- Spring rolls and egg rolls differ in wrapper, texture, and origin with spring rolls being lighter with thin wrappers and egg rolls being thicker, heavier, and predominately fried.
- Spring rolls are quick, easy to make, and great for using leftover chicken or turkey alongside fresh vegetables.
- Cooking with children teaches useful skills, encourages healthy habits, builds confidence, and creates lasting memories and traditions.
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Spring Rolls vs Egg Rolls
The terms “spring rolls” and “egg rolls” are commonly confused or used intermittently, especially in the United States. However, the two are different, mainly in wrapper, texture, and origin. Spring rolls have thin, smooth, crispy, flaky wrappers made of flour and water and can be either fried or served fresh (though fresh versions are generally made with a rice-based wrapper). Fried spring rolls are crispy and generally light, filled with vegetables or vegetables and meat. Spring rolls originated in China to celebrate the arrival of spring and were filled with seasonal vegetables.
Egg rolls use a thicker dough-like wrapper that bubbles and crisps up when deep-fried, giving them a hearty, crunchy exterior. They are typically larger and filled with ingredients like shredded cabbage, pork, or other meats. Egg rolls are exclusively fried, making them a heavier meal. They originated in the US in the 1930’s, invented by Chinese American chefs to suit American tastes in Chinese restaurants.
My family and I prefer spring rolls. This chicken spring roll recipe is quick and easy, and great for use with leftover chicken(or turkey). My family particularly likes to eat these rolls along with a bowl of fruit salad in the spring.
Ingredients
1 lb shredded cooked turkey or chicken – can be leftover grilled or baked or from a rotisserie
1 cup coleslaw mix
1 cup shredded carrots
¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion
1-2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (to taste)
Pepper to taste
Spring Roll Sheets
1-2 Tbsp Flour
1-2 tsp Water
Vegetable Oil or olive oil spray
Steps – and How to Include the Children
Step 1: Shred or mince the meat. For my recipe I used leftover baked chicken, however, you can use any leftover chicken or turkey including rotisserie. Or you can use freshly baked or grilled meat. For the actual shredding, there are a couple of ways to go about getting the desired form, both of which are kid friendly. The first way (and my preferred way) is with a fork. This method can be a little time-consuming and can become physically straining for a small child, so keep this in mind if you are in a hurry. If shredding this way, I recommend heating up the chicken slightly as warm chicken is easier to shred. However, if you heat the chicken up too much it will be too hot to handle, so heat with care. The other option is to cut the meat into small pieces and let a food processor do the work for you. I actually prefer using the minced meat in my spring rolls because shredding usually leads to uneven sized pieces.
Step 2: Gather the rest of the ingredients and utensils. This is an easy step to include children of all ages. Young children love helping to gather ingredients, and older children will know exactly where all of the needed utensils are. Luckily, this recipe calls for very few ingredients and only really requires a bowl to mix in and a mixing spoon or fork. I have learned that for a smooth experience, especially with younger kids, make sure that you give specific instructions such as “can you get out the onions for me?” or “can you grab the mixing bowl?”.
Step 3: Chop the onion (and carrots if not using pre-shredded). You can have older children complete this step, or if you do not want your children to use a knife, you can do this step yourself. Finely chop the white parts (and a little light green if you would like) of a few spring onions. I like to use food scissors to do this as cutting the very thin green onions is sometimes difficult. Plus, using scissors makes it easier for kids to do this step. If you are cutting carrots as well, they will need to be thin sliced julienned. That may be safer for teens or yourself.
Step 4: Mix the ingredients. This is another simple step that any child (or multiple children taking turns) can do. Just add the julienned carrots, coleslaw mix, green onion slices, soy sauce, and a few shakes of black pepper to the prepared chicken and mix well. I always do a taste after my initial mix to make sure that both the soy sauce and black pepper amounts are to my liking. The mixture can sometimes be a little dry and may need a few extra shakes of soy sauce. As a side note: I used cabbage and carrots however, you can use whatever fresh vegetables your family likes such as bell peppers, bean sprouts, or cucumber.
Step 5: Make the ‘glue’. For the roll to stick together, you will need a mixture of flour and water to act as a ‘glue’. Mix approximately 1 Tbsp of flour with one teaspoon of water together. You do not want the mixture to be thick like a paste, but you don’t want it to be runny either. The “glue” should be somewhere in the middle.
Step 6: Make the rolls. You will need to start out with a single wrapper placed flat on a plate with a corner facing you. Drop a large spoonful of mixture about an inch and a half from the corner. Roll the corner of the wrapper over the mixture, using your fingers to make sure that the roll is tight, and then begin to roll towards the opposite end of the wrapper. At about the halfway point, pull in the outside points (one should be on your right and one should be on your left) and place them in line on top of the mixture roll. Continue the roll until you get to about 1 inch left of the wrapper. Apply with your finger some of the flour “glue” to the edges of the last bit of open wrapper and close the roll.
Step 7: Cook the rolls. Some people like to deep fry their spring rolls. For that you will 1-2 inches of oil in a pan or pot set at approximately 350 degrees. Fry for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, turning when necessary. You can also bake the rolls, for a healthier version. Just set your oven to 375 degrees, lightly spray the rolls with olive oil spray, and place in the oven for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden brown. Though both of these options come out deliciously, I prefer to cook mine in the air fryer. I lightly spray the rolls with olive oil, make sure they are set about a half inch apart in the basket (to help with air flow), set the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook them for 10 minutes (flipping them over halfway through). You can have your kids spray the rolls, set them on the oven sheet or in the air fryer basket or they can help you deep fry the rolls.
Step 8: Enjoy! This is an easy step that the entire family will appreciate.
The Importance of Including Children in Cooking
Cooking with children offers a wide range of benefits that go beyond simply preparing meals. It provides a fun, hands-on way to teach valuable life skills. Measuring and the use of fractions, as well as conversions between the metric and US Customary System, all build on math skills. The act of cooking, adding varying degrees of heat to different ingredients, is a science skill. Cooking with your child is also a good time to review the food pyramid and discuss foods that are healthy. And helping you is a good lesson in kitchen safety. These should all build on topics already covered in other ways by bringing them into their daily lives. Children are also more likely to try new foods if they are involved in the process cooking them. This invites new experiences and encourages healthy habits. Being able to prepare a meal gives them both confidence and a sense of independence. Overall, it’s a rewarding activity that nurtures creativity, patience, and responsibility.
On top of lessons learned, cooking together with your family will create wonderful memories for all involved. Working together as a team in the kitchen will help reinforce bonds (or help create them). Not to mention the fabulous recipes that will be passed down. This can also start traditions that will continue through your children’s childhood and into their adult lives
If you are interested in recipe cards to use with your children, I have made a set of 54 3×5 inch cards. These are available on my TPT store. The set is split into 6 different categories: Baked Goods, Appetizers, Soups, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, and an empty customizable category. Each category has 3 different design options and includes an optional back side with additional lines to write on to be printed on each.
<– Here is a link to my Recipe Cards page on my TPT store.
I hope this cooking with kids recipe helps to make a delicious side dish or snack, and create happy memories for all involved. If you found this blog helpful please consider subscribing to and liking this post as it will help to grow the community as well as let me know which type of posts are more beneficial for you. For another dish to use up that leftover chicken or turkey in your fridge, try my Cooking with Kids: Fresh Turkey/Chicken Salad blog.
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If you and your kids try this recipe, please let us know if you enjoyed it in the comments below.
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