Grab the Wisk! It’s Bake for Family Fun Month

It may come as no surprise that chocolate chip cookies are one of the most popular desserts in America. They are not only delicious, but they don’t require too many ingredients and are easy enough to bake that even the little ones can help make them. Whether it’s cookies, pies, cakes or souffles, February is the perfect time to have fun in the kitchen in celebration of “Bake for Family Fun Month.”

It can be challenging to find a recipe that suits everyone in your family, especially if you have many mouths to feed. Having to accommodate everyone’s allergies, intolerances, and prescribed diets can make choosing one recipe that fits all seem impossible. Or perhaps you find the perfect recipe only to realize that one of the ingredients doesn’t work for your family. There are simple switches that you can make in baking to keep things tasty and friendly and won’t compromise taste.

Another problem you might run into in the kitchen is what tasks you can give your children at different age levels. While kitchen skills will depend on your child and their development, there are some standard kitchen tasks based on age level that you can try. No one should have to miss out on baking something tasty for the whole family to enjoy!

Simple Baking Swaps

Unfortunately, baking often includes some ingredients from the eight most common food allergies: egg, tree nut, peanut, shellfish, soy, fish, wheat, and dairy. Whether your family has an allergy or not, likely there is someone who has some nutrition considerations that need to be kept in mind. Here are some simple baking swaps that can be helpful:

Dairy-Free: If your house is dairy-free for an allergy or intolerance, odds are you have some sort of dairy alternative milk in the refrigerator. Or perhaps you are baking something for a guest with an allergy and all you have is cow’s milk. Making dairy-free milk at home is very simple! You can make oat milk using only water, oats, cinnamon, and honey if you are looking for something sweet.

Eggs: Eggs are used in recipes as a binder to help keep the other ingredients together, or as a leavening agent. If your recipe calls for eggs as a binder, you can substitute a banana, applesauce, or flax seeds. If your recipe requires eggs to leaven, a mixture of baking powder, water, and oil can do the trick!

Wheat Substitute: An allergy or intolerance to wheat is quite common and can be very serious. While most traditional recipes call for all-purpose flour, you can always try to swap in rice flour, gluten-free rolled oats, and even tapioca flour.

Sugar-free: If someone in your family has diabetes, they may be looking for a sweet treat without raising their blood sugars too high. Cinnamon is commonly used in baking to add a bit of sweetness. You can also try bananas or dates to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Kids in the Kitchen

It may be hard to relinquish control in the kitchen, or maybe you aren’t sure what tasks are suitable for your children. Kids at any age can help in the kitchen, depending on how complex the recipe is and what tasks need to be done. Here are a few ways you can get the kids involved in baking:

Crack the Eggs: Provide your child with a separate mixing bowl and have them crack the eggs. Check for shells after each egg and show them how to remove any that get mixed in.

Wash the ingredients: Some recipes may call for fresh fruit or vegetables. If so, you will need to thoroughly wash all ingredients before adding them. This is a simple task that even the young ones can help with.

Mix Dry Ingredients: If you are looking for something your younger children can help with, this is the task for them. Once they are older, they can even measure out the dry ingredients before mixing them.

Kneading Dough: There is nothing more fun for a child than kneading dough! If you are making bread or a pie, you will need some dough kneaded. Allow your child to get a little messy.

At the end of the day, it’s not about what you bake, but the memories that you make along the way.

Your Turn to Action: What are you going to bake with the family this February? Let me know in the comments below.