Kids and Teens - Learning to Cook

Kids need to learn to cook. Cooking is a skill that should be a part of every child's learning. Cooking with kids can get messy, and often time consuming, but it is for a good cause. Cooking with children can help them learn many new skills, such as:

• preparing tasty food they enjoy making and eating 
• following directions as they cook with you 
• learning to use kitchen tools correctly 
• practicing safety and proper food handling methods 
• learning how to shop for food 
• practicing good table manners

There are many reasons why some children don't learn important cooking skills. Sometimes parents don't like to cook and their children can sense it. Then they may feel that cooking is not a big deal, but it is! Many schools have left foods and nutrition classes out of the curriculum. So what's a parent to do to encourage their child to cook and learn more about food and the part it plays in one's life? They could help their child by:

• watching TV cooking shows 
• finding information in books or other sources 
• encouraging him/her to "help" in the kitchen

Kids get kitchen-savvy through different food experiences. As with many other skills, 

practice improves their work.

Why do kids like to cook and work in the kitchen?

It's fun! Mixing, sifting, and stirring appeals to most children. The fun part continues through the eating process. The clean-up? Perhaps not so much, but this is also an important job.

To be creative! Working with food is a chance to show off their creative side. This can be in the way they combine foods or start to find rhythm in following a recipe and working with others.

To impress their friends! Showing off kitchen skills when cooking for or with friends is very self-satisfying.

Knowing how to cook and being comfortable in working in the kitchen is an important skill. Even young children can learn to wash lettuce, stir the batter, set the table. They can begin to build their own cookbook of favorite recipes and can learn more about their own tastes and abilities.

Action plan for today: Talk about favorite foods the child likes. (Emphasize fruits and vegetables). See how many they can name beginning with A, B, C, etc. Have him/her draw pictures of their favorite food.

Involving children in food preparation activities not only helps children learn to cook but provides them with many other learning experiences.

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