How to Teach Your Kids to Cook

One of the ways to bond with your kids is teaching them to cook. Preschoolers to teens have an interest in how to prepare food for consumption. Gaining some cooking ability should be part of nearly everyone's education. If you start kids learning early, these skills will last a lifetime.

Start Out Simple

You should start with simple cooking skills. Your little one can begin by just adding milk to cereal, stirring oatmeal to thicken or making a peanut butter sandwich. Learning to use tools and measure properly are great places to begin. As long as it's safe, make sure that they participate as much as they want to. Making it a hands-on experience keeps it fun and interesting. Your child is sure to enjoy mixing cookie dough by hand, so don’t be afraid to let their hands get a little dirty. If they become frustrated, step in and guide them to success. Allow them to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Be encouraging during the process, and give them lots of praise.

Always Supervise

When kids are learning to cook, it’s important that they’re always supervised. Whether they’re using knives or dealing with hot water or oil, you'll need to make sure the specific activity is age-appropriate and that they are mature enough to perform the tasks. Keep in mind each child’s strength and level of coordination. Allow the child to watch you cook. Explain what you are doing, and tell them what the possible dangers are and how to avoid them. You can also use the opportunity to teach kids proper fire safety tips. Children are curious and eager to try new things, but you'll be the one to determine when they are ready to go to the next level.

Let Them Be Creative

Part of the fun of cooking is experimentation and making decisions. Just the option of adding the fruit of their choice to cereal or choosing what to prepare for a meal can teach kids about the ability to create food to their liking. Explain to them the use of salt, pepper, and various spices to add flavor to a dish. Soup, salad, and sandwich recipes are great ways to encourage a variety of tastes. Allow them to have fun while teaching them to eat a healthy diet. You can begin instructing your kids in the kitchen when they are quite young. If they can reach the counter and follow directions, it's never too early to start.

Most kids love to check out what is going on in the kitchen. By guiding them through the preparation of food, you will build the foundation for your child cooking and eating well throughout their life. Teaching safety in the kitchen is as important as the food preparation. Be patient, loving, and close at hand while your child practices becoming a young chef.

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