INTRODUCING KIDS TO COOKING

Teaching your little one to cook can be such a rewarding experience for both of you. With a few tips on what to expect, you'll be cooking up a storm together before you know it!

Despite seeming like a daunting task, educating your children about food and cooking is something that will set them up for their whole lives. So many skills are exercised throughout the process of learning to cook, including maths, literacy and problem-solving. Though it may not seem as important a part of your child’s education as science subjects or languages, learning to cook is an incomparable life skill that will equip your child with the ability to sustain themselves in a healthy way. It will also enable them to gain a deeper insight into what foods are unhealthy and how to make healthy decisions around food.

WHERE TO BEGIN

Don’t worry, bringing your little ones into the kitchen doesn’t need to be a stressful or worrying time. In order for this not to feel like a chore, cooking needs to be presented to them as a fun-filled activity. Here are a few ways to introduce cooking to your kids in a manageable way.

Start small

Most parents claim that, as much as they’d like to cook with their children, they’re simply too busy. While it often feels that this is the case, that’s usually due to overestimating the time it will actually take. Nobody is asking you to have your child at your side as you cook every meal. Instead, consider involving your child in the preparation of one meal a week. Weekends are usually best, as the morning time rush or the weekday evening time slump aren’t the most suitable times.