You'll Never Have to Ask "What's For Dinner?" Again With These Fun DIY Cooking Kits

You don’t have to be Gordon Ramsay to create delicious showstoppers at home. It can be difficult to find the time and energy to cook homemade meals and treats; just searching for the correct ingredients and getting everything measured out properly is enough of a hassle. But, there’s really something about food made by yourself or with friends and family that tastes so much better than getting a pizza delivered. 

Luckily, there are lots of DIY cooking kits created with the convenience-driven chef in mind. These kits make for a fun activity for a Sunday afternoon, when you’re feeling snacky and don’t want to go out, or whenever you’re in need of some inspiration for a midweek meal. A great choice for gifts or for keeps, there’s truly something for everyone. So, preheat the oven and grab an apron — it’s time to get creative in the kitchen.

DIY Focaccia Garden Art Kit 

Key Selling Point: For the artistically inclined baker, this kit lets your imagination run wild.

Focaccia is delicious on its own, but when you decorate it with fresh produce, it becomes a scrumptious work of art. This garden art kit is great for bakers and artists of any level, and provides you with everything you need to make memorable focaccia. The kit comes with the base as well as Italian seasoning, flakey salt, food tweezers, and a focaccia art gallery to inspire you. All you need to bring to the table are your desired toppings, like vegetables, cheese, or fruits, and of course, some creative ideas. Will you make grass out of asparagus, or create a sun from an onion slice? The sky’s the limit. And the best part is that after you’ve worked away on your masterpiece, a tasty snack is your reward — what could be better than that?

Sushi Making Kit 

Key Selling Point: This beloved Japanese dish always tastes best when it’s fresh, and this comprehensive DIY kit ensures you get a crisp roll every time.

Skip the DoorDash delivery and make your own handcrafted spicy tuna or California rolls. Whether you’re looking for a fun, cheap date-night idea, a gift for your food-loving friend, or you’re wanting a new challenge to tackle in the kitchen, this cooking kit will surely satisfy. Included in this set you’ll find nearly everything you’ll need to make tasty sushi rolls (aside from your chosen fillings). You’ll save yourself the trouble of finding a bamboo rolling mat, sushi rice, rice vinegar powder, nori, sesame seeds, and wasabi powder at the store. Just grab some fish or avocado and you’re ready to roll. The helpful guides included in this kit, like cooking instructions, a shopping guide, and drink pairing suggestions, will help point you in the right direction. Although this cooking kit is intended for more experienced — or at least more daring — chefs, if things don’t go to plan, your creations will still taste great and be a heap of fun.

Chocolate Babka Baking Kit

Key Selling Point: You don’t have to visit Chicago’s popular Mexican-Jewish artisanal bakery to try their famous babka. 

For an easy, sweet treat, this Chocolate Babka Baking Kit is the perfect indulgence. Made by Masa Madre, a Chicago-based bakery that’s famous for their delicious Mexican-Jewish fusion breads, this kit comes equipped with most of the things you’ll need to recreate their most iconic braided dessert bread. You’ll receive all of the dry ingredients, a wooden rolling pin, bench scraper, and of course, the recipe card. The owners of Masa Madre are passionate about implementing the most ethical practices and eco-friendly materials, so they’ve also included two compostable loaf pans. All you need in addition to the kit are some eggs, oil, butter, and a handful of kitchen tools (things most people have to hand already), and you’re on your way to chocolatey paradise. This recipe yields two whole loaves, so you can keep one and gift the other — or eat both yourself. No one would judge you.

Spain - Kid’s Global Adventure Cooking Kit

Key Selling Point: Explore the world with your kids (from the comfort of your kitchen), and learn about different countries along the way.

Take your kids on a quick trip to Spain without stretching your wallet or boarding a plane. The Kid’s Global Adventure Cooking Kits have a variety of countries to choose from, each with vibrant fact sheets, activities, and three recipes to select from. For a Spanish feast, get your kids excited to try paella, tapas, and veggies; three family-sized meals with authentic flavors. The shopping list in your kit will advise you on the fresh ingredients needed, while everything else you’ll need is included, including spices, grains, and sauce mixes. Plus, the kit comes with a fun cooking tool for your little one to take the reins on tonight’s dinner. You can take note of each country visited with an included “Foodie Passport” and look forward to the cuisine you’ll get to try next. This educational cooking experience will have the whole family looking forward to a delicious meal each night.

