As Family editor at GoodtoKnow, I know that dealing with feeding a family for three meals a day can be overwhelming.

In today’s fast-paced world, family mealtime can sometimes feel like a hassle, with busy schedules making it hard to prepare healthy, home-cooked meals. This is where air fryers have become a game-changer. Air fryers are a versatile and healthier option to cook food quickly without sacrificing flavour.

They use rapid air technology to crisp food with little to no oil, making them perfect for families who want tasty, healthier meals without all the mess and time. And with larger capacity air fryers now on the market, even bigger families can benefit from quick and efficient cooking.

And air fryers can do so much more than cook a splendid batch of ‘crisp on the outside, soft on the inside’ potato wedges (which the Lakeland Digital Crisp has down to a tee) - they can reheat leftovers, cook from frozen, toast bagels, even bake cupcakes.

One such air fryer that I’ve been using is the COSORI Smart Air Fryer TwinFry, 10L Grandzone & Dual Zone, and after several weeks of testing, I feel well-equipped to share an honest review highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses.

Price & availability

At the time of writing the COSORI Smart Air Fryer TwinFry retails for approximately £289.99 and is available on various online platforms, including Amazon, Walmart, and the official COSORI website. Prices may vary based on sales or promotions, so it’s worth checking multiple sources for the best deal.

Good value for money? Well, I think so yes. The sleek design and look of the machine, despite being bigger than expected, at 51.7cm wide and 31.2 cm deep, ticked a lot of boxes for me visually. It was simple to set up and was really easy to navigate, particularly down to the touchscreen digital display and handy leaflet on cooking times. Everything I cooked came out wonderfully with no burnt fish finger in sight.

Design & features

Capacity: 10L (x2 5.L) | Dimensions: 33.3H x 31.2D x 51.7cmW | Wattage: 2800W | Colour: Black | Functions: Air Fry, roast, bake, reheat, grill | Style: Basket | Max temp: 240 degrees Celcius | Dishwasher safe parts: yes

The COSORI Smart Air Fryer TwinFry is pretty big, I can't, so counter space is a must. One of the first things you’ll notice about the COSORI TwinFry is its sleek, modern design. The appliance is available in a sophisticated black and silver finish that fits seamlessly into any kitchen décor. Here are some of its standout features:

• 10L Capacity: This generous capacity is ideal for large families or meal prepping, allowing you to cook multiple servings at once.
• Dual Zone Technology: The TwinFry features two independent cooking zones, enabling you to prepare different dishes simultaneously. Each zone can be set to different temperatures and cooking times, which is a game-changer for busy cooks.
• Dual Blaze Technology: This feature enhances heating efficiency and ensures even cooking, delivering perfectly crispy results every time.
• Smart Controls: The air fryer is equipped with a user-friendly touchscreen interface, making it easy to select cooking modes, set timers, and adjust temperatures.
• Recipe App Integration: COSORI’s app provides a plethora of recipes tailored for the TwinFry, allowing you to explore new culinary adventures right from your smartphone.

Cooking capabilities

• Chicken Wings: Crispy and juicy, just like fried but without the guilt.
• French Fries: Perfectly golden and crispy, a family favourite.
• Vegetables: Roast or air fry your favourite veggies for a delicious, healthy side.
• Fish: Achieve a flaky, moist interior with a crispy exterior.
• Baked Goods: From cookies to muffins, the TwinFry can handle various baking tasks.
• Reheating Leftovers: Revitalize last night's dinner without making it soggy.

Performance

Whilst cooking, both the time and temperature flash at the top of the machine on a digital display panel, alternating between the two. The time counts down in seconds so you can keep a close eye on cooking - especially if you want to stop halfway through cooking to check on or shake the food. But then you can also rely on the wi-fi smart angle to keep an eye on it - great for when my kid needed me in the living room.

Having tested the COSORI TwinFry extensively, I can confidently say that it delivers on its promises. The dual zone technology allows you to prepare meals in record time. For instance, I cooked chicken wings in one basket while air frying sweet potato fries in the other. Both came out perfectly cooked, with the wings being delightfully crispy and the fries just the right amount of tender.

The dual blaze technology plays a crucial role in ensuring even cooking, eliminating the common issue of hot spots found in some air fryers. Moreover, the preheat feature is a handy addition, allowing the appliance to reach the desired temperature before cooking begins, which further enhances cooking efficiency.

From potato wedges to chicken nuggets, from cupcakes to cookies, this machine has delivered the goodies. One of my favourite things about the Cosori air fryer is the auto-off function, which means that as soon as the timer is up, the machine beeps several times and then switches itself off. Not only does it make this appliance even more energy efficient, but it also means your food won’t continue cooking or dry out while you're dealing with the usual family dinner juggles. A simple, yet effective function.

How we tested

• Skin on potatoes, tossed in a tablespoon of oil, and cooked on the ‘Fresh Fries’ pre-set function.
• Cooked frozen chips, fish fingers, and mini pizzas using the air fryer guide book, which accompanies this machine
• Homemade chicken goujons and breaded fish cooked using the manual function where you can set the temperature and cooking time yourself
• A trio of cupcakes or chocolate chip cookies baked on the ‘Baked Goods’ pre-set function; great if you want to bake only a few cupcakes or cookies at a time, not so good for bulk baking
• Roasting vegetables such as peppers, garlic, onion, carrot, broccoli and more
• Reheating leftovers like nuggets, pizza, and bubble and squeak from roast dinner scraps - using the manual setting to adjust the temperature and time accordingly

Things you wouldn’t find on the box

Before purchasing the COSORI Smart Air Fryer TwinFry, here are some practical insights that might not be evident on the box:

Cleaning: The removable baskets and trays are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup a breeze. However, the larger size may require some rearranging in the dishwasher.

Power Consumption: It operates at 1800W, which may impact energy costs if used frequently.

Caution with Cooking Times: Some users have noted that the recommended cooking times in the recipe app can sometimes be a bit off, so it’s best to monitor your food closely during the first few uses.

Who is it best for?

The range of pre-set functions on this model makes it a great choice for family cooking - particularly for smaller families, or those with younger kids who don’t eat someone out of the house and home.

• Large Families: Its 10L capacity makes it perfect for feeding multiple people.
• Busy Individuals: The dual-zone feature allows you to prepare two different dishes simultaneously, saving time in meal preparation.
• Health-Conscious Cooks: If you enjoy fried foods but want a healthier option, this air fryer is a fantastic choice.
• Culinary Explorers: With the app providing endless recipes, it’s perfect for those looking to try new dishes and techniques.

In summary, the COSORI Smart Air Fryer TwinFry is a robust and versatile appliance that can significantly enhance your cooking experience. Its dual zones, large capacity, and advanced technology make it a worthy investment for families looking to prepare healthier meals without sacrificing flavor. While it may require some initial learning, the benefits it offers far outweigh any drawbacks. Whether you're frying, baking, or reheating, the TwinFry is ready to make your cooking more efficient and enjoyable.

Looking for more? Discover the best air fryer cookbooks as well as the best air fryer recipes.

Whether it’s a chocolate bar, a pack of gummy bears, or an ice lolly after school, children love sweets and it can be hard to avoid them - especially when they dominate supermarket shelves. But how healthy are these shop-bought treats, and is there such a thing as a healthier alternative?

Gone are the days of simply counting calories and watching how much fat you consume when indulging in your favourite chocolate bar, nowadays it's all about whether the food is ultra-processed or not, or whether it's packed with hidden sugars, e-numbers and additives. But, what are ultra-processed foods and why do we need to be aware of them alongside sugar and fat? 

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been vigorously manipulated and changed during the production process altering or adding ingredients - for example, preservatives, colouring, and flavouring. Think biscuits, crisps, cereal, and ice cream to name a few. Ultra-processed foods often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, and sugar which in turn have been said to have a range of negative effects on our bodies. And it's not just adults being impacted, ultra-processed foods negatively affect children too - causing both short-term and long-term issues.

According to gut health experts at ZOE, “the consensus is that ultra-processed food is unhealthy. Diets high in ultra-processed foods have been linked with increased risk of heart disease, weight gain, cancer, and even mortality - but why? Processing changes the complex structure of nutrients in a food, which scientists call the food matrix. Furthermore, research has shown that changes in the food matrix alter the way our bodies respond to food, potentially putting us at risk of these health conditions.”

The NHS recommends the maximum daily amounts of sugar for children as follows: 4-6-year-olds: 19g (5 cubes), 7-10-year-olds: 24g (6 cubes), and 11+-year-olds: 30g (7 cubes). It goes on to say; “Too much sugar is bad for children's health as it can lead to the build-up of harmful fat on the inside that we cannot see. This fat can cause weight gain and serious diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.”

So with this in mind, how are we ever supposed to enjoy a sweet treat? Well, here at GoodtoKnow we’re all about encouraging a balanced diet, focusing on whole, natural, unprocessed foods first and then the processed and UPFs in minimal, limited quantities. Sweets ideally should be eaten in moderation as most are high in sugar, however, you could try swapping them for healthier sweet alternatives such as dark chocolate instead of milk, or homemade gummy sweets instead of the shop-bought kind. We’ve listed a few more inspiring ideas below to help you get started.

What we considered when choosing the healthiest sweets

When it comes to choosing which sweets are healthy or not it's all about how processed the sweets are and what nutritional content is included - ideally, you’re looking for low sugar, low saturated fats and high fibre. We opted for minimal processing and sugar, we favoured whole foods or unprocessed sweet alternatives and went for options you can easily make at home. 

Healthiest way to enjoy sweets

Homemade healthy sweets

Did you know that you can make your own gummy sweets at home? A much healthier alternative to shop-bought packets of sweets - and cheaper too. All you need is a natural fruit juice, sweet mould, and gelatin. Using fruit juice instead of jelly cubes will ensure the sweets are more natural and wholesome. You could even add fresh fruit into the mix.

Making sweet treats from scratch is a great way to ensure you know exactly what goes into each treat and avoid unwanted ultra-processed nasties. Making jellied fruit sweets, cookies, cupcakes, or even desserts is better homemade than buying processed from the supermarket. Of course, as with everything that contains sugar, it's best to eat in moderation and keep in mind that these are healthier swaps, not entirely healthy as all contain sugar so don’t overindulge otherwise you won’t reap the benefits:

• Fruit winders
• Fruit pastilles
• Turkish Delight

Fruit-based treats

When you’re in the mood for something sweet, fruit certainly wouldn’t go a miss. Various fruit-based treats on the market are perfect for that sweet fix if an apple isn’t cutting it for you. Bars made with dried fruits tend to have a range of nutritional benefits, including fibre content and natural sugars. Examples include some Organix bars, That’s It bars, and Nakd fruit bars. Here are some fruit bar comparisons:

The key takeaway is to choose fruit bars that have minimal ingredients, which should then suggest that the product has gone through minimal processing and should therefore be healthier. Even though fruit bars are healthier than jelly sweets, pick ‘n’ mix and all that jazz, they still need to be eaten in moderation as most contain a high amount of natural sugars.

Dried fruit is also a great variation of a fruit-based treat. You could try drying your own fruit at home with a fruit dehydrator, however, make sure you eat this in moderation as it still has high levels of sugar even if it is natural. 

Dark chocolate

If you’re a fan of a chocolate bar try swapping it for dark chocolate instead, as dark chocolate is good for you. Scientists and experts at ZOE say: “Dark chocolate has several times more antioxidants than green tea or red wine. And it contains substances that may help lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels and brain function, and help your body deal with insulin. But some dark chocolate also has high levels of refined sugar and additives.”

Choose dark chocolate with a high cocoa content above 70% cocoa is recommended. “The percentage of cocoa in dark chocolate is important. The more cocoa chocolate contains, the darker it is, and the more health benefits it's likely to have. As the cocoa percentage increases, the chocolate is also less likely to contain other ingredients,” says the scientists and experts at ZOE. Here are some dark chocolate recommendations: 

• Willie's Cacao Pure 100% Gold, 100% Sur del Lago Cacao
• Montezuma's Dark Chocolate Absolute Black 100% Cocoa 
• M&S 100% Cocoa Peruvian Dark Chocolate
• Sainsbury's Madagascan 80% Dark Chocolate, Taste the Difference
• Green & Black's Organic 85% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Lindt Excellence Dark 90% Cocoa Chocolate Bar

GoodtoKnow editor Anna Bailey is a huge fan, “I used to love milky chocolate, but I made the switch to dark chocolate to improve my gut health. I started at 70% and worked my way up to 85%, which I now really enjoy. Even if it's darker chocolate, you still need to read the labels though - personally I avoid anything with emulsifiers, which can be found in some popular brands. Sainsbury's Madagascan 80% Dark Chocolate is my favourite. I also love that this counts towards my 30 plants a week, and is considered a fermented food.”

Nut and seed snacks

Sometimes the key to beating that sweet craving is to eat something that will fill you up and provide you with energy and nutrients that your body may be craving. Foods high in protein and fibre are a great choice and will ensure your sugar cravings are kept well and truly at bay, plus nuts and seeds have various health benefits too. 

According to the Heart Foundation; “Nuts and seeds may be small, but they are packed with nutrients. They provide us with fibre, plant protein and healthy fats – which are all beneficial for heart health1,2. Each type of nut and seed contains different vitamins (like folate), minerals (like magnesium and calcium) and phytochemicals, which are needed by our bodies in very small amounts but provide protective effects against heart disease1,3-5. If you eat a range of nuts and seeds, you’re more likely to benefit from all the different nutrients they can provide.”

There are various nuts and seeds worth eating on their own, incorporating into your homemade snack bars, or looking out for when buying healthy cereal bars in the supermarket including the following types:

• Hazelnuts
• Cashews
• Macadamias
• Pistachios
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Almonds
• Brazil nuts
• Pine nuts
• Flaxseeds/linseeds
• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Poppy seeds
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Pumpkin seeds

There are lots of cereal bars and healthy snack bars on the market nowadays that make a great sweet treat enjoyed in moderation and include an array of nuts and seeds listed above. However, keep in mind that these bars may be higher in fat, because of the natural fats in nuts. And you’ll want to avoid bars with long-listed ingredients, emulsifiers, or additives. 

For the healthiest option, try making your own nut and seed bars or nut and seed flapjacks. 

Yoghurt sweets

Brands such as Go Ahead, Eat Natural, and Alpen spring to mind when thinking of yogurt-covered sweet treats, however, most of these are not entirely healthy as they have added ingredients or preservatives to prolong shelf life.

Nowadays you can buy dried fruits covered in yogurt - be it apricots or raisins, which make a great confectionary alternative, but once again we’re met with the dreaded emulsifiers and additives. 

If in doubt, you’re always best to buy a tub of natural or unsweetened Greek yogurt, and some fresh fruit, and get dipping. You could try dipped strawberries or raspberries in yogurt leaving them to set in the freezer for an added crunch. You could also blend fruit and yogurt and pour them into ice lolly moulds to make the perfect summer sweet treat.

There are various benefits of choosing yogurt as a sweet alternative. A report in Medical News Today states that: “Yogurts can be high in protein, calcium, vitamins, and live culture, or probiotics, which can enhance the gut microbiota.” 

 Tips for enjoying sweets in a healthy way 

When it comes to eating sweets, it's all about moderation. Sweet treats can easily become a large part of our daily diet, however, it is recommended that we incorporate sweets into a balanced diet without overindulging. One of the easiest ways to do this is through portion control and the importance of reading labels to understand nutritional content. 

According to the British Nutritional Foundation; “If a food or drink product has two or more ingredients, they must all be listed. These ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. This means the main ingredients in the packaged food will always be displayed first. This can help you to make healthier choices too, as if the first few ingredients in a food or drink product are ‘sugar’ or ‘butter’, you will know that they are the main ingredients, and is therefore a high-fat or high-sugar product.”

The key to spotting an ultra-processed food is in the ingredients. Often ingredients with five or more ingredients, ingredients you’ve never heard of before or couldn’t buy yourself in the supermarket, or ingredients with numbers and letters are UPFs and are best to be avoided.

Focusing on the importance of a balanced diet, making healthier homemade swaps, and reading and understanding food labels when you shop are all a great place to start when it comes to eating healthier.

Trying to keep up with what is and isn’t good for our kids is one of the many hard tasks we parents face on a daily basis, and now ultra-processed foods have made this debate even more complicated. 

A kids' fruit yogurt or cereal made with brightly coloured packaging and a cute cartoon character is a good choice for children, right? Think again. Many of us are feeding our children ultra-processed foods without realising it. Ultra-processed foods have been vigorously altered during the production process. They contain multiple ingredients you’ve probably never heard of before - think E numbers, sugar, salt, and additives. This makes UPFs, taste better - even addictive - and prolongs shelf-life, making them cheaper to produce and boosting profits. 

Supermarket shelves are stacked high with long-shelf life products from cereal bars to bread and biscuits. It's no wonder ultra-processed foods have been said to make up anywhere between 60-80% of an average child’s diet in the UK - they’re so hard to avoid. As we outline below, research shows they're having a huge impact on the physical and mental health of children, as well as impacting their development. 

7 ways ultra-processed foods affect children

1. Weight gain, cholesterol, and obesity

Weight gain and body confidence are also being pressed with studies suggesting that a high level of ultra-processed foods in a child's diet can increase the risk of developing obesity later on down the line; “British children are consuming ‘exceptionally high’ proportions of ultra-processed foods, increasing their risk of obesity and damaging their health… Researchers found that not only do UPFs make up a considerably high proportion of children’s diets (more than 40% of intake in grams and more than 60% of calories on average), but that the higher the proportion of UPFs they consume, the greater the risk of becoming overweight or obese.” says one report by the Imperial College London.

Nutritionist Rob Hobson adds; "UPFs are usually high in calories even in small servings as they contain lots of fat and sugar. The combination of ingredients (e.g. ratio of fat to sugar) also makes them very hyper-palatable triggering the quick release of dopamine from reward centres in the brain making them very addictive which may be more of an issue in some children over others if they are more prone to addictive behaviours and overeating. 

The food matrix is also altered in these foods meaning they are usually soft (also helped along by additives like emulsifiers) and very easy to eat quickly. The lack of fibre means that is not very satiating so you don’t feel very full after eating and can eat more in a sitting. They can be rapidly digested and absorbed which can lead to short-term spikes and troughs in blood sugar levels leaving you feeling hungry again shortly after eating. Hunger signals may be disrupted as the rapid consumption and assimilation of these foods bypasses hunger signals. 

2. Behaviour and concentration

We know that UPFs can affects children's general behaviour and concentration - be it sugar highs and sugar crashes. Some packaging nowadays even pre-warns that consumption of that particular product can lead to changes in behaviour.

A study published by F1000Research says; "Some cross-sectional studies confirmed a relationship between school performance and dietary habits." Researchers evaluated 359,264 Korean participants aged 12 to 18 years and found that frequent intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk were related to good school performance, while consuming several UPF such as soft drinks, instant noodles, and fast-food were related to poor school performance. 

Researchers also evaluated 800 students from the United States, aged 11 to 13 years, and found higher academic performance level in students with lower prevalence of sweetened beverage consumption, as well as higher consumption of milk and breakfast.

3. Nutritional deficiencies

Nutritionist Robert Hobson,author of Unprocess Your Life says; "Nutritious foods that are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds are being displaced with UPFs that are low in these nutrients. And, it's also not just about UPFs here as fussy eaters and teenagers especially girls have always been tricky to feed for lots of reasons other than just they prefer the taste or eat a high quantity of UPFs."

4. Body and brain development

The nature of processing means that brain-healthy nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fats and fibre, are lost," says Nutritionist & Chartered Psychologist, Kimberley Wilson for BBC Science Focus.

"In order to extend shelf life and palatability of UPFs, additional sugar and fats are added, which may have negative consequences for metabolism, blood glucose control and brain health. Finally, and most importantly, the convenience of these foods means that they increasingly push more nutritious but more difficult-to-prepare foods out of our diets."

A study by Science Direct found that “frequent UPF consumption in children may also drive stunted growth”. Early exposure to ultra-processed foods is also said to “disrupt the development of a healthy relationship with food, fostering a preference for products that are typically, soft, sweet and artificially flavoured,” according to the Soil Association, which can then harm teeth health and jaw development. 

5. Anxiety and depression

In 2019, The NutriNet-Santé  team published research that looked for links between ultra-processed foods and depressive symptoms. The authors included data from 20,380 participants in France who they followed for an average of 5.4 years. Even after taking into account a range of factors, they concluded that consuming more ultra-processed food was linked to an increased likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms."

There has been data to suggest a link between UPFs and anxiety disorder too. A study conducted in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that eating more fresh food was linked to a lower risk of depression and anxiety, whereas, high consumption of ultra-processed foods had the opposite effect on the participant's mental health.

6. Fitness and cardiovascular health

Various research also indicates a link between UPFs and cardiovascular health; "According to the larger study, a 10 per cent increase in UPF consumption in daily calorie intake was associated with a 6% increased risk of heart disease. Those with UPF making up less than 15 per cent of their diet were least at risk of any heart problems," reports the British Heart Foundation.

Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation continues; “There is increasing concern about links shown between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease. The study of women in Australia showed an association between higher consumption of these foods and the development of high blood pressure. 

More research is needed to better understand why these links have been found and what the mechanisms are. For example, we don’t know to what degree this is driven by artificial additives or the high levels of salt, sugar and fat that these foods tend to contain. 

We do know that the world around us doesn’t always make it easy for the healthy option to be the accessible and affordable option. On the contrary, less healthy foods often take centre stage.”

7. Long-term health issues

Alongside the short-term effects ultra-processed foods can have on your child, there are various long-term effects a high UPF diet can have for children later on in life. One study published in The BMJ examined the impact of ultra-processed foods on more than 100,000 adults over five years. The study found that those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had higher risks of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease leading the research to suggest an association between ultra-processed diets and heart disease. 

Another study by Imperial College's School of Public Health - which was published in The Lancet medical journal concluded there may be an increased link between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of developing cancer overall, specifically ovarian and brain cancers. Links to obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety have also been associated with ultra-processed food consumption. 

Nutritionist Robert Hobson says; “Recent research has shown that high intake of UPFs has been linked to 32 health conditions that include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. The research is still not definitive on this and is over varying quality and strength but there is an association between high intakes and disease risk. 

Why this research initially gained interest because after adjusting the findings for intakes of fat, salt, and sugar there was still a high risk of disease meaning something else was going on which could be individual additives in the food, the food matrix being altered, or a combination of things working together in the food to restful in negative health outcomes."

Various studies and research have been conducted over the years that link multiple diseases with the overconsumption or high diet of ultra-processed foods. Scientists and experts at ZOE conclude; "It’s undeniable that what you eat affects your overall health long-term, and overconsuming ultra-processed food puts you at a higher risk of disease. But there’s no need to get down on yourself for eating a frozen pizza or fast-food meal now and again."

Reducing ultra-processed foods in your child's diet

Cutting ultra-processed and processed foods from your child’s diet, especially if they already eat them, can be tough. In an ideal world, children would eat more unprocessed whole foods and fewer UPFs or processed foods, however, that isn’t always possible especially when convenient food, like readymade pizza or breakfast cereal, is made to target children and busy parents. 

According to Charlotte Stirling-Reed Nutrition; “If you are able to cook from scratch and mostly avoid UPFs, and if you want to do that and enjoy doing that – that’s great. However, it’s not always the norm or realistic for many of us to be able to feed our kids home-cooked, perfectly fresh, non-processed meals every single night, and it IS ok to include processed foods in our children’s diets… They are OK to offer every now and then but try and keep them to a bit of a minimum and focus on foods which contain plenty of nutrients and some fibre for babies.” 

