Best Online Cooking Classes for Kids

Best Overall: Real Food 4 Kids

Why We Chose It: This kid-led cooking school has a wide range of subscription options and classes, along with a huge offering of educational resources.

Pros
Courses are led by kids
Teaches kids about food and nutrition
Course focuses on techniques

Cons
Price info not available

There are plenty of courses online to teach kids how to make food, but there are very few that are led and feature kids in the videos. Real Food 4 Kids has a boy or girl in front of the camera, making the instructions and video more relatable. Each video with the lead child goes through the steps of the recipe, talking about what they are doing, with an adult narrating the technique, asking questions, and clarifying instructions. This makes for a great learning experience for the kids watching the recipe being made.

Beyond the online cooking school subscription, there is a series of online classes, the ability to book a private cooking or baking party, as well as a resource section of the website that covers topics like fruits and vegetables, recipe ideas, and the science, math, and art of food. The online cooking school membership is $20 per month, with a discount if you buy three months upfront. Additionally, for every monthly subscription, a subscription is given to a family in need.

Best Free Class: Food Literacy Center

Why We Chose It: This nonprofit's mission is to inspire kids to eat vegetables, and it has a 12-course, STEM-based lesson plan for everyone.

Pros
Basic fundamentals covered
Printable recipes in English, Spanish, and Hmong
Lessons focus on cooking and nutrition
Free

Cons
Linear course is a time investment
Video and audio quality could be better

The Food Literacy Center is a nonprofit based in Sacramento, California, that focuses on inspiring low-income elementary school kids to eat fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. The website has a section of recipes with categories that range from budget-friendly and main courses to cooking with kids. In 2020, the organization opted to bring its lessons and courses online.

The 12-course lesson starts with assembling a sunflower seed butter and seasonal fruit sandwich, moves on to an introduction to knife skills, and continues through various lessons that teach kids the roles of ingredients and nutrients in the body. Sugar, fat, fiber, and salt as nutrients are all discussed, as well as different tools used in the kitchen and how to minimize food waste by using the whole vegetable. Along the way, kids learn how to make tasty meals and dishes like veggie fresh rolls, rainbow soup, and broccoli and potato tacos.

Included in every lesson plan is a detailed downloadable recipe (available in English, Spanish, or Hmong), a supply list, a lesson plan, an activity worksheet, and a video of the lesson on YouTube or Facebook. All lessons are free on the website, and there is a selection of other recipes that highlight easy, fast, and budget-friendly dishes.

Best for Desserts: Tiny Chefs

Why We Chose It: Tiny Chefs has courses and classes for savory and sweet dishes alike. However, it really stands out with its dessert recipes which feature everything from basic chocolate chip cookies to maple bacon donuts.

Pros
Whimsical decorating techniques keep classes fun
Creative flavor combinations and recipes
Recipes are interesting enough for adults and kids

Cons
Pricing structure is a bit confusing

Tiny Chefs teaches online classes for savory and sweet dishes, but the dessert courses are a standout. Each version has a few different dessert-focused classes, including The Art of Cupcakes, Cupcake Wars, and Donuts and Dips. And even the non-dessert-focused courses, like Cooking Around the World, Family Meals, and Restaurant Creations, include a few desserts.

The cupcake-focused courses teach you not only the fundamentals of making cupcakes but also how to decorate the cupcake in fun ways, like a shark attack cupcake, a firework cupcake, or a peacock cupcake. Flavors are kid-friendly but are innovative, such as Creamsicle, Tres Leche, and Snickerdoodle. Non-cupcake desserts are featured in other courses, like classic soft chocolate chip cookies, key lime pie, and S’mores brownies.

Virtual camps, private classes and parties, and live cooking series are available. One-time cooking classes start at $15. You can also join the membership for $50 per month which gives you unlimited access to over 90 different lessons and recipes as well as access to one live class each month. Joining the club also gives you a free apron, and new content is added monthly.

Best for Private Events: The Dynamite Shop

Why We Chose It: The Dynamite Shop has online classes and summer camps, but its parties and group events are super customizable, allowing you to create a virtual event for 10 people to 100 people or more.

Pros
Private event planner customizes classes
Guests can mingle at the end of the event
Recording of the class is available

Cons
Recipes may require more advanced skills

Planning a kid’s party can be a bit of a chore, and virtual parties are no different. But The Dynamite Shop is there to help you out with a private event planner to take the burden off of you. They have experience teaching online classes and will work with you to customize a virtual experience that your kids will enjoy, making a special meal or dessert, with groups ranging from 10 to 100 people or more. Private classes for single households are also available.

