Both my boys love to help me in the kitchen. I love cooking and want to pass that love on to my kids.
Cooking with your kids is a great way to keep them entertained, spend time with them and teach them healthy eating habits. And basic "help" can start as soon as they can stir a spoon. And as they grow, they can help more and more.
The boys will help me with whatever meal I'm making. Sometimes they like to make their own lunches and I generally try to let them do that with as little interference as possible. They also love to help me bake and make dinner.
We have several children's cookbooks; these are nothing special except the food is usually geared toward kids with pretty pictures and fun names for everyday things (like "Drizzled and Drenched Fries" which is nothing more than oven baked french fries), with healthy, easy to follow recipes.Children's cookbooks are by no means necessary, but they do help get the kids excited about what they are making. The boys love looking through the books and picking out something special to make for one of their meals.
Obviously anything involving cutting, a hot oven, hot burner or open flame is Mommy's Job. But you can involve the kids depending on their current skill level.
Sam will help by carrying things from the refrigerator or cupboard to the counter and he helps to set the table. He can also put the pre-measured ingredients into a bowl, crack eggs (and yes I do have to fish out the egg shells) and mix up the ingredients. Since Josh is older, I can have him help read the recipe and measure out the ingredients.
At the very least, it's company and time we can spend together. And I find that (generally) they are more apt to try new foods if they have a hand in preparing it.
You are so brave!
ReplyDeleteSm loves cooking. He actually has had me video tape him a few times and he pretends to host his own cooking show. I keep meaning to post them....
ReplyDeleteYou are right though, kids are def. more likely to eat things they've had a hand in creating.
My daughter loves to help cook, but my son (13) acts like I'm putting him out when I have him make his own lunch!
ReplyDeleteI also agree that when they help prepare the food, they are more willing to try it. :)
so exciting! :) adrien already wants to help, but i think he needs to wait at least a few more months. he can stir pretty well though lol he just doesn't get that you have to BAKE the brownie batter first. but i mean, that's a hard concept for me to grasp too.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great idea...I hear it all the time...it's so good for the kids to get into the kitchen! As a homeschool Mom, the educational, physical, emotional and bonding bases are covered! What fun!
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