Southern Cooking for Kids


Southern cooking includes many different food traditions found across the southern United States. From barbecue and biscuits to grits, fried chicken, peach cobbler and Louisiana dishes, Southern food reflects the history, agriculture and cultures of many different communities.

In this cooking lesson, kids can explore foods from across the South, learn how recipes change from one region to another and prepare several traditional Southern-inspired dishes.

Southern cooking lesson for kids with traditional foods from the Southern United States

Explore the Southern United States Through Cooking

Food is a fun way to explore a region. As kids cook, encourage them to find the Southern United States on a map, discover ingredients grown in different areas and compare Southern food traditions with foods they eat at home.

Start with: Choose one recipe from this lesson, locate its region on a map and talk about the ingredients before you begin cooking.

Southern Cooking Is Not Just One Style of Food

The Southern United States is a large region with many different food traditions. Barbecue, soul food, Appalachian cooking, Lowcountry dishes and Louisiana Cajun and Creole cooking all have their own histories, ingredients and specialties.

Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials

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What Kids Will Learn

Use this lesson as more than a collection of recipes. Kids can practice cooking skills while learning about geography, regional ingredients and food traditions.

  • Locate the Southern United States on a map.
  • Discover how climate and agriculture influence regional foods.
  • Identify ingredients commonly used in Southern cooking.
  • Compare foods from different parts of the South.
  • Learn about traditions such as barbecue and Sunday dinners.
  • Explore Louisiana Cajun and Creole food traditions.
  • Practice measuring, mixing, baking and stovetop cooking skills.
  • Prepare Southern-inspired recipes as a family.

Explore the Southern United States

The Southern United States covers a large area, so there isn't one single type of Southern cooking. Geography, climate, locally grown foods and the people who settled and lived in each area all helped shape its food traditions.

Where Is the Southern United States?

The South is generally found across the southeastern and south-central United States. Depending on how the region is defined, it can include states along the Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast and inland areas stretching west to Texas.

For this cooking lesson, have kids find several Southern states on a map, including:

  • Virginia
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Georgia
  • Florida
  • Alabama
  • Mississippi
  • Louisiana
  • Tennessee
  • Kentucky
  • Arkansas
  • Texas
Map Activity

Find the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Then locate Louisiana and the Mississippi River. As you work through the recipes, see if kids can connect different foods and ingredients with areas of the South.

Southern Food Facts

  • Corn is used in many Southern dishes, including grits, cornbread and spoon bread.
  • Peaches are especially associated with Georgia and are delicious in cobblers and other desserts.
  • Pecans grow throughout much of the South and are used in pies, candies and baked goods.
  • Okra is used in fried dishes, stews and some versions of gumbo.
  • Black-eyed peas and greens are traditional ingredients in many Southern meals.
  • Barbecue traditions vary by region, including differences in meats, cooking methods and sauces.
  • Seafood is important along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, where shrimp, crab, oysters and fish are common.
  • Rice has long been important in parts of the coastal South and appears in many Southern and Louisiana dishes.

Southern Ingredients to Explore

One way to introduce kids to Southern cooking is to look at the ingredients that appear again and again in regional recipes. Some are crops that grow well in the South, while others reflect the history and cultures of the people who created the region's food traditions.

  • Corn and cornmeal
  • Grits
  • Rice
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Black-eyed peas
  • Beans
  • Collard greens
  • Turnip greens
  • Okra
  • Tomatoes
  • Peaches
  • Pecans
  • Peanuts
  • Buttermilk
  • Catfish
  • Shrimp and other seafood
Ingredient Exploration

Choose one ingredient kids have never tried before. Look at it, smell it and talk about how it grows or where it comes from. Then find a Southern recipe that uses it.

How Southern Food Changes by Region

Southern cooking changes as you travel from one part of the region to another. These are broad examples rather than strict boundaries, but they can help kids see how geography and local ingredients influence food.

