Holiday Fun Can Start in the Kitchen

Thanksgiving isn’t just about the meal — it’s about the moments made while preparing it.

Getting kids involved in the kitchen helps them feel proud of what they create, teaches valuable cooking skills and makes the day more meaningful for everyone.

These easy, family-friendly recipes are designed with little helpers in mind with simple steps, colorful ingredients, and lots of opportunities to mix, mash, sprinkle and smile.

1. Mini Harvest Veggie Cups

A colorful, kid-approved way to eat veggies before the main event!

What you’ll need:

• Assorted raw veggies (carrots, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hummus or ranch dip
• Small clear plastic cups or jars

What to do:

1. Have your child spoon a few tablespoons of hummus or ranch into the bottom of each cup.
2. Cut veggies into short sticks (grown-up or older kid job).
3. Let your child arrange the veggies upright in the cup.
4. Top each with a cherry tomato for color.

Why it works: These grab-and-go veggie cups are festive, easy to make ahead and keep kids busy while the turkey finishes roasting.

2. Apple Crisp Muffins

All the cozy fall flavors in a portion-sized, kid-friendly bake.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup diced apples
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, mix oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, honey and vanilla.
4. Combine everything and fold in diced apples.
5. Let your child help spoon the mix into muffin cups.
6. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden.

Why it works: Naturally sweetened and packed with fiber, these muffins make a healthy breakfast or dessert, and they fill your home with that unmistakable Thanksgiving aroma.

3. Turkey Fruit Platter

A creative centerpiece that doubles as a snack board.

What you’ll need:

• 1 small pear (for the turkey body)
• Sliced fruit: strawberries, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, melon, oranges, anything colorful!
• Candy eyes or chocolate chips
• A few baby carrots or pretzel sticks

What to do:

1. Place the pear upright in the center of a large platter.
2. Arrange fruit slices in fan-shaped layers around it like feathers.
3. Add candy eyes and a small carrot triangle for a beak.
4. Use pretzel sticks as little turkey legs.

Why it works: It’s adorable, healthy and makes fruit irresistible, especially when kids help design the “feathers.”

Make Memories and Messes Together

Cooking with kids isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection. Whether they’re stirring the muffin batter or proudly arranging the fruit “feathers,” your kids will remember being part of something special.

This Thanksgiving, let your kitchen become a space for laughter, learning and togetherness. Because sometimes the best recipes are the ones made with a little extra love (and a lot of little hands).

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