Embark on a Culinary World Tour With Your Grandkids With These Themed Cooking Nights

We want to give our grandkids the world, but darn it, the world is an expensive place! While we cannot literally give them the world, we can at least show them around it, and the best part? We can do it right from the comfort (and affordability) of our dining room table! 

Are you ready to treat your grandkids to a fun, educational, and delicious experience? Treat them (and yourself, Grandma!) to this culinary world tour via these seven themed cooking nights – one for each night of the week. 

1. Italian Night: Homemade Pizza

Theme: Create a mini Italian restaurant at home with Italian music playing in the background and maybe some simple decorations like a red-and-white-checkered tablecloth.

Educational Component: Teach the grandkids about the geography and history of Italy, including the importance of food in Italian culture.

Recipe: Homemade Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza dough
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it’s preheating.
2. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness.
3. Carefully remove the heated pizza stone from the oven, or prepare a baking sheet with some flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking.
4. Place the dough on the pizza stone or baking sheet.
5. Spread the tomato sauce evenly on the dough, leaving a small border for the crust.
6. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the tomato sauce.
7. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
8. Remove from oven, add fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt.
9. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

2. Mexican Night: Tacos

Theme: Decorate your space with vibrant colors and play some traditional Mexican music.

Educational Component: Discuss the history of Mexico, the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, and the importance of maize in Mexican cuisine.

Recipe: Build-Your-Own Tacos

Ingredients:

• Soft or hard taco shells
• 1 lb ground beef or chicken
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• Shredded lettuce
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded cheese
• Guacamole
• Sour cream

Instructions:

1. Cook the ground beef or chicken in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked. Add the taco seasoning and follow the package instructions.
2. While the meat is cooking, prepare the toppings: shred the lettuce, dice the tomatoes, and shred the cheese if necessary.
3. Warm the taco shells according to the package instructions.
4. Set everything out on the table and let everyone build their own tacos!

3. Japanese Night: Sushi Rolls

Theme: Create a tranquil environment with a simple centerpiece, such as a bonsai tree or a bowl of floating flowers.

Educational Component: Talk about Japan’s geography, customs, and the importance of rice and seafood in their cuisine.

Recipe: Simple Cucumber Sushi Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sushi vinegar
• 10 sheets nori (seaweed)
• 1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
• Soy sauce for dipping

Instructions:

1. Wash the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Then, cook the rice with the water in a rice cooker or on the stove. Once cooked, let it cool slightly before stirring in the sushi vinegar.
2. Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Wet your hands and spread about 1/2 cup of rice evenly onto the nori, leaving about 1 inch at the top free of rice.
3. Lay a few strips of cucumber across the rice.
4. Using the bamboo mat, roll the sushi tightly, starting from the end with the cucumber.
5. With a sharp knife, slice the sushi roll into bite-sized pieces.
6. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
7. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

4. Indian Night: Vegetable Curry

Theme: Use vibrant colors, like the colors you’d see in a traditional Indian market, for your decorations. You can also play some Bollywood music in the background.

Educational Component: Discuss India’s diverse cultures and languages, its history, and the importance of spices in Indian cuisine.

Recipe: Simple Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• 2 cups of mixed vegetables (like peas, carrots, and potatoes)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened.
2. Stir in the curry powder and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chickpeas and vegetables, stir until everything is coated in the curry mixture.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Let cook for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice or naan bread.

5. Greek Night: Greek Salad

Theme: Use blue and white decorations to match the colors of the Greek flag and play some traditional Greek music.

Educational Component: Talk about the history of Greece, including its mythology and ancient civilizations, and the Mediterranean diet.

Recipe: Greek Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
• 1 cup feta cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta cheese.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve chilled.

6. French Night: Crêpes

Theme: Set the table with a red and white checkered tablecloth and play some French café music.

Educational Component: Discuss France’s geography, history, and the significance of food and wine in French culture.

Recipe: Simple Crêpes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Pinch of salt
• Fillings of choice (Nutella, strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, etc.)

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine the flour, milk, eggs, oil, and salt. Blend until smooth.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly oil it.
3. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl to cover the bottom. Cook until the edges start to lift, then flip and cook for another minute on the other side.
4. Fill the crêpe with your choice of fillings, fold, and serve.

7. Chinese Night: Stir-Fry

Theme: Use red decorations and lanterns, if you have them, for a festive atmosphere. Play some traditional Chinese music in the background.

Educational Component: Talk about China’s long history, its culture, and the importance of rice and noodles in Chinese cuisine.

Recipe: Vegetable Stir-Fry with Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 block of tofu, cut into cubes
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat, then add the tofu cubes. Cook until golden on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the vegetables. Stir-fry until just tender.
3. Return the tofu to the pan and add the soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Stir until everything is coated in the sauce. Serve with rice or noodles.

Conclusion

These themed cooking nights are so easy to customize, so if you or your grands don’t care for one of these recipes, you can easily swap it out for something else. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the cooking and eating process together. Bon Appétit!