Learning how to cook is an essential life skill that can be taught starting from an early age. If you want to combine your at-home teaching with formal cooking classes, there are many classes to consider for you and your little one in and around McKinney, Texas. Here are eight cooking and baking classes for you to try out in the area.

Young Chefs Academy

Image via Flickr by Nenad Stojkovic Licensed CC BY 2.0

At Young Chefs Academy, your child can learn basic to advanced culinary skills to help set them up for a delicious future. There are many weekly classes and membership options that allow your child to start learning about culinary creativity as young as four years old. Want to have a party here instead? This academy also has four different all-inclusive party packages to choose from. Each package includes party invitations, place settings, and paper chef hats. Some things that your young chef can learn in these classes include basic nutrition, kitchen safety, and culinary creativity.

Brownies and Balloons

With a warm and comforting shop aroma that’s sure to excite your child, Brownies and Balloons focuses on the finer points of sweet treats. With custom-made sugar cookies, your young chef can learn more about the fine art that is cookie decorating. Painting, piping, and coloring are all a part of this decorating class, which can help your child learn valuable dexterity skills.

If you and your young baker want to have your own cookie decorating party, you can contact Brownies and Balloons to set up your own cookie decorating session. This is perfect because you get to enjoy all the delicious cookies and make unforgettable memories with your little one.

Central Market

Consider Central Market for a variety of fun and exciting in-person and online cooking courses. Most classes are all age appropriate and can help your aspiring chef learn essential chopping, dicing, sauteing, and other cooking skills. The courses at the Plano location include recipes inspired by New Orleans dining, citrus and seafood dishes, and steakhouse entrees. Online classes include Houston-, Mexican-, and ancient grain-inspired recipes with a variety of different chefs.

If you have all the ingredients and are more comfortable at home, online classes can help you and your child learn all from the comfort of your kitchen. Online programs are also useful if you prefer in-home learning because you can cook at your own pace and just enjoy spending quality time with your little one.

Sur La Table

If you want your kid to enjoy a fun week at camp, Sur La Table has the perfect answer with multiple week-long summer series. These small, hands-on classes can help your young child or teen learn mixing, prepping, and cooking skills with the guidance of talented chefs and teachers. Popular summer series to consider include Cooking Adventure, Open Your Own Restaurant, Bakeshop, Baking Workshop, Check School, or The Academy of Cuisine. Chefs and teachers have come together to design each series to be fun and engaging and are sure to teach your child delicious new skills in the kitchen.

Taste Buds Kitchen

If online cooking classes are more your thing, Taste Buds Kitchen has you covered. With live online classes that are perfect for all ages and skill levels, you’re sure to find a class that works for you and your little one. If your child wants to take the reins, they can also take an online summer cooking camp where they can learn chopping, plating, presentation, and cooking science.

Taste Buds Kitchen has options for the older children in your family as well. Teens can learn the recipes for sushi, barbeque sauce, chocolate bark, and more. Want to experiment at home after class? Check out the kitchen’s recipes to make at-home cooking a blast. Be sure to sign up online to claim your and your child’s spot in class.

Cake Carousel

Do you or your young one have a sweet tooth? Then start your decorative dessert classes at Cake Carousel where you can decorate your sweets and then taste them, too. Classes at the Richardson location include Hands-On Cookie Decorating, Royal Icing 101, Airbrushing Techniques, Basic Cake Decorating, Chocolate Classics, Advanced Cake Decorating, Petit Fours, and more. With morning and evening classes, you can find the class that fits your family’s schedule. Be sure to book your classes early, as spots fill up fast.

Dallas Chocolate Classes

Want to learn even more about chocolate? Then head on over to Dallas Chocolate Classes where you and your chocoholic can learn about truffle rolling, baking basics, and chocolate facts. With both in-person and online classes available, you can attend this class when you and your young one are free. If you want a more personalized experience, you can schedule one-on-one classes where you both can learn more about making delectable molded chocolates, creating shimmering chocolate glazes, or even mastering chocolate tempering.

Healthy Cooking

Discover how you and your child can revolutionize your home cooking with innovative recipes and fun classes at Healthy Cooking. Classes teach about nutrition and how to elevate the nutrients in your home-cooked dishes without sacrificing flavor. Chefs also teach about time-savings methods to help you speed up your cooking process so you can cook less and enjoy more. Be sure to call or email to reserve your spot because spots fill up fast, especially around holidays. You can also review their list of recipes that you can experiment with at home before or after class.

So there you have it. Eight fresh and exciting culinary classes that you and your child can delight in. These classes can also help inspire you to create fresh and unique recipes that your whole family can enjoy. With a variety of online and in-person classes available, you’re sure to find the class that fits with you and your little one’s learning style. Do you have a class you want to add to this list? Feel free to contact us, and we’ll be more than happy to add it so other families can benefit.