Southern cooking food map

Appalachian & Mountain Cooking
Cornbread, beans, garden vegetables, preserves and simple baked dishes are part of many Appalachian food traditions.

Atlantic & Lowcountry Cooking
Coastal areas of the Carolinas and Georgia are known for dishes featuring rice, seafood and locally grown vegetables.

Deep South Cooking
Foods such as greens, cornbread, black-eyed peas, fried chicken, sweet potatoes and pecans appear in many traditional meals.

Louisiana Cooking
Louisiana has distinctive Cajun and Creole food traditions with dishes such as jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and rice.

Gulf Coast Cooking
Fish, shrimp, crab and oysters are important ingredients in communities along the Gulf of Mexico. Explore easy fish recipes for kids.

Texas Cooking
Texas food traditions include barbecue, beef, chili and dishes influenced by Mexican and Southwestern cooking.

Compare the Regions

Ask kids to choose two Southern regions. What ingredients do they have in common? What foods are different? How might the coast, mountains, farms or climate affect what people cook?

Southern Cooking Recipes for Kids

Now it's time to cook. The recipes below introduce kids to several Southern food traditions, from hearty main dishes and side dishes to classic desserts and Louisiana-inspired favorites.

Where Should We Start?

For beginners: Try baked grits or peach cobbler.

For a family dinner: Try barbecue beef or fried chicken.

For a Louisiana cooking lesson: Try Cajun catfish, jambalaya or red beans and rice soup.

For dessert: Compare peach cobbler and pecan pie.

Southern cooking lesson for kids with traditional foods from the Southern United States

Classic Southern Fried Chicken

Crispy fried chicken is a well-known Southern comfort food. In this version, chicken is soaked in seasoned buttermilk, coated with seasoned flour and fried until golden. Because this recipe uses hot oil, kids can help with the measuring, mixing and coating while an adult handles the frying.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
Crispy golden Southern fried chicken
Print Classic Southern Fried Chicken recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Marinate: 8-12 hours | Cook: 20-25 minutes | Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lbs. chicken pieces, cut up
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup butter

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and salt.
  2. Add the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours or overnight.
  3. When ready to cook, combine the flour, seasoned salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow dish.
  4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the shortening or oil and butter to about 365F. An adult should handle the hot oil and frying.
  5. Remove each chicken piece from the buttermilk and coat it thoroughly in the flour mixture.
  6. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil. Fry in batches so the pan is not overcrowded.
  7. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and completely cooked through, turning as needed.
  8. Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain before serving.
Cooking Safety

Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165F. Kids can measure ingredients, mix the coating and help with setup, but an adult should always handle the hot oil and remove the cooked chicken from the skillet.

Serve Your Fried Chicken

Turn the recipe into a Southern-inspired family meal by serving it with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, corn on the cob, biscuits or cooked greens.

Southern Baked Grits

Grits are made from ground corn and are a familiar food in many parts of the Southern United States. This baked version combines cooked grits with cheese, butter, milk and eggs for a light, savory casserole that can be served for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish.

  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop & Oven
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
Southern baked grits with cheese
Print Southern Baked Grits recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 65 minutes | Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking grits
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 1/4 cup milk

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a casserole dish.
  2. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly stir in the grits.
  3. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in the butter and shredded cheese until melted.
  5. Separate the egg yolk from the egg white, placing them in separate bowls.
  6. Beat the egg yolk with the milk. Slowly stir this mixture into the warm grits.
  7. Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
  8. Gently fold the beaten egg white into the grits mixture. Try not to stir out all the air.
  9. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
  10. Bake for about 1 hour. Serve warm.
Kitchen Skill: Folding

Beating and folding in the egg white gives kids a chance to practice a useful baking technique. Use a spatula to gently lift the grits mixture over the egg white instead of stirring quickly.

Try a Variation

  • Add cooked, crumbled sausage before baking.
  • Try Monterey Jack or Colby cheese instead of cheddar.
  • Serve the grits as a breakfast casserole or savory dinner side dish.

