Raddish Kids

Raddish Kids teaches children to cook through themed monthly boxes containing 3 illustrated recipes, a quality kitchen tool, and educational activities. Designed for ages 4-14 with appropriate adult supervision, the curriculum builds culinary skills progressively while exploring world cuisines and food culture.

Raddish Kids transforms cooking from a chore into an educational adventure. Founded in 2015 by Samantha Barnes, the subscription teaches children practical culinary skills through themed monthly kits. Rather than simply providing recipes, Raddish builds a progressive curriculum, starting with basic skills like measuring and mixing, advancing to knife techniques and heat management as kids grow.

The subscription addresses a gap many parents recognize: children should learn to cook, but teaching requires time, patience, and structured curriculum that busy families struggle to provide. Raddish supplies the structure, themed kits with illustrated guides, quality tools, and educational content, while families provide ingredients and supervision.

With 11 years in operation and recognition from parents and educators as one of the best ways to teach kids cooking, Raddish has established itself in the kids’ subscription market. Each box includes 3 recipes, a quality kitchen tool, and educational content exploring food culture and nutrition.

About Raddish Kids

Samantha Barnes founded Raddish after observing that children’s cooking education had stagnated. While STEM toys and science kits proliferated, cooking, one of the most practical life skills, lacked engaging, curriculum-based options. Children either learned from parents (time-permitting) or reached adulthood without basic kitchen competence.

The Raddish approach borrows from educational best practices:

Progressive Skill Building: Each month introduces techniques appropriate for the theme, building on previous learning. Early boxes teach measuring, mixing, and following instructions. Later boxes introduce knife skills, heat management, and multi-step coordination.

Illustrated Instructions: Recipe cards use photos and illustrations designed for children’s comprehension. Steps are broken into manageable actions with visual guidance that reduces the need for adult reading assistance.

Cultural Context: Beyond technique, Raddish teaches food as culture. Japanese cuisine months explore rice culture and chopstick etiquette. Italian themes cover pasta traditions. Mexican boxes introduce regional diversity. This cultural education adds depth beyond basic cooking.

Quality Tools: Each box includes a kitchen tool that becomes part of a growing collection. After 12 months, children have spatulas, whisks, measuring tools, peelers, and specialty items that make cooking more accessible.

The company’s name, a playful spelling of “radish”, reflects the mission: making cooking approachable and fun for children rather than intimidating or adult-focused.

Pricing Plans

Plan	Price	Per Box	Savings
Monthly	$28/month	$28.00	-
6-Month Prepaid	$144	$24.00	Save 14%
12-Month Prepaid	$240	$20.00	Save 29%

Free US shipping on all plans. Gift subscriptions available.

What’s Included

Each Monthly Box Contains:

3 Themed Recipes:

• Illustrated step-by-step guides designed for kids
• Skill progression appropriate to the theme
• Shopping lists for grocery store ingredients
• Tips for modifications and variations

Quality Kitchen Tool:

• Durable, kid-appropriate utensil each month
• Build a complete cooking toolkit over time
• Tools include: spatulas, whisks, measuring cups, peelers, etc.

Educational Content:

• “Table Talk” conversation cards about food and culture
• Skill badges to collect and display
• Food science and nutrition information
• Cultural context for recipes

Bonus Content:

• Access to online recipe videos
• Bonus digital recipes
• Monthly cooking challenges

Monthly Themes

Each month explores a culinary theme with 3 coordinated recipes:

Past Themes Include:

• Around the World: Italian, Mexican, Japanese cuisines
• Seasonal Cooking: Summer BBQ, Fall Harvest, Holiday Baking
• Skill Builders: Bread Making, Pasta from Scratch, Soup Making
• Comfort Foods: Mac and Cheese variations, Pizza Night
• Healthy Eating: Smoothie Bowls, Veggie-Forward Dishes

Recipes range from simple (no-bake treats) to more complex (homemade pasta), building skills progressively.

