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It is difficult to overstate the importance of getting the kids into the kitchen, and the earlier you can do it, the better. We know it can be hard to find the time and patience to have younger children in the kitchen but teaching your children how to cook is time well-spent. It not only provides you with quiet moments to bond with your youngster but also offers myriad other benefits including; boosting confidence, teaching math and science, and educating kids about the importance of eating right.
Here are some other benefits:
Kids who help with cooking are more likely to eat a wide variety of foods and be willing to try new foods, even those that were previously unappealing, if they have been involved in the preparation. All children have different food preferences but they all benefit from having these challenged from time to time.
Cooking is a valuable life skill. Kids who can cook grow into teenagers who are better able to look after themselves and stay healthy. They are also be better at managing to eat well when money is tight.
Cooking with kids provides quality family time and provides an opportunity for kids to relax and share what's going on in their lives, even if they're otherwise reluctant to open up to a parent.
Preparing food helps kids appreciate parents: It might seem sometimes that kids think meals come out of nowhere. Teaching a child how to cook helps them understand how much time and effort it takes for a parent to make a healthy, tasty meal for the family.
Many children learn better by doing rather than being told. Cooking with them gives you the opportunity to show how important healthy food is without having to tell them.
Where to start?
You can start involving your children in cooking from as early as 18 months old. Begin with very basic tasks and then progress them onto more complicated jobs as their skills develop. For young children it may just be a case of them spending time in the kitchen with you and letting them have a stir or mix. That way the kitchen becomes a friendly, interesting place they want to be. As they get older, they’ll feel more confident in the kitchen and be able to cook more independently. Of course safety is the most important consideration but you will be surprised at how well children can manage equipment if they’ve been shown how to use it properly.
Cooking safely
Follow these four simple steps when cooking with kids:
Wash hands, surfaces and kitchen utensils.
Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from cooked and other ready-to-eat foods.
Cook to proper temperatures.
Refrigerate promptly to 5°C or lower.
What to cook
Another way to boost confidence is to choose foods kids love to eat and are simple to prepare and cook. Here are a few ideas:
Appropriate tasks
3-5 year olds
Young children love helping out, but need very close adult supervision since their motor skills are still developing.
Appropriate Tasks:
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
Wash fruits and vegetables in the sink with cool tap water.
Mix ingredients like easy-to-mix batters.
Brush (or "paint") cooking oil with a clean pastry brush on bread, asparagus or other foods.
6-7 year olds
Most 6-7 year olds have developed fine motor skills, so they can handle more detailed work, but they will still need food safety reminders.
Appropriate Tasks:
Use a peeler to peel raw potatoes, ginger, mangoes and other washed fruits and vegetables.
Break eggs into a bowl and remember to wash hands afterwards.
Snap green beans.
Load the dishwasher.
Rinse and cut parsley or green onions with clean, blunt kitchen scissors.
8-9 year olds
There is a wide range of skills in this age group, so tailor your tasks to each individual's maturity level.
Appropriate Tasks:
Open cans with a can opener.
Put leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours.
Pound meat on a cutting board. Always use a separate cutting board for ready-to-eat and raw foods, and be sure to wash hands with warm, soapy water after handling raw meat.
Beat eggs.
Juice a lemon or orange.
10-12 year olds
For the most part, kids ages 10 -12 can work independently in the kitchen, but should still have adult supervision. Before letting these kids do grown-up tasks on their own, assess whether they can follow basic kitchen rules such as adjusting pan handles over counters to avoid bumping into them, using knives and safely using the oven or microwave.
Appropriate Tasks (with adult supervision):
Boil pasta.
Microwave foods.
Follow a recipe, including reading each step in order and measuring ingredients accurately.
Bake foods in the oven.
Simmer ingredients on the stove.
Slice or chop vegetables.
Involve your children in healthy choices
Some tips to help get your kids involved include:
Talk to your children about what they would like to have in their lunchbox or on their dinner plate. Discuss healthier choices and decide together.
Write a shopping list together. Take your children shopping with you and let them choose foods and drinks from the shopping list.
Encourage your children help prepare their meals and lunchboxes. Older children may be able to prepare most of their lunch themselves, while younger kids can help with making sandwiches or cutting up fruit.