The same applies to older children too. Instead of going cold turkey, try focusing on reducing the ultra-processed foods your child currently eats, minimising or swapping them for a less processed alternative, even if it's simply a different brand. 

Learn about food labeling

Before you even consider reducing UPFs in your child’s diet, you need to understand and recognise what foods are considered ultra-processed. One of the best ways to do this is by reading food labels and packets. 

According to the British Nutritional Foundation; “If a food or drink product has two or more ingredients, they must all be listed. These ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. This means the main ingredients in the packaged food will always be displayed first. This can help you to make healthier choices too, as if the first few ingredients in a food or drink product are ‘sugar’ or ‘butter’, you will know that they are the main ingredients, and is therefore a high-fat or high-sugar product.”

The key to spotting an ultra-processed food is in the ingredients. Often ingredients with five or more ingredients, ingredients you’ve never heard of before or couldn’t buy yourself in the supermarket, or ingredients with numbers and letters are UPFs. Below is a list of common additives often found in ultra-processed foods:

• Sweeteners - Aspartame (E951), Saccharin (E954), Acesulfame-K (E950)
• Preservatives -  Sulphur dioxide (E220), Nitrates (E252)
• Emulsifiers - Lecithin (E322), Locust bean gum (E410)
• Colours - Sunset yellow (E110), Quinoline yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122), Allura red (E129), Tartrazine (E102), Ponceau 4R (E124)
• Flavour enhancers - Monosodium Glutamate (MSG – E621)
• Gelling agents - Pectin (E440)

Educate yourself and your child

Once you understand what ultra-processed foods are, and once you’ve mastered the art of reading food labels (practice makes perfect) you can pass on your wisdom to your children - particularly if they are at an age where they want to make their own choices about food. 

There are many resources available to parents and guardians linked to understanding and identifying ultra-processed foods that are great for educating yourself and your children; “Listen to a podcast or download an app,” says GoodtoKnow’s Editor Anna Bailey. “Apps like YUKA allow you to search for and scan products, giving them a health score and identifying additives. A great one for those unsure of reading food labels or having trouble identifying ultra-processed foods during your weekly food shop. I would highly recommend ZOE too - a platform dedicated to educating people on gut health with world-leading scientists and plenty of research into improving health with what you eat.” 

We'd also recommend various books on UPFs and the impact they have on our bodies including the following:

In this feature, we’ve only touched on the can of worms that are ultra-processed foods. The main takeaway is to be aware of these foods and what makes them ultra-processed. It’s about cutting down where you can but most importantly focusing on a balanced diet ensuring plenty of natural, whole foods are favoured over UPFs - the more our diets are made up of ultra-processed foods, the lower our daily nutrient intake.

For more on how to improve your gut health, we spoke to experts on how to quit sugar as well as finding out more about what is E171 and why it's bad for you.

Did you know that some supermarket breads are considered ultra-processed? How about breakfast cereal? You’ll be surprised just how many ultra-processed foods are currently in your diet, and how these foods are said to impact your health.

When we think of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), we think of foods that have been highly manipulated during production but recent studies suggest that there is so much more to ultra-processed foods than just that.

Non-processed foods are foods that are whole, like apples, nuts, and oats whereas processed foods are foods that have gone through some kind of process when being made like canned or pickled foods. Ultra-processed foods have gone through several processes and contain multiple ingredients (many chemical and artificial that you’d struggle to pronounce) - to make them easier and cheaper to produce, prolong their shelf life, and give them more addictive qualities. These foods started appearing on our supermarket shelves in the 1970s, and we’re only just beginning to see the long-term effects.

According to gut health experts at ZOE, “the consensus is that ultra-processed food is unhealthy. Diets high in ultra-processed foods have been linked with increased risk of heart disease, weight gain, cancer, and even mortality - but why? Processing changes the complex structure of nutrients in a food, which scientists call the food matrix. Furthermore, research has shown that changes in the food matrix alter the way our bodies respond to food, potentially putting us at risk of these health conditions.”

Award-winning nutritionist Robert Hobson adds “UPFs undergo extensive processing, containing ingredients not found in a typical home kitchen. These include extracted substances like fats and oils, derivatives like hydrogenated fats and modified starches, and laboratory-synthesised additives such as artificial flavours, colours, and emulsifiers. They are also quick to prepare and have a long shelf life. We should be aware of the foods as they are not good for our health and even more so in larger quantities. In the UK the average shopping basket is made up of around 60% UPFs. We should be focusing on consuming more foods in their most natural state.

There is a risk that the UPF trend will end up demonising foods that can potentially exclude those on low incomes, without access to healthy food, or leave some people obsessed with food labels and ingredient lists. We should not be eating a diet that is made up mostly of UPFs but it is also worth recognising that some of these foods are not inherently unhealthy like some wholegrain breakfast cereals of plant-based alternative foods.”

Recent studies suggest that this applies to children too, as ultra-processed foods affect children in a large number of ways from obesity or cardiovascular diseases to their height, happiness, and cognitive development. A report by First Steps Nutrition Trust published in 2023 revealed that nearly a third of baby foods sold in the UK are ultra-processed - so children as young as six months are already being exposed to unhealthy processed foods at such a young age. But what can we do to stop this? First, we need to learn more about what exactly ultra-processed foods are, and how to spot them.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods have been altered during the production process - think crisps, cereal bars, carbonated drinks, pizza, ice cream, breakfast cereals, and biscuits. These foods often lack nutrients and are made purely for convenience; be it a quick bowl of cereal before the school run, or a ready-to-go packet of crisps on your lunch break. According to HEART UK on average, 56% of our calories in the UK come from UPFs - that is more than half the average diet. And according to Andrew Gregory at The Guardian “For some, especially people who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPF is typical.”

Common ingredients found in ultra-processed foods include unhealthy fats, refined sugars, salt, additives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colouring, artificial flavouring, and preservatives. According to the British Heart Foundation, “ultra-processed foods often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar and when we eat them, we leave less room in our diets for more nutritious foods. It’s also been suggested that the additives in these foods could be responsible for negative health effects.”

Examples of ultra-processed foods include:

• Mass-produced breads
• Some breakfast cereals
• Meat like ham and sausages
• Ice cream
• Crisps
• Biscuits
• Sweets and candy
• Fruit flavoured yogurts
• Soft drinks, fizzy drinks, alcoholic beverages
• Pizza
• Nuggets
• Readymade meals

Ultra-processed foods have been around for decades, but the term ‘ultra-processed foods’ was first coined by researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, who were looking at developing a system to categorise foods that had been vigorously altered during the production process. The researchers developed the NOVA Food Classification System which enables food to be organised into groups depending on how much the food is altered during production.

Alongside ultra-processed foods, three other types of food emerged. The categories include unprocessed foods such as fruit, veg, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc. These foods are in their natural state, with very minimal alterations during the production process. The second category is processed ingredients such as salt, sugar, oil, etc., and processed foods like jam, tinned foods, pickles, cheese, etc. which have been altered slightly during the production process.

Award-winning nutritionist, Robert Hobson, author of Unprocess Your Life says; “Processed foods are different from UPFs. These foods are made by adding culinary ingredients such as salt, oil, sugar, and spices to unprocessed foods or unprocessed foods that have undergone a small amount of processing such as freezing peas or canning a legume. Other examples include canned vegetables, fruits in syrup, cheeses, and freshly made breads. These foods are still recognisable as versions of their original plant or animal source.”

Why are ultra-processed foods bad for the body?

Plenty of studies and research have been conducted over the years to understand and determine the effect ultra-processed foods have on the body. Most recently conducted studies have concluded that ultra-processed foods bring no nutritional benefits when consumed and often harm gut health, heart health, chronic diseases, and more.

Short-term effects

It’s not just the big scary diseases and long-term health conditions that can be impacted by regularly consuming ultra-processed foods, it’s the short-term effect they have on your body too. UPFs can affect behaviour and energy levels - be it concentration at work, or children paying attention at school. Has your child ever had sugar highs and crashes before? It’s probably down to ultra-processed foods. And the same can be said for you too, that burst of energy you get after eating an ultra-processed cereal bar followed swiftly by a headache. The added ingredients, the extra sugar and nasties that can be found in UPFs can impact you on a daily basis.

Alongside changes in behaviour, mental health is also said to be impacted by the high consumption of UPFs. According to a study conducted by Harvard Medical School in 2023 which assessed the eating habits and mental health status of more than 21,000 women ages 42-62 found that “those who ate the most ultraprocessed food, defined as at least nine servings per day, were 50% more likely to develop depression than participants who ate the least, which was defined as no more than four servings daily. Consuming many foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners was linked to a particularly large increase in depression risk.”

As most ultra-processed foods contain next to nothing when it comes to nutrients, it's no wonder our bodies are unable to grow and develop at a healthy rate if we have a high UPF diet. This is particularly true in children who are constantly growing and developing. A study by Science Direct found that “frequent UPF consumption in children may also drive stunted growth”. Alongside this, early exposure to ultra-processed foods is said to “disrupt the development of a healthy relationship with food, fostering a preference for products that are typically, soft, sweet and artificially flavoured,” according to the Soil Association which can then in tow harm teeth health and jaw development. And it’s not just the day-to-day impact UPFs have on the body, the long-term suggestions are even more concerning.

Weight gain and body confidence are also being pressed with studies suggesting that a high level of ultra-processed foods in a child's diet can increase the risk of developing obesity later on down the line; “British children are consuming ‘exceptionally high’ proportions of ultra-processed foods, increasing their risk of obesity and damaging their health… Researchers found that not only do UPFs make up a considerably high proportion of children’s diets (more than 40% of intake in grams and more than 60% of calories on average), but that the higher the proportion of UPFs they consume, the greater the risk of becoming overweight or obese.” says one report by the Imperial College London.

Long-term risks

One of the most shocking things about ultra-processed foods is how they can negatively impact the body in the long run. One study published in The BMJ examined the impact of ultra-processed foods on more than 100,000 adults over five years. The study found that those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had higher risks of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease leading the research to suggest an association between ultra-processed diets and heart disease.

Another study conducted in 2019 concluded a link between ultra-processed foods and weight gain. A recent study by Imperial College's School of Public Health - which was published in The Lancet medical journal concluded there may be an increased link between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of developing cancer overall, specifically ovarian and brain cancers. Links to obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety have also been associated with ultra-processed food consumption.

Nutritionist Robert Hobson adds; “Recent research has shown that high intake of UPFs has been linked to 32 health conditions that include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. The research is still not definitive on this and is over varying quality and strength but there is definitely an association between high intakes and risk of disease. Why this research initially gained interested was because after adjusting the findings for intakes of fat, salt and sugar there was still a high risk of disease meaning something else was going on which could be individual additives in the food, the food matrix being altered or a combination of things working together in the food to restful in negative health outcomes.

Another big issue is overweight and obesity. Whether on purpose or not these foods are engineered to be hyper-palatable which makes them hard to resist. The food matrix has been altered making these foods soft and very easy to digest so they can be eaten very quickly and in greater serving sizes as consumption often bypasses hunger signals to the brain. If you add to this the fact they are either very sweet or have a combination of fat and sugar that results in quick and heavy dopamine release triggering reward centres in the brain, it only adds to the fact they become irresistible. In some people, this is a big issue as they are predisposed to have a bigger appetite or propensity to addictive behaviours meaning they cannot stop themselves from eating. This is interesting as it puts to question that stupid saying of telling overweight people to move more and eat less when they are stuck in an environment that only fuels a desire to eat UPFs that is difficult to control.

They also replace other more nutritious foods in the diet meaning you may be at risk of nutrient insufficiency or even deficiency in some cases. It is a bit of a paradox that someone could be overweight or obese and have nutrient deficiencies but this can easily be the case if that person exists on a diet mostly made up of UPFs.

UPFs may also impact the gut microbiome and some studies are looking at the impact of artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers doing this. Artificial sweeteners can increase the body’s capacity to absorb glucose resulting in a greater high from the sugar and motivating you to consume more sweet food. Being much sweeter than natural sugar might alter taste receptors' sensitivity to sweetness over time. This could affect dietary choices, leading to increased intake of sweet foods to satisfy cravings. Artificial sweeteners might also trigger insulin release in anticipation of sugar, affecting how the body responds to real sugars when they are consumed, potentially leading to reduced insulin sensitivity over time.”

4 ways to reduce your ultra-processed foods intake

“It might sound like we should go back to eating only foods that are minimally processed, but with restricted time and budget, this isn’t an option for most of us. Although the evidence to suggest that ultra-processed foods are bad for our heart and circulation seems to be growing, the type and quality of the research means it’s still not clear that we need to completely exclude them,” says The British Heart Foundation.

• 1) Reading food labels - One of the most important skills when it comes to recognising ultra-processed foods is reading food labels. If you want to ensure that you either cut out or cut down on ultra-processed foods in your diet, you need to know how food labels work, how to read food labels, and what certain ingredients mean. This will help you determine what is processed or ultra-processed and whether you want to eat it. Ingredients to look out for include sugar, salt, additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colouring and flavour - think E numbers, anything you don’t recognise as a ‘real’ ingredient or an ingredient you couldn’t buy yourself. Products with more than five ingredients, ingredients you may never heard of before, ingredients that have letters followed by numbers, or have high levels of salt or sugar are ultra-processed.
• 2) Make more from scratch - If you want to cut out ultra-processed foods from your diet, then all means do, however instead of eliminating these foods, you could focus more on the balance in your diet. Focus on minimally processed foods like fruit and vegetables. Make time for home cooking and swap shop-bought cookies and cakes for homemade versions instead. These little swaps will make a big difference overall. Learning how to make your own crisps, or baking fresh bread from scratch with your family is not only more rewarding, but is better for your health too. When making treats yourself, you will have control over exactly what goes into that food.
• 3) Download an app - Apps like YUKA allow you to search for and scan products, giving them a health score and identifying additives. A great one for those unsure of reading food labels or having trouble identifying ultra-processed foods during your weekly food shop.
• 4) Educate yourself - There are loads of books and podcasts available talking about UPFs, how they impact the body, and how we can avoid and swap in our diet. GoodtoKnow’s Editor Anna Bailey recommends the following reads...

Ultra-processed food alternatives

There are a variety of ways you can swap out ultra-processed foods that are currently in your diet - be it breakfast cereal or a slice of bread. One way to do this is as we mentioned above, comparing food labels. One bread may have a couple of different ingredients, whereas the other may have more than five some of which you’ve never heard of before. Opt for the bread with fewer ingredients - or try making your own bread.

The same for breakfast cereal, swap the sugar-coated Shreddies for porridge, Cornflakes, Bran Flakes, Weetabix - cereals that are less processed, with less sugar, salt, and any nasty extras. Next time you’re in the supermarket, compare the product labels and you’ll be rather surprised.

Nutririonst Robert Hobson recommends the following foods swaps:

• Fat free flavoured yoghurts - zero fat greek yoghurt with fresh or canned fruit
• Sugary breakfast cereals - unsweetened granola made with nuts, dried fruit and seeds
• Packaged bread - fresh wholemeal loaf
• Flavoured crisps - plain unsalted good quality crisp or corn tortilla
• Oat flapjack with chocolate - homemade energy ball (dried fruit, oats, cocoa powder) or plain dried fruit and nut bars like NAKD

He adds; “Processed foods are definitely real food as even a baked potato is potentially a processed food by definition as are frozen peas and canned chickpeas which are all very nutritious additions to the diet. Some UPFs at one end of the scale are more nutritious than others so I think if you are going to be eating them then those such as wholemeal bread and high fibre breakfast cereals are fine. Right at the other end of the scale, you have some foods that hardly contain single-release ingredients like Pringles and some protein bars.”

The main takeaway is to be aware of ultra-processed foods and understand what they are and what makes them ultra-processed. It’s about cutting down where you can but most importantly focusing on a balanced diet ensuring plenty of unprocessed foods are being favoured over processed and ultra-processed - the more our diets are made up of ultra-processed foods, the lower our daily nutrient intake.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) concluded that caution is still needed when making dietary recommendations regarding ultra-processed foods because of limitations to the research available.

For more on how to improve your gut health, we spoke to experts on how to quit sugar as well as finding out more about what is E171 and why it's bad for you.

Annabel Karmel's trio of vegetables with tomato and basil is a nutritious weaning puree for a six-month-old baby.

Soft butternut squash, carrot, cauliflower, and tomatoes makes this one nutrient-packed baby food for your weaning baby. The soft texture makes this a perfect introductory food for a baby's first taste. Flavoured with basil and grated Cheddar cheese.

Ingredients

• 100g butternut squash, diced into 1 cm cubes 
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes
• 100g cauliflower, cut into small florets
• A knob of salted butter
• 2 medium tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
• 6 basil leaves (optional) 
• 50g Cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Steam the butternut squash and carrot for 6 minutes, then add the cauliflower and steam for a further 6 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté over a high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the steamed vegetables, basil and grated cheese. Stir for a few minutes and blend until smooth.

Top tips for making trio of vegetables with tomato and basil

This recipe would work just as well with sweet potato. You could also swap the cauliflower for broccoli if preferred.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

Our birthday cupcakes make a great alternative to big bakes for your little ones' special day - and are so much easier to transport too. 

If you've been tasked with making your kid's birthday cakes this year and you fancy something a little less daunting, how about whipping up a batch of birthday-themed cupcakes?

We’ve got recipes that require minimal decoration, such as our classic fairy cakes, and others that take a little time but will look very impressive on your kid's party food table like our animal cupcakes. If you’re hosting a colourful theme you might like our easy rainbow cupcakes the best or for animal lovers the panda cupcakes are adorable. 

Decorating cakes is a very affordable and fun activity to include in your party schedule and each cupcake can go straight into their party bag to take home. So you don't need to stress about how to cut a birthday cake to perfection. Cupcakes make a great food gift too for the birthday boy or girl, just make sure you check allergies and dietary requirements before you get baking.

Easy birthday cupcakes to make for kids

1. Mary Berry iced fairy cakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 30 mins, plus decorating

Mary Berry’s easy recipe uses a five-ingredient batter and an all-in-one method so there are minimal steps and washing up. The kids can help measure the ingredients and, if they are big enough, mix everything together with an electric mixer too. 

These are the perfect choice of cupcakes if you want to make a couple of batches for the kids to decorate at the party. You can make them the day before and keep them in an airtight container until everyone has taken their place at the table. Depending on how many kids you have joining in the fun, consider placing a few bowls of icing and sweets for decoration along the table so that everyone can reach what they need. 

Get the recipe: Fairy cakes 

2. Butterfly buns

Makes: 10 | Total time: 40 mins 

In just 15 minutes you’ll have 10 perfectly fluffy cupcakes, baked and ready for the tops to be trimmed into butterflies. We’ve filled the cakes with a little jam and buttercream but why not make them extra exciting and fill them with a handful of Smarties or sweets as a surprise? 

The recipe is easy to scale up or down depending on how many cakes you’d like and for a little extra flavour, consider adding some lemon zest to the cake batter. 

Get the recipe: Butterfly buns 

3. Rainbow cupcakes

Makes: 10-16 | Total time: 45 mins 

Little ones will be impressed with the different layers in these rainbow cupcakes and they are easier to bake than you might think. We’ve used a classic ratio of 2:1 for the buttercream topping but if you’re feeling fancy, consider making an Italian meringue icing to pipe on top. You could blow torch the tops, just before handing them out to the party guests. 

You can freeze undecorated cupcakes, simply wrap them in clingfilm, and defrost them thoroughly before icing and eating. 

Get the recipe: Rainbow cupcakes 

4. Chocolate cupcakes

Serves: 12 | Total time: 50 mins

Our chocolate cupcakes only take 20 minutes to bake and have a rich chocolate buttercream that you can pipe or spread on top. You can also poke an extra chocolate treat on the top if you like. Maltesers, truffles, or Ferrero Rocher are all great choices but you could even use mini brownie bites to decorate the cakes if you fancy. This recipe will make enough for 12, regular-sized cupcakes but if you can find mini cases and have a suitable tin, we always think they look sweet. 

In our recipe, we use cocoa powder for the chocolate flavour but feel free to drizzle the cakes with melted chocolate too for an indulgent finish. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate cupcakes

5. Animal cupcakes

Makes: 10 | Total time: 40 mins

Annabel Karmel’s animal-face cupcakes are simple but effective and use a selection of sweets, chocolate, and biscuits to achieve a striking design. If you’re setting this up as an activity at the party, consider making a couple of cakes in advance so the kids can copy the design for themselves. 

We’d recommend colouring some pots of buttercream in advance and putting it in little piping bags to keep the mess to a minimum. Although the cupcakes only take 20 minutes to bake, if you’re short on time you could use some readymade cupcakes and simply use this recipe as inspiration for the decoration. 

Get the recipe: Animal cupcakes 

6. Dairy free cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 26 mins

You only need five ingredients to make these dairy-free cupcakes and the icing is so creamy we bet you won’t be able to tell it isn’t made with butter. Don’t forget to make sure any decorations you use are also dairy-free. 

This recipe will make 12 cupcakes but you can easily double the ingredients to make a big batch. Display the cakes on a cake stand or bake enough so that you can arrange them across the table to spell out your little one’s age or initials. 

Get the recipe: Dairy-free cupcakes

7. Oreo cupcakes

Makes: 6-8 | Total time: 35 mins 

This is one for all the cookies and cream lovers out there! There’s nothing quite like getting a cupcake AND a biscuit hit in one delicious treat and this easy recipe only has seven different ingredients.

We like to decorate with mini Oreos but using regular-sized ones looks good too and is arguably more generous. If you like this recipe, consider adapting it to use other popular biscuits. Custard creams, Bourbons, and Jammy Dodgers would all work well. 

Get the recipe: Oreo cupcakes 

8. Hidden shape cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 2 hours 20 mins

Not only do these cakes look impressive from the outside, but once you cut them in half you’ll see a pretty butterfly pattern too. If you want to cheat this recipe, use a shop-bought chocolate cake to stamp out the butterflies, or a shape of your choice like a star, and then make the cupcake batter as instructed. Doing this cuts down a couple of the steps and will help save you some time too. 

We recommend leaving a note in the goodbye bag that suggests slicing the cakes in half before eating otherwise your hard work might go unnoticed.

Get the recipe: Hidden shape cupcakes

9. Banoffee cupcakes

Makes: 9 | Total time: 50 mins

Banana, caramel, and chocolate are a tried and tested combination that is oh-so tasty. The cakes are decorated with fresh whipped cream so if you want to get ahead, we recommend baking the cakes the day before. 

You can whip the cream and transfer it to a piping bag. Then you just have to add the swirl of cream just before serving. Alternatively, you can use a standard buttercream which doesn’t require chilling in the fridge and will sit happily on the cakes for a day ahead. This recipe makes enough for nine cupcakes but you can easily double it if you want more. 

Get the recipe: Banoffee cupcakes 

10. Party streamer cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Is it even a party if there aren’t streamers and party popper debris floating around? These cupcakes will look perfect on your buffet table and are easier to make than you might think. 

The toppers are made from different coloured flower icing paste and we’ve added sprinkles and silver balls for added theatre too. You need to make the toppers two days ahead so that they dry out fully so this isn’t a good choice if you need some last-minute inspiration. 

Get the recipe:  Party streamer cupcakes  

11. Coke float cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Your kids might not get the nostalgic factor of these cupcakes, but we’re certain they’ll be fans of the flavours. The cupcakes are drizzled with a delicious sticky cola syrup and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you need something that will sit at room temperature for a while, consider using a smaller scoop of buttercream that looks like ice cream instead. 