How It Works

1. Subscribe: Choose monthly or prepaid plan
2. Receive Monthly Box: Kit arrives with recipes, tool, and activities
3. Shop for Ingredients: Use the included shopping list at your grocery store
4. Cook Together: Follow illustrated guides with appropriate supervision
5. Earn Badges: Collect skill badges as children master new techniques
6. Build Skills: Progressive curriculum develops culinary confidence

Skill Development

Raddish builds cooking skills progressively:

Beginner Skills (Ages 4-6 with help):

• Mixing and stirring
• Measuring ingredients
• Following recipe steps
• Kitchen safety basics

Intermediate Skills (Ages 7-10):

• Basic knife skills (with supervision)
• Stovetop cooking (with oversight)
• Reading and following recipes independently
• Timing multiple components

Advanced Skills (Ages 11-14):

• Independent meal preparation
• Recipe modification and creativity
• Advanced techniques (dough, sauces, etc.)
• Meal planning and grocery shopping

Ingredient Model Explained

Unlike meal kits (HelloFresh, Blue Apron), Raddish does not include food ingredients. This design choice offers trade-offs:

Advantages:

• Lower shipping costs (no cold packs, no perishables)
• Fresh ingredients from your preferred store
• Flexibility to accommodate allergies with substitutions
• Recipes can be repeated with personally purchased ingredients
• No food waste from unwanted items

Considerations:

• Requires grocery shopping before cooking
• Additional cost for ingredients (varies by recipe)
• Some specialty ingredients may require multiple store visits
• Parents must preview recipes to check pantry supplies

For busy families, the shopping requirement can feel burdensome. For families who enjoy grocery shopping with children or have regular shopping routines, it integrates naturally. The shopping list included with each box helps families plan ingredient purchases efficiently.

Comparison with Alternatives

vs. Adult Meal Kits (HelloFresh, Blue Apron): Adult meal kits include ingredients but aren’t designed for children. Recipes assume adult techniques and portion sizes. Raddish provides age-appropriate instruction and skill building that meal kits don’t offer.

vs. Cooking Classes: In-person cooking classes provide more hands-on instruction but require scheduling, transportation, and typically cost $30-75 per session. Raddish provides similar educational content at lower cost with home convenience.

vs. YouTube/Online Recipes: Free recipes exist abundantly, but lack the structured curriculum, physical tools, and engagement design that keep children motivated month after month.

vs. KiwiCo: KiwiCo focuses on STEM building projects rather than cooking. For families wanting kitchen skills specifically, Raddish is the better fit. For general hands-on education, KiwiCo offers broader variety.

Family Engagement

Raddish works best as a family activity rather than independent children’s play:

Younger Children (4-7): Need significant adult participation for safety and comprehension. Parents guide while children do age-appropriate tasks (mixing, simple measuring, decorating).

Middle Children (8-10): Can work more independently with adult supervision for heat and knives. Parents may observe and assist rather than lead.

Older Children (11-14): May cook largely independently with parents available for questions or safety situations. The curriculum supports this growing independence.

The “Table Talk” conversation cards included in each box provide discussion prompts for family cooking time, questions about food culture, nutrition, and cooking history that make the experience educational beyond technique.

Who It’s For

Perfect For:

• Families wanting quality time in the kitchen
• Parents teaching kids practical life skills
• Kids ages 7-12 who enjoy hands-on activities
• Grandparents looking for engaging visit activities
• Homeschooling families adding life skills curriculum
• Families who already grocery shop regularly

Consider Alternatives If:

• You want ingredients included (try meal kits for adults)
• Your family has severe food allergies (preview recipes carefully)
• Your child prefers STEM/science over cooking (try KiwiCo or Green Kid Crafts)
• You’re outside the US (no international shipping)
• You have very picky eaters who won’t try new foods
• Grocery shopping feels burdensome (ingredients not included)

The 11-year track record and positive Reddit sentiment reflect genuine value for families committed to cooking education. The subscription works best when parents participate actively with younger children and gradually allow more independence as skills develop. For families seeking structured cooking curriculum, Raddish Kids delivers quality content that builds real skills over time.