Cooking
is so much more then dumping ingredients into a bowl and hoping a delicious
dish pops out of the oven. For your kids
it’s learning math and science, it’s having fun with their mom, it’s making a
mess and it’s discovering something new.
While cooking with kids can be frustrating for a parent who just wants
to get the meal made and in the oven, it can be a bonding time that your
children will remember forever. So slow
down and take some time to plan your kids into the meal preparation time! Here are a few tips on how to include your
children while cooking and what you can teach them during the process.
·
Involve Them
in the Planning!
Let little
Timmy decide what sounds good for dinner that night (you may have to help him
by giving him a few options). Then let them
help you make the ingredient list, shop for the produce or find the needed
ingredients in your pantry. Whenever
possible, let them make choices about the meal.
·
Create a
Safe Environment
Give them
their own workspace at a height that’s convenient for them. Let them have their own spoon, children’s
knife, bowl etc. Don’t worry if their
space gets messy and unorganized…just let them have fun in it!
·
Use Dirty
Produce
Think we’re
joking? We’re not! Take your kids to the farmers market and have
them pick out the produce. Let them see
their food with dirt on it and teach them about how food grows, what a farmer
does, how rain affects the growing process, and why we need to wash fruits and
vegetables before eating them.
·
Measure Up
Get them up
close and personal with the fractions used in baking and cooking. Teach them about using one cup or one half of
a cup. For kids that are in grade school
and learning fractions, this is an excellent hands-on opportunity. For kids who are too young for fractions,
have them count how many times they stir the brownie batter or how many eggs go
into the mix.
·
Follow
Instructions
As children
learn how to read, have them read the recipe and/ or ingredient list for
you. They will increase their vocabulary
and learn the importance of following directions in a specific order.
·
Introduce
New Foods
Kids are
more likely to try a new food if they are involved in the preparation of it and
are able to handle it before it’s prepared.
If you can get them to use the food in a creative way (mushrooms, olives
and pepperoni to make a face on a pizza) they are also more likely to try it.
·
Other Little
Tips
o
Let them press the buttons on the blender/ food processor
o
Give them a rolling pin and have them roll part of the cookie
dough alongside you
o
Cut a sandwich with a cookie cutter to give it a fun shape
o
Have them help with clean-up
o
Cook when you aren’t starving…just enjoy the process!
Sources:
PBS Parents. (n.d.). Cooking
with kids. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/food-and-fitness/eat-smart/cooking-with-kids/
Gastrokid. (2004, March 24). Top 10 tips for cooking with kids.
Retrieved from http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/top-10-tips-for-cooking-with-kids
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