe that doesn’t require an electric mixer or chilled dough, so the cookies can be made from start to finish in literally 20 minutes.
Get the recipe from I Heart Eating.
Mashed Potatoes
Having a teen who can help make a side dish while you cook the main dinner is a total game changer, and this simple mashed potatoes recipe is easy enough for them to learn quickly. It calls for a potato ricer, but a regular potato masher works just as well for beginners.
Get the recipe from Smart In the Kitchen.
Simple Salad
A container of mixed greens is transformed into a flavorful side dish in this recipe. Have your teen shake up the dressing in a mason jar to keep things simple, and let them experiment with adding their favorite salad ingredients (tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons) to make the recipe their own.
Get the recipe from Plays Well Will Butter.
30-Minute Chicken Soup
If you want your teen to be able to help themselves when they’re sick (or just need a spot of comfort food), teach them how to make a simple chicken noodle soup. Rotisserie chicken is the perfect base for this recipe, and you can also make things easier by purchasing pre-chopped onion, carrots, and celery, which you can find at Trader Joe’s or in the prepared veggies section of the produce department at your grocery store.
Get the recipe from Averie Cooks.
Stovetop Mac & Cheese
This four-ingredient macaroni and cheese recipe is simpler than versions that call for making a roux, but it packs just as much flavor and boasts a silky, creamy cheese sauce.
Get the recipe from The Gracious Wife.
Baked Potatoes
Learning how to make baked potatoes is great for a few reasons. For one, it’s helpful to have your teen be able to make a side dish for dinner. But for two, a baked potato itself can be the base of an easy meal. Once the potato is cooked, your teen can add their favorite fixin’s, from cheese and sour cream to baked or black beans and cooked frozen veg, to make a full meal or snack.
Get the recipe from Salt & Lavender.
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
The perfect grilled cheese sandwich isn’t complicated to make. Two types of cheese and buttered bread is all your teen will need, and a can of tomato soup heated up in the microwave or on the stove-top completes this classic meal.
Get the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.
Fried Rice
Leftover rice is the base for this simple fried rice recipe, which your teen will be able to whip up in just about 10 minutes.
Get the recipe from Christie at Home.
Simple 5-Ingredient Chili
Made with ground meat, canned tomatoes with green chilies, canned beans, a chopped onion, and chili powder, any teen can learn how to make this easy chili for dinner.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Sausage and Peppers
Sausage and peppers is a versatile one-pan meal that’s a great jumping-off point for a variety of meals. It can be used as a sandwich filling, a pasta sauce addition, a rice or mashed potato topper, or eaten straight out of the pan after a busy school day.
Get the recipe from Butter Be Ready.
French Toast
French toast is one of those recipes that tastes so much fancier than it actually is. Your teen can whip up the simple egg batter, dunk pieces of bread in, then fry them up in a buttered skillet. A few minutes later, breakfast is served!
Get the recipe from Love & Lemons.
Simple Cheeseburgers
Rather than spending all of their hard-earned money at the drive-through, teach your teen to make cheeseburgers at home. It’s really simple, and they can customize their burgers with any of their favorite condiments and toppings.
Get the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.
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