Math concepts that are hard to grasp as abstracts can be easily explained with visual aids. Even kindergarten-age children can grasp concepts when demonstrated on pizza or brownies.
Ingredients are a jackpot of measurements. Assign your child the task of doubling the recipe. Ask her to express the measurements in fractions instead of whole numbers.
When cooking a whole-pan treat, like Rice Krispie treats, bar cookies or brownies, place different-sized pans on the table and have your child figure how many brownies the different-sized pans will yield, based on different-sized bars. Express the formula in an algebraic equation if your child is a middle schooler, and encourage them to draw it using graph paper. Cover a ruler in plastic wrap and score lines in the batter based on the calculations. Small children can divide chocolate chips or raisins and press an equal number into the batter inside the lines for each portion.
Grapes make great counters. Work through word problems using grapes as counting items and dolls as subjects. For example, if Sally has 9 grapes and Joey has 5 grapes, how many more grapes does Sally have?
Pizza or fruit pies make perfect (literal) pie charts. Use them to figure geometric measurements and visualize fractions.
For some children, books and worksheets are enough. They have a natural ability to process abstract information for real-life application and turn formula into practical use. Others require a more hands-on approach to understand difficult concepts. Back to school math activities practiced at home can make it easier for your child to understand the abstract concepts they will encounter later in school.