Using straws or mini ice cream spoons to decorate is a cute addition but not essential to the finished cakes. The cakes will be kept for three days and are perfect for making ahead. Then all you have to do is serve with the ice cream. It’s a great option if you want to serve the cakes as dessert. 

Get the recipe: Coke float cupcakes

12. Maltesers cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 35 mins 

Lorraine Pascale’s easy recipe can be made even more indulgent by swapping some of the flour for cocoa powder. Don’t feel you have to stick to classic Maltesers for the decoration on top. You can buy so many different Malteser treats now that you could top the cakes with a Malteser truffle, bunny, or piece of bar instead. In fact, why not use a combination?

The cakes take around 25 minutes to bake and will need to cool before you ice them but both can be made the day before if you want to get ahead. 

Get the recipe: Maltesers cupcakes 

13. Smarties cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 20 mins 

When it comes to chocolate cupcakes, this recipe promises a triple hit. There’s a chocolate sponge, chocolate icing, and a generous scattering of chocolate Smarties to decorate. There are only four steps in the method and we’ve got a handy video for you to see exactly how they are made.

You can bake them with the kids before the party or let them decorate the cooked cakes with their friends. 

Get the recipe:  Smarties cupcakes 

14. Panda cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 1 hour 30 mins 

Victoria Threader is a cupcake pro and her recipe has a detailed description of exactly how to achieve the panda decoration. With a few clever techniques and a little patience, you’ll have 12 cupcakes that your little one will think you’ve bought from a professional bakery. 

The sponge is flavoured with a little lime zest but you can swap for orange, or lemon or leave out the citrus if you prefer. A dash of vanilla essence is always a nice touch but for something richer, swap a little four for dark cocoa powder instead. 

Get the recipe: Panda cupcakes

15. Pirate cupcakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 2 hours 10 mins 

These cupcakes are pretty theme-specific but you can use the principles to adapt the faces to your party decor. It might be fun to make a set of cupcakes with the basic faces on and then give the kids some icing pens so that they can draw on their facial features and hair. 

We recommend investing in some basic cake-decorating tools to make the process as easy as possible. 

Get the recipe: Pirate cupcakes 

If you’re looking for a big cake to serve alongside your cupcakes, this chocolate cake recipe is one of our most popular. Take a look at our list of Frozen birthday cake ideas if your little one is obsessed with Elsa or these Bluey birthday cake ideas are sure to be a hit too.

For new parents, we’ve got lots of first birthday party ideas plus a list of kids' party games that everyone can take part in. If you’ve got a pre-teen whose becoming harder and harder to impress, we are sure you’ll find something worthy in our round-up of 13th birthday party ideas.

You've been tasked with making your kid's birthday cake this year and looking for some showstopping inspiration, well, you've come to the right place. 

From a no-bake train cake for those with a fear of ovens and soggy bottoms to a clever anti-gravity cake that will boggle your little ones' minds, we've got you – and your small party guests – covered with our range of statement cakes to stand proudly on your kid's party food table. And you'll be glad to know that all include top tips for making your kid's birthday cake that little bit easier.

There are ideas to suit everyone from total novice bakers to those who could give a Bake Off contestant a run for their money, all of which will be the star of the show amidst all the other party buffet food. And speaking of Bake Off, we've got cakes from the tent's most famous inhabitant, Nadiya Hussain, and another show winner, Jo Wheatley. 

We also spoke to expert baker, Sophia Butler, who makes cakes for children's parties at The Sugar Tea Room to get her take on making a kid's birthday cake; "Vanilla cakes are the easiest to bake and decorate," says Sophia. "A simple all-in-one recipe, with equal flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and a splash of vanilla extract makes the best sponge. Add some jam or buttercream in the middle and the cake will be perfect!" 

Here are our best kid's birthday cake recipes and ideas for you to recreate at home...

Birthday cake ideas for kids

1. Jo Wheatley’s rainbow vanilla sponge

Serves: 8-10 | Prep time: 45 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

This adorable and very fun cake comes courtesy of The Great British Bake Off winner Jo Wheatley (you'll need to cast your mind back as far as 2011 for that one). It's a great one for less confident bakers, as the sponge is a basic – and classic vanilla, and there's no fancy fondant work – it's just about ready-to-roll icing and Smarties. You'll need some blue food colouring for the buttercream. Making the rainbow is a little fiddly but not at all complex, and is secured in place with cocktail sticks, disguised with buttercream clouds.

Get the recipe: Jo Wheatley’s rainbow vanilla sponge

2. No-bake train cake

Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 1 hour 

If you're not so hot on the old baking skills, you'll be on the right track (sorry) by putting together this showstopper made entirely from shop-bought cakes and biscuits you can find at any supermarket – or even in the corner shop if you're tight on time. It's a chance to exercise your creative skills without concerns for soggy bottoms or burnt sponges, and it's super fun to put together with the kids. The result is next level.

Get the recipe: No-bake train cake

3. Pink wafer ice-cream cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 1 hour, plus overnight freezing

Made from shop-bought strawberry and vanilla ice cream (though you could switch out for other flavours), this ice cream cake is simpler than it looks and will be a triumph with the kids. Best suited for a party at home, as it won't easily be transportable, make it the day before the big reveal, as it needs to be set in the freezer overnight. Great for summer parties.

Get the recipe: Pink wafer ice cream cake

4. Oreo layer cake

Serves: 12-14 | Prep time: 1 hour 30 mins | Cook time: 55 mins

Oreo enthusiasts will be utterly thrilled with this towering Oreo cake because it's not just topped with Oreos (that do indeed have sprinkles stuck to them, just when you thought they couldn't love them more), but also contains them crushed into the frosting. Delicious!

Get the recipe: Oreo layer cake

5. Stained glass cake

Serves: 16 | Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins | Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

A stained glass window in cake form? Sure. This glorious design would work just as well for an adult birthday celebration. The almond sponge is a relatively simple one (note to self to check any nut allergies before serving) and the shards are made from melted boiled sweets – multi-coloured obvs – with liquid glucose. The best bit? Once set and cooled, smash them into shards to decorate the cake. 

Get the recipe: Stained glass cake

6. Nadiya Hussain's confetti birthday cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 35 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Nadiya knows a thing or two about a special celebration cake (as the late Queen would have testified), and our favourite thing about this pastel wonder is that the colour isn't from artificial food colouring – the pink comes courtesy of using real strawberries. So, it's basically good for you, right? A simple bake perfect for amateur bakers. Just don't forget the sprinkles.

Get the recipe: Nadiya Hussain's confetti birthday cake

7. Digger cake

Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Make a simple cocoa sponge (or even buy one – bad bakers rejoice!) and transform it into this seriously impressive digger cake using chocolate fingers, crumbled Oreos, and your kid's favourite mini toys. The chocolate finger fence keeps all the 'rubble' in place. A bit of housekeeping – don't forget to give those toys a good wash and a soak in boiling water to sterilise them. Oh, and remind the little ones that they aren't actually edible…

Get the recipe: Digger cake

8. Chocolate fingers cake

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

An absolute classic kid's birthday party favourite is this choc sponge, wrapped in a fence of chocolate fingers and topped with a ton of Smarties (don't be shy) and other sweets. Choose a selection – Maltesers, marshmallows, Dolly Mixtures, jellies, whatever takes your fancy – and they can either be compartmentalised into sections or just all piled on together for ease. Divine. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate fingers cake

9. Rainbow cake

Serves: 15 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Easier than it looks, the biggest challenge here is finding five cake tins to bake the different colour sponges (and remembering how to make colours from other colours, to not overspend on food colourings!). Stick the sponges together with a layer of lemon curd for a little tang and some extra sweetness, spread over the frosting, roll in sprinkles, and await squeals of delight.

Get the recipe: Rainbow cake

10. Birthday present cake

Serves: 8-10 | Prep time: 1 hour 30 mins (plus various chilling times) | Cook time: 25 mins

One for those who are a dab hand with the fondant, this impressive creation takes a bit of patience and skill. Still, the step-by-step hand-holding instructions mean even those with neither can give it a good go so, if you fancy channeling your inner Bake Off contestant, then knock yourself out. It's a labour of love and one that is well worth it.

Get the recipe: Birthday present cake

11. Polka dot cake

Serves: 16 | Prep time: 3 hours | Cook time: 35 mins

One for those with plenty of baking kit (think a cake pop-making machine) at their disposal, and a reasonable amount of time and skill, this stunning cake is well worth going the extra mile. After making the multi-coloured cake pops, they're added to the regular batter, for a brilliant polka-dotted sponge effect. Once cooled, the cake is covered in buttercream and circles of multi-coloured cut-out fondant. A spot of joy.

Get the recipe: Polka dot cake

12. Chocolate and marshmallow birthday cake

Makes/serves: 10 | Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 55 mins

An easy one that will be every bit as loved as a fancy, time-consuming bake, this choc cake topped with fresh cream and marshmallows won't keep long, but that's hardly a worry as the kids will likely snaffle it in record time. The sponge contains ground almonds so be sure to check in about the party guests' dietary requirements.

Get the recipe: Chocolate and marshmallow birthday cake

13. Giant chocolate cupcake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 25 mins | Cook time: 50 mins

A cupcake for 12 you say? And why not? This recipe could be adapted for any flavour sponge and variety of toppings. The key piece of the kit is a giant cupcake mould (these can be bought on Amazon) – other than that, it's the same as prepping any other cake. Cover with a chocolate ganache and pipe buttercream on top and you're good to go. 

Get the recipe: Giant chocolate cupcake

14. Chocolate cola cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 30 mins

An excellent use for that flat bottle of cola in the fridge (or if you don't have a flat one, make sure you pour it out a while in advance to de-fizz a little), this basic choc sponge is livened up with a glass of iconic pop, giving it the edge over a bog standard chocolate cake. Decorate with cola bottles (feel free to add fizzy ones too) and other chocolates of choice. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate cola cake

15. Piñata cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 25 mins

If there's one thing a kid loves more than a piñata, it's a piñata in cake form. And, while this might feel complicated, it's essentially a regular sponge, hollowed out, filled with a mix of sweets, and covered in buttercream. Never mind the kids, we want one for our next birthday celebration, please.

Get the recipe: Piñata cake

16. Giant rainbow cupcake

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 50 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Using a giant cupcake mould, this is a rainbow cake in a new guise. The recipe uses nine multi-coloured layers, but you could do less to save time and lessen the fiddly stuff. Sprinkle with Skittles and any other candies of choice (being colourful is the only stipulation) and stick a big candle with the birthday child's age on top. Delightful.

Get the recipe: Giant rainbow cupcake

17. Pick and mix chocolate and sweet cake

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

A choc finger cake turned into a pick and mix counter? The dream. Use chocolate jazzies, Love Hearts, white chocolate mice, and all the classics, to fill separate sections of the topping. Looks so effective, and tastes so good. Choose whatever sponge you fancy, though chocolate is always a winner. The kids will be more fussed about the toppings, so it's even ok to just buy the cake. Win-win. 

Get the recipe: Pick and mix chocolate and sweet cake

18. Rocky road cake

Serves: 6 | Prep time: 25 mins | Cook time: 55 mins

Didn't think Rocky Road could be bettered? It just was… This is a chocolate sponge but with all the added joys of smashed biscuits, choc chips, and raisins (feel free to add glace cherries too, and to swap the digestives for ginger nuts, amaretti biscuits or any other cookies of choice). Drizzle over melted white choc and decorate with mini marshmallows – and you've got yourself a sure-fire hit.

Get the recipe: Rocky Road cake

19. Anti gravity cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 45 mins

A clever-looking cake that requires very little cleverness as a baker. Make (or buy) a basic chocolate sponge, slather it in buttercream, pop some straws in it, and cover those in buttercream too, then stick on a very generous amount of M&Ms or Smarties. The kids will be mad about it and you'll feel like the most popular person in town, which is always nice. 

Get the recipe: Anti-gravity cake

20. Reese's Pieces chocolate peanut butter cake

Serves: 16 | Prep time: 45 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

It goes without saying that this one needs an allergy warning but, now that we've got the non-fun stuff out of the way, let's crack on with celebrating this glorious cake. A rich chocolate cake covered in peanut butter flavoured buttercream, topped with a silky chocolate ganache, and topped with halved mini peanut butter cups in the ultimate celebration of America's iconic chocolate bar. Yes, please.

Get the recipe: Reese's Pieces chocolate peanut butter cake

21. Chocolate marble cake

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 1 hour 15 mins

A somewhat sophisticated bake that could be best suited to older kids and teens. The cake is marbled with a mix of dark choc and white choc sponges, covered in Nutella buttercream and a chocolate glaze, and decorated with homemade marbled chocolate shards. And that's rather a lot of chocolate, not that there's such a thing as too much chocolate, of course.

Get the recipe: Chocolate marble cake

22. Giant peanut butter Kit Kat Chunky

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 25 mins, plus setting time 

A fabulous-looking 'cake' (ok, actually a massive biscuit) that requires zilch in the way of baking.  It just needs wafer biscuits (we recommend hazelnut flavour, but it's down to personal preference), smooth peanut butter, and melted milk chocolate. Oh, and some cookie cutters to write KitKat on top of the cake. Wonderful. 

Get the recipe: Giant peanut butter Kit Kat Chunky

23. Chocolate explosion drip cake

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 20 mins

Perfect for older kids, teens, and, frankly, adults, this drip cake is a sophisticated showstopper. A choc sponge, covered in buttercream and chocolate ganache, the big appeal is the topper filled with a variety of chocolate bars. Choose a mix of shapes and sizes – think everything from Galaxys to Curly Wurlys, Kinder Buenos to Ripples, as well as individual treats like Rolos, Maltesers, and choc pretzels. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate explosion drip cake

24. Giant Rice Krispie cake

Serves: 28 | Prep time: 20 mins, plus chilling 

It's easy, serves a lot of kids (so perfect for one of those big whole-class parties), and is very cheap to make. Win, win, win there, then. The drizzled-over chocolate is made from melted Mars Bars and you have free rein to decorate in whichever way your child's heart desires. Choc buttons, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, there are no rules…

Get the recipe: Giant Rice Krispie cake

25. Chocolate ganache cake

Serves: 15 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 35 mins

A three-sponge cake – with white, milk, and dark layers – is covered in a rich and silky ganache and topped with white chocolate stars. Of course, the topping could be switched out for whatever you like – crumbled-up Crunchie bars or Maltesers, choc chips, rainbow sprinkles, edible glitter – the choice is yours.

Get the recipe: Chocolate ganache cake

26. Nadiya Hussain's spiced pumpkin Halloween birthday cake

Serves: 20 | Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins | Cook time: 50 mins

An excellent one for an Autumnal birthday, but, really, this cutely spooky spider cake will go down a storm at any time of the year. The sponge features butternut squash or pumpkin (which if you're pulling a face, may we remind you how much you love carrot cake?) and the spiders are chocolate-covered Oreos with liquorice legs. Sweet, in more ways than one.

Get the recipe: Nadiya Hussain's spiced pumpkin Halloween birthday cake

For more birthday cake inspiration, how about trying to make your very own caterpillar cake or a masterpiece inspired by one of the best Frozen birthday cake ideas or Bluey birthday cake ideas. 

And don't forget to have a look at how to cut a birthday cake to make the most out of the cake and ensure everyone gets a slice in their party bags.

One of these tried and tested rainbow cakes could make a great base for your design too, or one of our tried and tested caterpillar cakes solves the dilemma without breaking a sweat.

It takes just five ingredients and 20 minutes to make these cheesy carrot stars by expert nutritionist Annabel Karmel.

Carrots, Cheddar, Parmesan, egg and self-raising flour and you've got 10-12 delicious bites for your weaning baby to enjoy. Perfect for older weaning babies, especially those embracing baby led weaning. These carrot stars are also a great choice for toddlers and preschool children as part of their dinner plate.

Ingredients

• 200g carrots, peeled and grated
• 50g Cheddar, grated
• 25g Parmesan, grated (or vegetarian alternative)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 tbsp self-raising flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C Fan.
2. Put the carrots into a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. Place the carrots in a bowl, and add the cheeses, eggs, flour and seasoning (for babies 12 months +).
4. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Put a star cutter onto the sheet. Fill the cutter with the carrot mixture. Press down firmly. Remove the cutter and repeat. You could also use a small round cutter instead of a star.
5. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until lightly golden and set.

Top tips for making cheesy carrot stars

Why not try this recipe with other root vegetables too - swap the carrot for parsnip or swede for a stronger flavour. And don't stress if you don't have a star shaped cookie cutter to hand, any shape would do; be it hearts, circles, squares, dinosaurs... the list goes on.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

These steak and salsa wraps only take 15 minutes to make and using a shop-bought salsa would get them on the table even quicker.

Rump steaks are a more budget-friendly cut of beef that is best cooked quickly, so they are basically any busy parent’s best friend. This recipe only has four steps and the kids could take control of making the salsa while you fry the steak. You can add to the wrap filling whatever you need to use up. The recipe would work well with flaked fish, ham, or jam-packed with roasted veg and some fried halloumi. 

Ingredients 

• 4 rump steaks, approx 200g each
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1⁄2tsp ground smoked paprika
• 4 large tortilla wraps or 8 small
• Shop-bought guacamole or mashed avocado and lime (optional)
• For the salsa:
• 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1⁄2 red onion, diced
• 2tbsp pickled jalapeños, chopped
• Handful fresh coriander, chopped
• Juice 1 lime

Method 

1. Brush the steaks with oil, season with paprika and black pepper. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and season with salt.
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then sear the steaks (in batches) for 1-2 mins each side, or until cooked to your liking. Rest for 5 mins.
4. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, then toast the wraps for 1 min on each side (or warm in the microwave). Slice the steak and assemble the wraps with the salsa and guacamole if using.

Top tips for making steak and salsa wraps

If you have any leftover wraps and salsa from the recipe, transform them into a quick and delicious snack. Simply cut the wraps into triangles, drizzle with oil and salt and cook for 5-10 mins at 180C (160C fan, Gas 4) until golden and crisp. 

Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: “When I cook steak I like to use a set of tongs to help me flip it over and ensure an even crust is forming on each side.” 

If your kids love wraps they will love our burritos. We also have a guide on how to cook steak if you want some more tips before you try this recipe. You might also like our chicken taco bowls.

Our trifle cake is filled with creamy custard and topped with coconut yogurt and raspberries to keep it dairy-free and delicious. 

The sherry can be swapped for a little orange juice if you’re making the recipe for kids to tuck into as well. This is a great recipe to make with little ones as they will enjoy hollowing out the cake and snacking on the offcuts. All of the elements can be made ahead and then assembled and chilled around 30 minutes before you want to serve. 

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• 100g (31⁄2oz) ground almonds
• 100g (31⁄2oz) plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 150g (5oz) Stork baking spread
• 4 eggs, beaten

For the custard:

• 2tbsp custard powder
• 1tbsp caster sugar
• 250ml (8fl oz) oat or soy milk

For the rest:

• 2tbsp cream sherry
• 300g (10oz) raspberries
• 350g pot natural coconut yogurt
• 25g (3⁄4oz) toasted flaked almonds

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Beat the cake ingredients together until smooth, pour into a greased and lined 18cm springform cake tin. Bake for 50 mins. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
2. Mix the custard powder and sugar in a pan, and whisk in a little milk to make a paste. On a medium heat, whisk in the rest of the milk and bring to a boil, stirring. Pour into a jug, press a sheet of baking paper over the surface and chill.
3. Once the cake is cool, score a 12cm (5in) circle in the centre and cut to around halfway down, lifting out the cake with a spoon to make the base as flat as possible.
4. Drizzle over the sherry and cover the base with a layer of raspberries. Pour over the custard, top with more raspberries, saving the rest for the top, and pile on the yogurt. Scatter over the rest of the raspberries and the flaked almonds. Chill for 30 mins before serving.

Top tips for making our trifle cake 

Some people love jelly in trifles. If you want to include it in this cake, we recommend setting it in a small container and then scooping it into the cake before you pour in the custard. 

If you like how we’ve presented the cake, consider buying a glass cake stand for your home.

Check out these trifle recipes if you fancy some more dessert inspiration. You might also like our strawberry trifle cake or this Eton Mess trifle is a real show stopper. 

These coconut and pineapple ice lollies are the perfect cheap and easy treat for the whole family.

Customise the toppings and make them with your kids ready for a sunny day or afternoon treat. Kids can help blitz the ingredients for the lollies and pour them into moulds. There are only three steps in the method and they have an initial freeze overnight. Consider prepping them ahead up to this stage and then finish off the decoration with your kids the next day. 

Ingredients

• 400ml tin coconut milk
• 425g tin pineapple pieces in juice
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 90g (3oz) frozen raspberries

For the decoration:

• 175g (6oz) vegan dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1tbsp coconut oil
• 3tbsp desiccated coconut, plus extra for sprinkling

You will need:

• 10 ice lolly moulds and sticks

Method 

1. Put the coconut milk, pineapple pieces and their juice, lime zest and juice, and raspberries into a blender. Blitz until smooth then divide evenly between the moulds. Insert the sticks and freeze for 12 hrs.
2. Once set, remove from the moulds and return to the freezer on a lined baking tray.
3. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof jug set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, stir in the desiccated coconut and dip each lolly in. Shake off the excess chocolate then sprinkle over more coconut. Return to the freezer to set for 15 mins before serving.

Top tips for making coconut and pineapple lollies

Most dark chocolate is vegan but check the packet before you buy to be sure. You can swap for milk chocolate if you’d prefer a sweeter coating. 

Once you have a set of moulds you can make homemade lollies every week!

Explore more of our ice lolly recipes if you want some different flavour combinations. Read all about the best foods to cool you down on a hot summer day. You might also like these no-bake desserts.

This black rice coconut pudding is easy to make ahead and kids can chop all of the fruit for the little salsa on top. 

There are only four steps in the method of this recipe and it can be served warm or cold, making it perfect for prepping ahead. We’ve served it with mango and strawberries on top but you could swap for chunks of pineapple, raspberries, or whatever fruit you fancy. 

Ingredients

• 300g (10oz) Thai black rice
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• 200ml (7fl oz) coconut water
• 45g (11⁄2oz) caster sugar, plus 1tsp
• 160ml tin coconut cream
• 1 large mango, skinned, stoned and diced
• 250g (9oz) strawberries, hulled and diced
• Zest and juice of 1 lime

Method

1. Soak the rice for 1 hr in water, then drain and put into a pan with the coconut milk, coconut water and sugar. Bring to the boil, then cover. Reduce the heat to low so the mixture is simmering, and cook for 40 mins until the liquid is thick and sticky.
2. Mix in most of the coconut cream, reserving a little to drizzle on top. Increase the heat and bubble for 5 mins until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 5 mins, before transferring to a bowl and leaving to cool.
3. Stir together the mango, strawberries, lime zest and juice, and the extra 1tsp sugar. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Serve the rice pudding either warm or chilled, topped with the fruit and the remaining coconut cream, if you like.

Top tips for making black rice coconut pudding

This fact will impress your kids. Did you know that black rice turns a brilliant purple colour when cooked? This is because it contains anthocyanin – the same natural pigment that makes blueberries purple.

If you find prepping fresh mango a pain, invest in this handy little gadget that slices and peels the fruit in one. 

For more tropical flavoured desserts, check out this coconut pavlova or our coconut milk panna cotta that can be made the day before. You might also like this nutty coconut cake. 

Our feta and spinach stuffed chicken delivers a delicious taste of the Mediterranean and the kids will be impressed when they slice open the chicken to discover the cheesy, green filling. 