Large cooking events are taught over Zoom and include one to two hours of cooking lessons. Ingredients and equipment lists are sent out beforehand so you and your guests can prepare for the event. The recipe is provided so you follow along and make the dish during and whenever you want afterward. Unlike other private events, the Zoom call will continue after the instructor is done, letting the guests hang out to eat the food they just made, chat, and celebrate. Recordings of each class are available upon request.

Standard event lessons include fresh pasta, cupcake challenge, breakfast bash, and more. And if you don’t want one of the standard event lessons, you can pick items from The Dynamite Shop's dinner and baking club menus or discuss customizing a lesson plan unique to your needs. Pricing starts at $350 for up to 10 households, with an additional $20 each for up to 30 households. Over 30 and up to 100 households is a flat $750. You can even add on an additional half-hour of instruction for more lessons (like a dessert) for an extra fee.

Best Live Classes: Home Cooking New York

Why We Chose It: Home Cooking New York's Supper Club for Kids is a live interactive class one night per week that puts the kids in charge of making dinner, giving them a sense of responsibility and empowering them to be independent.

Pros
Set up for kids 10 and up to cook independently
Empowers kids
Live class format

Cons
Class times may not work for everyone

Home Cooking New York is one of the few online courses listed here that doesn’t focus just on kids or teens. It does offer a wide range of individual adult classes, that are also open to kids and teens. Those ages 10+ can partake in the virtual classes and those 12+ can attend in-person classes in New York. Virtual classes are offered weekly and there is also a summer camp.

Weekly virtual summer cooking camps are also available for kids age 10 and up with two-hour daily classes Monday through Thursday, during which kids will learn meals to make during the session. Days are thematic, ranging from Brunch dishes to Mexican, Southern, or Asian. Ninety-minute weekly cooking and baking classes are $50 each, while summer camp prices are $250 per week.

Best for Families and All Ages: The Kids' Table

Why We Chose It: Multiple classes are offered for all ages and 11 and up.

Pros
Various classes
Other family members in the same house can join
Reasonably priced

Cons
Class times may not work for everyone
Vegetarian recipes may not suit all palates

The Kids' Table features live virtual cooking classes for kids, teens, and families. With a wide range of vegetarian recipes, the organization teaches kids to enjoy "real food" through interactive instruction. Classes are held in small groups on the Zoom platform with recipes and ingredient lists given 5-6 days in advance.

All skill levels are welcome, but classes are grouped as 11+ or all ages. One-hour virtual class offerings include themes which are often seasonal. You can also sign up for packages or individual classes. The Kids' Table also features online cooking classes for kids that are on-demand. The videos feature step-by-step instructions that you can watch from the comfort of your kitchen on your own time. The prerecorded sessions can be viewed through Vimeo on Demand as individual class rentals for $4 a class or with monthly unlimited access for $15 a month.

Virtual classes are $20 for a 1-hour class or you can choose a package with four, six, or eight classes per month. Those cost $66, $94, and $116 respectively, saving you some money if you intend to take multiple classes.

Best for STEAM Learning in the Kitchen: America’s Test Kitchen

Why We Chose It: America’s Test Kitchen is known for its thoroughly-tested, science-based recipes, and now it has used that approach to create a top-notch kids club.

Pros
Easy-to-understand recipes
Fun STEAM food-related activities
Kid tested and approved recipes.

Cons
Recipes rarely include a video
Not customizable for siblings or special diets

America’s Test Kitchen develops solid, foolproof recipes through testing and science. It has taken that methodology and created a young chef’s club that not only has kid tested and approved recipes and activities, but also breaks down the fundamentals of the science of cooking so kids can understand both the meaning and the process. Subscription boxes are sent out once a month and contain projects that range from 15 minutes to a few hours, with recipes that can be cooked again and again.

Monthly boxes feature recipes, hands-on experiments, kitchen technique cards, as well as a “make it your way” recipe challenge, buttons, stickers, and a cooking tool or specialty ingredient. Bonus items are also in each box and include things like coupons, games, puzzles, taste tests, and more.

Beyond the subscription box, there is lots of free content on the website, featuring recipes like zucchini bread, M&M cookies, sheet pan French toast, and more. Recipes are clearly marked at the beginning with information about the recipe, informing adults about safety concerns (like the use of a knife or hot oven), difficulty level, the time involved, and the recipe yield. With over 300 recipes (as well as myriad activities and quizzes), there’s plenty of free content to occupy a kid. Subscription boxes start at $29.95 per month, with discounts available if you buy six or 12 months in advance.