British Cooking Lesson for Kids
Explore England and the United Kingdom through food with this British cooking lesson for kids. As part of our Cooking Around the World studies, kids can learn about the United Kingdom, discover British food traditions and prepare recipes while practicing new kitchen skills.
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each has its own foods and traditions. This lesson explores foods from around the United Kingdom, with several recipes associated with England, including scones, Cornish pasties, trifle, roast dinners and Eton Mess.
Start by finding the United Kingdom on a map and identifying England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Then explore British ingredients and food traditions before choosing one or more recipes to prepare together. Kids can record what they discover in their Cooking Around the World notebook.
England is one country within the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Because many of the recipes on this page are especially associated with England, we'll explore the United Kingdom while focusing mainly on English cooking traditions.
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What Kids Will Learn About the United Kingdom
Cooking is a fun way to connect geography, culture and history with hands-on learning. During this British cooking lesson, kids can discover the countries that make up the United Kingdom, explore British food traditions and practice kitchen skills while preparing recipes associated with England.
- Find the United Kingdom on a map and locate it within Europe.
- Identify England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Learn the difference between England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
- Discover foods and ingredients commonly used in British cooking.
- Learn about British traditions such as afternoon tea and Sunday roast.
- Practice cooking skills such as measuring, mixing, rolling dough, baking and layering ingredients.
- Prepare one or more British recipes together.
- Compare British foods with foods from other countries in your Cooking Around the World studies.
For a simple lesson, choose one or two recipes from this page. For a longer country study, kids can locate the different parts of the United Kingdom on a map, learn about British food traditions and keep a Cooking Around the World notebook with facts, recipes, drawings and new things they discover.
Facts About the United Kingdom for Kids
Before heading to the kitchen, take a few minutes to explore the United Kingdom. Find it on a map or globe and notice that it is made up of islands located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe.
- Continent: Europe
- Capital: London
- Countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Currency: Pound sterling
- Largest city: London
- Famous landmark: Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster in London
- Geography: The United Kingdom includes coastlines, countryside, mountains, valleys and many islands.
Explore the United Kingdom on a Map
Have kids find the four countries of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Then locate their capital cities: London in England, Edinburgh in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Next, find the surrounding waters, including the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, English Channel and Irish Sea. Notice that the United Kingdom is separated from mainland Europe by water.
Mark the United Kingdom on a world map and color each of its four countries a different color. Kids can add a small symbol or drawing beside each country as they learn about its foods, landmarks or traditions.
What Is England Famous For?
Because many of the recipes in this lesson come from England, take a closer look at a few English landmarks and traditions kids may recognize:
- Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
- Buckingham Palace
- Red double-decker buses
- London's famous black taxis
- Historic castles and palaces
- Stonehenge
- Football, called soccer in the United States
- Tea, scones and traditional baked treats
Have kids choose one landmark or place in England to learn more about. They can draw it in their Cooking Around the World notebook and add one or two facts beside their picture.
Learn a Little British English
People in the United Kingdom speak several languages, including English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish. English is the most widely spoken language, but some everyday words are different from the words kids may be used to hearing in the United States.
Try a few British English words and expressions during your cooking lesson. Kids may recognize some of them from books, television or movies.
- Easy-peasy – Something that is very easy to do
- Cheers! – Can mean thank you or be said when making a toast
- Grub – An informal word for food
- Blimey! – An informal expression of surprise
- Lovely – Often used to describe something enjoyable or pleasant
- Fancy a...? – A way of asking if someone would like something, such as "Fancy a cup of tea?"
British Food Words Kids May Hear
Some foods have different names in British and American English. See if kids can match these British food words with the words they already know.
- Biscuits - Cookies
- Crisps - Potato chips
- Chips - French fries
- Jacket potato - Baked potato
- Jam - Fruit spread
- Pudding - Can refer to dessert as well as certain specific dishes
- Sweets - Candy
- Takeaway - Takeout food
- Aubergine - Eggplant
- Courgette - Zucchini
Choose three British food words to use while cooking. Kids can add the British and American versions to their Cooking Around the World notebook and draw a picture of each food.
British Ingredients to Explore
British cooking includes simple, hearty foods as well as breads, baked treats, puddings and desserts. Many traditional dishes make use of ingredients that were readily available from farms, gardens and the waters surrounding the United Kingdom.
Before choosing a recipe, let kids look at, smell or taste a few ingredients commonly found in British cooking.