We have served the chicken with a Greek-inspired salad but you can swap it for chips, rice, or roast veggies if you prefer. When the spinach mixture is cool enough to handle, you can let the kids stuff the chicken breasts and seal them with a cocktail stick. Check they are properly sealed before cooking. Kids can also help prep and chop all the salad ingredients. 

Ingredients

• 2tsp olive oil
• 2tbsp frozen or fresh shallot, chopped
• 1tsp fresh oregano leaves, or dried
• 250g spinach
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1⁄2 lemon
• Splash white wine or sherry

For the salad:

• 1⁄2 cucumber, deseeded and sliced
• 400g tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large roasted red pepper, sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh mint, leaves roughly torn
• 50g Kalamata olives
• 2tsp sherry or red wine vinegar
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the shallot. Cook for 2 mins until soft, then add the oregano; cook for 1 min. Stir in the spinach, season, then cook until wilted and the liquid has evaporated.
2. Mix in the feta, then take off the heat.
3. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). On one side of each chicken breast, make a deep incision to make a pocket. Stuff the spinach mix inside then secure with a metal skewer or two cocktail sticks.
4. Put the chicken in a roasting tin, brush with a little oil, squeeze over the lemon and add the wine and a splash of water. Add a generous grind of black pepper, then cook for 20-25 mins until the skin is crisp and the meat is cooked.
5. Meanwhile, mix the salad ingredients in a serving bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with the chicken.

Top tips for making our feta and spinach stuffed chicken

You can make this meal more substantial by serving with chips or toasted pitta bread. If you fancy having a sauce with it, tzatziki would be a nice choice or hummus would work well too.

Cook chicken with confidence by using a meat thermometer. You can make sure it’s cooked through and avoid overcooked, dry meat.

For something even cheesier, try this Taleggio stuffed chicken. Our stuffed chicken with Parma ham is a great date-night option or Mary Berry’s stuffed chicken breasts have a mixture of cream cheese and herbs inside. 

Our sweet potato and courgette fish cakes are perfect for an easy dinner or make mini versions for some healthy party food. 

Using sweet potatoes and courgettes to bulk out the fish cakes makes these an affordable dinner that doesn’t compromise on flavour. They take 20 minutes to cook and can be enjoyed for a light lunch, dinner, or even as a starter or party food snack. Kids can help mash everything together and shape the cakes but you’ll need to take the lead with the frying. 

Ingredients 

• 1 sweet potato, approx 250g, pricked with a fork
• 2 baking potatoes, approx, 500g, pricked with a fork
• 1 small courgette, approx 200g, grated
• 240g skinless, boneless white fish (eg cod or pollock), cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 lime zest and half the juice
• 50g natural fine breadcrumbs, plus extra 50g for coating
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2tbsp sunflower or light olive oil

Method

1. Cook in the sweet potato and baking potatoes in a microwave, on high, for 10-15 mins until soft.
2. Meanwhile, put the courgette in a sieve and press firmly to remove excess moisture, then put in a bowl and mix with the fish, lime zest and juice, 50g breadcrumbs, eggs and dried chilli until combined.
3. Once cool enough to handle, peel the cooked potatoes and add the flesh to the fish mixture. Season and mix well to mash up the potato.
4. Put the remaining 50g of breadcrumbs on a plate. Divide the fishcake mix into 8 equal portions. Squeeze into a ball in your hands then coat in the breadcrumbs. Flatten to make 7-8cm patties.
5. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, cook the fishcakes (in batches) for 2 mins each side or until golden brown, adding more oil as needed.

Top tips for making our sweet potato and courgette fish cakes 

You’ll know if the oil is hot enough to start frying if you put a breadcrumb in the pan and it sizzles straight away. 

To make sure the fish cakes don’t stick while frying, use a non-stick frying pan. 

If you’d prefer an un-breaded version, try these sweet potato and courgette fish cakes instead. You might also like our Kedgeree cakes which are lightly spiced and these baby-friendly tuna fish cakes are perfect if you need some weaning inspiration. 

Our Chicken and spinach lasagne is lighter and fresher compared to the traditional recipe but still a proper crowd-pleaser. 

We think the kids will love this creamy take on a lasagne and it’s a great way to introduce them to tarragon if they’ve never tasted it before. Don’t worry though, just use basil instead if you don’t think the aniseed-y herb will impress them. Once built, the lasagne only takes 25 minutes in the oven and leftovers take around 15 minutes to reheat. We’ve served it with a green salad but garlic bread and chips are a cheeky treat option if you want. 

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 750g (11⁄2lb) chicken thigh fillets, chopped into 2-3cm (3⁄4in-1in) chunks
• 20g (3⁄4oz) butter
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 2tbsp plain flour
• 2tsp English mustard powder
• 450g (1lb) baby spinach, washed, but still a little wet
• 4tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 400g (14oz) ricotta
• 300g pack fresh lasagne sheets
• 4tbsp double cream
• 1 egg
• 30g (1oz) Parmesan cheese
• Salad leaves, to serve

Method 

1. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Heat the oil and fry the chicken in batches, stirring regularly until sealed on all sides. Season.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt the butter and sweat the onions until translucent. Mix in the flour and mustard powder until dissolved. Add the just-washed spinach and allow to wilt, muddling occasionally. If necessary, increase the heat to evapourate off any liquid.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the chicken, tarragon and 300g (10oz) ricotta. Mix together until everything is coated and season generously.
4. Spoon a third of the mixture into a 20x30cm baking dish and top with a single layer of lasagne sheets. Add half the remaining mixture and top with another layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat to make 3 layers in total.
5. Use a whisk to combine the remaining 100g (31⁄2oz) ricotta with the cream, egg, most of the Parmesan and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Spread this over the top layer of lasagne sheets. Grate over the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 25 mins.
6. Serve with more freshly cracked black pepper and a green salad.

Top tips for making our chicken and spinach lasagne

You could make this recipe using leftover roasted chicken if you like. Depending on how much meat you have leftover, you could bulk the filling out with some sliced mushrooms. Simply fry the mushrooms before wilting the spinach and then combine the ingredients as per the original recipe. 

It’s best to weigh your ingredients to ensure the ratios are correct and a reliable set of digital scales is the best tool for this. 

Check out our classic lasagne recipe or for some veggie inspiration, Mary Berry’s butternut squash lasagne is a popular choice. You might also like our simple spaghetti bolognese. It’s a family favourite for good reason. 

Our broccoli pasta with pancetta is easy to cook and you can get the kids to help prepare the veggies and grate the cheese. 

If you’re keen to get the kids cooking this is a great dinner to make together. They can dice the broccoli stalks, crush the garlic, juice the lemon, and grate the cheese. Using the whole head of broccoli is a great way to teach the little ones about the importance of reducing food waste. We’ve used wholewheat pasta for an extra hit of fibre but feel free to use whatever you’ve got in the cupboard. 

Ingredients 

• 1 large head of broccoli, approx 450g (1lb)
• 300g (10oz) wholewheat penne pasta
• 154g pack diced pancetta or chopped smoked bacon
• 1 shallot or 1⁄2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
• 1⁄2tbsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper) or 1tsp dried chilli flakes
• 50g (13⁄4oz) Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for serving

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, break the broccoli into small florets, saving the stalk. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions, adding the florets to the pan for the final 10 mins. Once the broccoli is very tender, drain using a sieve, reserving 300ml (10fl oz) cooking water.
2. While the pasta and broccoli florets are cooking, dice the stalk into cubes the size of the pancetta.
3. In a large frying pan, fry the chopped stalk with the pancetta and lots of pepper for 8 mins. Add the shallot; cook for 5 mins more, stirring. Once the broccoli is tender, add the garlic for a final 1 min.
4. Add the Drained pasta and broccoli florets to the frying pan. Stir through the lemon juice, the pul biber or chilli flakes, half the Parmesan and half the reserved pasta water.
5. Remove from the heat and add the remaining cheese. If it looks dry, stir in a little more pasta water too.
6. Season to taste, serve up into bowls, and add more cheese and chilli if you like.

Top tips for making our broccoli pasta with pancetta 

Consider swapping the pancetta for a couple of anchovy fillets. Fry with the broccoli stalks and they’ll have melted by the time the dish is finished adding a deliciously rich, umami undertone. You only need a couple and the jar will last ages in the fridge for your next dinner.

Hate chopping onions? Use a mini food chopper and it will be evenly sliced in a matter of minutes.

Want to know how to make fresh pasta? We have loads of advice plus tips on how to cook pasta too. Once you’ve mastered the basics, make this spaghetti bolognese for the family and see how impressed they are.

This stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot serves 6 with leftovers and is easy to carve because it’s boneless. 

We can’t think of a tastier main to serve up this Easter. It’s the perfect combination of salty cheese, plump fruit, and succulent meat. It’s also a really easy-to-carve option as there are no bones. You can marinade the lamb up to two days ahead, just bring it to room temperature before cooking. 

Ingredients

• 1.5kg deboned lamb shoulder, butterflied
• 500ml lamb stock
• 100ml white wine

For the stuffing:

• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1tbsp ras el hanout
• 1-2 preserved lemons, flesh discarded, skin finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained
• 125g cavolo nero, de-stalked and shredded
• 100g soft dried apricots, chopped
• 100g feta, crumbled
• 25g each fresh coriander and mint, roughly chopped

You will need:

• Kitchen string

Method

1. First, make the stuffing. In a medium saucepan, fry the leeks in the oil until soft. Add the ras el hanout, preserved lemons, garlic, chickpeas and 50ml water. Season, then simmer for 3-5 mins until the water has evaporated and the chickpeas are softening. Crush with a wooden spoon, then add the cavolo nero and allow it to wilt.
2. Take off the heat, stir through the remaining stuffing ingredients and set aside to cool.
3. Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan, Gas 9). Season the lamb (flesh side) with sea salt. Spread the stuffing over the surface and roll up tightly from the short end, securing with string. Rub all over with olive oil, season again, then put in a deep roasting tin.
4. Roast the lamb for 20 mins, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Pour the stock and wine into the tin and cover with foil. Roast for 1 hr 20 mins, or until a digital probe reads 60C for medium or 65C for well done.
5. Rest the meat on a board, covered with foil, for at least 20 mins. Skim and discard the excess fat from the juices in the tin. Put the tin on the heat and boil for 5 mins to reduce the volume by half. Taste, adding vegetable cooking water or boiling water to taste.

Top tips for making our stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot

The alcohol in the white wine will have cooked off by the time you serve the lamb with the juices, making it perfectly safe for the whole family to eat. 

To check the lamb is cooked to your liking we suggest using a digital probe.

Read our guide on how to cook a leg of lamb, if you’d like more tips and cooking suggestions. We also have recommendations for Easter foods the whole family will enjoy and some alternative Easter lamb recipes if you want more inspiration. 

Our stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney is a delicious easy-to-carve Easter main and leftovers are delicious in a pitta bread with feta and salad. 

This is a wonderful recipe to share with your family because it’s easy to prepare ahead and once it’s stuffed, the lamb only takes around an hour and 15 minutes to cook. Any leftover meat and sauce can be tossed together with rice or couscous and chopped roasted veg for a delicious light lunch. If you want to get the kids involved, let them help make the stuffing and roll up the leg of the lamb. They could also take full control of blitzing the chutney together. 

Ingredients

• 1.5kg butterflied leg of lamb
• 2 onions, sliced into 2cm (3⁄4in) rounds

For the stuffing:

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1⁄4tsp sumac
• 75g baby leaf spinach
• 30g rocket, roughly chopped
• 1tbsp chopped parsley
• 40g soft goat’s cheese
• Zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon
• 15g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1tbsp flaked almonds

For the chutney:

• 30g mint
• 15g coriander
• 15g parsley
• 1tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1tbsp caster sugar
• 2tbsp Greek yogurt

Method

1. Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, while you prepare the stuffing.
2. For the stuffing, in a large frying pan, fry the shallot in the oil, until softened. Add the garlic and sumac, then cook for another 1 min. Stir in the spinach and cook for 5-8 mins. Remove from the heat and stir in the rocket, parsley, goat’s cheese, lemon zest and juice, breadcrumbs and almonds. Allow the mixture to cool.
3. Unroll the deboned lamb leg, then spread the stuffing over the lamb. Roll up again, and use string to tie the roll up. If you have time, marinate in the fridge overnight, otherwise heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6).
4. Place the onion rounds on a roasting tray and sit the lamb on top. Season well. Place in the hot oven for 15 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Cook for a further 1 hr for medium or 1hr 15 mins for well done. Remove the lamb and allow it to rest for 20 mins before carving.
5. While the lamb is cooking, prepare the chutney. Blitz the herbs, vinegar, sugar and 75-100ml water together until smooth. Stir through the yogurt and season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve the lamb sliced into 5mm slices with the onions and juices from the roasting tin, and the chutney.

Top tips for making this stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney 

Ask your butcher to debone the lamb – this gives you a better ‘roll’ so you can fill it with the stuffing.

To make the herb chutney it’s best to use a small food processor. You could also pound everything together in a pestle and mortar until smooth.

We have lots of Easter lamb recipes and other Easter foods the whole family will love. For more tips on how to cook a leg of lamb, read our expert guide. 

Our Easter coconut and lemon cake is filled with whipped cream and zingy lemon curd. The kids will love decorating the top with chocolate treats and desiccated coconut. 

We love the appearance of a triple-layered cake but if you’ve only got two tins just bake two slightly thicker sponges. You will likely need to add a few minutes to the baking time. The sponge can be made the day before and then you could assemble and decorate the cake with your kids just before you want to serve it. 

Ingredients

For the sponges:

• 4 medium eggs
• 375g (13oz) caster sugar
• 45g (11⁄2oz) creamed coconut block, finely grated
• 200ml (7fl oz) sunflower oil
• 284ml carton buttermilk
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• 300g (10oz) plain flour
• 45g (11⁄2oz) desiccated coconut
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1⁄2tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the lemon curd:

• 100g (31⁄2oz) caster sugar
• 60g (2oz) butter
• Juice of 2 lemons, plus the zest of 1
• 2 eggs, beaten

To finish:

• 300ml (10fl oz) cream, softly whipped
• 1tbsp desiccated coconut, to sprinkle
• Chocolate eggs and truffles, to decorate – we used Cadbury Mini Eggs, Doisy & Dam Vegan Good Eggs, Divine Milk Chocolate Speckled Eggs, and Lindt Lindor White Chocolate Truffles

You will need:

• 3 x 20cm (8in) springform cake tins, greased and lined with parchment paper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). For the sponges, beat the eggs, sugar and creamed coconut for a few mins until slightly thickened.
2. Pour in the oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract, and mix until blended well.
3. Add the flour, desiccated coconut, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and mix until just combined.
4. Divide the mixture equally between the 3 cake tins. Place in the oven on the middle shelf to cook for 20-25 mins, until just turning a pale golden brown and the sponge is springy to the touch.
5. Remove them from the oven, then turn them out of the tins onto a wire rack to cool completely before finishing the cake.
6. While the sponges are cooking, prepare the lemon curd. In a small pan over a medium heat, heat the sugar and butter with the lemon juice and zest until the butter has melted. Whisk in the eggs and turn the heat to medium-low, whisking continuously until the curd begins to thicken. When it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Cover with cling film and set aside.
7. To assemble the cake, make sure the sponges and lemon curd are cool. Lay 1 round of sponge on the base of a cake stand and spread over a third of the whipped cream and a third of the curd. Continue layering sponge, cream and curd. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut and top with the decorations of your choice.

Top tips for making our Easter coconut and lemon cake

You can assemble the cake ahead of time but we’d recommend adding the chocolates to the top just before serving. When the cake is in the fridge the colours might weep into the cream otherwise. We like to remove it from the fridge around 10 minutes before you want to slice and serve as it’s more enjoyable than if the cake is ‘fridge’ cold. 

To make sure the cakes are even, we’d recommend weighing the batter and dividing it equally between the three cake tins.

For more Easter inspiration, try our easy Easter nests. We have lots more Easter foods you can enjoy making with the kids and a simple guide on how to make your own Easter eggs.

This pistachio and elderflower Battenberg is sandwiched together with elderflower buttercream but you can swap for apricot jam or citrus curd for something zingier. 

A Battenberg cake looks very impressive and it’s not as difficult as you might think to make. You have to prepare your tin properly and be patient with the assembly process but then it’s very simple. There are only five steps in the method which shows it isn’t overly complicated. If you want to impress the kids, swap the food colouring for their favourite colours and watch their faces light up when you slice the cake. 

Ingredients

For the sponges:

• 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 125g self-raising flour
• 40g pistachios, finely ground in a food processor
• Few drops green food colouring (optional)
• 40g ground almonds
• 2tbsp elderflower cordial

For the buttercream:

• 100g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g icing sugar
• 2tbsp elderflower cordial

You will need:

• 20cm loose-bottomed square cake tin, greased and lined (see tip)

Method 

1. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). For the sponges, beat the butter and caster sugar in a bowl using an electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the flour. Split the mixture equally between 2 bowls and add the ground pistachios and green food colouring (if using) to one, and the ground almonds and elderflower cordial to the other.
2. Spoon each batter into the prepared tin (see tip), one on each side of the divide, and level the tops. Bake for 25-30 mins until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the tin for 10 mins, then turn them out and cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then set aside to cool. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy, then mix in the cooled chocolate and the elderflower cordial. Cover and set aside for at least 30 mins to firm up.
4. To assemble, trim the cakes with a serrated knife so both are the same size. Half each cake lengthways to form 4 long rectangles. Use two-thirds of the buttercream to sandwich the cakes together like a checkerboard, then use the remaining buttercream to very thinly ice the outside of the cake.
5. Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan to a rectangle about 42x22cm. Wrap the cake in the marzipan, then turn so the seamed side is underneath. Roll out the marzipan offcuts and use it to cut decorations. Trim the ends and slice to serve.

Top tips for making this pistachio and elderflower Battenberg

To minimise washing up and make the cake baking as efficient as possible we have a tip on how to divide your cake tin.

Cut a 30x20cm strip of baking paper and fold to make a 5cm-high pleat in the middle. Fold a piece of foil several times and position it between the pleated paper to form a stiff divide. Use to line the cake tin – this will form two sections to keep colours of the sponges separate.

For this recipe you need a 20cm square cake tin. It’s a really versatile size and shape and can be used for lots of bakes.

We have lots of suggestions for Easter foods you can eat and make with the kids over the holiday.If you need some inspiration on where to start, we recommend these adorable Easter nests. We also have an easy guide on how to make your own Easter eggs if you don’t want to buy one. 

Our chocolate orange hot cross buns can be served as an indulgent Easter breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or dessert. 

If your kids are still quite young they might not have the patience to wait for the dough to knead and prove but they will no doubt appreciate your hard work when the smell of the buns coming out of the oven fills the house. The recipe only has four steps in the method and while it’s easiest to knead the dough with a machine, it can also be done by hand. 

Ingredients

• 500g strong white flour, plus extra to dust
• ½tsp sea salt
• 80g caster sugar
• 2tbsp cocoa powder
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 2tbsp mixed spice
• 280ml milk, warmed
• 75g butter, cubed
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 100g mixed peel
• 100g dark orange chocolate, chopped into little pieces
• 50g plain flour
• 2tsp sunflower oil
• 1tbsp marmalade

You will need:

• Piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle

Method

1. Put the flour, salt, sugar, cocoa powder, yeast and mixed spice into the bowl of a stand mixer. Warm the milk; once steaming, remove from the heat and stir in the butter to melt. Add to the dry ingredients with the egg. Mix with the dough hook attachment until everything comes together. Increase the speed to knead for 10 mins. Add the mixed peel and mix again to incorporate. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise somewhere draught-free for 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins or until doubled in size.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold in the chocolate, kneading again to distribute it. Divide the dough into 13 even (90g) pieces, then shape each into a smooth ball by cupping your hand over each piece of dough in a claw shape and rolling on the worktop. Arrange on a lined baking tray in a tight circle. Cover and prove for 1 hr.
3. Heat the oven to 170C Fan/Gas 5. Mix the plain flour, oil and 50ml cold water to make a smooth paste, fill a piping bag, then pipe a cross over each bun.
4. Bake for 20 mins. While warm, brush with marmalade, then leave to cool.

Top tips for making our chocolate orange hot cross buns  

When you knead the dough by hand it will take a little longer but just persist until it’s soft and springy. When gently pressed the dough should spring back. This is how you know it’s ready to prove.

Read food editor Jessica Dady’s full KitchenAid stand mixer review to learn about all the reasons why you need one in your kitchen. 

There are so many Easter foods you can make and enjoy with the kids including these adorable Easter nests. We also have an easy guide on how to make your own Easter eggs if you don’t want to buy one and a great range of Easter cake ideas to choose from too.

Big and small children are going to love these mini meatballs with carrots and apples by expert nutritionist Annabel Karmel.

Perfect for later stages of weaning, this recipe is a great finger food to introduce weaning babies and toddlers to red meat and the texture associated with minced meat. It takes just 15 minutes to prepare these meatballs, which includes soaking time for the bread. Serve with steamed broccoli florets and carrot batons.

Ingredients

• 50g white bread (sliced)
• 6 tbsp milk
• 50g carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 40g Parmesan, grated
• 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
• 275g lean minced beef
• 1 small apple, peeled and grated 
• A little plain flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C Fan if cooking the meatballs in the oven.
2. Put the bread in a large bowl. Add the milk and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix well and shape into 28 balls. Coat in the flour.
3. Cook the balls on a lightly oiled tray in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes turning halfway through until cooked through.
4. Alternatively, heat a little oil in a frying pan add the meatballs, and fry on all sides until golden and cooked through, this will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Top tips for making mini beef meatballs with carrot and apple

Swap the minced beef for other minced meats instead like chicken, turkey or pork. Opt for lean minced meat with less fat.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

Annabel Karmel's broccoli, chicken, and potato bites are the perfect finger food for confident weaning babies.

A great choice if you're baby lead weaning, these soft bites are a great shape for your little one to hold on to. Made simply with broccoli, mashed potato, cheese, spring onions, chicken, breadcrumbs, and an egg to ensure the breadcrumbs stick onto each bite. Delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients

• 75g broccoli florets 
• 110g cooked mashed potato (cold)
• 25g Parmesan cheese, grated (or dairy-free alternative)
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 60g cooked chicken, diced
• 40g dried breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Steam or boil the broccoli for 4 to 6 minutes until tender. Leave to cool and then finely dice.
2. In a bowl, mix the potato, broccoli, cheese, chicken, spring onion, half of the breadcrumbs and half of the egg. Season (for babies 12 months +).
3. Shape the mixture into 8 sausage shapes. Coat in the remaining egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté until golden and heated through.

Top tips for making broccoli, chicken and potato bites

It's always worth keeping the topper of a loaf of bread for recipes like this as it requires breadcrumbs. These can easily be made using your fingertips to work the bread into crumbs, otherwise, you can blitz chunks of bread for a few seconds in a food processor. We'd recommend using brown bread as it is much more wholesome.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

Annabel Karmel's chicken delight puree is perfect for whipping up in your blender in under 30 minutes.

This delicious, nutritious baby food is packed with plenty of vegetables; from red pepper, carrot, and onion, as well as fruit like apple, tomatoes and prunes. It's a great way to introduce your little one to stronger flavours too like garlic and cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 75g red onion, diced
• 50g red pepper, diced
• 75g apple, diced
• 100g carrot, diced 
• 150g minced chicken or turkey
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 10g prunes
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 150ml water
• 1 tsp tomato puree

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, red pepper, apple and carrot and fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, garlic, prunes and cinnamon and stir.
3. Add the tomatoes, water and tomato puree. Bring up to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 
4. Blend until smooth or until desired consistency.

