I have to say that cooking with my children is one of the most joyous times in my day. I’ve involved my children in the kitchen from the time they were little and could merely sit on the floor banging my pots and pans to an age where they can now understand and truly begin helping me in the kitchen. As with all things in life, my children weren’t born with a chef gene, but the constant exposure and guidance that I offer have built within them a love of cooking.
Here are some of the tricks we tried to get our kids to help in the kitchen:
Expose your children to the joy of cooking
We began with watching cooking shows on television and talking about what the chefs were making. That time together not only was valuable to me as a new cook trying to figure out her way around the kitchen but also was an invaluable time spent talking about cooking.
Check out books on food science or books on the science behind the food we eat
Approaching your cooking as an “experiment” can not only help you (should the dish fail) but also lead to great discussions on why your cakes fall or why your sauces aren’t coming together. Researching these things helps you be a better cook … and the coolest mom on the block.
Try narrating your own cooking show
When my children were very little, I began talking to them like I already had my own show on television. I’d explain each step and why I was doing it, which made cooking together far more entertaining and interesting than if I’d just went about my normal cooking routine.
Involve your children as much as you can in the cooking process
Pick recipes that they can help you with and get them cooking in the kitchen with you. If they’re still too young to cook, give them a bowl, fill it with some of their toys and have them pretend to cook. I’ve also found that relocating their kitchen set into the kitchen can get us both cooking side by side as we work towards getting the dinner on the table.
Menu plan with your children
Let them have one fun night where they get to pick the dinner and help you prepare the recipe. It will make the dinner hour much more enjoyable for both of you.
Allowing your children to help you in the kitchen can be a great way to get them to add new foods to their diet. There are many benefits to having your children aid you with meal preparation: math skills, understanding science and important bonding time with you as the parent. Having them help you will give them a sense of pride and ownership in the food that they’ve created. This ownership will hopefully get them interested in the new food and maybe even an amazing career path.
