Kids in the kitchen…good idea or bad? Well, experts say that raising an adventurous eater may be linked to kids having a joyful experience in the kitchen cooking and preparing food.
Spending time with your child in the kitchen, learning the fundamentals of cooking can help them build confidence, pride, and an exploratory palate.
In this article, I’m going to introduce you to KidStir, a monthly kids’ cooking subscription that’s helping parents everywhere encourage their children to get in the kitchen and start creating.
Is this a good option for your family? Should you try Kidstir? Let’s find out!
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Why Cook With Your Kids?
Before we review Kidstir, let’s first talk about why you should get in the kitchen with your little ones. Here are some of the top reasons to enjoy cooking with your kids:
1. Exposure to a wide variety of foods
Raise your hand if you have a picky eater. For children, trying new foods can feel intimidating, which leads them to avoid them altogether in lieu of sticking with their trusty mac n cheese, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets. One of the best ways to get your child to start exploring new foods is to have them prepare and cook them, experiencing the textures and smells of each ingredient.
2. It’s a life lesson
Cooking is an essential part of life and having the ability to do so well can inspire them to incorporate cooking into their lives for the
3. They’ll learn valuable math and measurement skills
Cooking is more than just stirring and mixing, it involves following a recipe and using precise measurements. In the kitchen, children will begin to develop an understanding of what measurements are and how to use them.
4. They’re more likely to eat the meals
When youngsters are involved with the preparation of meals, they are much more likely to eat them. They take pride in their work and are genuinely curious to see what their creation tastes like. It gives a new perspective on food and an appreciation for the work that goes into making it.
5. You and your children will have FUN!
Is there anything better than a smiling, happy child? As parents, we have the ability to curate joy for our children from the simplest of actions. For example, an unplugged couple of hours in the kitchen spent making meals and memories will do wonders for your spirit as well as for your child’s.
Kidstir is a kid cooking subscription with a mission to bring families together. The brand desires to allow parents and their children to connect over a love and appreciation for preparing meals.
As a subscriber, every month you’ll receive a new meal kit in the mail with a unique theme. Inside you’ll find easy-to-follow, kid-friendly recipes, shopping lists, cooking tools, games, and more.
The recipes chosen are designed to please even picky eaters and are printed on brightly colored, beautifully designed cards that are made to be cherished and kept for years to come. Speaking of which, they offer a recipe book as an additional purchase that can be used to keep every recipe safe and organized.
What's So Great About KidStir?
- Monthly boxes are different every month, so no worries about repeating recipes.
- The monthly membership will renew every month, but there is no long-term commitment – can anytime!
- Kits work well for ages 4-14.
- Each box comes with 3 kid-friendly recipes.
- Recipe book available for purchase to organize recipes and create a memorable keepsake.
- Access to a parent Facebook group for support and inspiration.
- 6-month memberships come with a free oven mitt, 12-month memberships come with a free oven mitt and apron.
- Included games are designed to encourage quality time with the family.
My Experience With Kidstir
My oldest son is 6 years old and he’s always enjoyed helping me in the kitchen. So when the pandemic hit and he was home more than ever and I was desperately trying to find things to do to keep him busy and out of my hair, cooking came up.
I was excited to find that there were a few highly-rated kids cooking subscription services available and went ahead and tried a couple, including Kidstir and Raddish.
First. I loved that KIdstir gave me plenty of options when it came to the subscription. Not knowing if my son and I would like this type of thing or not, I knew I didn’t want to be locked into anything long-term. I was grateful for the one-month subscription option to start off as it allowed me to try it first before committing.
Another thing that stood out to me right off the bat was that it was so easy to add on additional materials like an apron, oven mitt, cookbook, and even a sibling set. As a mom of 3, I know that I can’t just buy something for one child and not the others, so the option to simply add on a sibling set for a low price is clutch for us mommas of more than one.
Fun Monthly Themes
Every month, there is a new theme that the entire box is curated to fit. For example, as I am writing this review, the theme is Over the Rainbow for March and in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. So inside this particular kit, you’ll find everything to do with the holiday, including all the usual suspects; leprechauns, rainbows, and pots of gold.
The meals included in the KidsStir kit are:
- Rainbow surprise cake
- Gold Squash Coins
- Pea Pesto Pasta
I find the themes to be so fun and engaging, especially when the month has a holiday in it!
Easy to Follow Directions
As a kid’s meal kit, it’s expected that the meals be kid-friendly, but it’s also important that the directions be designed for kids, too. Kidstir does a great job of making their recipe cards both fun to look at and easy to understand, too. My son is just starting to read, but he is able to easily understand the context of the directions and follow along accordingly.
Is KidStir Affordable?
Now isn’t the time for many families to be investing in large-scale activities and items for their children, so it’s refreshing that Kidstir prices their monthly boxes so affordable. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to entertain your children!
Here’s a breakdown of Kidstir’s pricing and plans:
| Plan | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Monthly: | $23.99 per kit |
| 3-months: | $23.99 per kit |
| 6-months: | $21.99 per kit (mitt included) |
| 12-months: | $19.99 per kit (Apron and mitt included) |
As I mentioned, I was happy to start with the monthly plan at first to ensure we loved it. Then, we had the option to switch our membership from there. The benefits of going for the longer memberships (6 or 12 months), is that you’ll save some money and you’ll get some fun materials for free, which is always a nice bonus!
Regardless of which subscription option you choose, you can always cancel at any time, no questions asked.
Who is Kidstir Best For?
Kidstir is best for children between the ages of 4-14. However, I find that kids in the 8-12 group get the most out of the kits. With younger children, the kitchen work will need to be very closely monitored and guided by a parent, whereas older children are able to take the reins a bit more and gain some independence.
That said, I still 100% recommend this for younger kids, too, but with the knowledge that they won’t be able to do many things all by themselves just quite yet.
I also find that Kidstir is great for kids who have a picky palate and/or an unwillingness to try new things. When children are involved in the process of preparing the food, they are much more likely to at least give it a try.
What I Love About Kidstir (Pros)
- Subscription options that fit your needs
- A fun, unique way to connect with your kiddos
- New themes every month – no repeating!
- Boxes come with 3 recipes, but so much more. Plenty to keep kids and families engaged.
- Easy to add on extra materials for a sibling.
- An affordable way to entertain your kids and make memories.
Things to Keep in Mind
- You will need to purchase the ingredients separately – they are not included in the box.
- Small children will need lots of help, so make sure you have the time to set aside to do so.
Should Your Family Try Kidstir? My Thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to connect with your kids, fuel a love for cooking and appreciation for food, and teach your children valuable life skills, then you’re going to love Kidstir. From the moment you open your box, you’ll see that the Kidstir team puts a lot of thought and effort into making each kit fun and educational for kids and families.
This is the kind of subscription that you can feel really good about, not just because it’s very affordable, but because you’re giving your child the opportunity to make food and learn the ins and outs of the kitchen. Each month, they’ll develop new skills and be able to add new recipes to their book. It’s a very rewarding experience for both parents and children.
Give Kidstir a try! Whether your children are destined for their own cooking show on the Food Network or not, there’s so much value in learning your way around the kitchen and developing a healthy relationship with food.