The 10 Best Kids’ Cooking Shows for Budding Chefs

In contrast to the typical reality-style cooking contest—often dominated by a dog-eat-dog mentality and a cast of foul-mouthed characters with big personalities—The Great British Baking Show is like a breath of fresh air. Civilized and sweet, this show is basically a crash course in good sportsmanship (i.e., just what you’d expect from a baking competition that hails from across the pond). Don’t expect a snoozefest though: Both the contestants and the hosts, while consistently kind and supportive, boast plenty of charm and wit to keep viewers of all ages entertained from start to finish. Best of all, there are eight seasons of this feel-good cooking show—and that’s enough squeaky clean content to satisfy your kid for quite a while.

This baking competition has all the goodness and decency of The Great British Baking Show, with an added element of whimsy that makes the content even more kid-friendly. Contestants go head-to-head, trying to recreate some of famed patissier Adriano Zumbo’s most fantastical treats—creations that look like they’re better-suited for a museum than a dessert menu. The show isn’t all about imitating genius, though, as contenders are also given an opportunity to showcase their own creativity with original sweets as well. Kids will benefit from watching as contestants take constructive criticism in stride and pursue their dreams with dignity. Plus, the hard work of the participants produces what can best be described as the stuff of fairytale magic.

This British cooking contest, which consists of several families from different backgrounds competing as teams against one another, is thrilling and fun plus packed with positive messages to boot. The content comes across as a celebration of cultural diversity and the importance of family—values that kids will benefit from seeing reflected in the ethos of the show—and the competition itself is good-natured and appropriate for all ages. Overall, The Big Family Cooking Showdown is feel-good entertainment with just enough nail-biting intensity to keep the whole family engaged.

This thoughtful and inspiring documentary series gives viewers a rare glimpse into the artistic talent, passion and cultural background of the world’s most gifted culinary professionals. Viewers have the opportunity to travel the world, meeting a different chef with every episode, while listening to the personal stories that led to their success. Kids of all ages will benefit from the exposure to cultures this show provides as well as the empowering examples of perseverance and accomplishment that each chef embodies. Still, parents should know that Chef’s Table has a more subdued vibe that may not capture the attention of younger kids, which is probably for the best since profanity, drinking and smoking appear to varying degrees in most of the episodes. Stream this one for older kids, only.

Uproariously funny and endlessly entertaining, this cooking competition features the successes and failures of home cooks as they attempt to recreate professional desserts. Okay, to be honest, the contestants really never “nail it.” Comedy, rather than cooking, is the main idea behind this show, so don’t expect any inspiring moments of personal triumph or serious culinary education. (In other words, this one is like Zumbo’s Just Desserts, but without the skills.) That said, the content is completely kid-friendly and guaranteed to get a laugh from viewers of all ages. Plus, the contestants have no trouble seeing the humor in their own epic failures, so there’s nothing mean about this joke. Bonus: This one offers up four full seasons’ worth of flubs to snicker at.