2026-11-30 • Ages 2–5
Rainbow Bean and Cheese Empanada Pockets
Cozy colors and pocket engineering
Ingredients and preparation
PER CHILD: 1 small empanada dough round, 1 tbsp mashed low-sodium pinto beans, 1 tbsp shredded cheese, 1 tbsp total softened red pepper, corn, and spinach. BEFORE CLASS: Wash pepper and spinach; remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Drain and rinse beans and corn. Soften pepper if needed; cool. Portion fillings and dough. Set out aprons, individual child-proof knives, mats, measuring spoons, mashers, forks, labeled trays, and cleanup bins.
30-minute lesson
0–3 min: Aprons, handwashing, tool reminder. 3–7 min: Explore pocket shapes and colors. 7–14 min: Mash, measure, and cut. 14–22 min: Fill, fold, seal, and crimp. 22–26 min: Group photo. 26–30 min: Shared cleanup; teacher checks trays and take-home roster.
Ages 2–3
Mash beans; scoop fillings; place colors; fold with help; press fork marks.
Ages 4–5
Measure tablespoons; cut soft vegetables; leave a safe edge; fold equal halves; crimp a complete seal.
Learning goals
Tablespoon measurement, color sorting, texture and pressure, halves, spatial planning, safe cutting, fine-motor crimping, and predicting what makes a strong seal.
Chef instructions
Bake labeled pockets at 375°F for 13–17 minutes until dough is fully baked and lightly golden. Keep allergy-adjusted trays separate. Cool completely and package one per child.
Teacher photo upload
Classrooms ages 2 and up: upload finished creation photos or a permitted group photo. Choose your center and classroom. Your center’s director and Evelyn receive the photos by text.
Upload finished creation photos