More Southern Corn & Comfort Foods

Grits aren't the only Southern dish made from corn. Continue the lesson with spoon bread, or explore another favorite comfort food with homemade baked macaroni and cheese.

Southern Spoon Bread
Spoon bread is a soft cornmeal dish that is served with a spoon rather than sliced like regular cornbread.

Homemade baked macaroni and cheese

Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Practice making a creamy cheese sauce and turn macaroni into a comforting homemade baked dish.

Compare Three Corn Foods

Grits, spoon bread and cornbread can all begin with corn, but they have very different textures. Ask kids which one is creamy, which is soft enough to eat with a spoon and which can usually be cut into pieces. Add the comparison to your Southern Cooking notes.

Southern Crock Pot Barbecue Beef

Barbecue is an important part of Southern food culture, but barbecue styles vary from one region to another. This easy slow cooker version cooks beef until tender, then combines the shredded meat with a homemade sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Southern crock pot barbecue beef sandwich
Print Southern Crock Pot Barbecue Beef recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 6-8 hours | Finish: 20 minutes | Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Beef

  • 1 (3-4 lb.) beef chuck roast or pork shoulder roast
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup water

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

  • 3/4 cup meat broth, reserved from cooking the roast
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Place the roast, chopped onions and water in the slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
  3. Carefully drain the cooking broth into a bowl. Reserve 3/4 cup for the barbecue sauce.
  4. Shred the meat with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together the reserved broth, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt and pepper.
  6. Pour the sauce over the shredded meat and stir until evenly coated.
  7. Cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the flavors have blended.
  8. Serve on buns or rolls, or make a Southern-inspired barbecue plate with your favorite side dishes.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can measure and whisk the barbecue sauce ingredients, prepare sandwich toppings and assemble their own sandwiches. An adult should drain the hot broth and shred the hot meat.

Build a Southern Barbecue Plate

Serve the barbecue beef with foods such as coleslaw, baked beans, corn, macaroni and cheese or other favorite sides. Kids can choose two side dishes and design their own Southern-inspired dinner plate.

Barbecue Changes Across the South

There isn't one single Southern barbecue style. Different areas use different meats, seasonings, cooking methods and sauces. As an extension activity, have older kids compare barbecue traditions from places such as the Carolinas, Memphis and Texas.

Southern Dessert Recipes

Southern desserts often make use of ingredients grown throughout the region. Peaches, pecans, sweet potatoes and seasonal fruits can all find their way into pies, cobblers and other baked treats.

The next two recipes are a fun way for kids to compare two different types of Southern desserts: a warm fruit cobbler and a traditional nut pie.

Southern Peach Cobbler

Sweet peaches and a simple biscuit-style topping make this warm peach cobbler an easy Southern dessert for kids to help prepare. It is also a good recipe for practicing measuring, mixing and cutting shortening into flour.

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Homemade Southern peach cobbler
Print Southern Peach Cobbler recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 25 minutes | Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Peach Filling

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 cups sliced peaches
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cobbler Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons shortening
  • 1/2 cup milk

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly grease a small casserole dish.
  2. Make the topping: Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
  3. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
  4. Stir in the milk just until a thick batter forms. Set aside.
  5. Make the filling: In a saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  6. Add the sliced peaches and lemon juice.
  7. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes.
  8. Pour the hot peach mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
  9. Spoon the topping over the peaches. It does not need to completely cover the fruit.
  10. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the peach filling is bubbly.
  11. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can measure the spices and dry ingredients, practice cutting shortening into flour and spoon the topping over the peaches. An adult should handle the hot saucepan and oven.

Serve Your Peach Cobbler

Serve the cobbler warm on its own or add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain them first. Very juicy peaches may need an extra minute of cooking to help the filling thicken.

Explore a Southern Crop: Peaches

Find Georgia on your map and learn why the state is nicknamed the Peach State. Then find other Southern states where peaches are grown. Kids can add a peach beside those areas on their Southern cooking map.