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Peas
- Onions
- Cabbage
- Leeks
- Apples
- Berries
- Beef
- Lamb
- Fish
- Eggs
- Butter
- Milk and cream
- Cheese
- Flour
- Oats
- Mustard
Choose three or four ingredients from the list and let kids examine them before cooking. Talk about their colors, smells and textures. Which ingredients are familiar? Which would kids like to taste or use in a recipe?
How Food Changes Around the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom may look small on a world map, but its four countries have their own regional foods and cooking traditions. Geography, farming, fishing and locally available ingredients have all helped shape what people cook and eat.
England is associated with foods such as roast dinners, Yorkshire pudding, Cornish pasties, pies, scones and many traditional puddings and desserts.
Scotland has food traditions that include oats, seafood, potatoes, shortbread and dishes made with ingredients raised or grown in its cooler climate.
Wales is known for foods that use ingredients such as leeks, lamb and cheese, along with traditional breads and baked dishes.
Northern Ireland has traditions featuring potatoes, breads, dairy products and hearty breakfast foods.
Look at the United Kingdom on your map again. Which areas are close to the sea? Which ingredients might come from farms? Ask kids how living on islands surrounded by water might influence the foods people cook and eat.
British Recipes for Kids to Try
Now it is time to explore British cooking in the kitchen. The recipes below introduce kids to several different cooking skills, including mixing and shaping dough, working with pastry, layering desserts and preparing fresh fruit.
Choose recipes that fit your children's ages and cooking experience. Younger kids can measure, pour, stir, shape and layer ingredients, while older kids can practice rolling dough, cutting ingredients and working with the oven with adult supervision.
You do not need to make every recipe on this page. For a simple British cooking lesson, choose one recipe to prepare together. For a longer country study, try several recipes over a few days and compare their ingredients, cooking methods and food traditions.
Try Cinnamon Scones for a hands-on baking activity, make a simple Trifle to practice layering ingredients, or prepare Eton Mess for an easy fruit dessert.
Cinnamon Scones
Scones are a classic British baked treat often served with tea. They can be plain or flavored with fruit, spices or other ingredients. This cinnamon version gives kids a chance to practice measuring, mixing and gently shaping dough.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the cold butter. Use a pastry blender, two forks or clean fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg.
- Pour the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently just until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it 4 or 5 times. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Pat the dough into a circle about 1 inch thick.
- Cut the circle into 8 wedges and place them slightly apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Mix the topping sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it over the scones.
- Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until the scones are lightly golden and baked through.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Younger kids can measure the dry ingredients, stir the cinnamon sugar and help pat the dough into a circle. Older kids can cut in the butter, shape the dough and divide it into wedges.
Enjoy the scones slightly warm with butter, jam or fresh berries. While eating, talk about how baked treats such as scones became associated with British tea traditions.
Traditional Shortbread
Shortbread is a simple buttery biscuit strongly associated with Scotland and enjoyed throughout the United Kingdom. Traditional shortbread uses just a few basic ingredients, making it a good recipe for kids to practice measuring, mixing and gently shaping dough.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat or stir together until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the vanilla, if using.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix gently until the dough begins to come together.
- Use your hands to gently press the mixture together into a soft dough. Avoid overmixing.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently roll or pat it to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut the dough into rectangles, circles or other simple shapes.
- Place the shortbread on the prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to gently prick each piece a few times.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden.
- Allow the shortbread to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Younger kids can measure ingredients, help mix the dough, press it flat and make designs with a fork. Older kids can roll the dough evenly, cut the biscuits into shapes and help transfer them to the baking sheet.
Shortbread is especially associated with Scotland. Find Scotland on your United Kingdom map and compare it with England, where many of the other recipes in this lesson originated. This is a good reminder that the four countries of the United Kingdom have their own food traditions.
Easy British Trifle
Trifle is a traditional British layered dessert made with cake, fruit, custard and cream. It is especially fun for kids because most of the work involves cutting, spooning and layering rather than complicated cooking. Serve it in a clear glass bowl or individual cups so everyone can see the colorful layers.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed sponge cake, pound cake or angel food cake
- 2 cups sliced strawberries, mixed berries or other favorite fruit
- 1/4 cup fruit juice
- 2 cups prepared vanilla custard or vanilla pudding
- 2 cups whipped cream
- 1/4 cup grated or shaved chocolate, optional
- Extra berries for the top, optional
Directions
- Cut the cake into bite-sized cubes.
- Place half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a large clear glass bowl or divide them among individual serving cups.
- Drizzle half of the fruit juice over the cake.
- Add half of the fruit in an even layer.
- Spoon half of the custard or pudding over the fruit.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining cake, fruit juice, fruit and custard.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top.
- Decorate with grated chocolate or extra berries, if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the layers can chill together.
