Cook a 3-course meal
Plan and prepare a simple three-course meal: a fresh starter, an easy cooked main, and a no-bake dessert, with adult supervision.
Step-by-step guide to cook a three-course meal
Making A 3-Course Meal With 5 Ingredients
Step 1
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
Step 2
Decide which fresh starter main and no-bake dessert you want to make and tell an adult.
Step 3
Gather all the ingredients and tools for your chosen menu and put them on the counter.
Step 4
Rinse any fruits and vegetables for the starter under cold running water.
Step 5
With an adult's help, chop or slice the starter ingredients on the cutting board.
Step 6
Put the chopped starter ingredients into the mixing bowl.
Step 7
Assemble the fresh starter on a plate by tossing the salad or topping the bread and drizzle with dressing.
Step 8
With an adult, heat the frying pan or boil a pot of water for the main on the stove.
Step 9
With an adult, cook the main dish by boiling pasta until tender or sautéing ingredients in the pan until cooked through.
Step 10
Plate the cooked main neatly on a plate using utensils.
Step 11
Assemble the no-bake dessert by layering yogurt and fruit or crushed cookies and chocolate into cups.
Step 12
Wash the dishes and wipe your workspace with adult help.
Step 13
Take a photo and share your finished three-course meal on DIY.org.
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a frying pan, pot, mixing bowl, or dessert cups?
Choose a no-cook main like pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or a sandwich, cook pasta in a microwave-safe bowl with adult help instead of a pot, and substitute a large clean salad bowl or mason jars for the mixing bowl and dessert cups.
My pasta came out sticky or undercooked, what went wrong?
Make sure you boiled enough water (as in 'boil a pot of water'), added salt, stirred occasionally while boiling, and with adult help tested a piece until 'tender' before draining.
How can I change the activity for different ages?
For younger kids have them wash hands, rinse produce, and assemble the starter or layer the no-bake dessert while an adult handles chopping and stove steps, and for older kids let them chop with a child-safe knife, cook the pasta with supervision, and plate the main neatly.
How can we make the three-course meal more special or creative?
Make a simple homemade dressing to drizzle on the starter, add a fresh herb or garnish to the plated main, use cookie cutters to shape layered dessert components, and write a short menu to photograph before sharing on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to cook a three-course meal
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Facts about cooking for kids
🥗 A classic three-course meal has a starter, main, and dessert — it's a tasty way to balance flavors and textures!
👩🍳 Kids who cook with adults are more likely to try new foods and eat more fruits and vegetables.
🔥 Kitchen safety tip: turning pot handles inward and using oven mitts helps prevent the most common kitchen injuries.
🍰 No-bake desserts (like fridge cheesecakes and parfaits) set in the refrigerator instead of the oven — great for young chefs!
⏱️ Planning a meal teaches time management: start with the longest-cooking dish and finish with quick, fresh items.
How do I help my child plan and prepare a simple three-course meal?
What materials and ingredients do I need to cook a kid-friendly three-course meal?
What ages is a three-course cooking activity suitable for?
What safety tips and benefits should I know before my child cooks a three-course meal?
