This last year has been tough in so many ways, and unfortunately, our children have not been spared. With school closures, less social time, and more screen time, parents everywhere (myself included!) are asking the question “will my kids be alright?”
USA Today recently reported that, after speaking with dozens of professionals, the majority all believe that children need today what they have always needed, caregivers who are present and available.
As parents who are trying to do our best to keep our children engaged, happy, and flourishing, we’re always looking for ways to connect with them. One of the best things that I discovered throughout the pandemic was a kids’ cooking subscription called Raddish Kids.
My 6-year-old loves to help me in the kitchen, so when I realized that there were curated kits out there to help him and I connect in the kitchen while teaching him valuable, lifelong lessons in the kitchen, I was all in.
Today, I’m reviewing Raddish Kids, a cooking club for kids that might just be the thing you need to spark some fun, joy, and a healthy love of food and cooking in your children, pandemic or not.
What is Raddish Kids?
Raddish Kids is a cooking club for kids that delivers monthly culinary fun for kids between the ages of 4-14 to your doorstep. Each month, families receive a themed box that includes three recipes, kid-friendly tools and collectible, and three culinary skill cards. Every month the theme changes, so you can ensure you’re always getting fresh, new recipes and family fun.
An important distinction with this kids’ cooking club is that it does not contain the ingredients for the recipes, parents must purchase the required ingredients. Raddish does provide a shopping list inside each box, and it is also emailed ahead of the box to allow time to gather ingredients before the box arrives.
What exactly comes in each kit?
Each Raddish Kids cooking kit comes with the following:
- 3 illustrated recipe guides
- 3 culinary skill cards
- 1 creative kitchen project
- 1 kid-friendly tool
- Table Talk Cards
- Raddish iron-on patch
- Shopping list
You will also have access to Raddish’s “Bonus Bites” via their official website where you can access more recipes, activities, dietary substitutions, and so much more.
What to expect from the themes
The monthly themes are one of my favorite parts of this service. Raddish does a great job of curating boxes with fun, unique themes, and recipes. Generally, you can expect their themes to fall into one of the four categories: Seasonal Spotlights, Global Cuisine, Creative Cookery, or Holiday Celebrations.
As an example, the box that I received this month was “Family Fun Night.” Everything inside my box was meant to promote a night of fun, good foods, and games with the whole gang.
What age are Raddish kits best for?
While Raddish states that their kits are perfect for kids between the ages of 4-14, that’s a big age range, which means more or less involvement for you as a parent. For the littlest kiddos, patents will need to orchestrate the whole event, from reading the recipe cards to measuring and cutting.
However, if your children are a bit older, you can let them take the reigns a bit more and really explore their culinary curiosities. The ages group between 9-13 tend to be the most excited to take the wheel and prepare the meals “on their own” for the rest of the family.
That said, I absolutely love doing these with my 6-year-old. Although I have to walk through everything with him, it’s quality time spent in the kitchen and he’s learning what it means to prepare food and to take pride in something he’s made.
Are the recipes easy to follow?
Yes, the recipes are so easy to read and follow. Designed with kids in mind, Raddish does a great job of really breaking everything down into easy to execute steps. Plus, the recipe cards are laminated, allowing you to get messy in the kitchen but still keep them forever.
How much does the monthly kit cost?
Raddish offers its memberships with several subscription options. You can choose monthly, 6, or 12-month memberships. The monthly membership costs $24 and it will automatically renew on the first of each month, you can cancel at any time. The 6-month memberships are paid upfront and cost $132 or $22 per month. Lastly, the 12-month membership is also paid upfront for a total cost of $240 or $20 per month. If you go with the 6 or 12-month membership, you’ll also receive a free bonus apron.
The longer memberships with the upfront cost make a perfect gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! Plenty of grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc. who don’t want to give children yet another toy that they’ll be sick of in a day can opt for a subscription like this that provides so much more value.
My Personal Experience With Raddish Kids (Review)
As I mentioned, I received my first kit in the mail and it was the family fun kit. First, my son was ecstatic to receive a package in the mail that was just for him. I didn’t get the shopping list ahead of time, so I needed to purchase a few ingredients before we were able to get started, which was fine because we had fun checking out the recipes, games, and utensils for a day or two.
The three meals included in our kit were all easy to make and meals that, as a family, we all enjoyed.; There weren’t any crazy or wacky ingredients and nothing that was too complex to make, which was a relief both because I am not the best in the kitchen and because my family has several very picky eaters.
When we had all the ingredients, we got to work making one recipe at a time, completing two in one day, and saving the last one for the next day. It was fun to teach my son how to read a recipe and some of the basics of cooking. Prior to this, he had only been my “stirrer” in the kitchen, so he loved to be promoted to sous chef.
Pros
- Fun, new themes every month
- 3 easy to make, kid-friendly meals with each kit
- High-quality kitchen utensil included
- Great way to introduce kids to cooking and connect in the kitchen
- Works well for kids of all ages
- Recipe cards are laminated and meant to be saved and re-used
- Makes a great gift
Cons
- You must purchase the ingredients separately
Who Should Try This Kids’ Cooking Kit?
I think that parents often get tired of trying to think of things to do to keep their kids occupied for more than 10 minutes, and we all hate the amount of screen time they’re getting these days. This is the exact reason why I started searching for a subscription service just like this. I wanted to mix things up in our home, create a healthy love of cooking and relationship with food, and I wanted a way to connect with my oldest son.
Raddish is a great option for anyone who has a desire to get closer with their children in the kitchen, teach them valuable lessons that they will use for the rest of their lives. Children love to feel as though they are contributing to the family, and Raddish is the perfect way to give them that feeling of accomplishment and pride. Plus, your kid is far more likely to eat something if they know the hard work and effort that went into making it!
Final Thoughts: Should you check Raddish out?
Although these kits do not come with the food you need, I find the fact that they are curated perfectly with fun themes and tasty recipes valuable enough. Additionally, each kit is designed to help give your child valuable lessons in cooking, which is a vital life skill. Who knows, maybe you’ll invoke a love for cooking that your child (and you) didn’t even know they had!
If you’ve been looking for an easy way to get your child in the kitchen cooking, learning, and having fun, I highly recommend Raddish.