Top tips for making chicken delight

You could try this recipe with other minced meat too such as minced turkey, beef or pork. Just make sure you opt for the lowest fat meat.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

Watch your baby's face light up when they tuck into this flavoursome baby food by expert nutritionist, Annabel Karmel.

Soft salmon flakes, vibrant sweet potato, tender tomatoes, and a sprinkling of Cheddar cheese - your weaning baby is going to love tucking into this. Full of nutrients and omega-3, thanks to the fish, this is a great base recipe that can easily be adapted to encourage your little one to try other foods. Why not swap the salmon for white fish or the sweet potato for class potatoes?

Ingredients

• 225g salmon fillet
• 250g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp milk
• 40g unsalted butter
• 2 ripe tomatoes, skinned deseeded and chopped
• 40g Cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Put the salmon in a microwaveable dish, add the milk and dot with 15g butter. Cover and microwave for about 2 mins or until cooked through.
2. Steam or boil the sweet potato until tender (around 12 mins).
3. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the tomatoes and sauté until mushy.
4. Stir in the cheese until melted, then blend the sweet potato with the tomato mixture.
5. Remove the fish from its cooking liquid and flake, making sure there are no bones, and mix with the sweet potato and tomatoes.
6. For younger babies, you can blend the fish together with the sweet potato and tomato for a smoother texture.

Top tips for making salmon, tomato, sweet potato and cheese

When making this recipe at home, use fresh salmon fillets and make sure you opt for unsalted butter as you want to keep the salt content down as much as possible when feeding babies.

Worried about weaning? Annabel Karmel answers all your weaning worries including what to do if your baby gags on food, and how to embrace a messy eater. We've also plenty of top tips on baby led weaning as well as expert tips on how to start weaning.

These marbled Easter biscuits take 30 minutes to prepare and the decoration is easy once you know our simple method. 

If you’ve browsed our Easter cake ideas but would prefer something quicker and easier to make, biscuits are always a great option. Bake the biscuits ahead and then set up a few decoration stations on the kitchen table so you can sit down with the kids and have a fun afternoon of decorating. 

Ingredients

• 225g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 375g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 75g cornflour
• 1⁄2tsp salt
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Zest 1 lemon

For the icing:

• 3 medium egg whites
• 500g icing sugar, sifted
• 1-2tsp lemon juice
• 3 different food colourings of your choice

You will need:

• Easter-themed cookie cutters in various sizes
• 2-3 large baking trays lined with baking paper
• Piping bag fitted with a fine writing nozzle (optional)

Method 

1. In a food processor, pulse the butter, flour, cornflour and salt to the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and pulse again to combine. Beat the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest together, then add to the food processor with the motor running until the dough comes together.
2. Turn out and bring together into a smooth dough, then roll between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 4mm thickness. Chill for 30 mins.
3. Use your chosen cookie cutters to cut out as many shapes as you can, then arrange on the lined trays, spaced well apart. Gather the offcuts, re-roll and repeat. Chill the biscuits for 30 mins.
4. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Bake the biscuits for 12-15 mins, until they are a light golden colour. Cool on the trays. You may need to do this in batches if your oven is not big enough or you don’t have enough trays.
5. When the biscuits are almost completely cool, prepare the icing. Mix the egg whites, icing sugar and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Divide between 3 bowls. Colour a few tbsp icing from each bowl in a separate small bowl, then drizzle through the white icing to marble. Dip the biscuits in the icing, allowing the excess to drip off, then set aside to dry (at least 4 hrs or overnight).

Top tips for making marbled Easter biscuits 

To add even more detail to your biscuits, reserve a portion of the white icing and add more icing sugar so that it’s thicker. Transfer to a piping bag and once the biscuits are completely dry, pipe decorative patterns on top. 

If you’re a regular baker, swap baking paper for some reusable silicone mats instead... 

Browse these Easter foods and you'll find plenty of options to make with the kids over the holidays. You might even like this guide on how to make your own Easter eggs. For something simpler, check out our easy Easter nests. 

This smoked trout fusilli uses seven ingredients and takes just 12 minutes to cook.

You could make the recipe even quicker if you use fresh pasta which only takes a couple of minutes in a pan of boiling water. Smoked trout is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids for the whole family but if you can’t convince your little ones, swap in some shredded ham, chicken, or cheese instead. 

Ingredients 

• 300g (10oz) fusilli pasta
• 1tbsp creamed horseradish
• 2tsp fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
• 200g (7oz) mascarpone
• 100g pack of smoked trout, roughly torn
• 80g (2 3⁄4oz) watercress, any thick stems removed
• Zest of 1 lemon

Method 

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the horseradish, dill and mascarpone, and season.
3. Drain the pasta, return to the pan off the heat and mix through the horseradish mixture. Add the smoked trout and most of the watercress, tossing to combine.
4. Divide into bowls, and top with the lemon zest and remaining watercress.

Top tips for making smoked trout fusilli

Swap smoked trout for smoked salmon if you prefer. Continue reading for more inspiration on how to cook and eat smoked trout.

Finely grated lemon zest elevates the flavour and sophistication of this recipe but it’s so simple and affordable. 

Want to know how to make fresh pasta? We’ve got loads of tips to show you just how easy it is, plus an expert guide on how to cook pasta too. Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic family favourite and it’s great for batch cooking. 

This tasty collection of no-bake recipes will give you lots of inspiration for the snack table at your little one’s party and would make a great choice if they don’t like cake. 

Unlike some birthday cakes for kids, which require a long list of ingredients and hours of preparation time, these no-bake cake recipes are easy to prepare ahead and can chill overnight while you grapple with setting up a balloon arch or any last-minute wrapping. 

The recipes are simple to slice into squares or rectangles, making them ideal for sharing and wrapping up party bags. They are also easy to scale up or down depending on how many people you’re hosting.

Stick some candles on top and serve them as an alternative to birthday cake or if you need some sweet kid's party food ideas, many of the recipes can double up as a great snack option as part of your buffet food spread.

No-bake party treats for kids

1. Pink cake bar

Serves: 15 | Total time: 25 mins, plus setting

We’ve made this fridge cake using a combination of pink wafers and Party Rings biscuits but you can easily customise it with your favourite biscuits, cookies, sweets, and chocolate bars. Using a rectangular or square tin will make it easier to cut into uniform portions but you could also make this in round tins if that’s all you have. We find it best to cut into wedges if using circular tins. 

Kids can help crush the biscuits and wafers and once the chocolate is melted, they can help mix everything too. Let them take the lead when it comes to decorating the top of the cake but consider adding some freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries. This will not only add an extra pop of colour, but it will also bring some zingy flavour contrast to the sweet white chocolate and condensed milk.

Get the recipe: Pink cake bar

2. Mars bar slice crispy cake

Serves: 16 | Total time: 20 mins, plus setting 

A chocolate lover’s dream, this slice is the perfect combination of textures. The crispy rice base is topped with creamy chocolate and chunks of caramel-filled Mars Bar pieces. You only need four different ingredients to make this recipe which means it’s a good budget-friendly choice for parties. It’s also super easy to make with just three steps in the method. 

We melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water but you could also do it in short bursts in the microwave if you prefer. Depending on how young your kids are, this is a great recipe for building confidence and independence in the kitchen. 

Get the recipe: Mars bar slice crispy cake

3. No-bake toffee Krispie bars

Makes: 12 | Total time: 15 mins, plus setting

These bars are unbelievably tasty and take 15 minutes to prepare and should be chilled overnight for the best chewy texture. However, if you’re impatient, 15 minutes in the fridge should be enough time for you to slice it into squares or rectangles. 

If you fancy serving this as part of a buffet, you could also spoon the mixture into little paper cases and decorate them with sprinkles or chocolate chips. We’ve used Rice Krispies but for a chocolate twist, consider using your favourite brand of chocolate-flavoured toasted rice cereal. Cheerios and cornflakes are also fun choices.

Get the recipe: No-bake toffee Krispie bars 

4. Rice Krispie stars and sprinkles

Makes: 12-15 | Total time: 25 mins, plus setting 

These pops are a great activity for kid's parties and they double up as a delicious treat. Set up a selection of sprinkle and topping stations and let the little ones decorate their own pop. Although we’ve used sprinkles and dried fruits, nuts, chocolate chips and sweets like jelly beans and dolly mixture would make nice alternative toppings. 

If you can’t get hold of lolly sticks, try using some colourful paper straws instead. It’s best to let the pops set completely before eating, so consider making these at the start of the party and then sending them home with their creation at the end. 

Get the recipe: Rice Krispie stars and sprinkles 

5. Maltesers rocky road

Serves: 12 | Total time: 25 mins, plus setting 

This is a great recipe for using up odds and ends that you might have in the cupboard. We’ve used digestives and mini marshmallows but you can use your favourite biscuits and snip some regular marshmallows into smaller pieces. Little helpers can bash the biscuits up and mix all the ingredients. They’ll also love decorating the top of the rocky road with extra chocolate and mini marshmallows. 

We’ve used dark chocolate but you can swap to milk or white if you prefer. Rocky Road is a great choice for parties because it’s easy to slice and can be made a couple of days ahead and kept in the fridge. It’s also easy to make in whatever tins or containers you have at home. You could even push the mixture into different-shaped cookie moulds and leave it to set. Consider making a rocky road tower if you want to make a show-stopping no-bake birthday cake.

Get the recipe: Maltesers rocky road

6. Custard Cream biscuit bars

Makes: 9-12 | Total time: 30 mins, plus setting

This is another delicious biscuit-based treat that requires only five ingredients. You can easily customise it depending on your preferences. For example, swap the glacé cherries for a mix of raisins, sultanas, and dried cranberries. Dried chopped apricots work nicely too.

You can add nuts to the mixture too and feel free to decorate with an array of melted chocolates and edible treats. Slice into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. You could also cut it into triangles if you prefer or spoon the mixture into little paper cupcake cases. To intensify the vanilla flavour from the custard creams, consider adding a little vanilla bean paste or essence to the mixture too.  

Get the recipe: Custard Cream biscuit bars

7. No-bake raspberry chocolate cupcakes

Makes: 8 | Total time: 2 hours 15 mins, plus setting

This recipe combines a shop-bought Madeira cake with melted chocolate and cream cheese to make eight delicious little treats. It’s easy to scale up if you want to make more or consider using smaller muffin cases to make the mixture go further. 

We’ve used raspberries but you can use strawberries if you prefer and the white chocolate can be swapped for milk or dark. The cakes will need to be kept in the fridge because they contain cream cheese so might not be suitable if you’re hosting an outdoor party in the summer. 

Get the recipe: No-bake raspberry chocolate cupcakes

8. Rocky Road bars

Makes: 16 | Total time: 2 hours 45 minutes 

Nothing beats a classic Rocky Road and this recipe couldn’t be easier to make. It uses seven ingredients and takes less than three hours to make, including the chill time.  We like to use plain chocolate but use milk, white or dark if you prefer. You can add a selection of biscuits or fold in some popped rice or cornflakes for a different kind of crunch. Dried fruits like raisins and sultanas also add a nice flavour and chewy texture. 

Little ones will need to be supervised while melting the butter, chocolate, and golden syrup but they can be very hands-on with the mixing and assembling of the Rocky Road bars. 

Get the recipe: Rocky Road bars

9. Chocolate marshmallow sandwich biscuits

Makes: 10 | Total time: 25 mins, plus setting 

With only four ingredients, these sandwich biscuits are an excellent sweet option for the party buffet but they are also a fun activity for the kids to make. We’ve used rich tea biscuits but you can swap for cookies or homemade biscuits if you prefer. Choose a chocolate-topped biscuit like a chocolate digestive for an even more indulgent twist. 

The biscuits are stuck together thanks to a sticky marshmallow mixture but you could make more basic creations using jam or chocolate spread as the filling. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate marshmallow sandwich biscuits

10. Coconut slice

Makes: 12-16 | Total time: 3 hours 10 mins 

This simple slice has all the flavours of a Bounty chocolate bar. We combine coconut biscuits with chocolate, coconut chips, coconut cream, raisins, and golden syrup to make an easy fridge cake. 

There are only three steps in the method and it takes around 3 hours to chill completely. If you have time, leave it overnight to make it easier to slice. For a pop of colour you can scatter the top with sprinkles or fresh raspberries. You could also add some chopped dried mango to continue the tropical flavour theme. 

Get the recipe: Coconut slice

11. Maltesers traybake bites

Makes: 12-16 | Total time: 30 mins, plus setting 

If Maltesers and white chocolate are two of your children's favourite treats, this is the perfect bake to make with them. You only need six different ingredients and around 30 minutes for the mixture to set. This is easy to slice and can also be made the night before if you’re hosting a party. 

Consider drizzling the top with any leftover milk chocolate for a nice two-tone effect. You could also feather it as you would for the top of a millionaire’s shortbread if you want to show off a little. Use any chopped-up chocolate bars to decorate the top if you run out of Maltesers or use a scattering of sprinkles, nuts, and chopped dried fruits. 

Get the recipe: Maltesers traybake bites

12. Mini Oreo cheesecakes

Makes: 12 | Total time: 20 mins, plus chilling

Our mini cheesecakes have a whole Oreo biscuit on the base, plus more crushed and mixed through the creamy filling. You could use mini Oreos to decorate the tops or drizzle over a little melted chocolate instead. 

The recipe is perfect for making with kids but be prepared for a couple of biscuits to be ‘tasted’ as you go… We have a great video showing exactly how little ones can get involved. If you don’t have paper cases, use a deep muffin tin and grease the sides liberally with some melted butter. Place a strip of parchment paper in each space, this will help you lift each cheesecake up and out of the tin once they are set. 

Get the recipe: Mini Oreo cheesecakes

If you fancy baking something for your celebrations, our chocolate cake recipe is always a big hit. Take a look at our list of Frozen birthday cake ideas if you need some decoration inspiration. Or these Bluey birthday cake ideas might be more fitting for your little one’s party. 

These first birthday party ideas are great if you want to throw a celebration but aren’t sure where to start.  You might also like these kids' party games or we’ve collated some 13th birthday party ideas which will certainly impress your pre-teen and all their friends.

Our ham and cheese tortellini with walnut pesto takes only 10 minutes to cook making it the perfect speedy lunch or dinner. 

This recipe serves two but it’s easy to scale up if you want to make it for the whole family. We recommend omitting the chilli flakes from the pesto and sprinkling over your portion just before serving if your kids are still quite little. They might find it too spicy otherwise. We often have a pack of tortellini in the freezer and this is a nice alternative way to serve it if you’re fed up with the same cheese or tomato-based sauces. Homemade pesto is so quick and cheap to make but you can of course use a dollop or two from a jar if you’ve got it knocking about. 

Ingredients

• 300g pack cheese and ham
• tortellini or ravioli
• 100g (31⁄2oz) asparagus tips, cut into 3
• 150g (5oz) peas

For the pesto:

• 4 walnut halves or 12 almonds
• 2tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
• 1 small garlic clove
• 25g pack fresh basil
• Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method 

1. Put a large pan of lightly salted water on to boil. Make the pesto by whizzing the nuts, Parmesan and garlic in a mini food processor until finely chopped. Add the basil leaves into the chopper along with the chilli flakes, if using. Whizz until finely minced, then add the olive oil and a little salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cook the pasta, asparagus and peas together in the boiling water for 2-3 mins until tender (adding an extra 1 min if you are cooking the pasta from frozen).
3. Add a small ladleful of the pasta cooking water (about 50ml/2fl oz) to the processor, then drain the pasta and return to the pan. Give the pesto a final whizz to make a loose sauce, then pour it over the pasta and vegetables, tossing everything gently together. Divide between 2 bowls and scatter over a little more Parmesan and a good grinding of pepper if you like, to serve.

Top tips for making this ham and cheese tortellini with walnut pesto

It’s more time-efficient to make a big batch of the pesto and keep it in the fridge. You can spread it in sandwiches, dilute it with more oil, and use it as a salad dressing or mix it into hummus for a quick and tasty dip. 

The easiest way to make pesto is with a mini food processor but you could also make it with a pestle and mortar. 

Learn how to make fresh pasta with our easy guide. It’s an excellent, affordable weekend activity to do with the kids and you’ll be impressed by just how easy it is. We also have a complete guide on how to cook pasta and a delicious spaghetti bolognese recipe that’s a real family favourite. 

Fresh plant milk in minutes that tastes utterly delicious... surely this is too good to be true? And yet somehow, Milky Plant manages to deliver just that and we're hooked.

The ultimate whizzy kitchen gadget, this isn't just a product for vegans - although we know you'll love it as much as we do. It's also a fantastic choice if you're looking for a sustainable, fresh, and healthy milk option that lets you say goodbye to cartons and plastic waste.

The Milky Plant machine lets you whip up a variety of non-dairy milk in less time than it would take you to boil a kettle of water. And it's not just quick and easy; using this magic gadget somehow manages to be fun and satisfying too, giving you complete control over what goes in your milk.

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Price and availability

Now, we're not going to lie, we did draw in a fairly sharp breath when we found out the price of the Milky Plant machine (more on that in a minute) but once we started using it we quickly came to see how much value for money it offers. It uses very little energy, there's no single-use plastics to worry about, and you can fill it with anything from almonds and coconut to soy and rice. And the best part? There's zero waste.

Price and availability

Let's be honest, with the cost of living crisis still ongoing, finding a spare £290 to invest in the Milky Plant is going to feel like a stretch for most of us. This is most definitely a premium product. However, if you feel you have the wiggle room in your budget for it, our tester feels it's a product well worth buying.

"This is an expensive gadget but the manufacturers reckon you can recoup the costs within 180 times of using it, approximately. Is it worth the price? Yes, if you spend money on plant-based milks I think this is a worthwhile investment," explains Heidi.

"This might sound daft but the savings feel even bigger because we always have a bag of oats or almonds in the kitchen so it feels like you’re making plant-based milk for nothing," she added.

Design and features

Dimensions: 38 x 25 x 15cm | Weight: 9.5 lbs | Capacity of milk made: 500ml

If you've been dying to make your own fresh plant milk at the touch of a button, the Milky Plant is a product you're going to want to have in your kitchen. Like so many of us, Heidi's eldest son has become interested in adopting a more plant-based diet, so she was really keen to test this out and see if it really could make life easier for them as a family.

"One in three Brits choose a plant-based alternative to dairy, and switching to oat milk has been an easy move for my son. But as a family of five, switching us all from cow’s milk to oat milk isn’t something I’ve been keen to do because it’s so expensive — until Milky Plant came into our lives. I jumped at the chance to try a new gadget that promises to make plant-based milk at home from nuts, seeds, cereal, and water — without all the mess and faff of doing so from scratch," she told us.

Milky Plant claims that all you need to do is add your chosen ingredients to the container, add water, press the start button, and three minutes later, you'll have creamy and delicious plant-based milk. But is making a healthy drink at home really that quick and easy?

"I was a bit dubious that it would be that straightforward in practice but it genuinely is," says Heidi. "And, unlike plant-based milk from the supermarket, there are no nasties (like emulsifiers or preservatives) in the milk you make in the Milky Plant machine."

If you're anything like us, you may have tried to make plant-based milk in a traditional blender and given up because it's just such a huge faff. It takes a good 15-minutes to do it this way, plus there's so much time-consuming prep because you have to soak the nuts overnight before you can put them in the blender. And don't even get us started with how bulky a traditional blender can look on your kitchen counter.

With the Milky Plant machine, there are none of those worries. Although there's almost no gadget out there tiny enough not to be spotted in your kitchen, it is sleeker and more compact than many kitchen gadgets, which is surprising given that it can produce 500ml of milk. There's no straining required at the end of it all either and the self-cleaning function was something we were particularly keen to try out.

"By far the best thing about Milky Plant is how little mess it makes," says Heidi. "I’ve always contemplated making my own plant-based milk but the mess and faff involved really put me off. This clever gadget has a self-cleaning mode that actually works and - my favourite part — you can pop the leftover pulp in your smoothie or your granola, or use it for composting. You do have to empty the filter after each use but it’s no more hassle than emptying a coffee pot or cleaning a blender."

Finally, for families where everyone likes a different kind of plant-based milk, you're going to love that the Milky Plant machine can accommodate them all. Oats, soy, rice, almonds, coconut, potato (yes, potato!), hemp, and pea — you name it, the Milky Plant can make it, and that was a serious draw for Heidi and her family.

"I was super impressed with the range of plant-based drinks that can be made in the machine, and the recipe book that came with it is very informative and useful. We’ve experimented with chocolate oat milk (yum) and vanilla almond milk so far."

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How we tested

• The Milky Plant was tested by a family of five
• It was put through its paces trying out a variety of different plant-based ingredients
• As well as looking at how quick and easy the Milky Plant was to use, our tester also considered whether it was as simple to clean as it claimed to be and the overall value for money it offered

Things you won't find on the box

Although Milky Plant are rightly very proud of their ethical manufacturing and sustainability practices, it's worth highlighting them in more depth here. Instead of viewing their products as waste when they reach the end of their life, they see them as sources of valuable resources for new products, offering end-of-life recycling for all of their customers.

With so many of us looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, being able to make fresh and healthy plant-based milk at home is something that's going to draw a lot of us to the Milky Plant. With no plastic, no cartons, and no waste, this really is a planet-friendly product.

"I really like the fact that making plant-based milk at home means we’re reducing our usage of tetra pak containers that end up in landfills. That’s a big plus for me because I’m always looking for ways to help my family do its bit for the planet and this feels like a tangible way to reduce waste," says Heidi.

It's also worth noting that Milky Plant has recently been enrolled in the Amazon sustainability accelerator scheme too — this is a huge achievement when you consider that this exclusive programme selects just 15 sustainable businesses per year.

You might be wondering if this superstar of a machine comes with any drawbacks, but to be honest, our tester found it hard to come up with anything. Don't worry though, we persevered until we got something out of her.

It would be handy if it came with more than one glass bottle but to be fair you can buy more from the website," Heidi told us. "It’s a little on the noisy side but, again, no more so than a smoothie maker. It looks good on a kitchen counter although you do need a good bit of space for it. But, again, the same could be said of a decent coffee maker or any other kitchen gadget that’s not necessarily an essential but more of a nice to have. Ultimately, I think it’s well worth making space in your kitchen and your life for this."

Who's it best for

If you want to whip up utterly delicious rich and creamy plant and nut-based milks at home with zero fuss and none of the usual faff, the Milky Plant Machine is a product we can't recommend highly enough.

Yes, it's expensive (there's no getting around that), but when you consider that you'll recoup your costs after 180 uses, it suddenly feels like a much more affordable option. Plus, if you're looking to turn more towards a plant-based diet and cut down on your use of cartons and plastics, the Milky Plant is going to let you tick both of those boxes.

It's also a fantastic choice for busy families and working professionals who are looking for quick and easy ways to make some small and simple changes to their diet that will have positive results on their overall health and well-being.

Need an alternative?

There's no denying that the Milky Plant machine is one of the best products on the market for making fresh, healthy, and delicious plant and nut-based milk in just minutes. But we also understand that it's pricey and with the cost of living crisis ongoing, this may not feel like a kitchen gadget you can justify at this moment in time.

However, that doesn't mean you can't make amazing plant-based milk at home that's going to be good for you and the environment, which is why we've done our research to find you a quality alternative at a fraction of the cost. The Salter Plant M!lk Maker doesn't have the same modern and sophisticated look as some of its pricier competitors, but it gets the job done.

Just like the Milky Plant, you can transform your leftover pulp into mouth-watering granola bars, energy bites, or brownies, and while you do have to soak your ingredients overnight, when you consider the Salter Plant M!lk Maker is available for just £64.99, we have a feeling you won't mind one bit.