Southern Pecan Pie

Pecan pie combines a sweet filling with crunchy pecans inside a flaky pie crust. Pecans grow in several Southern states, making this dessert another fun way to connect cooking with agriculture and geography.

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
Homemade Southern pecan pie
Print Southern Pecan Pie recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 40-45 minutes | Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 pie crust for a 9-inch pie, bottom crust only
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, salt and eggs until smooth.
  4. Stir in the pecans.
  5. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned.
  7. If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with strips of foil.
  8. Cool the pie completely before slicing. The filling will continue to set as it cools.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can measure the ingredients, whisk the filling and stir in the pecans. Adults should handle the melted butter, oven and hot pie.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Variation

For a chocolate version, add 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips to the filling before adding the pecans. Continue with the recipe as directed.

Explore a Southern Crop: Pecans

Pecan trees grow across much of the southern United States. Find states such as Georgia and Texas on your map and compare where pecans grow with the areas where peaches are grown.

Compare the Desserts

How are peach cobbler and pecan pie different? Compare the crust or topping, filling, texture and ingredients. Which recipe uses fruit? Which uses nuts? Which kitchen skills did you practice with each one?

Explore Louisiana Cooking: Cajun & Creole Food Traditions

Louisiana has some of the most distinctive food traditions in the Southern United States. Its cooking reflects many cultural influences and makes use of ingredients such as rice, seafood, sausage, peppers, onions, celery, beans and flavorful seasonings.

Two well-known Louisiana food traditions are Cajun cooking and Creole cooking. The two have influenced one another over time and share some ingredients and dishes, but they are not exactly the same.

Louisiana Cajun and Creole cooking traditions with regional foods and New Orleans culture

Cajun Cooking
Cajun food developed largely in rural communities of southern Louisiana. Traditional cooking often makes use of locally available ingredients, rice, seafood, sausage and one-pot meals.

Creole Cooking
Creole food is strongly associated with New Orleans and developed from a mixture of cultural influences. Creole dishes may include seafood, rice, tomatoes, herbs and flavorful sauces.

Look for the Louisiana "Trinity"

Onion, celery and bell pepper are a common flavor base in many Louisiana dishes. As you make the recipes below, see which of these vegetables you can find in the ingredient lists.

Find Louisiana on the Map

Locate Louisiana, New Orleans, the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. How might rivers, wetlands and access to the Gulf influence the foods available in this part of the South?

Cajun Catfish

Catfish is commonly eaten in the Southern United States, and this easy recipe coats it with cornmeal, bread crumbs and mild seasonings before broiling. Adjust the seasonings to make the fish as mild or flavorful as your family prefers.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Broiled
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Cornmeal coated Cajun catfish
Print Cajun Catfish recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. catfish fillets
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt and pepper, optional
Adjust the Seasoning

You can substitute a mild Cajun seasoning for the chili powder and paprika. Start with a small amount when cooking for kids and add more seasoning at the table if desired.

Directions

  1. Preheat the broiler to high. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and lightly grease a baking sheet.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, chili powder, paprika and optional salt and pepper.
  3. Cut the catfish into smaller strips or pieces for even cooking.
  4. Coat both sides of each piece of fish in the cornmeal mixture.
  5. Arrange the fish in a single layer on the prepared pan.
  6. Broil for about 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces, or until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145F in the thickest part.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can measure and mix the coating ingredients and help coat the fish. An adult should handle the broiler and hot pan.

Serve Your Catfish

Serve with rice, coleslaw or cooked vegetables. Add lemon wedges for a fresh finish.

Broiled Catfish Cooking Video

Easy Family Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Louisiana rice dish with many variations. This easy family version combines sausage, rice, tomatoes, vegetables and mild seasonings in one skillet. Add shrimp if your family would like to try another common Louisiana ingredient.

