at the Kids Cookery School in west London, which I run, we often find that some of the simplest recipes are the most endearing. At a summer park workshop a few years ago, we made some chicken and ham roll-ups for our picnic. A little lad, still smacking his lips, told me how much he'd liked the food - 'but don't tell mum how easy it was, otherwise she'll stop making me tea in the evening.' Of course I kept the secret, I took this as a compliment!
The simple recipes below are all good for summer picnics and eating outdoors. I have presumed that most clubs will not have a hob or oven, just a kettle for boiling water for the much needed teas and coffees for the staff.
Don't forget to check your budget and what the children can and cannot eat.
You'll also need running water and liquid soap for the children to wash their hands and a plastic tablecloth, cookery aprons and cloths to wipe down.
Brown and white sandwich stacks
Ingredients: slices of brown and white bread (this will depend on how many children you are catering for), spreading margarine Fillings: tuna fish with mayonnaise, cheese and pickle, Marmite, sliced chicken or ham, tomato or cucumber slices and so on, chopped chives or parsley Equipment: novelty shaped cutters, round, stars, squares * Allow the children to spread the bread with margarine.
* Take a pastry cutter and cut out as many shapes as possible alternating between brown and white bread. The crusts can be discarded.
* Make up the fillings. Help thechildren if they need to slice or cut anything up.
* To put the stack together, take one bread shape, spread with the filling and then put another shape on top, and so on, trying to alternate the brown and white bread. Each sandwich should have about four or five in a stack.
* Finish off with a little chopped chives or parsley scattered on the top of each stack.
Chicken and ham roll-ups
These are very simple and fun to make.
Ingredients: cooked chicken or ham slices, cream cheese, chopped chives and cocktail sticks * Take a slice of chicken or ham and using a round-ended knife spread the cream cheese all over the slice of meat; sprinkle with some chopped chives for flavour.
* Make sure the cream cheese goes right to the edges before taking one end and rolling up the meat. Try to keep them very tight.
* Then using a knife cut the large roll into four or five smaller rolls.
* These are then ready to serve either as they are, or pierced with a cocktail stick.
Mixed couscous salad
This recipe will serve 6-8 children.
Ingredients: 200g couscous, 270ml boiling water, 2 tblsp natural yoghurt or creme fraiche, 1 tin of sweetcorn, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, sultanas, a little vinegar or olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, fresh herbs such as parsley, chives or coriander to garnish
* Boil the kettle and measure out 200g of couscous. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over 270ml of boiling water. Allow the couscous to absorb the water, cooling in the process.
* Open the tin of sweetcorn and drain away the liquid.
* Take the salad ingredients and roughly chop, grate or cut into even-sized pieces. Add to the couscous along with 2 tblsp of natural yoghurt or creme fraiche.
* Season well with vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.
* Mix thoroughly and chill until required.
* The couscous will continue to absorb the liquid and become stiffer during chilling, so if it has become a little over wet it should dry out after standing for 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve: Garnish with chopped fresh herbs.
Milk shake smoothies
To make a smoothie without a liquidiser or food processor all you need to do is think very soft fruit - that is, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, ripe kiwi, pawpaw or mango and full fat milk. Wash or peel the fruit and mash well with a fork. Then add some full fat milk, whisk up and serve in individual beakers.
