Let's Cook: Fun, Easy Recipes for Kids

First of all, I want to say that I’m happy you’re here! Cooking is one of my all-time favorite things to do. It’s really fun, and a great skill to learn. Once you know the basics, you can give most recipes a try, or even have a go at making your own! It doesn’t always go as planned, but that doesn’t matter. I like to cook for my brother and sisters, but I also cook for my friends sometimes. If you make something exactly how you like it, you’ll want to eat it, and it’s good not always having to rely on grown-ups!

One of the first things I ever cooked was scrambled eggs – they were really tasty, and are actually so simple once you know how. It made me want to see what else I could do. I learned to make things like chopped salads from helping Mum or Dad in the kitchen, and even started to make pizza and bread. The more I learned, the more I wanted to explore.

This book is full of the things I love to cook and eat. It’s not fancy or hard to follow, it’s just simple food done nicely (I hope you agree). My absolute favorite recipe is the Easy spaghetti and meatballs because it’s fun to make and tastes so good. I’m a big pasta fan, so there’s a whole chapter of easy pastas in the book.

My family favorites chapter is probably the one I cook from the most. It’s all the things I like to eat at home, and can now make myself – things like fajitas, fish cakes, Bolognese and fish stick sandwiches. I’ve also got some tasty breakfast and brunch recipes – brunch is for when you’ve got a bit more time to enjoy eating on the weekends, and that’s when I tend to have more time to cook, too. I’ve included some after-school bites – things you can eat quickly when you get home. I’m always hungry then! And I also love to make cakes and desserts because they’re sweet and delicious, but I do sometimes make a bit of a mess!

I’ve had so much fun in the last few years creating Cooking Buddies and sharing my recipes. Making a TV show was epic – it was really fun to learn some cool new skills from other kids, but also to teach them dishes that they can share with their friends. You can watch lots of great how to and recipe videos on my Cooking Buddies YouTube channel. Have fun!

A Word From Dad
There’s something so powerful about being able to cook. You could even call it a superpower – one that grants you real freedom when it comes to what you want to eat. I’ll let you in on a little secret: the key to learning to cook is being curious and having the confidence to give it a try. Not everything will work out perfectly – and that’s okay. Sometimes, when things don’t go as planned, you might still end up with something delicious, just not what you were expecting!

Buddy and his brother and sisters have all grown up around food, but Buddy, out of all of them, has always found it effortlessly exciting – a real adventure. He’s been my shadow in the kitchen since he was tiny, and the skills he’s gained are unreal. I’m super proud of this book and the effort he’s put into building up Cooking Buddies over the last few years.

Now, even if this is your first cookbook, you’re never too young to start making incredible things, digging in, and having a laugh and enjoying yourself along the way. Think of a recipe a bit like a treasure map – something that gets you from A to B – with a prize (a tasty bite to eat!) at the end. It really is super fun. I was just eight years old when I properly started to cook, and I haven’t looked back since.

So, guys, what are you waiting for? Put colored stickies on the pages of the things you want to make, and ask a grown-up if you can get the ingredients and give them a try. Get those adults working for you 😉