Join Us Into Making A Great Filled With Learning Lunch
Today, our homeschool didn’t start with worksheets or schedules. It started with making a great filled with learning lunch.
While my son dove into his Outschool coding class (highly recommend, by the way), my daughter Lyla and I turned our kitchen into the coziest classroom—because homeschooling through cooking is one of the most fun (and delicious) ways to learn.
🧄 A Sauce That Simmers with Science
First up: tomato sauce meatballs in a sandwich with a side salad. But this wasn’t just cooking—it was a full-on science and life skills lesson!
We pulled out:
- 1 white onion
- 1 aubergine (yep, eggplant!)
- 3 garlic cloves
- A can of chopped tomatoes (I usually go for Lidl’s organic passata, but hey, improvisation is a life skill too!)
- Olive oil from Lidl (the one made for frying—so good!)
Mini science moment:
I explained how chopping onions releases a tear-inducing compound and showed Lyla a trick—rinse the knife with cold water before cutting. It worked! Fewer tears, more smiles. 🙌
We sautéed onion and garlic in the olive oil until golden, then added diced aubergine. We chatted about how to choose a good one at the shop—avoid squishy skin and toss any with black seeds. She was fascinated!
Next up: a sprinkle of oregano, cumin, ginger powder, salt, and pepper, followed by chopped tomatoes. When the sauce started drying too fast, Lyla had the perfect idea—“Let’s cover it with a lid!” Boom—steam science in action.
🍄 Mixing Up Meatball Math
With the sauce simmering, it was time for meatball magic. We combined:
- Lean beef mince from Lidl
- 1 red pepper (sweet, not spicy!)
- 1 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 grated carrot
- 3 chestnut mushrooms, grated for a sneaky veggie boost
She helped mix in spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, cumin, salt, and black pepper—all while getting in some sensory learning and fine motor practice.
I explained the importance of equal-sized meatballs so they’d cook evenly. She proudly rolled them and dropped them into our bubbling sauce like a little chef on TV. 👩🍳
We get all our spices from Musgrave in big quantities! I am sooo into spicing up my dishes that anything small wouldn’t last a week! I’d like to add that we cook all our meals from scratch everyday and have breaks once a week and go for take out or indulge in a nearby restaurant.
🕰️ Telling Time With Toasty Bread
I didn’t have time to bake fresh bread, but I had M&S white rolls thawed from the freezer. I asked Lyla to read the package instructions and figure out when to pop them in the oven so lunch would be ready at noon.
She nailed it! That’s real-world math, reading, and time-telling all wrapped into a teachable moment.
🧹 Teamwork & Tech Time
She helped clean up (yay for teamwork!), and I rewarded her effort with 20 minutes of Roblox, her favourite game lately. Tech has its place in our homeschool too—but more on that another day!
💡 Why the Kitchen Is the Best Homeschool Classroom
In just one morning, Lyla practiced:
- Science (evaporation, cooking chemistry, plant biology)
- Math (measurements, time, equal portions)
- Reading comprehension (recipe following and package reading)
- Life skills (meal prep, responsibility, hygiene)
- Social-emotional skills (teamwork, confidence, problem-solving)
Not to mention, we shared laughs, stories, and a seriously tasty meal.
🍽️ So Tell Me…
What do your homeschool days look like?
Do your kids love getting messy in the kitchen too?
Drop a comment—I’d LOVE to hear your favorite meals, homeschool hacks, or funny cooking moments. Let’s trade ideas and celebrate this wildly rooted way of raising and learning.
