Have you ever seen the TV show, Chopped, where three chefs open a surprising bundle of ingredients and then prepare a dish using those ingredients? Well it’s a ton of fun to do at home!

For my daughters’ 12th birthday, we had a Chopped-style cook off. I prepared identical baskets of ingredients for each “chef” and then it was up to them to create a tasty visual masterpiece using every item. They had access to the stove, oven, seasonings, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and other refrigerated items to add to their creations.

In the first round, they were given a basket of ingredients and a time limit of 20 minutes to cook an appetizer and plate it. (We had an independent judge, but in while at home, I recommend that everyone taste and rate each dish on a scale of 1-10 for taste, creativity and presentation. ) Tasting and rating occurs after each round.
In the second round, they opened a new basket of ingredients and had to create a main dish in 30 minutes.
In the third round, they had yet another basket of ingredients and 30 minutes to create a dessert.

In the end, the parent can award each individual or team based on the three criteria. (And don’t be surprised if each team gets an award!) Here are a few ideas for the baskets:

Appetizer basket: vegetable, jam, peanut butter, lettuce, popped popcorn, jalapeños
Main course basket: cooked pasta, vegetable, tuna, chocolate, jam, nuts
Desert basket: fruit, marshmallows, nuts, pepper, cereal, oatmeal, pickles

The key is to be creative with your ingredients and for them to think outside of the box. For example, pasta can be used in soups, sautéed dishes, salads.

Some light prep work to do before this activity:

Try to watch an episode of Chopped to introduce your family to the “game”
Make and decorate aprons ahead of time. Make a chef’s hat out of construction paper
If playing in teams, make a sign with a team name
Set up cooking stations in the house using designated counter areas, a card table, kitchen table.
Use baskets, boxes, or bags to hold the main ingredients
Set out plates, bowls, mixing utensils, hot pads, paper towel, etc. at each station
Design your own rating scale, or if your child doesn’t fare well with competition don’t rate the dishes, just praise the creativity.
Take pictures of your creations and have fun!

-Barbara Grattan
Ministry Leader at Friends Community Church