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Easy family jambalaya with sausage rice and vegetables
Print Easy Family Jambalaya recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15-20 minutes | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 package Polish kielbasa or sausage
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 green bell pepper or other color, chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained

Directions

  1. Slice the sausage into rounds.
  2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, turning until browned on both sides.
  3. Remove the sausage from the skillet and carefully wipe out excess grease.
  4. Add the uncooked rice, chicken broth, thyme, chili powder, bell pepper, carrot, onion and tomatoes with their juice. Stir together.
  5. Return the sausage to the skillet and stir to combine.
  6. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  7. Remove from the heat and let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can measure the rice and seasonings, grate the carrot with supervision and help add ingredients to the skillet before it becomes hot. Adults should handle the stovetop cooking.

Try a Variation

Add quick-cooking shrimp for another version. If using brown rice instead of white rice, it will need additional broth and a longer cooking time.

Find the Flavor Base

This jambalaya includes onion and bell pepper. Compare it with other Louisiana recipes and see how often onion, celery and bell pepper appear together.

Red Beans and Rice Soup

Red beans and rice is strongly associated with Louisiana cooking. This kid-friendly soup variation combines kidney beans, vegetables, rice and bacon in a mild broth for a hearty family meal.

  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Red beans and rice soup with vegetables
Print Red Beans and Rice Soup recipe Get Cooking Around the World recipe cards

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 25-30 minutes | Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cans red kidney beans, drained (about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups cooked rice

Directions

  1. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot until crisp. Remove it from the pot, chop it and set it aside.
  2. Chop the celery, leek and bell pepper into small pieces.
  3. Add the vegetables, kidney beans, thyme, bay leaves and water to the pot.
  4. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
  5. Remove the bay leaves.
  6. Season with salt and black pepper.
  7. Stir in the cooked rice and heat through.
  8. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle the chopped bacon over the top.
Kid Cooking Jobs

Kids can wash the vegetables, measure the beans and seasonings and add the cooked rice. An adult should cook the bacon and handle the hot soup pot.

Make It Your Way

This version is intentionally mild. Older kids and adults can add Cajun seasoning or hot sauce at the table if they would like more heat.

Extend the Lesson with Mardi Gras Foods

Mardi Gras is especially associated with New Orleans and gives kids another way to explore Louisiana food traditions. Continue your cooking lesson with foods such as king cake, shrimp po' boys and dirty rice.

Mardi Gras food and cooking activities for kids

Mardi Gras Cooking & Party Ideas
Explore king cake, shrimp po' boys, dirty rice and more New Orleans-inspired foods and activities.

Compare Three Louisiana Dishes
Compare Cajun catfish, jambalaya and red beans and rice soup. Which use rice, seafood, sausage, beans or vegetables?

Create a Louisiana Menu
Choose a main dish, side or soup and dessert to create a Louisiana-inspired family meal.

Cooking Around the World Notebook

Add Louisiana to your Southern United States study. Kids can draw the state, mark New Orleans and the Mississippi River, list three ingredients used in Louisiana cooking and write down their favorite dish from this section.

Extend Your Southern Cooking Lesson

After trying a few Southern recipes, extend the lesson with activities that help kids compare foods, ingredients and regions. These ideas work well for a family cooking day, homeschool regional study or classroom food lesson.

Plan a Southern-Inspired Meal

Let kids choose one food from each category to create their own menu.

  • Main Dish: Fried Chicken, Barbecue Beef, Cajun Catfish or Jambalaya
  • Side Dish: Baked Grits, Spoon Bread or Macaroni and Cheese
  • Dessert: Peach Cobbler or Pecan Pie
  • Louisiana Favorite: Jambalaya or Red Beans and Rice Soup

Create a Southern Restaurant Menu
Kids can choose several recipes from the lesson, give their restaurant a name and design a menu with main dishes, sides and desserts.

Compare Regional Foods
Choose two areas of the South and compare their ingredients, cooking styles and well-known foods. Look for clues from geography and agriculture.

