Cooking with children can teach them important values about proper nutrition and eating habits. Eating home-cooked meals may help prevent child obesity and diabetes. It's an easy way to spend quality time together and allows young children to feel like they are contributing to the family. Also, children are more likely to eat food without complaining if they helped in the kitchen. Set rules to provide a safe, enjoyable and delicious experience for the whole family.
STOVE RULES
Keep a stove parameter. Make sure kids understand the importance of not going near the stove, and make a serious rule about standing three steps away at all times. Have a tiny kitchen? Move the child-friendly portion of cooking to another room.
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RECIPE SEARCH
Pick out recipes together so that kids know what they're cooking. Kit Bennett, suggests using a cookbook with illustrations that follow the instructions, so the children understand the sequence of the recipe.
APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Focus on recipes that have child-appropriate preparation steps. Child chefs as young as 3 can mix, measure and pour ingredients. Starting around age 9, children can chop fruits and veggies when adult supervision is present, and around age 12, young chefs can mix a stir fry or a pan of scrambled eggs.
USE YOUR JUDGMENT
Use your best judgment about when to let kids move up the chain of cooking command. If cooking is part of a play date at your house, check in with other parents about what they feel comfortable with in the kitchen.
TEACHING BY COOKING
Use cooking as an educational tool. Patti Green, founder of Ginger Kids, created her business to encourage children to appreciate and experience other cultures through cooking. Cultural lessons cooking can also teach kids about math, chemistry and reading. Maximize the educational value by stepping back to let your children figure out complicated parts of recipes on their own.
KEEP THINGS CLEAN
Keep cleaning supplies handy, and try not to lose your temper over a little bit of spilled milk. Start young chefs out working on a sheet on the floor to prevent spills all over the kitchen.
VISIT FARMS
If your kids like cooking, look for farms in your area and arrange a visit. They'll gain a whole new appreciation about where their food comes from. Go to localharvest.org to find a farm near you.
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