Whenever I think of cooking with children, I think of two things. First have fun and second, that what we are going to cook serves to introduce them to the consumption of new foods. One of the Summer recipes that I like to prepare with the kids are fruit salads.
If our children are very young, they can help us by cutting soft fruits like bananas with a plastic knife. If you have a few more years, you can help us place the different pieces in order on the plate to form a drawing or taking out fruit balls like melon or watermelon to make salads more appetizing.
I want distinguish fruit salads from fruit salad. When I say fruit salads I mean combinations of green leaves and vegetables with fruits, and then dressed with some type of vinaigrette. These salads are perfect as a side dish for main dishes, as starters or for light dinners.
By bringing fresh fruit pieces in its ingredients, the result is very pleasant especially during the summer. On the other hand, if we add some supplements to these salads, they can serve us as a single or main course, since they are also very satiating.
Ingredients for 4 people
- For the salad: Varied green leaves, (you can use an envelope of assortment of lettuce sprouts of different kinds) cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, crispy fried onion, 1 banana, 2 oranges, 2 slices of pineapple, 10 strawberries or 10 cherry cherries, 1 slice of watermelon or melon and 1 pound of corn kernels
- For the vinaigrette, 1 juice orange, 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt
How to make fruit salad with kids
In a summer fruit salad I usually include the ingredients that I have put as a base, although sometimes one fruit predominates more than another, - depending on what you have in the fridge - and other times I include a chicken breast cooked and cut into taquitos when I want the fruit salad to be a unique dish. Another added ingredient can be crab surimi shredded into threads.
To cook with children, I really like to equip them properly and turn that part of the ritual into a game. We wash our hands well, we put on our aprons and if I have a hat on hand, I also put it on so they start smiling.
With my nieces, who have already seen that they are my best helpers, the task is easy because they love to play dress up but then they take work in the kitchen very seriously. Among the tasks I commission under my supervision, the following stand out.
- Cut small and soft fruits into small pieces (pineapple, banana, strawberry)
- Take out small fruit balls (melon, watermelon)
- Squeeze the oranges (sometimes they stain a little)
- Prepare the vinaigrette and dress the salad
- Stir and mix
I take care of cutting the tomatoes, open the cans, peel and chop the apples, cook and chop the chicken if you add it and encourage the session with jokes, tickles and all kinds of explanations. The result is an entertaining hour and make sure they are going to eat everything.
We put the lettuce leaves and chopped tomatoes in a bowl and we add the fruits in pieces and the melon and watermelon balls. Add a tablespoon of sunflower seeds and another of fried crispy onion and half a can of cooked corn kernels, and stir well to mix all the ingredients. In the following image you can see a presentation idea.
If we add bits of crab surimi, the children can shred it by removing the threads with their hands and adding them to the bowl where the rest of the ingredients are. If we prefer chicken breast, we cook it and chop it into pieces and add it to the salad. Once everything is mixed, it will only be necessary to dress it with the vinaigrette.
As for the vinaigrette that we will use as a dressing, when I prepare fruit salads, I like to replace the vinegar with orange juice, which also has a touch of acidity but is more pleasant and simple for children. In a glass we mix the orange juice with the oil, we beat it well with a fork and with the mixture we dress the salad. Children can do this task without any inconvenience.
Processing time | 30 minutes Difficulty | Very easy
Tasting
Between the Summer recipes to make with kids, salads with fruits They are very easy to prepare and very fun to eat. The children of the house will be able to participate in many of the intermediate tasks for the preparation of the recipe so they will be proud of their work and will presume before the elders have prepared it themselves. You will see their faces.