Build a Southern Dinner Plate
Choose a main dish, vegetable, grain or bread and dessert. Talk about which foods come from different parts of the South.

Southern Food Taste Test

Choose several ingredients or foods to sample, such as grits, pecans, peaches, cornbread or black-eyed peas. Have kids describe each food using words such as sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy, soft or chewy. Older kids can rank their favorites and explain why.

Compare Cooking Methods

Look back through the recipes and find examples of frying, baking, broiling, slow cooking and stovetop cooking. Ask kids which methods use dry heat, which use liquid and which require the most adult help.

Continue Your American Cooking Study

The Southern United States is just one food region within the country. Continue your study by exploring foods and traditions from other parts of the United States and comparing them with the Southern recipes on this page.

Compare Two U.S. Regions

After exploring another American food region, make a comparison chart. What ingredients are common in each region? Which foods are influenced by the climate, coastlines, farms or people who settled there? Which cooking methods are similar or different?

Add Southern Cooking to Your World Studies Notebook

Turn this cooking lesson into a geography and culture activity by adding a Southern United States page to your Cooking Around the World notebook.

Southern United States Notebook Ideas

  • Draw or color a map of the United States and shade the Southern region.
  • Label several Southern states.
  • Mark the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
  • Find the Mississippi River.
  • Mark Louisiana and New Orleans.
  • Draw three ingredients commonly used in Southern cooking.
  • Write down three Southern foods you learned about.
  • Compare Cajun and Creole food traditions.
  • Record the recipe you prepared.
  • Write a short review of the food you tasted.
Compare Countries & Regions

Southern Cooking is a regional study within the United States. When kids compare it with another Cooking Around the World lesson, encourage them to notice that food can vary greatly within a single country as well as between different countries.

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.

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Southern Cooking for Kids FAQ

What can kids learn from a Southern cooking lesson?

Kids can learn about United States geography, regional ingredients, agriculture and food traditions while practicing measuring, mixing, chopping, baking and other kitchen skills.

What is Southern cooking?

Southern cooking includes many food traditions found across the southern United States. Foods and cooking styles vary by region and include traditions connected with the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Deep South, Louisiana and Texas.

What are some common Southern foods?

Southern foods can include fried chicken, grits, cornbread, barbecue, greens, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler, pecan pie and many other regional dishes.

What Southern recipes are easy for kids to make?

Southern Baked Grits, Southern Peach Cobbler and Easy Family Jambalaya give kids plenty of measuring and mixing jobs. Younger children will need adult help with the stove and oven.

What ingredients are common in Southern cooking?

Common ingredients include corn and cornmeal, rice, beans, sweet potatoes, greens, okra, tomatoes, peaches, pecans, peanuts, buttermilk and seafood. Ingredients vary depending on the region.

Is all Southern food the same?

No. The Southern United States covers a large area with many different food traditions. Coastal cooking, Appalachian food, barbecue traditions and Louisiana cooking can use different ingredients and preparation methods.

Are Cajun and Creole cooking the same?

No. Cajun and Creole cooking are distinct Louisiana food traditions, although they have influenced one another and can share ingredients and dishes. Cajun food has strong roots in rural southern Louisiana, while Creole cooking is strongly associated with New Orleans and reflects several cultural influences.

What is the onion, celery and bell pepper mixture used in Louisiana cooking?

Onion, celery and bell pepper are often called the Louisiana or Cajun-Creole "holy trinity." They are used as a flavor base in many Louisiana dishes.

How can I turn Southern cooking into a geography lesson?

Have kids locate Southern states, the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River on a map. Then connect recipes and ingredients with different areas, such as peaches with Georgia or Louisiana dishes with the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River region.

How can older kids get more involved?

Older kids can research a Southern food region, compare barbecue styles, plan a complete menu, calculate ingredient amounts, research the history of a dish or prepare one of the recipes with less adult assistance.

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