Baking is a time-honoured way to beat school holiday boredom. Photo: Annie Spratt / Unsplash
Run out of school holiday activities already? Pull on your aprons, it's time to get baking. You might think that only a masochist or an indulgent grandparent willingly mixes children with butter, sugar and chocolate chips, but messing about in the kitchen is a time-honoured school holiday pastime for a reason.
Yes, it will be messy. Yes, things may (and probably will) go wrong. But it's also a good way to learn the basics of rudimentary chemistry and maths, the importance of collaborative work (especially when it comes to cleaning up) and - most crucially - the sweet taste of success when stuff goes right.
Why not start as soon as they get up with this simple crepe recipe? Once your children can master crepes, your life will change (well, results may vary, but it was life-changing for our household).
Eating crepes for breakfast means you'll have saved on cornflakes, which you can use up in Vicki Ravlich-Horan's Afghan Biscuits. This recipe is a melt-butter-and-stir number rather than one requiring careful creaming of butter and sugar, so good for beginners.
Afghan Biscuits are a Kiwi baking classic. Photo: supplied
Alternatively, what about Allyson Gofton's Ginger Crispies? The sweet tang of crystallised ginger and the holy crunch of cornflakes combine to great effect in these hard-to-resist biscuits (it's just as well the recipe makes 30).
If you've got a tin of broken biscuits - homemade or otherwise - then use them up in Sophie Gray's Fudge Cake Slice, a school holiday classic that mixes the elixir of life (condensed milk) with smashed up biscuits, coconut or rolled oats, butter and dried fruit. One piece will take you right back to your childhood.
Knowing how to make good cheese scones is up there with reversing a trailer when it comes to essential life skills, and it's important to learn from the best. As chief cook on the massive Otematata station, Philippa Cameron of What's For Smoko? knows a thing or two about scone-making. Her Lightest and Fluffiest Cheese Scones are ideal for young cooks - there's no rubbing-in of butter (in fact, there's no butter at all) and a fast, foolproof method.
Everyone should know how to make a decent cheese scone. Photo: 123RF
This melt-and-mix Chocolate Coconut Cake from Australian legend Donna Hay is similarly easy to make, since you just dump everything in a bowl and stir. Licking the spoon afterwards is optional.
Did your kids empty their school bags and lunchboxes yet? Save yourself the horror of discovering science-experiment sandwiches by getting them to check, now. They may also unearth some soon-to-expire bananas, which you can turn into Annabelle White's Best Banana Cake. This one can be made with gluten-free flour, Annabelle just advises to cook it a little longer.
Annabelle White's 'Simply The Best' Banana Cake. Photo: Supplied: Annabelle White
If you've run out of eggs, a light and lovely slice of cake can still be in your future. Alby Hailes (who your kids might recognise as NZ's Hottest Home Baker of 2022), has lots of advice and a great recipe for a vegan cake - plus customisations and a recipe for a vegan buttercream frosting.
Alby Hailes' Vanilla Vegan Cake Photo: Alby Hailes
Kelly Gibney's Three Ingredient Cookies - for which you need almond butter, dates and coconut - are also vegan-friendly and gluten-free, though you'll need a food processor to whip them up.
Wish you were on a deckchair in Fiji? How about corralling the little darlings into making a Fiji Coconut Pie instead? This is a one-bowl wonder that bakes in 40 minutes and can be eaten hot or cold (uses lots of milk and eggs, so any leftovers can be a totally legitimate breakfast).
With any luck, by the time they've cooked through that lot the holidays will be over. Good luck!