Cooking Tips

What do Kids Learn from Cooking?

Most young children have an inherent interest in helping - and with cooking it is no different! Especially around the age of two or three, this interest can be nurtured in the kitchen. Cooking provides an excellent learning experience for children. They learn about different foods, tastes, various textures and provides parents with the opportunity to teach their children about nutrition and food groups. The cooking process allows children to practice fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, critical thinking, planning and helps to build confidence and self-esteem. Even if recipes fail, parents can involve children with troubleshooting, and can teach them that some times things do not go as planned - and show that together, they can always try again! Persistence in the kitchen is key! Cooking experiences can provide opportunities for children to learn about and practice making measurements and counting, and different food combinations and ingredients can be introduced. Don't leave kids out of the clean up process - this gives children a sense of responsibility! Parents make great role models and teachers in the kitchen, and quality time spent together benefits both child and parent. Finally, when a recipe is completed and enjoyed by the whole family, a sense of accomplishment ensues.

The Time Factor

When it comes to making meals every night, the task can seem daunting after a long and busy day. Many parents are concerned with the amount of time it takes to create a meal from scratch, and often resort to pre-packaged or frozen meals, or fast food. In reality, parents do not save much - if any - time using convenience food. Studies that observed family meal preparation found that most families spend on average one hour preparing meals, regardless of whether preparing from scratch, or using convenience food. The observations showed that when using pre-packaged foods, parents tend to overcompensate with additional side dishes, more courses, or special meals for kids - which takes more time. And if the whole family is involved in meal prep, it will likely take less time compared to the time it would take a single parent to prepare solo.

Preparation

Perhaps the most important step in cooking with your child(ren) is proper preparation. Prior to beginning the cooking process, read through the recipe ingredients and instructions yourself before deciding what to make. If you would like to provide your child(ren) a choice as to what to make, pick out a few recipes that you have reviewed and are prepared to make first, and let them choose from that. This will prevent you from getting in over your head with a recipe that is too complicated, difficult, or requires too many ingredients. Once a recipe is agreed upon, check your pantry for the necessary ingredients and prepare a shopping list if additional ingredients are required. You may want to include your child/ren in the shopping process some times (this is a good learning opportunity). Once you have all the necessary ingredients, you may want to start some of the more difficult prep work prior to involving your little one(s). Begin with washing you child(ren)'s hands thoroughly. Explain kitchen safety rules to your child(ren) and briefly outline the recipe to them - explaining what you will be making, how, etc. During the cooking process, explain why it is important to follow a recipe and why certain ingredients or steps are necessary for the recipe to be successful. Limiting mess is important for hygienic reasons, and for parental sanity! Aprons are helpful for limiting mess or stains on clothing and hair should be tied up, and long sleeves rolled. Remember to relax - this process should be about fun and interaction! If you are having a stressful day, an ambitious recipe is probably not a good idea to pursue. Perhaps schedule a cooking activity with your child(ren) on a weekend, or on a day that is not too busy.

References:

Bennett, H. (2001). Learning to cook [9 to 12 year-olds]. Today’s Parent, 17(11). 152.

Dickerson, C. (2011). Cooking and children: a learning activity. School Library Journal, 57(6), 43.

Koury, C. S. (1991). Cooking with kids. Parents, 66(5), 161.

Yorio, N. (2010). 7 secrets of low-stress families. Redbook, 215(3), 158.

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