With so many of us wanting to reduce our fat intake and cook heart-healthy meals more efficiently, we couldn't wait to find out if the Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer was something we needed in our lives.

If you're anything like us, you may be skeptical about whether the best air fryers are worth the hype. As a nation, we've become somewhat obsessed with this kitchen gadget over recent years - no surprise, given their compact size and versatility - so we turned to a bunch of hungry university students to see if an air fryer is something you need on your countertop.

It turns out that the Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer may well be the one appliance you want to invest in this year. With 360° rapid air circulation technology creating food that's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this little gem will cook your food 60% faster than a traditional oven and could save you money on your energy bills into the bargain. 

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The Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer is ideal if you're living in a student flatshare or have a large family, as it has a large 7.6L dual basket capacity split into two 3.8L baskets with independent cooking controls. Cook main dishes and side dishes at the same time and take advantage of the 'SYNC' finish function that lets everything emerge piping hot at the same time.

Price and availability

The Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer retails for £109.99 on Amazon making it affordably priced if you're after an air fryer with two drawers.

Granted, it's not a top-of-the-range brand name air fryer, so it doesn't have that same expensive look and feel to it, but our tester was really impressed with both its ease of use and its versatility.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly and intuitive air fryer that will allow you to cook a range of different meals to suit all dietary requirements, this one from Ultenic is well worth considering.

Design and features

Dimensions: 36.5D x 26.7W x 31H centimetres | Capacity: 7.6 litres | Noise level: 60 dB

We didn't have to look far to find someone willing to test out the Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer, with our Consumer Editor, Heidi Scrimgeour, being only too happy to take this one on.

"I jumped at the chance to review the Ultenic K20 Smart Air Fryer because my son had just started University and moved into his first flatshare with a communal kitchen," she told us. "He’s a pretty confident cook and had put our air fryer at home to good use so getting him one for his student kitchen was a priority."

When it came to what appealed to her about the Ultenic K20, Heidi said that the dual drawer was what sold it for her. "It's a practical choice for a shared kitchen where people may be cooking several different items at once," she explained.

The air fryer comes with six one-touch pre-set buttons including broil, bake, and dehydrate (which we have to admit may be a few too many for the tech-averse among us), but a bunch of university students had no problems figuring it out.

"My 19-year-old got to grips with the pre-set options effortlessly and reports that they make it easy to cook everything from potato wedges to frozen chips. You literally just choose your food type and press the button, but you can adjust the temperature and the cooking time if you wish, too," Heidi said.

The Ultenic K20 is the perfect size for feeding a family (or a group of friends), with two 3.8L baskets offering a total of 7.6L of cooking space, and my son reports that the air fryer capacity is ‘decent’ when cooking for a houseful of hungry students," Heidi added.

Plus, the air fryer has a 'SYNC' finish function which means you can prepare different meals side by side and have them come out hot at the same time — something that Heidi's son found super useful living in student accommodation where multiple dishes are often needing to be prepared. 

We also love that the Ultenic comes with an app that features more than 100 recipes that you can whip up in your new air fryer. And the best part? It lets you save and customise them, which is a really handy feature for those of us who grew up doing everything on our phones, or for anyone who likes having their recipes portable and quickly accessible.

Were there any drawbacks? Not a whole lot to be honest, but Heidi did note that the air fryer wasn't always the easiest to keep clean. "The ergonomic touchscreen control panel is easy to use but greasy fingerprints do show up easily — not an issue if you’re adept with a bottle of anticbac and a kitchen cloth. Just don’t expect it to look pristine while cooking."

How we tested

• The Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer was tested out by a group of hungry university students
• It was (and continues to be) put through its paces daily to whip up a range of meals to suit different dietary requirements
• The air fryer was assessed based on its versatility, how easy it was to operate, its capacity, and how well it fared cooking separate meals at the same time

Things you won't find on the box

There are a few minor drawbacks you'll want to be aware of too. The drawers don't glide in and out as easily as they do on some of the other air fryers we've tested in the past and while the crisper baskets can be popped in the dishwasher, we found it a little fiddly to keep clean without one. At 36.5D x 26.7W x 31H centimetres, the size of this air fryer is another thing you'll want to be mindful of.

"Kitchens are typically crowded in student accommodation, with everyone vying for worktop space, so size is an important consideration if you’re buying an air fryer for a student. The K10 isn’t the smallest air fryer we’ve tested but we certainly don’t think the size of the K10 is an issue for the average household. If you want to feed five people using an air fryer then you’re obviously going to dedicate some worktop space to it," Heidi said.

Who's it best for?

If affordability is a priority for you and you're looking to be able to cook different food items at the same time, the Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer is a kitchen appliance we'd highly recommend.

It's easy and intuitive to use, plus it has a generous capacity, and the fact that you can cook separately and finish together is a real advantage for busy homes or living situations where you all have different dietary requirements.

Need an alternative?

The Ultenic K20 Dual Basket Air Fryer is a brilliant option if you're looking for an intuitive and affordable two-drawer air fryer that can cook different meals at the same time. However, we understand that it's not the smallest air fryer on the market, so if you're really short on space, you might be better off choosing an alternative.

For a more compact design, the COSORI Lite Smart 3.8L Air Fryer is available for £99.99 at Amazon is perfect for households that lack counter space. Ideal for smaller families, it has a digital display panel and Wi-Fi smartphone control option that makes it a breeze to use.

Looking for air fryer meal inspiration? You'll find a ton of it in our guide to the best air fryer cookbooks.

Our tomato, bean and basil pasta salad takes 25 minutes to make and is ideal for meal prepping as it will improve in flavour after a couple of days. 

You can bulk this pasta salad with even more veggies and salad items if you like and feel free to customise it depending on your family’s favourites. Peppers, sweetcorn, and blanched broccoli florets are all great options. We’ve kept this plant-based but if you’re serving with some grilled fish, chicken, or steak it would stretch to serve six people. Look out for fun pasta shapes like alphabet letters, mini loops, or even your kids’ favourite cartoon characters to make them even more excited about dinner time.

Ingredients 

• 300g (10oz) orecchiette or other pasta shapes
• 200g (7oz) fine green beans, cut into 2-3cm (3⁄4in-1in)pieces
• 4 tomatoes, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1tbsp white wine vinegar
• 25g pack fresh basil
• 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, lightly salted water according to the packet instructions, adding the green beans for the last 2 mins of cooking.
2. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, stir together the tomatoes, garlic, red onion, olive oil and white wine vinegar, and season to taste. Reserve a few basil leaves to garnish, then shred the remainder and stir into the salsa.
3. Cool the pasta and green beans under cold water, then drain very well. Add to the tomatoes with the cannellini beans and toss gently together. Before serving, scatter over a few extra basil leaves.

Top tips for making this  tomato, bean and basil pasta salad

If possible, use very ripe tomatoes here, as they will act as a dressing. You could use some chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a little oil from the jar if tomatoes are not in season but you want maximum flavour results. 

If you’re hosting a party or big lunch for your family, make your food look even more appealing by presenting it in nice serveware. We love this deep dish from Oliver Bonas and it would be great for this pasta salad.

For another budget-friendly meal, try our spaghetti with pesto and pine nuts. You might also like This Slimming World fruity pasta salad or our summer pasta recipes when the warmer weather comes.

What’s better than biscuits? Biscuit cakes of course. Biscuits that are baked, crushed, or folded into cakes, brownies, and fridge cakes. These simple recipes are delicious, look impressive, and are great for making with your kids. 

If you're looking for a birthday cake for kids alternative, our biscuit cakes are an excellent choice. They are easier to transport and slice than a traditional layered cake and require much less decorating. 

"Brownies are always a great choice if you’re looking for some sweet kid's party food ideas," says Food Editor, Jessica Dady. "They are easy to prepare and can be sliced into neat portions for the buffet food spread or wrapped up for party bags. Top with biscuits and you've got two treats in one." 

Bourbon lovers will be delighted to see we have three different recipes that all feature the classic British biscuit and there are recipes for the Custard Cream fans too, as well as many more tempting choices. Think Jammy Dodgers, Party Rings, Digestives, KitKats... the list goes on.

Easy biscuit cakes

1. Pink cake bar

Serves: 15 | Total time: 25 mins, plus chilling

Given this recipe requires some chilling time, it’s a great one to make a couple of days before the birthday party and is an easy one to tick off your to-do list. You could also make the base ahead and then as an activity at the party, you could let the kids decorate the top with chocolate, biscuits, and sprinkles. It will have set by the time everyone is ready to head home and you can wrap the slices up as a treat for the party bags. 

We’ve used Party Ring biscuits because who doesn’t love them? But you can customise it with your kids’ favourite sweets and treats. 

Get the recipe: Pink cake bar

2. Chocolate biscuit cake

Serves: 16 | Total time: 10 mins, plus chilling 

Chocolate, biscuit, and cake - have you heard three more perfect words in a sentence? This is such an easy recipe as it’s all made in a single pan. Once the butter mixture has melted you can let the kids take the lead with the mixing and assembling of the cake. If you don’t want to press the mixture into a tin, you can spoon it into muffin cases instead.

You can also make it vegan-friendly by using margarine instead of butter and your choice of milk replacement. Check the biscuits you are using are vegan but many brands of digestive biscuits are fine. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate biscuit cake

3. No-bake Custard Cream cheesecake

Serves: 8 | Total time: 2 hours 30 mins

This is a real show-stopper and it’s prepared in only 30 minutes. Using custard powder in the creamy filling is an ingenious way to replicate the flavours of a Custard Cream and we think you’ll be impressed with the final taste. 

If you’d like a little hint of chocolate, consider adding a little cocoa powder to the filling or marble through some melted milk chocolate once it is poured into the tin. The cheesecake takes around 2 hours to chill but it would be best made the night before so you can be sure it is set.

Get the recipe: No-bake Custard Cream cheesecake 

4. Biscuit brownies

Serves: 12 | Total time: 55 mins 

When you can’t decide if you need a biscuit or a brownie, this bake is the next best thing. It uses nine ingredients and you can choose whichever biscuits you want for the top. Serve with ice cream for an easy dessert at the birthday party, or cut into squares and stick a candle on top of the tower as an alternative for cake. 

However you serve them, we recommend making a double batch or hiding a couple of squares away for yourself so you don’t miss out.

Get the recipe: Biscuit brownies

5. Giant KitKat Chunky with peanut butter

Serves: 12 | Total time: 25 mins, plus setting 

Giant treats are guaranteed to impress kids (and adults to be honest) and this nutty take on a KitKat tastes as great as it looks. Plus, you only need three ingredients to make it. 

This bar needs around two hours to set, so it’s another good one to make ahead. You could make a selection of KitKat-themed treats to display around this centrepiece like cookies and brownies with broken bits of the chocolate bar inside or cupcakes with mini KitKats on top. 

Get the recipe: Giant KitKat Chunky with peanut butter

6. Biscoff brownies

Makes: 16 | Total time: 35 mins, plus chilling 

Biscoff and chocolate are a match made in heaven and these brownies take only 35 minutes to bake. We’ve used a combination of Biscoff spread and Lotus biscuits for the ultimate flavour hit but if you can’t find the spread you can leave it out or swap for smooth peanut butter. 

You make the batter in one pan so there’s minimal washing up and kids can help measure and stir together all of the ingredients. For the easiest slicing experience and neatest squares of brownie, we recommend chilling them for at least two hours. 

Get the recipe: Biscoff brownies

7. Caramel biscuit cake

Serves/makes: 8 | Total time: 55 mins

This is an excellent recipe if you fancy a twist on a classic Victoria Sponge recipe. We decorate the sponge with delicious cream cheese icing and then cover it with a selection of broken biscuits, wafers, and waffles.

If you don’t have time to bake the sponges from scratch, buy a plain sponge cake and then cover it in icing. A round or loaf cake will work well and Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: “Consider using a ginger cake as the base for this caramel biscuit cake. The flavours of caramel and ginger will go together brilliantly. Chocolate cake is another obvious but delicious choice.” 

Get the recipe: Caramel biscuit cake

8. Giant Bourbon biscuit

Serves: 20 | Total time: 30 mins, plus cooling 

Another impressive giant bake that’s easier than you might think to make. In this recipe, you bake two big slabs of chocolate biscuit and then sandwich them together with a Bourbon biscuit spread but you can use buttercream if you like. 

Instead of spelling out Bourbon on the top of the biscuit, you could write “Happy Birthday” or your little one’s name or age. This is a great option for parties because it’s easy to cut into portions and will happily sit at room temperature without deteriorating in quality or appearance. 

Get the recipe: Giant Bourbon biscuit 

9. Lemon and ginger biscuit cheesecake

Serves: 12 | Total time: 15 mins, plus chilling

The zingy combination of lemon and ginger will have everyone asking if there are any leftovers for them to take home from the party. This recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare but it is best chilled overnight so it’s another one for the make-ahead crew.

You only need six ingredients and the method is very simple, so if you want to get the kids involved with the baking, there’s plenty they can help with. 

Get the recipe: Lemon and ginger cheesecake 

10. Bourbon brownies

Serves: 15 | Total time: 1 hour

With only six ingredients, these brownies are a simple but delicious addition to any party spread. You can serve them as a sweet option on the buffet table, arrange as a tower for an alternative to birthday cake or wrap up portions and give them away in goodie bags at the end. 

Ideally, the brownies should be completely cool before slicing. Otherwise they will be a little gooey and won’t hold their shape. However, if you want to serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream for dessert, we are sure you’ll be a very popular party host. 

Get the recipe: Bourbon brownies

Our chocolate cake recipe is another great one to bake for parties or if you simply want to get the kids into the kitchen. These Frozen birthday cake ideas are a great place to start if your children have requested an Elsa theme but they might prefer these Bluey birthday cake ideas.

For first-time parents we have a round-up of first birthday party ideas, plus plenty of kids' party games that will get everyone involved. For those of you with pre-teens, check out our 13th birthday party ideas. 

Prepare the sauce for our simple chorizo and tomato linguine in the morning and then reheat for dinner once everyone is home. 

The joy of digging into a hearty bowl of pasta after a long day is made even greater when all the hard work has been done ahead. This sauce will taste better if made ahead as the flavours will intensify. If chorizo and rocket are a little too spicy for your little one’s palette, we’ve got some simple substitution suggestions below. 

Ingredients 

• 2 x 400g tins finely chopped tomatoes (we used Mutti)
• 2tbsp tomato purée
• 1tsp caster sugar
• 120g pack chorizo crumbs or finely diced chorizo
• 4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 4 fresh oregano sprigs
• 400g (14oz) linguine
• 11⁄2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2tbsp finely grated Manchego or Parmesan
• 50g (13⁄4oz) wild rocket
• 1tsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Tip the tomatoes into a medium-sized saucepan. Half fill each tin with water, swirling to rinse, then add to the tomatoes. Stir in the tomato purée, caster sugar, chorizo, garlic and oregano. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover with a lid and cook very gently for 2 hrs until thickened, removing the lid for the final 30 mins if necessary. Season to taste.
2. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, lightly salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain well and return to the pan. Stir in the sauce and 1tbsp oil, tossing to coat evenly.
3. Divide between bowls and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Lightly dress the rocket with the balsamic vinegar and a little more oil, and arrange on top of the spaghetti. Allow each guest to fold the rocket into the linguine before eating.

Top tips for making our simple chorizo and tomato linguine with rocket 

Batch-cook the sauce and freeze in portions for up to six months. Defrost thoroughly, reheat until piping hot, then serve with pasta and rocket. We have plenty more tips for making this pasta, continue reading below. 

If you haven’t got the patience to thinly slice your garlic cloves, you can finely grate it instead. Food Writer Jessica Ransom’s favourite tool for this is a fine grater like this one from Joseph Joseph. 

For more tips on how to cook chorizo, you can read our full guide. We have more tasty pasta recipes that are great for an easy date night or mid-week meal. This crab, lemon, and chilli linguine uses a handful of ingredients and this chicken and chorizo pasta is sure to be a hit with the whole family. 

This aquafaba pavlova can be topped with your favourite seasonal fruits and drizzled with maple syrup for the ultimate vegan dessert. 

If you thought being plant-based meant you’d have to miss out on meringue, you were wrong! This simple recipe is a real show-stopper and the kids will have lots of fun decorating it. Once you’ve baked the meringue, you could set up some topping stations and let them take control. We’ve used a dairy-free whippable cream but in warmer months, spoonfuls of ice cream would make an excellent accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 400g tin chickpeas or 150ml (5fl oz) aquafaba
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 1tbsp cornflour
• 1tsp vanilla bean paste

For the topping:

• 125ml (4oz) Oatly! Whippable Creamy Oat
• 125ml (4oz) Oatly! Whippable Vanilla Custard
• 5 plums, cut into wedges
• 4 figs, quartered
• 100g (31⁄2oz) cherries
• 2 passion fruit
• 20g (3⁄4oz) pistachios, finely chopped

Method 

1. Drain the chickpea water into a bowl and chill for 20 mins, keeping the chickpeas to be used another time. Heat the oven to 130C (110C fan, Gas 3⁄4).
2. Transfer the chickpea water to a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl with an electric whisk), and whisk for 5 mins to soft peaks, then add the sugar, 1tbsp at a time, whisking until thick and glossy and the sugar has dissolved (about 15 mins). Fold in the cornflour and vanilla bean paste.
3. Spoon into an 18cm (7in) round on a lined baking tray; allow space for spreading. Bake for 2 hrs, turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool for 1 hr 30 mins more.
4. For the topping, whip the Creamy Oat and Custard until thick. Spoon onto the meringue. Mix the fruits with the passion-fruit pulp and arrange on top. Scatter over the pistachios and drizzle with the passion fruit.

Top tips for making an aquafaba pavlova

If you’re using the liquid from a can of chickpeas, use the chickpeas to whizz up a creamy hummus. You can serve it with carrots or toasted pitta or spread it into sandwiches. Alternatively, why not make Joe Wicks vegan chickpea curry? Continue reading for more tips when it comes to making this pavlova.

For this recipe you’ll need an electric hand whisk like this one from Kenwood. 

For more tips on how to make meringue, read our expert guide. Then you can whip up this Maltesers pavlova like a pro, or for something fruity try this peach and passionfruit pavlova instead.

This grape focaccia recipe will change your mind if you thought Italian bread was only for savoury occasions. 

This recipe requires a little kneading but if you’ve got a stand mixer with a dough hook it will take no time at all. If you do have to knead it by hand, it doubles up as a great stress reliever. Any leftovers are perfect for cutting into small squares and packing into lunchboxes or taking on a picnic. The recipe is also dairy-free making it a good dessert if you need some lactose-free inspiration. 

Ingredients

• 500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus a little extra for kneading
• 7g sachet easy-bake dried yeast
• 1 1⁄2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 2 tbsp clear honey, plus extra to serve
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 400g (14oz) seedless black grapes
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

1. Put the flour, yeast and 1tsp of the salt in a large bowl, and make a well in the centre.
2. In a jug, stir together 300ml (10fl oz) lukewarm water, the honey and 2tbsp of the oil. Add to the flour, mixing to form a soft dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 mins until smooth and springy.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean, oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hr, until doubled in size. Meanwhile, oil a 25x23cm (10x14 in) baking tray.
4. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface, shape into a rectangle, then transfer to the oiled baking tray, pressing it out with your fingertips until it reaches the edges. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place to prove for 30-45 mins, until roughly doubled in size again.
5. When the dough is almost ready, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Toss together the grapes, rosemary, 1tbsp sugar and remaining 1tbsp oil. Mix together, then press gently and evenly into the dough. Scatter with the remaining 1⁄2tsp salt and 1tbsp sugar, and bake for 35-40 mins, until golden and cooked through. Drizzle with a little more oil and honey before serving.

Top tips for making grape focaccia

For maximum satisfaction, we recommend serving the focaccia straight from the oven while the grapes are plump and oozy, but it’s also delicious at room temp. Revive leftovers in a warm oven or enough cold. 

If you don’t trust your hand-kneading technique and would also prefer to make less mess, use a stand mixer with a dough hook attached. Food Editor Jessica Dady has an in-depth Kitchenaid stand mixer review. 

For a simple classic recipe, try Paul Hollywood's focaccia. This sundried tomato and olive focaccia is a great savoury option and can be served as a snack, starter, or filled with your favourite fillings for a tasty sandwich. You might also like Paul Hollywood's cob bread loaf which makes excellent toast.

The best thing about this cake is that it improves in flavour a couple of days after baking if you can wait that long for a slice.

This recipe has eight ingredients and you probably already have most of them in the cupboard. There are only four steps in the method and while the cake is delicious on its own, especially with a cup of tea, you could also serve it with a dollop of natural yogurt and some flaked almonds as a dessert. Using ground almonds and polenta makes this cake naturally gluten-free and keeps the sponge moist. We’ve made a simple syrup to pour over, but if you’re not making it for the kids, consider adding a dash of gin or whisky.

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) ground almonds
• 125g (4oz) express polenta
• 1tsp gluten free baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 275g caster sugar
• 125ml (4fl oz) olive oil
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• Raspberries, to serve

Method 

1. Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan, Gas 5). Brush a 20cm springform cake tin with oil and line the base with a circle of baking parchment. Mix the almonds, polenta, baking powder and 1⁄2tsp salt together.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and 200g (7oz) of the sugar with electric beaters until thick and voluminous. Very slowly whisk in the oil, then fold in the dry mixture.
3. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile, stir together the orange zest and juice, and the remaining 75g (21⁄2fl oz) caster sugar. Prick the cake all over with a skewer while still warm, and drizzle over the orange syrup.
5. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin and serving with raspberries on the side.

Top tips for making our orange polenta and olive oil cake

If you’d like to add a little crunch to the finished cake, scatter over some demerara or granulated sugar once the cake is nearly cool. Toasted flaked almonds are another great choice and will hint at the ground almonds in the batter. Continue reading for more useful tips when making polenta cake…

For this recipe, you’ll need a 20cm springform tin. It’s a useful size that you can use for lots of other bakes including a classic Victoria Sponge or our chocolate cake recipe.  

If you like this cake, try our lemon cake with olive oil next. You might also like this simple lemon polenta cake or this orange drizzle loaf is a great option for picnics and bake sales. 

Looking for a quick and easy Valentine’s Day dessert to rustle up for your loved ones? These Nutella heart-shaped pastries are sure to please.

So, you’ve got plenty of Valentine’s Day dinner ideas in mind for this year’s special day, but how about Valentine’s Day desserts? With just three ingredients; Puff pastry, Nutella, and fruit, these heart-shaped pastries are the perfect sweet treat - and are that simple, you could make them with the kids.

This delicious idea was shared on TikTok by Fleur aka @fleurvdschaaf who has over 118,000 followers and a whole range of nifty food hacks including heart-shaped pizzas, Biscoff swirls, doughnut ice cream sandwiches, and chocolate bark to name a few.

For her Nutella heart-shaped pastries, she tops readymade puff pastry cut into hearts with a generous helping of Nutella, a few slices of banana or strawberry, topped with more puff pastry, and baked in the oven until golden. We’d recommend serving with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream - yum. Here’s how to make your own…

How to make Nutella heart-shaped pastries

Ingredients

• Readymade puff pastry
• Nutella
• Fruit of your choice (thin slices of strawberry, banana, etc.)