Pasta Art Kit

Key Selling Point: Turn your favorite Italian dish into a stunning chef-d'oeuvre.

Spaghetti night just got kicked up a notch. With this Pasta Art Kit, transform your bland-looking farfalle or linguine into vibrant noodles naturally, using plant- and vegetable-based dyes. All of the dry ingredients are included to make your dough, and then you can brighten them up with beetroot, turmeric, spirulina, sweet potato, or carrot for a rainbow feast fit for eight to 10 servings. In addition to the dry ingredients, you’ll receive a pasta wheel and a dough cutter set, so you can cut and shape your pasta however you like, or have a look through the included booklet to get inspired. Whether you’re cooking with the kids or want to treat yourself to a pretty, homemade dinner, the possibilities are endless.

Pad Thai Cooking Kit 

Key Selling Point: This kit couldn’t be more authentic — unless you went to Thailand to gather the ingredients yourself.

This Pad Thai Cooking Kit will absolutely ruin your local takeout for you. The saucy, savory, zingy meal’s ingredients are vegan, gluten-free, and organic. The authenticity of this dish is maintained by Somkiat and Pornpan Wongprasert, who source the ingredients from their farm in Thailand, so you know you’re getting the very best. Included in this cooking kit are your noodles, sauce, seasoning, optional chili for some extra heat, and of course, peanuts. All you’ll need to add is your desired protein and vegetables, like chicken, green onions, cabbage, or bean sprouts, allowing you to customize the flavors to your liking. This delicious Thai favorite takes only eight minutes from kit to plate, making it a great choice for a cheap, last-minute dinner for one, or split between two for a romantic date night. Just don’t forget the lime!

Gourmet Pizza Dough Gift Set 

Key Selling Point: A fun, hands-on gift for the pizza-lover in your life.

The topic of what pizza crust is best is a source of much debate. Chicagoans know deep dish to be the best pizza base, while Italians will fight for their classic Neapolitan style. With this Gourmet Pizza Dough Gift Set made by Urban Slicer, you can put three styles of pizza dough to the test and determine which is truly the reigning champ. While the deep dish- and Neapolitan-style mixes may be pretty straightforward, the outdoor grilling mix gives you the chance to explore new ways of cooking, as it’s best for cooking over hot coals. This mix is also great for calzones, garlic knots, or even tortillas, so you can change it up and avoid pizza burnout. Each of the three packs included in this set yield two pizza bases and they couldn’t be easier to make — just add water and knead away. When you’re not sure what to get for your foodie friends and family, give the gift of pizza.

Molecular Gastronomy Kit 

Key Selling Point: This kit brings new meaning to “DIY” with a culinary-science experiment hybrid.

Eating is meant to be an experience, and what better way to enjoy familiar flavors than to deconstruct favorite dishes and experiment with textures to create something unique? The Molecular Gastronomy Kit is a great way to try something new, or to impress friends and family with your Michelin star-level creations. Included in this bundle are 20 sachets of food additives, good for one recipe each, as well as all of the tools you’ll need: pipettes, spoons, tubes, a silicone mold, food-grade syringe, and a book to get you started on your molecular gastronomy journey. With so many sachets included, you can experiment over and over with everything in your kitchen. Transform your foods into gels, powders, beads, strands, and more — the only limit with this comprehensive DIY kit is your imagination.

Final Thoughts

Cooking is a great way to relieve stress, spend time with your family, and discover new flavor profiles you never knew about. With these  DIY cooking kits, the stress of finding niche ingredients is lifted and there’s something for everyone — no matter their skill level, amount of free time, or food preferences. If you’ve been overdoing it with microwaved meals and deliveries, or want a jump start as you learn to cook, you can’t go wrong with one of these DIY kits.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.