Forget pumpkin cupcakes and toffee apples – many parents are opting to roll with something a little more mysterious this season!

New research now reveals that 9 in 10 (89%) parents believe traditional kids’ cooking, like baking, is on the way out, as British families opt for global dishes like ramen, sushi and noodles.

The research, commissioned by Japanese food brand Yutaka, shows that over a quarter of parents (27%) are avoiding baked cakes and biscuits altogether because of their high sugar content, reflecting a shift towards healthier family cooking.

Almost 7 in 10 (69%) parents even go as far as to say they’d prefer their kids to be snacking on fresh veg and fish while making sushi, than lick the cake batter off a spoon whilst baking this Halloween.

Nevertheless, whilst almost 1 in 3 parents say they’d like to make sushi with the family, only 1 in 6 do. This highlights a gap between enthusiasm for trying new dishes and the confidence to actually do so without fear of failure.

To celebrate this cultural shift and instil new cooking confidence across the country, Alexandra Burke and fourteen kids partnered with Yutaka to create a world first – a sushi recipe book designed by kids. Alexandra and the kids learnt the art of sushi-making, with a keen eye for imaginative mess, from Japanese chef, Yuki Gomi.

The book features the children’s imaginative sushi characters, from abominable Axolotls to an unearthly ‘Uni-cone’ and even Alexandra’s own friendly ghost – ‘Cousin Itt’. With recipes on how to craft each character, it’s perfect for the family to get involved this spooky season.

The cookbook shows that sushi-making can be accessible, creative and fun – not something that has to be ‘perfect’. Instead, it serves as an encouragement to be carefree in the kitchen and embrace the joy (and mess) of making food together.

Speaking about the book, Alexandra Burke said:

“Being a parent of two, I’m always looking for ways to maintain wonderfully nutritious meals while keeping kitchen time lots of fun. I love Japanese food, so it is a dream to work on this sushi book with all the talented young foodie artists and Yutaka. Sushi really is child’s play, it’s quick, healthy and interactive – all the ingredients for very happy children in my household!”

The full recipe book is now free to download at https://yutaka.london/seaweed-sid-recipe-book