To have fun with the kids and introduce them to cooking, prepare fun recipes in mini formats that are sure to please. Here are some simple meal, dessert and snack ideas to prepare with your mini chefs, which require mini effort and a mini budget.

1. Dinner in a flash: Greek-style mini pitas

These small sandwiches are topped with a Greek salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and olives. Depending on the age of the children, you can cut the vegetables and ask them to stuff the pita bread or supervise them while they cut the ingredients.

See the recipe: Greek-style mini pitas

2. Chic starter: Two-salmon mini croquettes with two salmon

There’s no need for a complicated recipe to give kids the impression that they’re making a more refined starter. Here, they only have to mix fresh salmon and smoked salmon in a bowl with cilantro, onion and Asian-style vinaigrette. From this preparation, they will then be able to shape croquettes with their hands. Be careful when cooking the croquettes in oil or supervise the older ones.

See the recipe: Two-Salmon Mini Croquettes

3. Favourite dinner: Slow cooker pulled pork mini burgers

There is nothing simpler to make than pulled pork—especially in a slow cooker. This cut of meat benefits from being cooked for a long time to gain flavour and tenderness, while its large yield is great for a crowd. Have the children mix barbecue sauce, crushed tomatoes, brown sugar and pork shoulder in the appliance dish and then let the slow cooker take care of the rest while everyone plays outside. Once back inside, all that’s left to do is pile the pulled pork onto mini burger buns.

See the recipe: Slow-cooker pulled pork mini burgers

4. Lunch to go: Mini cheese omelettes with creamy vegetable salad by RICARDO

Muffin tins are the perfect kitchen accessory for making recipes in individual formats. And since there’s nothing easier to make than an omelette, kids can do the majority of the steps themselves. They can even choose their favourite toppings, like ham or broccoli. Mini omelettes are as good served hot as they are cold, so it’s the perfect lunch for a day of skiing or hiking—with a side salad, if desired.

See the recipe: Mini Cheese Omelettes with Creamy Vegetable Salad by Ricardo

5. Veggie dinner: Spicy chickpea naan bread mini pizzas

In this quick version of pizza, dough is replaced with naan bread that easily heats up in the oven with the toppings. Invite the children to sauté the onion, pepper and chickpeas in the pan with your help, and add the toppings and grated cheese to the bread.

See the recipe: Spicy chickpea naan bread mini-pizzas