You will also need:

• 1x egg, whisked for glazing (you could use milk for this too)
• Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter
• Fork, for sealing the pastry
• Greaseproof paper

Method

1. Roll out the readymade puff pastry and cut 12 x heart shapes using the cookie cutter.
2. Spoon Nutella on top of each pastry heart leaving a thin border around the edges of the pastry.
3. On a separate board, chop your chosen fruit into slices.
4. Place the fruit onto 6 of the 12 pastry hearts. Put the remaining 6 pastry hearts (without fruit) on top of the pastry hearts with fruit and gently press down. 
5. Seal the edges of the pastry hearts with a fork.
6. Glaze the pastry with egg wash.
7. Place onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake in the oven following the puff pastry instructions (this is usually for about 15 minutes at 180C but double check with the packet instructions)
8. Carefully take out of the oven and leave to cool before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

For those with dietary restrictions, swap regular puff pastry for gluten-free, or the Nutella could be swapped for a nut-free chocolate spread. If you’re feeling fancy, you could try Biscoff spread instead. 

You could also try cooking these pastries in an air fryer to halve the cooking time. However, do check with the puff pastry packet instructions, as you want to make sure the pastry is fully cooked before serving - no soggy bottoms thank you.

And for those of you without cookie cutters here are some of our recommended buys...

Cookie cutters at the ready! Follow our Food Writers' super simple step-by-step guide to making pancakes using cookie cutters - the kids will certainly approve. We've also got some great ways to decorate cupcakes with kids too - for those of you looking for half-term activity inspiration. And if you've now got Nutella on the brain, you'll certainly want to try making our Nutella chocolate cake - made with just six ingredients.

If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to add even more excitement to your pancakes, I give you the cookie cutter - a cheap and effective way to create character pancakes your kids will love.

Pancakes make a delicious breakfast or brunch at any time of year, but with Pancake Day just around the corner, what better excuse do you need to whip up a stack - especially when they are shaped like dinosaurs? 

In my simple four-step guide, you'll discover how easy it is to fry pancakes in a cookie cutter mould (yes, on the pan - gone are the days of cutting out shapes) and see what amazing results you get. Not only does frying the batter recipe in a mould eliminate pancake leftovers (because there are no offcuts), but it also means you get perfectly shaped, fluffy pancakes every time - be it dinosaurs, hearts, butterflies, perfect circles... the list goes on.

When trying this food hack at home we'd recommend keeping the frying and flipping to the grown-ups, however, the kids can certainly help with greasing the moulds, pouring the batter, and decorating the finished pancakes with their favourite pancake toppings. Although I'm pretty sure they'd settle for the job of taste testers...

How to make pancakes with cookie cutters

To make these pancakes I used GoodtoKnow's Scotch pancakes recipe. I chose this recipe because I wanted a thick batter that wouldn't run under the cookie cutter and leak out when poured.

It also made for sturdy, thick, but fluffy pancakes that I knew would be easier to turn in the pan. You could certainly make these with an American pancakes recipe if you prefer. 

In my opinion, a classic pancake recipe will be trickier to work with as it will cook very quickly and be more fiddly to flip. That being said, next time you make the batter why not experiment and let us know how you get on? 

Before getting started you’ll need to choose your cookie cutters. These need to be metal as plastic ones will melt when frying. It’s also best to choose big, simple shapes without too many fine grooves. The more intricate the cutter, the more difficult it will be to get the pancake to cook evenly and to remove it from the mould. 

I found a small palette knife and set of tongs the best tools for flipping the pancakes and poured the batter from a small jug, but you could simply spoon some batter in if you prefer. 

You will need:

• 1 batch of pancake batter
• Oil for greasing and frying
• Selection of metal cookie cutters
• Non-stick frying pan
• Tongs and a small palette knife for flipping (optional)
• Syrup or toppings of your choice

Step 1

Make your pancake batter according to the recipe you are following.

Liberally brush your cookie cutters with a flavourless oil such as vegetable or sunflower oil. You could also spray them if you have an oil spray. 

Step 2

Pour a little oil into your frying pan and add the cookie cutter, bottom side facing up. Pour in enough pancake batter to fill the mould and wait for bubbles to appear on the surface.

Step 3

Using tongs and/or a small palette knife, flip over the cutter and gently push the cooked side of the pancake down to release it from the mould.

Allow it to cook for a minute or so then use the tongs to remove the cutter completely. Cook for a few more minutes until cooked through. If your pancakes are thinner the cook time will be less.

Repeat with the rest of the batter, greasing your mould each time. 

Step 4

Pile your pancakes onto a plate and decorate with your chosen toppings. I went for golden syrup and some chopped peanuts but chocolate and berries would be delicious too. 

What I used in this feature and where you can buy it

For more pancake inspiration, we have recipes for savoury pancakes if you fancy serving them for lunch and dinner too. As well as popular Joe Wicks pancakes, healthier wholemeal pancakes, and air fryer pancakes too.

Happy Birthday has been sung, the candles have been blown out, the kids are now occupied with a game of pass the parcel, and you're left with the responsibility of cutting the birthday cake and loading the party bags, but how do you go about it? 

Cutting the birthday cake can feel like a big responsibility, especially when there are party bags to fill, however, I've found a genius, game-changing way to cut a birthday cake which I just had to try myself - and it works! In this easy guide, I will explain how you can cut a cake into the most slices so you can share it with more people - and maybe even have leftovers for yourself.

When buying or making birthday cakes for kids, one of the most important things to consider is how many people it can serve and with this easy method, or should I say hack (yes, it's that nifty), you can optimise the number of portions and might even be able to get more slices than the suggested servings. 

For my cake-cutting test, I chose a cake that would serve 16, however by using this slicing and dicing technique, I managed to get at least 18 slices and could have got more if I cut the cake into 3x9cm strips. Tall cakes, like our tried and tested supermarket rainbow cakes, with lots of layers are perfect for this method because you can cut them in half widthways, doubling your slices again. Please note this method is for round cakes only, and may not be as effective with a different shaped cake, like a caterpillar cake for example.

How to cut a birthday cake

To try out this food hack for yourself, all you need is a round celebration cake and a large serrated knife. If you’re using a shop-bought cake they usually come on their own serving board but you could transfer to a plate or cake stand if you prefer. 

I find a serrated knife, such as a bread knife is best for cutting cakes but a large, sharp chef’s knife will be fine if that’s all you have. 

If you’re serving the cake straight away, make sure you’ve got plates and/or napkins to hand. You could also wrap the slices in clingfilm, tinfoil, or a napkin if you plan to give the cake away in gift bags. 

You will need:

• A round cake
• A large serrated knife

Step 1

Cut the cake in half across the centre. Then cut one half into quarters. 

Step 2

With the knife at a 90 degree angle, cut each quarter into slices or small strips.

Step 3

Serve the cake and make sure you save a slice for yourself! 

What I used in this feature and where you can buy it

Don't forget kid's party food - whether it's homemade or kid's party food to order, its always best to plan ahead.

You should check out these Frozen birthday cake ideas if your little one won’t let go of the hope for a homemade showstopper. Or perhaps these Bluey birthday cake ideas are more of their style. Or you could cheat and buy one of our tried and tested caterpillar cakes from your local supermarket?

You might also like these first birthday party ideas if this is your first experience of hosting. Plus, we have lots of fun kids' party games to get everyone involved. These 13th birthday party ideas are a great place to start if you want some ideas to impress your pre-teen and their friends. 

Decorating cupcakes with the kids just got easy. I give you my three favourite, super simple, child-approved ways to decorate cupcakes. And yes, it's worth the mess.

Baking with kids – you either love it or hate it, or may depend on your patience levels, your child’s attention span, and time, oh, elusive time. Whatever your relationship status with baking, it's certainly a great way to bond with your kids and spend quality time together. 

One of the easiest things I’ve ever made with my kids over the years of baking together is cupcakes. GoodtoKnow’s cupcake recipe is my go-to and I’ve made them time and time again. They are simple, soft, and spongey, and the perfect base for decorating. Whether it's topping them with a swirl of buttercream, drizzle of icing sugar, a pinch of rainbow sprinkles, or coating them generously with chocolate spread, cupcakes are a great choice for making and decorating with kids – not to mention the perfect sweet option when it comes to kid's party food as one of my favourite things to do with kids.

So, for those of you looking for easy cake decorating ideas, I thought I would share my three best kid-friendly decorating techniques that have served me well over the years, and have been a big hit not just at birthday parties, but bake sales, playdates, and as food gifts for the grandparents too.

Icing sugar and sprinkles

The easiest (probably messiest) way to decorate cupcakes with little ones is with icing and sprinkles. From toddlers to teens, mix some icing sugar with water to make an icing and pile on the sprinkles. It's finger-licking fun the kids will certainly love. I like to have my icing mix pretty thick so it gloops onto the cakes, instead of running down the edges of the cases, so play around with thickness by adding more icing sugar.

My kids chose rainbow sprinkles, however, there are plenty of sprinkles out there – be it classic hundreds and thousands, chocolate strands, silver sugar balls, and more. Replace some of the water you're mixing with the icing sugar for a squeeze of food colouring gel or drop of food colouring.

You will need:

• Icing sugar
• Water
• Sprinkles

Method

1. Get your little one to carefully scoop 4 heaped tablespoons of icing sugar into a mixing bowl. I would recommend pouring icing sugar into a bowl for them to scoop from because getting icing sugar directly from the bag is asking for trouble.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and let your kids do the mixing. Again, measure this into a bowl and let them scoop from the bowl otherwise you'll have kids running back and fourth from the kitchen tap and the stress levels will start to peak. 
3. Repeat until you have enough icing mixture for your cupcakes. Feel free to add more icing sugar if you want a thicker consistency. And if you don't have enough mixture as you go along, it's really simple to make some more if needed.
4. Cover the table or kitchen counter with something you're happy to get covered in sticky icing and let them go wild. They can drizzle, blob, scoop and smooth the icing sugar mix to their heart's content. We used a teaspoon and I made sure the kids brought the cupcakes to the icing bowl or vice versa so there weren't trails of icing mix all over the kitchen table.
5. For the sprinkles, add some to a bowl. If you're decorating with a couple of kids, let them have a bowl each to stop the arguments. A teaspoon is a good idea for scooping onto each cake – or they could use their fingers. 

Chocolate and Smarties

One for the pre-school kids who fancy a spot of cupcake decorating, I give you chocolate. Be it chocolate spread or melted chocolate, it's a great addition to a cupcake as it adds an extra sweet layer of flavour, and makes them a tad more indulgent. Plus kids love it, right? 

This is a decorating method that needs adult supervision as there is an element of heat to this. You'll either need to melt the chocolate or you'll need to warm the chocolate spread to make it easier to decorate the cupcakes. If melting a chocolate bar, break the chocolate into squares, and melt on low heat for 10 seconds at a time stirring every so often. If you're warming chocolate spread, heat it for 10 seconds just to soften it so it's easier to work with.

My kids chose Smarties to decorate our cupcakes, but again, any chocolate will do – crushed Maltesers, chocolate sprinkles, the list goes on. We opted for a chocolate spread for this one as I had a jar of Nutella sitting in the cupboard, however if you're making it for a kid's party or bake sale, avoid anything with nuts to be on the safe side.

You will need:

• Chocolate bar of your choice
• Or chocolate spread of your choice
• Smarties

Method

1. Either get your little one to break the chocolate bar into squares and place in a microwavable bowl OR get them to scoop 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate spread into a microwavable bowl.
2. Adults only or older kids if you're comfortable with them using the microwave (parent's choice here!), heat the chocolate on bursts of 10 seconds stirring until melted (which usually takes around 1 minute total) or heat the chocolate spread for about 10 seconds to soften slightly.
3. Once the bowl has cooled to the touch, let your child scoop the chocolate mixture on top of each cake with a teaspoon. Again, like the icing sugar mix, cover those kitchen counters or tables and bring either the cake to the bowl or the bowl to the cake to avoid unwanted spillages. 
4. We forgot to wear aprons this time round and my two were covered in chocolate splodges so I would recommend old clothes or covering your child in something to avoid brown stains on clothes (why did we decide to bake in light-coloured tops?!). Rookie mistake.
5. Once the cakes are covered in chocolate, get creative with the Smarties. Ta-dah!

Buttercream and food colouring

For the bigger kids, buttercream icing is great for taking their cake-decorating skills to the next level as they can get creative with a piping bag and nozzle. 

Now, I had a lovely pastel blue buttercream in mind for this one, with perfectly formed piping and a buttercream swirl to give the classic 99 a run for its money, however, my heavy-handed daughter, bless her, took the reins on this one and poured half a bottle of blue food gel into our buttercream mix. I managed to save it with an abundance of icing sugar, however, it doesn't look exactly how I imagined, but hey-ho. 

So when it comes to colouring buttercream, I would say get the buttercream to the consistency that you want it to be at, then gradually add in a drip or two of colouring at a time. If, at any point it looks like the butter is separating, add more icing sugar and continue to mix. If the buttercream mixture you're making has water or milk in it, replace some of the liquid with the food colouring instead.

Have a piping bag and nozzle or two on hand ready to load the buttercream in to – and leave it in the fridge for a while before using it to decorate – will make sure the buttercream sits nicely on top of the cake when piping.

You will need:

• Butter
• Icing sugar
• Food colouring

Method

1. Get your child to measure – using weighing scales – the right amount of butter, and leave the butter to soften before whisking. Meanwhile, measure out the icing sugar into a separate bowl.
2. Adults only (or older kids if you're comfortable with them using an electric whisk – again, parent's choice!), carefully whisk the butter whilst gradually adding in the icing sugar until they begin to combine. Add a few drops of food colouring and keep mixing until you have a cake batter-like texture. If the buttercream is too thick, add some water or milk, and if the buttercream is too thin, add some more icing sugar.
3. Place a piping bag into a tall cup, with the nozzle down, and open the piping bag up so that the largest part – the opening of the piping bag – is over the edges of the cup. This will allow you to scoop the buttercream into the piping bag without making too much mess (she says!). Let your child scoop the buttercream into the piping bag.
4. Once the icing is at the max mark on the piping bag, remove the piping bag from the tall cup and twist the opening of the piping bag to seal it shut. Add an elastic band or hairband to the end to stop it from opening up when the kids are using it.
5. Show the kids how to pipe the buttercream onto the cakes – you could let them experiment on a chopping board or flat surface first so they get used to the feel of the piping bag and how to hold it properly.

Other cupcake recipes you could choose for your base instead:

• Chocolate cupcakes recipe
• Rainbow cupcakes
• Dairy-free cupcakes
• Gluten-free cupcakes

Cupcakes decorated with buttercream:

• Sunflower cupcakes
• Rose cupcakes
• Raspberry cupcakes (with raspberry buttercream)
• Lemon and white chocolate cupcakes (with white chocolate buttercream)
• Coconut and lime cupcakes (with coconut buttercream) 

Must-have baking equipment for kids

So the cupcakes are done and decorated, but what about your kid's birthday cakes? Our roundup of the best Frozen birthday cake ideas or Bluey birthday cake ideas are great for inspiring your birthday cake designs. 

One of these tried and tested rainbow cakes could make a great base for your design too, or one of our tried and tested caterpillar cakes solves the dilemma without breaking a sweat.

We've also got plenty of first birthday party ideas for those of you thinking of celebrating your little ones' big day, not to mention kids' party games everyone will love, as well as 13th birthday party ideas for your pre-teen. 

Our fish pie with swede mash serves four and takes an hour to make

This lightly spiced twist on the humble fish pie makes a great prep-ahead midweek meal. We’ve used defrosted, fish pie mix but feel free to use a selection of fresh fish if you prefer. Salmon, cod, and haddock are popular options but you can experiment with your favourite combination. For a touch of luxury, consider adding some prawns to the mix. 

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 20g butter
• 1 leek, washed well and sliced
• 20g plain flour
• 400ml milk
• 200g frozen spinach, defrosted
• 350-400g frozen fish pie mix, defrosted
• 2tsp garam masala
• 3tsp chopped dill

For the topping:

• 500-600g swede
• 500g celeriac
• 2 carrots
• 1⁄2tsp ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4tsp Dijon mustard

You will need:

• 25cm round oven-proof dish

Method

1. For the topping, peel and chop the swede, celeriac and carrots into similar-sized chunks. Put into a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Drain, then mash with the nutmeg and mustard, and season to taste.
2. Put the eggs into a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook for 7 minutes. Rinse under cold water then peel and halve each egg.
3. Heat the oven to 200C Fan/ Gas 7. In a separate pan, melt the butter. Add the leek and sizzle for 5 minutes until soft. Over a medium heat, stir in the flour, then mix in the milk, a little at a time, to make a smooth paste. Let it bubble, stirring regularly, until thick. Off the heat, mix in the spinach, fish, garam masala and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour half the mixture into the dish, lay the eggs on it and top with the remainder of the fish mixture. Cover with the mash, using a fork to make a textured top. Bake for 25 minutes.

Top tips for making our fish pie with swede mash

We’ve used Dijon mustard in the mash but you can use wholegrain or English mustard if you prefer. Alternatively, if you don’t like the flavour, feel free to leave out the mustard completely. 

For a smooth swede mash we recommend using a potato ricer such as this one from VonShef.

Try our classic fish pie recipe if you don’t like the flavour of garam masala. You might also like this quick and easy fish pie or this Slimming World fish pie recipe has a creamy Quark potato topping. 

Our pork and cabbage stir-fry takes 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook. It's bursting with flavour and makes a nice change from your usual stir-fry.

This recipe is inspired by Thai Prik nam pla sauce which is the perfect balance of zesty, spicy, savoury and salty. At first glance, you might think pork, apple, and cabbage is an unusual combination but if you love roast pork, you’ve probably eaten the ingredients together before.

Ingredients

• 20g pumpkin seeds
• 2tbsp sesame oil
• 450g pork tenderloin, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1 savoy cabbage, shredded
• 100g mushrooms, wiped clean
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 100g radish, sliced
• 20g coriander, roughly chopped
• Wholegrain rice, to serve

For the sauce:

• 2tbsp fish sauce
• Juice and zest 1 lime
• 3tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1⁄2 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1tbsp soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 apple, peeled and finely grated

Method

1. Dry-fry the pumpkin seeds until toasted and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add half the pork, mixing to brown on all sides, until cooked through. Remove from the wok and repeat with the remainder of it.
2. Return the wok to the heat, adding more oil if needed. Stir-fry the cabbage and mushrooms for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients. Return the meat to the pan with the sauce and the other ingredients. Toss to warm through and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds before serving with rice.

Top tips for making this pork and cabbage stir-fry 

This is an excellent recipe for using up odds and ends of veg you have in the fridge. Just make sure everything is cut to a uniform size so that it cooks quickly and evenly. 

If you want to get wafer thin slices of cabbage, cut it into quarters, remove the core and then use a Y peeler on the cut sides to create even ribbons.

For more speedy dinner inspiration try this lemon chicken stir fry or our beef and vegetable stir fry is another tasty option. We have loads of leftover pork recipes too if you’re keen to avoid food waste. 

This cauliflower rice paella is healthy, and delicious and only takes 25 minutes to cook. 

We’ve used cooked prawns which are usually cheaper than raw ones and help save cooking time too. Though shell-on, raw prawns will give more flavour, feel free to swap if you feel confident cooking with them. Serve the cauliflower rice with a leafy green salad if you want to make it more substantial.

Ingredients 

• 500g cauliflower florets
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2 small red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, cut into strips
• 100g green beans, trimmed
• 2tsp smoked paprika
• 1⁄2 chicken stock cube, crumbled
• 3tbsp pale dry sherry
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 150g cooked prawns
• 100g frozen peas
• Juice 1 lemon
• Small bunch parsley, chopped

Method

1. Pulse the cauliflower in batches in a food processor until it resembles grains of rice. Don’t overdo it.
2. Heat 1⁄2tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add the ‘rice’ and cook for 10 minutes over a high heat, mixing regularly until starting to toast.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a second frying pan and cook the onions over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, beans, paprika and stock cube to the pan and season. Fry for 5 minutes. Mix in the sherry and allow to evaporate before mixing in the puree, prawns and peas. Heat for 5 minutes.
4. Pile the prawns and vegetables on top of the rice and squeeze over the lemon juice. Scatter over the parsley before serving.

Top tips for making our cauliflower rice paella 

If you don’t have sherry you could use a dry white wine or swap for sherry vinegar. You might not need the full 3 tbsp and can reduce the amount of lemon juice you season with at the end too.

In step one of this recipe you need to pulse 500g of cauliflower florets to make your ‘rice’. If you don’t have one, give our Ninja 3-in-1 food processor review a read to find out all the reasons you should invest in another piece of kitchen kit.

If you like this recipe you should try Slimming World's cauliflower rice and chilli. Our classic chicken and prawn paella is another great family meal or the Hairy Bikers cauliflower and chicken pilaf is a lovely healthy alternative to a takeaway curry. For something lighter try our Spanish prawn paella salad.

These falafel balls with courgette ribbons make a delicious meat-free meal - a vegetarian 'meatballs' with a seriously flavoursome twist.

Going vegetarian for just a couple of nights a week can help reduce your food shopping bill and it's good for the environment too. Flavoured with sesame seeds, sundried tomatoes, and feta cheese the wholewheat spaghetti is far from boring. The falafel is homemade with a soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Ingredients

For the falafel:

• 250g dried chickpeas
• 75g cooked beetroot in natural juice, cut into chunks
• 2tsp cumin
• 1tsp garlic salt
• 25g coriander
• 4 spring onions, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp baking powder

For the spaghetti:

• 50g feta
• 50g sesame seeds
• 200g wholewheat spaghetti
• 300-400g courgettes
• 400g tin cherry tomatoes
• 3tbsp sun-dried tomato puree

Method

1. Wash the chickpeas and cover them with water; chill overnight. Freeze the feta.
2. Heat the oven to 200C Fan/Gas 7. Drain and dry the chickpeas. Add to a food processor with the other falafel ingredients and 1⁄4tsp sea salt. Blitz to a rough paste.
3. Tip the sesame seeds onto a plate. Squeeze the falafel mixture in your hands to drain the moisture and make 20 walnut-sized balls. Roll each in the seeds, then arrange on a lined baking tray and cook for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the pac
5. instructions. Drain, saving 200ml of the cooking water.
6. Use a julienne peeler to peel the courgettes into noodles. Discard the seedy core.
7. Add the tin of cherry tomatoes and tomato puree to the pan and bring to a boil.
8. Add the pasta and courgette noodles to the pan, stirring until the courgette is soft. Add a little of the pasta water to thicken the sauce.
9. Spoon onto plates and top with the falafel balls. Grate over the frozen feta to serve.

Top tips for making falafel balls with courgette ribbons

Feta is lower in fat compared to other cheeses and freezing it gives a light, fluffy texture when grated. It also helps you use less cheese without missing out on flavour. 

For this recipe you need a julienne peeler to create the courgette ribbons. 

You might also like our classic homemade falafel recipe. You can use any leftovers in this falafel with herby couscous which makes a delicious lunch or you could make these sesame coated falafel. 

So, your little one (or not-so-little one) is having a birthday party and you're in charge of the mammoth task that is feeding 30 kids or more... gulp. Breathe, don't stress, we've got you covered.

If there is one thing guaranteed to raise the stress levels in any parent, it is organising a kid's birthday party. But, you can take the edge off by ordering kid's party food from a range of supermarkets instead of making your own. It's certainly a far more preferable option than spending all day buttering sandwiches and chopping up veggies, only for them to go uneaten (funny how the same can't be said of cheesy Wotsits and Party Rings, isn't it?).

To help ease the pain, we have rounded up the best kids' party food ranges from various supermarkets, and rated them for you in terms of quality, selection, and value for money, as well as how and where to order. From sandwich platters and sausage rolls to the best birthday cakes for kids, we've got it covered, so you'll have more time to book venues, organise party games and, ideally, have a nice cup of tea and a sit-down (our fingers are crossed for you).

