Family-Friendly Recipes from Children’s Literature

Bring your homeschooler’s favorite stories to life with tasty recipes from popular children’s books. Simple and delicious, these recipes are designed for families to prepare and enjoy together.

1. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Even the pickiest of eaters have fun devouring this uniquely colored breakfast dish.

Green Eggs and Ham
Ingredients (serves 4):
4 eggs
4 tsp. milk
4 drops blue food coloring
4 tbsp. ham, diced

Preparation (10 minutes):
Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Add milk and food coloring, and whisk until smoothly mixed. Add diced ham. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased, preheated skillet. Cook, stirring several times, until water begins to separate from the eggs. Serve.

2. Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
Teach your child about the importance of sharing over a bowl of tasty homemade ice cream.

Mint n’ Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients (serves 8):
2 cups low-fat milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Green food coloring (optional)
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation (1 hour):
Combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Color the mixture with several drops of food coloring, if desired. Pour the ingredients into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the miniature chocolate chips approximately 10 minutes into the freezing. When the ice cream has thickened (approximately 30 minutes after adding the chocolate chips), place it in a container and chill in the freezer for two hours before serving.

3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
While the ingredients for this recipe won’t fall from the sky, shopping for and preparing the meal together provides youngsters with countless learning opportunities.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients (serves 6-8):
2 jars spaghetti sauce (30 oz. each)
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked

Preparation (1 hour):
In a large sauce pan, simmer the spaghetti sauce over medium heat. Mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, salt, and parmesan cheese together in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into 18 meatballs and add them to the sauce pan. Place a cover on the pan and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve over warm spaghetti.

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Satisfy your hungry homeschooler’s appetite with this sweet mix of fresh fruits and yogurt.

Fresh Fruit Salad
Ingredients (serves 5-6):
8 oz. vanilla yogurt
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 apples, peeled and cubed
2 bananas, sliced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (8.25 oz.)
1 tbsp. sugar

Preparation (20 minutes):
Combine the chopped fruit in a large bowl and coat with sugar. Add yogurt and stir until well mixed. Chill and serve.

5. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

As you sit down to read this story, enjoy these savory cookies with a glass of ice cold milk.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients (makes 36 cookies):
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 package instant vanilla pudding (4 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups chocolate chips

Preparation (25 minutes):
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, sugar, butter, shortening, pudding mix, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well mixed. Add the eggs and blend well. Pour the flour mixture into the large bowl and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Place rounded teaspoons of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool and serve with a glass of cold milk.

Recipes inspired by posts on food.com.