Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Fathers Day BBQ Recipe Cards: Free Printable Card Set for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Fathers Day BBQ Recipe Cards is a free printable card set for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children read short recipe ideas for simple barbecue sides, such as coleslaw, potato salad and fruit skewers, and choose one to make for a family meal. It takes about 30 minutes to make one card, and it is a screen free design and technology activity.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has notes, help and a stretch idea. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children get a set of recipe cards to cut out and use. Each card describes a simple side dish for a barbecue, such as coleslaw, corn salad, potato salad, cucumber dip, tomato salad or fruit skewers. Children read the card, choose one and make it. A grown-up supervises sharp tools and heat, and everyone washes their hands first.
- Coleslaw: grate carrot and cabbage, then stir in mayonnaise.
- Corn salad: mix sweetcorn, chopped pepper and spring onion.
- Potato salad: mix cooled boiled potatoes with mayonnaise and chives.
- Cucumber dip: mix chopped cucumber into plain yogurt.
- Tomato salad: slice tomatoes and sprinkle on torn basil.
- Fruit skewers: thread chunks of fruit on to sticks.
From card to table
Choose a card
Read through the recipe ideas together. Think about who is eating, what they like and which ingredients you already have. Pick one card to make first.
Check the ingredients and allergens
Make a list of what you need and tick off what is in the cupboard. Some cards use mayonnaise, which contains egg, or yogurt, which contains milk. Shop products may contain mustard or other allergens, so read labels.
Prepare with care
Wash hands first. A grown-up supervises all sharp tools and anything hot. Boiling potatoes is a job for the grown-up, and they must cool before the potato salad is mixed. If cutting feels too hard, the grown-up cuts the hard foods.
Taste, share and talk
Serve the dish with the barbecue meal. Ask what worked, what could change and whether it needs more seasoning, crunch or colour.
Why cook for Fathers Day?
In the UK, Fathers Day falls on the third Sunday in June. Many families mark it with a card, a meal or time together. Making food is a thoughtful way to say thank you, because the child has planned, prepared and served something themselves rather than just buying it.
Barbecue sides suit Year 5 cooks well. Many of the cards are cold dishes that are mixed, sliced or grated, so most of the work is preparing and combining ingredients. Children practise reading a method in order, handling food hygienically and thinking about taste, texture and colour, all part of cooking and nutrition in Key Stage 2 design and technology.
A grown-up supervises all sharp tools and heat. Boiling potatoes is for the grown-up, and the potatoes must cool before children handle them. Fruit skewer sticks can be sharp, so supervise those too. Wash hands first. Some cards contain egg (mayonnaise) and milk (yogurt), and shop products may contain mustard or other allergens, so check labels.
Fun food facts
- In the UK, Fathers Day is on the third Sunday in June.
- Yogurt is made from milk, so a yogurt dip contains milk.
- Traditional mayonnaise is made from egg yolk and oil.
- Basil is a herb, and its leaves are often torn rather than cut.
- Potatoes grow underground, and the part we eat is called a tuber.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading recipes
- Food preparation
- Planning
- Following steps in order
- Food hygiene
- Talking about taste
Ideas to help with the cooking
- Read before you startRead the whole card first, then gather everything you need. Cooks who read ahead are less likely to miss a step.
- Cool food stays saferCold dishes should stay cool until they are served. Keep dressings and dips in the fridge until just before the meal.
- Colour and crunchA good side often mixes soft and crunchy foods, or bright colours together. Talk about which cards do this.
- Taste as you goCooks check seasoning and texture before serving. Taste with a clean spoon, then adjust a little at a time.
Key words
- IngredientOne of the foods you use to make a dish.
- MethodThe steps you follow to make a recipe, in order.
- GrateRub food on a grater to make small shreds.
- DipA soft food that you scoop up with another food, such as a vegetable stick.
- SkewerA stick that you thread pieces of food on to.
- AllergenSomething in food that can make some people ill, such as egg or milk.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes, help and stretch idea.
- Cut out the cards and read them together. Talk about which dish to make and why.
- Check ingredients and labels for allergens. Wash hands. A grown-up supervises sharp tools and heat.
- Make one card together the first time. Set about 30 minutes, and talk about each choice as you go.
- Serve it, then talk about how it tasted. Come back another day to make a different card.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose the fruit skewers or tomato salad. Ask a grown-up to cut the hard foods. Read the card aloud together first, line up the ingredients in order, and do one step at a time. Praise each step finished, not just the final dish.
To stretch confident children
Write a full recipe for your favourite card. Include an ingredients list and numbered steps, and say how many people it serves. Then swap recipes with a friend or family member and ask whether someone else could follow it.
Make it a game
Hold a taste test. Make two cards, ask family to vote on their favourite, and record the votes. Count them up together. Then talk about why people chose as they did, and what you would change next time.
Talk about it
- Which card would you choose for a barbecue, and why?
- What would you check on a label before you cook?
- Which foods will be crunchy, soft or creamy?
- How could you make your dish look good on the plate?
- What would you change if you made it again?
- Why is washing your hands the first step?
Take it off the page
Design a menu
Draw a barbecue menu for Fathers Day. Add a title, list the dishes and decorate it like a restaurant menu.
Make a card
Make a Fathers Day card to go with the meal. Write a short message and add a drawing of your favourite dish.
Shopping list
Write a shopping list for one recipe. Sort it into fruit and vegetables, dairy and cupboard items, then check what you already have.
Who it is for
Parents
Read the cards together and let your child choose. Do the first one side by side. You supervise sharp tools and anything hot, and check labels for allergens. Short sessions work well, and tasting together is part of the fun.
Teachers
Use it in the lead up to Fathers Day, as a design and technology starter, a homework task or a table activity. Check allergens and your school's food rules first. Adults supervise sharp tools and heat, and children can work alone or in pairs.
Home educators
Pair it with a trip to the shops, a look at where food comes from or a family meal. Children can make one card each week. Brothers and sisters can reuse the cards, and older children can write their own recipes.
Where this fits in
Before this, children may have practised washing hands, handling simple foods and talking about what they like to eat. Reading short instructions and following steps in order are useful skills to bring along.
After it, children can write fuller recipes, plan a meal for a number of people and think about healthy choices. Cooking and nutrition in Key Stage 2 builds from simple dishes towards planning and preparing a range of savoury meals.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Fathers Day BBQ Recipe Cards for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with more help, and older children can use the stretch idea to write full recipes.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 30 minutes to make one card. You can spread the cards over several days, or make just one for a special meal.
- Does an adult need to help?
Yes. A grown-up should supervise sharp tools and heat. Boiling potatoes is for the grown-up, and if a child finds cutting hard, the grown-up cuts the hard foods.
- Which cards are easiest?
The fruit skewers and tomato salad are good starting points. Ask a grown-up to cut the hard foods if needed, and supervise the sticks for the skewers.
- Are there allergens to watch for?
Yes. Some cards contain egg (mayonnaise) and milk (yogurt), and shop products may contain mustard or other allergens. Always check labels, and ask about allergies before sharing food.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so you do not need colour.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, homework or table activity. Home educators can use it alone or within a wider plan, and reprint it for brothers and sisters.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.