"Thinking about what to make for a kid's birthday party can be daunting especially when you've got lots of kids to cater for and adults, and don't even mention dietary requirements; be it veggie, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, the list goes on," says Food Editor Jessica Dady. "It's certainly a minefield and sometimes, especially if you've got a good bit of budget to work with, you can choose the easy option and get someone else to sort the food out for you – aka your trusty old supermarket."

Most supermarkets offer party food to order. "This tends to be a separate section on their website to your usual weekly grocery shopping, and it's a great choice if you're stumped for kid's party food ideas, you don't fancy making your own or you don't have time to shoot to the shops before the big day," says Jessica. "You can choose from various sandwiches, buffet food favourites like sausage rolls, cupcakes, etc., and fruit platters. My go-to supermarkets for the perfect party food spread include Waitrose, M&S, and Sainsbury's – all have a great variety to choose from and foods specifically for kids' parties too." 

Where to buy kid's party food

• Waitrose: Think cupcakes, fruit platters, personalised birthday cakes, and more
• M&S: Classic sandwich and wrap platters, showstopping birthday cakes and sushi
• Morrisons: Grazing boards, giant cookies, pastries, doughnuts... the list goes on
• Sainsbury's: Pizza, sushi, cupcakes, vegetarian options and so much more

Best kid's party food to order

Waitrose

Where? Order online for either collection in-store or home delivery.

When? It depends on what your choices are, but ordering over a week ahead would be a good idea – if you include one of their personalised birthday cakes, Waitrose requires 8 days' notice. Sandwich platters need to be ordered at least 4 days ahead, and deli items, such as potato salad and coleslaw, need 5 days. Book a delivery or collection slot on the morning of the party, as the sandwiches will be prepared to be eaten the same day.

What? Sandwich platters, fruit kebabs, salad bowls, sausage rolls, cupcakes, and custom-made birthday cakes.

Waitrose has always been the most pleasing of supermarkets to shop in, and their online party food service is no exception. All together in one tidy children's party food section, you can have an order sorted in minutes. They have varied sandwich platters including veggie versions and a selection of meat wraps, and platters of both sausage rolls and cheese and onion rolls, plus fruit kebabs on platters and a berry medley. 

Their custom-made birthday cakes range from loaded chocolate drip cake (£32)  to personalised age cakes for £35. This is Waitrose, so it's never going to be the cheapest option and you need to spend at least £40 for free delivery (probably not difficult when a sandwich platter is £19), though there is no minimum spend for collection. 

Waitrose party food to order

Sainsbury's

Where? Order online from the 'food to order' section of Sainsbury's website and collect in-store or book a delivery.

 When? If ordering a custom-made cake, you'll need to do so 7 days before the party. Sandwiches need to be ordered 4 days ahead and sushi platters 5 days before collection. Pick up or book a delivery for the morning of the party, particularly if you are ordering sushi or sandwich platters

What? An excellent selection of sushi, a wide range of sandwich platters, made-to-order quiches, salads and pizzas, dips, canape selections, and a range of birthday cakes.

The party section of Sainsbury's website features plenty for kids, including an appealing selection of sandwich platters and a fruit finger selection that serves 14 people for a very reasonable £9.50. The range here is particularly great for slightly older kids with more discernible tastes – they will love the rainbow-coloured chilli noodle salad, the pasta, spinach, and pine nut salad, and the sushi platters, made in-store by Sushi Gourmet including selections of gyozas and a spicy option. 

There is a good selection of choices for anyone with dietary needs and preferences, including a gluten-free sandwich platter and 'shroomdog hot dogs for vegans.

Sainsbury's party food to order

M&S

Where? Order at M&S online 

When? Personalised birthday cakes need to be ordered a week in advance, but, if you're pushed for time, non-personalised cakes only need 5 days. Sushi platters need 4 days' notice, and 3 days for sandwiches. Collect or arrange delivery on the day of the party if you're ordering savoury platters. For cakes and sweet treats, it could be the day before. Free delivery when you spend £60.

What? Sandwiches, wraps, sushi platters, and a fabulous selection of birthday cakes.

M&S doesn't have a dedicated section of their online party food ordering for kids, but there's plenty to appeal to them on the general party food site (and they also sell Prosecco, which you might be needing by the end of the party day…). There's a classic collection of 30 sandwiches for £22, or a mix of veggie sandwiches and wraps for £16.50, plus a classic sushi platter of kid-friendly salmon and prawn maki and cucumber rolls, also for £22. 

The cakes are the star of the show – from a personalised safari cake with hand-crafted fondant animals for a slightly eye-watering £80 to an under-the-sea mermaid cake for £60. And lest we forget the original caterpillar, Colin. He can be personalised for £45 or comes in a gift bag with Colin candles and fruit jelly sweets for a more palatable £25. 

Downsides? It falls a little short on the savoury options of other supermarket sites, and there are no fruit platters or cupcakes, (though they can of course be ordered through Ocado or bought in-store while you pick up your order). The best bet for special cakes, not the best for an all-in-one party shop (nor the cheapest, but it is M&S, so that is to be expected).

M&S party food to order

Morrisons

Where? Order online and collect in your local store

When? All food has to be ordered 3 days ahead of the party and collected in store on the day.

What? Giant cookies, doughnuts, birthday cakes, cupcakes, sandwich platters, pizzas, pastries and grazing boards

An excellent one-stop shop for all your party food needs. Again, it isn't a kid's specific site, but there are absolutely stacks on there to appeal to the small folk, from mini Scotch eggs to cocktail sausages, as well as grazing boxes packed with pies, meat skewers, cheeses, and cured meats. There's also a great choice of sandwich platters for very reasonable prices (the kid's one is £8 for 20 pieces), a range of dips and potato salads, bargain pizzas (starting at just £3.50), and plenty of sweet treats. Sharing cookies and doughnuts feature heavily, there are jam and cream scone platters for £7 and chocolate sponge sharing platters for £9.50. 

The only downside is that delivery isn't an option so you need a nearby store for collection, but the upside is that Morrisons is by far the best value for money, and the kids will be delighted with the sweet offerings – which are the most fun and, as far as they're concerned,  don't need to be as fancy as certain other shop's offerings anyway. A winner all round.

Morrisons party food to order

Top tips for planning kids party food

1. Set a budget

It's very easy to casually spend too much throwing endless crisps, biscuits, and cakes into a trolley/virtual basket, so it's a good idea to give yourself a maximum spend ahead of your party shop. Ask yourself what is more important – time or money. 

If you're trying to do things as cheaply as possible, it will, of course, be vastly cheaper to buy yourself a loaf of bread, a block of cheese, and some ham to make your own sandwiches than it will be to pay someone else to do it. But it will also be time-consuming and potentially stressful, particularly if you are also trying to organise party bags, games, and entertainers and managing the logistics through yet another parent's WhatsApp group.

2. Ask about allergies

This is where that (yes, yet another) WhatsApp group comes in handy – always check in with the parents as to whether their kids have allergies, intolerances, and other dietary needs. Whether it's a nut allergy, a wheat or dairy intolerance, or a pork-free or vegan diet, for example, you'll need to tailor your kid's party food accordingly. 

Be mindful of the cake ingredients too. It's usually best to avoid nuts altogether and provide at least some meat-free sandwiches, to cover all the bases. Though we've never met a kid with a crisp allergy…

3. Make it bite sized

Finger foods are always going to be the best bet for young kids, so mini sandwiches, sausage rolls, sliced grapes and tomatoes, cucumber and carrot batons, and, yes, biscuits, cupcakes, and crisps are winners all the way. 

A lot of kids love sushi these days too, particularly slightly older kids, who might also enjoy samosas, dips, and sliced quiches and pies.

4. Go for variety

We all know that left to their own devices, most kids will simply eat a pile of cheesy crisps and popcorn topped with chocolate fingers, but it's important to eat the rainbow (and by that, we don't mean all the different coloured Party Rings). 

Even if only to avoid the judgemental wrath of other parents, it's best to offer some wholesome snacks amidst the junk – a colourful fruit platter stacked with strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, melon, and grapes will be visually appealing, and the same goes for veggies – yellow peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes are a vibrant mix. Put out all the savoury food first, leaving the sugar-filled big guns for later.

5. Collect or make the day before

If you're ordering things like fresh fruit and sandwiches or sushi platters, it's best to collect early on the morning of the party (grabbing anything you've forgotten while you're there). But if you're prepping most of it yourself, go the day before so you've got plenty of time to put everything together on the morning of the party. 

Make anything you can in advance, particularly cakes. Trust us, you don't want to be in baking chaos just before the big event. Pack everything up well in advance and don't forget all the party accouterments – tablecloths, paper plates, napkins for the cake, candles, a lighter and a knife for cake cutting are all essentials (and hands up who has forgotten at least one of them on more than one occasion?).

If you're new to this birthday party lark, it will be useful to get some tips on 1st birthday party ideas while, if you're a seasoned pro running short of inspiration, how about 13th birthday party ideas, for when the teenage years hit? And, as it's their party, they should help with the preparation, right? Check out our easy baking recipes for kids.  

This baked aubergines and lentils recipe is ready in under an hour and serves four.

Going meat-free for a couple of dinners a week is not only a healthier choice, but it will save you money too. This recipe costs £3.16 and serves four people making it 79p per portion. Plus, this recipe is cooked in one large baking tray so there’s minimal washing up - just what you need from an easy midweek meal. 

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 3tbsp white wine vinegar
• 150ml 0% fat natural yogurt
• 1tsp dried mint or fresh mint, finely chopped
• 150g lentils, washed
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 aubergines, halved lengthways
• 1tbsp chopped parsley

For the sauce:

• 2tbsp tahini
• 1tbsp honey
• 2tsp soy sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C Fan/ Gas 9. Mix the onion and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to pickle. Mix the yogurt and mint and chill.
2. Put the lentils into a roasting tin and pour over the stock. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins.
3. Mix the sauce ingredients, adding water to make it a dropping consistency. Cross-hatch the fleshy surface of the aubergine and spread over the sauce.
4. Remove the foil and nestle the aubergines into the lentils. Bake for 25 mins until the lentils and aubergine are tender. Top with the chopped parsley and pickled onions. Serve with the yogurt and a green salad, if you like.

Top tips for making our baked aubergines and lentils 

If you like spice, serve these baked aubergines with some sliced fresh red chilli or a drizzle of your favourite hot sauce. Sriracha or crispy chilli oil are excellent choices.

This recipe is cooked using a single baking tray. If you don’t have one that’s suitable, this Falcon tin is lightweight, easy to store and will soon become your most used tray in the kitchen. 

You might also like our other baked aubergine recipe or these aubergines with basil pesto crust are full of flavour. These Mediterranean aubergines are a nice option if you’re craving something tomatoey. 

Forget Cuthbert versus Colin, I've tried and tasted caterpillar cakes from not only Aldi and M&S but four other supermarkets too, and you'll be surprised which was my overall favourite.

Throwing a kids' birthday party can be rather stressful, from booking a venue to deciding which kids' party food ideas to pick, from presents to the guest list - it's never-ending, and that's where buying a shop-bought birthday cake can come in handy - especially if your little one is a fan of a chocolate caterpillar cake. 

Over the years as a food writer, I have tried and tasted hundreds of food and drink products and consider myself a firm but fair critic. I worked in the Future Test Kitchen for nearly four years and helped to judge and coordinate a range of taste tests including the annual Easter and Christmas taste tests we feature on GoodtoKnow. So when I was asked to taste-test all the supermarket caterpillar cakes, I knew I’d be able to offer some useful insights when it came to choosing the best birthday cakes for kids as well as helping the parents out there make that big decision as to what caterpillar cake to buy for their little ones' birthday.

Now, how did I go about testing all these chocolate Swiss rolls I hear you ask? Well, I tasted a slice from each cake blind, which was the biggest factor in determining the overall winner. Once the winner was decided based on flavour, I cross-referenced notes I had taken on the cost, appearance, and serving size of each cake - and ta-dah, my winner was decided. 

PS... GoodtoKnow's Food Editor has tried and tested the best supermarket rainbow cakes  for those looking for more kids' birthday cake options

Where to buy a caterpillar cake

• Aldi: Alongside Cuthbert you'll find cupcakes, bitesize treats, and bigger celebration cakes
• Waitrose and Partners: Everything from football cakes to bees, diggers, and more
• Marks and Spencer: Explore a selection of celebration cakes with personalisation available on some designs too
• Tesco: Browse a big selection of indulgent bakes, cartoon-themed cakes, and tempting tray bakes
• Asda: Colourful, cute birthday cakes to suit every age bracket and budget
• Sainsbury’s: Choose from cakes that only need a candle or two stuck on top or plain sponges and cupcakes you can decorate yourself

Best supermarket caterpillar cakes: tried and tested 

Waitrose Cecil The Caterpillar Cake

Best supermarket caterpillar cake

RRP: £8.50 | Serves: 12 | Weight: 706g | Order: Online or in-store

Cecil won the blind taste test and was also one of the best-finished cakes in terms of decoration and appearance. This cake had nine layers alternating from cake to buttercream and they were impressively even.

The distribution of buttercream filling was also very consistent and gave a very satisfying swirl cross-section when sliced. Of all the cakes, Cecil had the least-dry texture which I think was in part thanks to all the layers.

The chocolate coating was smooth and neatly finished with an attractive drizzle of white chocolate across the top and sides. I used a serrated knife and it was easy to achieve clean slices with most of the chocolate coating staying intact and stuck to the cake.

I liked the white chocolate face and thought the tongue was cheeky and playful. The detailing on the eyes was nice, although I personally would have preferred chocolate as I don’t enjoy icing or sugar decorations as much.

The crunchy coated chocolates on the top were distributed in a three-two formation and added a nice bit of texture. I would have liked it if there were more of these as it didn’t feel very generous.

Cecil The Caterpillar Cake - £8.50 - Waitrose & Partners

Aldi Cuthbert The Caterpillar Cake

Cheapest supermarket caterpillar cake

RRP: £5.49 | Serves: 12 | Weight: 716g | Order: In-store and online for Click & Collect orders

Cuthbert was the runner-up in the blind taste test and also turned out to be the cheapest of all the cakes which is impressive!

The buttercream was smooth and had a nice intense chocolate flavour. The chocolate shell coating was a little fragile and thin. It cracked a lot more than other cakes when sliced. It had six distinctive layers of cake and buttercream filling, although the distribution wasn’t as even as others.

The white chocolate feet are a cute size and I liked the generous scattering of colourful mini Smartie-like treats on top.

I thought the face on Cuthbert had a charming expression and I liked the detail of the eyes, nose, and adorable bow tie. The ridges for Cuthbert are created using thicker portions of buttercream which is a welcome choice as the buttercream was one of the tastiest parts of the cake.

The sponge looked a little dry at first glance but had an enjoyable mouthfeel and the mini chocolate decorations added a nice crunchy contrast in texture.

Cuthbert The Caterpillar Cake - £5.49 - Aldi

Asda Letty The Caterpillar Cake

Best alternative decorations

RRP: £8 | Serves: 12 | Weight: 677g |Order: Online or in-store

Letty stood out from the lineup because it was the only caterpillar cake without a white chocolate face or feet. Instead, the face and feet are made from brightly coloured icing which is great for those with a sweet tooth.

I really liked the expression on Letty’s face and thought the red nose was a cute and unique detail.

Instead of decorating the top of the cake with Smartie-like chocolates, Letty has a mixture of colourful sprinkles and sweet edible balls. I thought this was a nice change from the traditional line up and also liked the raised squiggle pattern on the back of Letty instead of the classic grooves.

Letty came third when tested on flavour alone. The buttercream was glossy, smooth, and had a nice chocolate flavour though it wasn’t as rich as Cecil or Cuthbert. The sponge was a little dry but the cake had nice even layers.

Letty The Caterpillar Cake - £8 - View at Asda

Tesco Slinky The Caterpillar Cake

Best variety of sweet decorations

RRP: £7.50 | Serves: 12 | Weight: 668g |Order: Online or in-store

Slinky was by far the most generous when it came to decorations. It had a white chocolate drizzle, white chocolate feet, an orange icing face, mini crunchy coated chocolates, and lots of sweet, fruity sugar crunchy bits too.

The buttercream had a wet, gooey texture but it lacked any real flavour. The sponge was quite dry and although it had a sweet taste, it was difficult to find any chocolate notes.

The milk chocolate shell was a little thicker than the other cakes and had a nice smooth texture. Overall the chocolate reminded me a lot of advent calendar chocolates and it left a slightly artificial taste in my mouth. However, I’m sure those with a sweeter preference to mine would enjoy the cake.

Slinky The Caterpillar Cake - £7.50 - View at Tesco

Marks and Spencer Colin The Caterpillar Cake

Best tasting white chocolate decorations

RRP: £9 (£8.50 from Ocado) | Serves: 10 | Weight: 725g | Order: In-store or online via Ocado

The original caterpillar cake was the longest of the caterpillar cakes at 28cm long and 8cm wide. Despite this, it only serves 10 according to the box, which is the least of all the cakes.

I found the cake to be a little dry and the distribution of buttercream was a little uneven between the layers of cake. The ridge of the cake, which is achieved with the use of thicker layers of buttercream, helped with the overall texture and mouthfeel but slices without this would be a lot drier.

The white chocolate for the feet and the face was the tastiest of all the cakes I tried. It had a pleasant sweet but creamy flavour and didn’t have a chalky texture which others did. The white chocolate feet and face were also bigger and thicker compared to other cakes.

Colin has a nice thick milk chocolate shell and a classic design which is charming. It would be nice if there were more crunchy-coated chocolates on top of the cake but I liked the white chocolate button on the tail end of the cake.

Colin The Caterpillar Cake - £8.50 - View at Ocado

Sainsburys Wiggles The Caterpillar Cake

Caterpillar cake with the most servings / Best dupe of Colin the caterpillar design

RRP: £7.50 | Serves: 14 | Weight: 698g |Order: Online or in-store

Wiggles can serve up to 14 people according to the box. The cake was 25cm long which was the third longest of the cakes. The slices would have to be quite thin in order to get 14 portions but it could be possible. I suspect part of the serving suggestion is to help with the nutritional figures as each portion works out to be under 200 calories.

This cake was the closest in design to the original Colin the caterpillar cake. It had white chocolate feet and a face with a very similar expression and design. The only difference between the face of Wiggles and Colin is that Colin has a pink detail on his tongue.

I like the addition of sprinkles alongside the crunchy coated chocolates, which had a fruity, tangy flavour. The ridge details on the back of the caterpillar were a little uneven but the milk chocolate shell was evenly distributed and had a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Wiggles The Caterpillar Cake - £7.50 - View at Sainsbury’s

How I tested the best caterpillar cakes

In order to rank the supermarket cakes fairly, I cut a slice from the middle of each caterpillar and arranged them on plates with a number for each different cake.

I chose a slice from the middle as this would promise the most even layers of cake and distribution of chocolate and buttercream. The middle of the cake should also, in theory, be the most moist. As with any loaf cake or classic Swiss roll, the edges cook the quickest in the oven and have a tendency to dry out the quickest once baked too. 

I drew a table on a piece of paper with two columns and six rows. I made notes on each cake and cleansed my palette with water and crackers between each tasting. Once I had tasted all the cakes, I then compared my tasting notes with observations I had made earlier in the day about the cakes appearance, cost, and serving size.

To judge the appearance I looked at how neatly each cake was finished, the distribution of edible decorations, and if the face of the caterpillar was cute or perhaps a little creepy...

I also noted how many layers each cake had, how evenly the distribution of filling was to the cake, and how generously the cake was decorated with the crunchy coated chocolates or sprinkles.

Some of the cakes gave a weight as well as the serving size. The weights in the title of each listing in this taste test, are based on the cakes weighed on the serving board. 

If all this talk of cake has given you the urge to do some home baking, this chocolate cake recipe is a great place to start. You might also like these Frozen birthday cake ideas or perhaps these Bluey birthday cake ideas are more suited to your little one. 

This chicken with cannellini beany mash recipe takes 30 minutes to make and serves two.

Once you’ve mastered this creamy, beany mash we think you’ll be serving it alongside sausages, casseroles, and pies. It’s quicker to make versus mashed potatoes and butter beans are a great source of potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. We’ve served it with rocket but steamed broccoli or green beans would make another nice choice.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves
• Low-cal cooking oil spray
• 2 frozen skin-on chicken breasts, defrosted
• 50g kale, thick storks removed

For the mash:

• 400g tin cannellini or butter beans, drained
• 1⁄2 vegetable stock cube
• 1⁄2 lemon, plus extra to serve
• Rocket, to serve

Method 

1. Heat the oil with the rosemary and garlic in a small pan. Leave to infuse.
2. Over a high heat, spritz a non-stick frying pan with oil. Once hot, reduce the heat a little and fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side until golden and the juices run clear. Remove from the pan, season, cover with foil and set aside.
3. Add the kale to the pan with a splash of water. Fry until wilted, then tip into a colander. Squeeze dry and roughly chop.
4. Return the pan to a medium heat, crush the garlic that was used in the oil, and cook until fragrant. Add the beans, the stock cube and 200ml water. Bring to a boil and stir until soft.
5. Off the heat, use a masher to make a smooth paste. Squeeze in the lemon to taste and season with lots of black pepper. Mix through the chopped kale. Serve with the rosemary oil, rocket and a lemon wedge to squeeze over.

Top tips for making our chicken with cannellini beany mash

This recipe is delicious with chicken but it would also work well with some sausages and a rich onion gravy instead of the herby oil.

If you’d prefer a smooth mash, consider blitzing the bean mixture with a stick blender

Read our guide on how to make mashed potatoes if you fancy the original. You might also like our homemade sauces for chicken or these healthy chicken recipes are perfect if you need some mid-week inspiration. 

Our spicy salmon tray bake is infused with ras el hanout spice blend and rosemary and certainly packs a punch of flavour.

This recipe is a great way to get one of your recommended weekly portions of heart-healthy oily fish. The complete meal is loaded with veg and has a zingy tahini dressing which provides lots of B vitamins to boost your brain function and vitamin E which protects against heart disease.

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, cut into 6 wedges
• 1 orange or yellow romano pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 courgette, cut into chunks
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2 x 125g (4oz) salmon fillets
• 2tsp Ras el Hanout spice blend
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 100g (31⁄2oz) cherry tomatoes

For the dressing:

• 1⁄2 garlic clove
• 1tbsp chopped parsley
• 1tbsp tahini paste
• 1 lime

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/ Gas 7. Put the red onion, pepper, and courgette in a roasting tin lined with baking parchment, and toss with the oil. Roast for 15 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the salmon with the Ras el Hanout. Stir the chickpeas and cherry tomatoes into the roasting tin, then nestle in the salmon fillets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the salmon is nicely browned and just cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whizz the garlic and parsley together in a blender until finely chopped. Add the tahini, juice of 1⁄2 lime, and 1tbsp water and whizz again until smooth. Check the seasoning and adjust it to your taste.
4. Cut the remaining lime half into 2 wedges. Drizzle the dressing over the salmon and vegetables in the roasting tin and serve with the extra lime wedges.

Top tips for making our spicy salmon tray bake 

If your salmon fillets are from the thinner, tail end of the fish they won’t take as long to cook compared to chunky fillets. Bake for 5-8 minutes instead or pan fry if you want to avoid overcooking them. 

Every cook needs a reliable baking tray for one-pan dinners and these enamel ones are lightweight and easy to store.

Read our full guide on how to cook salmon if you want some more ideas. We have lots of salmon fillet recipes including this easy pan fried salmon fillet.