Kids can cube the cake with a child-safe knife, wash and prepare soft fruit, spoon the ingredients into the bowl and create the layers. Let them look through the side of the bowl as they work to see how each new layer changes the dessert.
Instead of making one large dessert, layer the cake, fruit, custard and whipped cream in small clear cups. Each child can assemble and decorate their own British trifle.
British Sunday Roast Dinner
A Sunday roast is a traditional meal enjoyed by many families in the United Kingdom. The meal usually centers around roasted meat served with potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Depending on the family and the part of the UK, it may also include foods such as Yorkshire pudding or other favorite side dishes.
A roast dinner is more than one particular recipe. Families may use beef, chicken, lamb or another roast and serve it with their own combination of potatoes, vegetables, gravy and side dishes.
What does your family serve for a special weekend or family dinner? Compare it with a British Sunday roast. Are there any ingredients or traditions the two meals have in common?
Traditional Cornish Pasties
Cornish pasties come from Cornwall in southwest England. These handheld meat pies are made by folding pastry around a savory filling and crimping the edges closed. They are a fun way for kids to practice rolling, filling, folding and sealing pastry.
Adapted from a recipe contributed by Irene M. Thomas, who was born in Cheltenham, England, and shared her family's love of English cooking with us.
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared shortcrust pastry or pie dough
- 12 ounces lean beef steak, cut into very small pieces
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced into small pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot or 1/2 small turnip, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, optional, for brushing
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the beef, potato, onion and carrot or turnip. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the pastry into 4 equal pieces.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a circle about 8 inches across.
- Spoon one-fourth of the filling onto one half of each pastry circle, leaving space around the edge.
- Lightly dampen the edge of the pastry with water.
- Fold the pastry over the filling to form a semicircle.
- Press the edges together firmly, then crimp them with your fingers or a fork to seal.
- Place the pasties on the prepared baking sheet. Cut a small slit in the top of each pasty so steam can escape.
- Brush the tops with the egg mixture, if using.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the beef and vegetables are completely cooked.
- Allow the pasties to cool for several minutes before serving. The filling will be very hot.
Kids can help measure the filling ingredients, divide the pastry, spoon filling onto each circle and crimp the edges. An adult should handle cutting the raw meat and checking that the filling is completely cooked.
Find Cornwall on a map of England. Notice its location along the southwestern coast. Add Cornwall and a drawing of a Cornish pasty to your Cooking Around the World notebook.
Easy Bubble and Squeak
Bubble and squeak is a traditional British dish made with leftover cooked potatoes and vegetables. It is often associated with using leftovers from a roast dinner, making it a great follow-up to the British Sunday roast section above.
The ingredients can change depending on what vegetables you have available. Mashed potatoes and cabbage are a classic combination, but carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts or other cooked vegetables can be added too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
- 2 cups chopped cooked cabbage or other leftover cooked vegetables
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, optional
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Place the mashed potatoes and chopped cooked vegetables in a large bowl.
- Add the onion, if using, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Stir everything together until well combined.
- Heat the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the potato mixture and spread it into an even layer.
- Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bottom begins to turn golden brown.
- Use a spatula to turn sections of the mixture over. It does not need to stay in one piece.
- Continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are hot and there are plenty of golden, crispy areas.
- Serve warm as a side dish or simple meal.
Bubble and squeak is a flexible leftovers recipe. Try cooked cabbage, carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts or a mixture of vegetables. Keep the mashed potatoes as the base so the ingredients hold together as they cook.
Kids can measure the leftover vegetables, chop soft cooked vegetables with a child-safe knife and mix everything with the mashed potatoes. Older kids can help cook and turn the mixture in the skillet with adult supervision.
Watch Bubble and Squeak Being Made
Watch the video below to see another way to prepare this traditional British dish.
Easy Eton Mess
Eton Mess is a simple English dessert made with strawberries, pieces of meringue and whipped cream. The ingredients are gently mixed together so the dessert has a combination of creamy, crunchy and juicy textures.
The dessert is associated with Eton College in England and has become a well-known British summer treat. Strawberries are traditional, but you can also use raspberries or a mixture of berries.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups broken meringue cookies or meringue nests
- Extra strawberries for serving, optional
Directions
- Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
- Cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces.
- Place about half of the strawberries in a small bowl and gently mash them with a fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar if the berries need a little extra sweetness.
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Beat the cream until soft peaks form.
- Break the meringue cookies into bite-sized pieces. Leave some larger pieces so the dessert has plenty of crunch.
- Gently fold the chopped strawberries, mashed strawberries and most of the meringue pieces into the whipped cream.
