It's just the beginning of the holiday season, which comes with plenty of family, food, and fun. Why not combine all three, and get your little ones in the kitchen helping out with Thanksgiving dinner? While we aren't suggesting that your three-year-old roasts the turkey, kids can get involved in different ways. Have your kids help you in the kitchen by making this holiday recipe for kids: Thanksgiving Stuffing. By having them help prepare a side dish, they feel as though they have made a major contribution to the meal, and they'll tell everyone at your table about how they made it. Imagine the huge smile across both their face and yours. 

Stuffing is a staple on the Thanksgiving table, and is the perfect holiday recipe for kids to make. Homemade stuffing is just as easy, but twice as yummy as the one that comes in the box. Kids are the perfect chef for this recipe because the bread is easy to tear and chop, making a big step in the process a piece of cake. You can add major health benefits too, as we suggest using whole wheat breads for the base of your stuffing. It's easy, healthy, and kid-approved on every level. What are you waiting for?

Thanksgiving Stuffing 

Makes 8-10 servings 

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Collect Ingredients: 

• 1.5 total loaves of crusty bread, using a mix of whole wheat, whole grain, sourdough, etc.

• 5 tablespoons of butter

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4 stalks of celery

• 1 egg (beaten)

• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

• 1 sprig of rosemary

• 1 sprig of thyme

• 1 sprig of parsley

• Salt & pepper

Collect Tools:

• Cutting board

• Kid chef knife (or a butter knife)

• Cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

• Mezzaluna knife if you have one, or Grown-up Chef Knife

• Large mixing bowl

• Large mixing spoon

• Medium frying pan

• Large baking dish

Recipe Steps:

• Wash hands

• **Grown-up** Preheat oven to 400° F

• Cut or tear bread into small cube-sized pieces

• Lay pieces onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

• **Grown-up** Place tray of bread in oven. Kid: Set timer for 10-15 minutes, or until bread is slightly crispy.

• While baking, dice 1 large yellow onion and 4 stalks of celery into small pieces. Kid: Use mezzaluna knife if you have one, if not **Grown-up** use chef knife to dice veggies.

• **Grown-up** Melt butter over medium heat in frying pan, then sauté veggies until soft.

• **Grown-up** Once bread is done, remove from oven and let cool. 

• Add bread and veggie mixture into large mixing bowl. 

• Germ Alert: Raw eggs make you sick! Make sure to wash your hands after touching raw eggs, and never eat them. 

• Crack one egg into mixing bowl. Whisk it. Wash hands.

• Measure out 2 cups of chicken stock into a measuring cup. 

• Add beaten egg and chicken broth into the same large mixing bowl with the bread and veggies.

• Stir to combine.  

• Tear 1 sprig of each herb (rosemary, thyme, and parsley) and toss into bowl and combine with mixture.

• Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.

• Add mixture into dish and spread to make even layer.

• **Grown-up** Cover with foil and place in oven. Kid: Set timer for 30 minutes.

• **Grown-up** Remove foil Kid: Set timer for an additional 15 minutes.

• **Grown up** Take out tray and let cool.

• Nom!

Grown-up Pro Tips:

1. When picking out types of bread, variety is key! We used a little bit of whole grain, whole wheat, and sourdough bread, but any combination would work. It's important to have whole wheat and whole grain in there, but of course, feel free to add in sourdough, white, or other types of bread for flavor. 

2. Low-sodium chicken broth is also a great healthy alternative. It cuts out a lot of unnecessary salt from the dish, and doesn't lose any taste. Turkey broth could work, too!

3. Get creative with your herb selection! We used rosemary, thyme, and parsley, but other herbs like sage could add a nice flavor. Have kids stop and smell the herbs to see if they can spot a difference between them. 

4. While the dish is baking in the oven for 45 minutes, get your kids involved with the meal in other ways. They can help set the table, make decorations, or help taste-test along the way! There are plenty of ways for kids to get involved in the holiday fun. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER

Katie Holzman is a Social Media Marketing Intern for Nomster Chef. She is currently a junior at Ithaca College studying television-radio and marketing. She loves creating food media almost as much as she loves eating, and you can check out more of her work at her blog or @katies_plate on Instagram! 

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