Getting kids involved in the kitchen is a great way to cultivate adventurous, independent, and health-conscious eaters. This simple activity offers numerous advantages, such as teaching life skills, promoting healthy eating habits, boosting confidence, and enhancing family bonds, all while making cooking enjoyable for everyone.
Rather than seeing it as a chore, making cooking a family activity can transform mealtime into a fun opportunity, says an editor at King Arthur Baking Company who emphasizes the importance of family cooking sessions. Meals don’t need to be elaborate or entirely homemade to be beneficial. Early investment in a child’s involvement with meal preparation can pay off as they gain independence in handling kitchen tasks themselves.
Regardless of a child’s familiarity with cooking, it’s never too late to start teaching these valuable skills.
One of the significant benefits is a sense of accomplishment. The pandemic emphasized how essential it is to know your way around a kitchen. One mother from Denver used this time to teach her young children, then only three and eight, simple kitchen tasks. Over five years, their skills progressed, transforming these lessons into cherished family time away from screens. Her children, now more proficient, take pride in preparing meals and are involved in various cooking activities, including chopping and sautéing.
Involving kids in cooking activities can build their confidence and provide real-world skills, such as math and language skills, adds a speech therapist from Virginia. She highlights how tasks like reading and following recipes improve concentration and executive functioning. Beyond that, the sensory experience children gain in the kitchen can encourage them to become adventurous eaters and experiment with new foods.
Cooking also promotes an adventurous palate, as evidenced by Eric Brown and his wife, who run cooking classes for kids. Through various programs, children become more open to trying new foods as they learn what’s involved in preparation, overcoming hesitations about ingredients like vegetables.
Healthy eating habits are another benefit of engaging kids in cooking. With childhood obesity on the rise, learning to prepare home-cooked meals offers a healthier alternative to processed foods. One Maryland mom encourages her children to develop skills like using kitchen tools and making nutritious meals, which are both healthier and more economical.
Parents who take on the role of teaching their kids to cook can learn a lot themselves. You don’t need to be a professional chef; starting with simple goals can lead to significant progress. By practicing a few basic recipes frequently, families can become comfortable with cooking and grocery shopping, reducing intimidation and embracing fresh foods. Children are often more capable in the kitchen than expected—though they may be slower or messier, they show eagerness when involved in making new dishes.