- Spoon the mixture into individual bowls or dessert glasses.
- Top with the remaining meringue pieces and extra strawberries.
- Serve right away so the meringue stays slightly crisp.
Eton Mess is supposed to look a little messy! Gently fold the ingredients together rather than stirring until completely smooth. This keeps pieces of strawberry and crunchy meringue throughout the dessert.
Kids can wash the strawberries, cut soft berries with a child-safe knife, break the meringues into pieces and help layer or gently fold the dessert together. Older kids can practice whipping the cream with supervision.
Replace some of the strawberries with raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Kids can compare the different colors, flavors and textures before choosing their favorite combination.
Extend Your British Cooking Lesson
After preparing a recipe, use one of these simple activities to explore British food traditions a little further. Kids can compare recipes, plan a meal or turn their cooking day into a special British-inspired experience.
Plan a British-Inspired Meal
Let kids look through the recipes on this page and choose foods they would put together for a meal. They might choose a hearty main dish, a baked treat or one of the traditional desserts.
- Hearty Dish: Bubble and Squeak or Traditional Cornish Pasties
- Baked Treat: Cinnamon Scones or Traditional Shortbread
- Dessert: British Trifle or Eton Mess
Try More British-Inspired Cooking
Keep exploring with a few more recipes and activities from around the site.
Continue Your Cooking Around the World Study
Turn this British cooking lesson into a larger country study by combining cooking with geography, language and culture. Kids can record what they discover about the United Kingdom and compare it with other countries they explore.
Add a United Kingdom page to your Cooking Around the World notebook. Kids can include:
- A drawing or coloring of the United Kingdom flag
- A map showing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- The capital city, London
- British and American food words they learned
- A landmark such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace or Stonehenge
- Foods or ingredients associated with British cooking
- A drawing or photo of the recipe they prepared
- Their favorite fact about the United Kingdom
- A rating or short review of the food they tried
If you have already completed another Cooking Around the World lesson, compare it with the United Kingdom. Which ingredients appear in both places? Which foods, cooking techniques or traditions are different? Kids can make a simple comparison chart in their notebook.
Do you have an International Recipe or World Studies Fact?
Do you have an International recipe or know a lot about a country we could add to our world studies section? You can create your own page.
Reader's Submitted Recipes
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British Cooking FAQ
Kids can combine cooking with geography, language and culture. They can locate the United Kingdom on a map, identify its four countries, learn British food words, explore traditional ingredients and prepare recipes while practicing skills such as measuring, mixing, baking, rolling pastry and layering ingredients.
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each country has its own history, landscapes and food traditions.
No. England is one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom. This cooking lesson explores the United Kingdom while focusing mainly on foods associated with England, with a few foods and traditions from other parts of the UK.
Kids can try scones, shortbread, trifle, Cornish pasties, bubble and squeak and Eton Mess. Older kids can also help prepare a roast dinner or other traditional British-inspired meals.
British recipes often use ingredients such as potatoes, carrots, peas, onions, cabbage, leeks, apples, berries, beef, lamb, fish, eggs, butter, milk, cream, cheese, flour and oats. Ingredients and dishes vary throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A Sunday roast is a family meal usually built around roasted meat with potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Different families may serve beef, chicken, lamb or another roast along with their favorite side dishes.
Start by finding the United Kingdom on a map and identifying England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Learn a few British food words, explore ingredients and prepare a recipe together. Kids can record what they learn in a Cooking Around the World notebook with a flag, map, landmarks, food words, drawings and their favorite recipe.
Older kids can research one of the four countries of the United Kingdom, choose a recipe, make a grocery list and take responsibility for more of the preparation. They can also practice skills such as rolling pastry, kneading and shaping dough, using the stovetop and planning a complete British-inspired meal.
Where Will You Cook Next?
Before leaving the United Kingdom, have kids think about what they discovered through the lesson. Cooking Around the World is more meaningful when kids compare each new country with places they have already explored.
Ask kids to choose their favorite British recipe, ingredient, landmark or food tradition from the lesson. Add it to their Cooking Around the World notebook along with one thing they would like to remember about the United Kingdom.
As you move to another country, look for similarities and differences. Compare the ingredients, breads, desserts, family meals and cooking techniques with the foods you explored in the United Kingdom.
Continue Cooking Around the World
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Related Cooking around World Pages: ~International Cooking for Kids, ~American, ~Asian, ~British, ~Eastern Europe, ~French, ~Greece, ~India, ~Irish, ~Italy, ~Mexico, ~Middle East, ~South Africa, ~Southern USA ~World Studies Unit
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