My kids love to cook.

It started when they were very young and I’d ask them to stir jello, make play-dough, or dump measured ingredients into the bowl to make muffins or cookies. These days we have assigned evenings where they are the designated ‘sous-chef’ and get to help with dinner doing everything from setting the table and pouring the water, to chopping the vegetables and puréeing the cheese and broccoli soup. A favourite activity when friends come over is to create something delectable to eat which is often inspired by the Food Network (one of my kids favourite TV channels) or by a kids cooking recipe book currently on loan from the library. This spring my son has graduated to the BBQ where he recently grilled up honey mustard chicken breast to perfection.

Yes, having my children in the kitchen requires effort and organization. Like most tasks, it would be easier if I simply did it myself. However, I’d definitely be denying them, and myself, many wonderful memories and numerous life skills. My job is to ensure that my children have all the tools necessary to live as engaged and accomplished adults. I see teaching them how to cook everything from Caesar Salad to Crock Pot Stew as part of that responsibility.

And from a yoga point of view, I’m striving to teach them good nutrition and to establish a positive relationship with food. When helping in the kitchen, kids interact with their food on a totally different level. By taking the raw ingredients, discussing basic nutrition requirements, and learning how to combine different flavours to create wonderful dishes, children take charge of what they are putting on the table and into their bodies.

What Kids Learn When Cooking

Involving kids in the kitchen develops a host of skills. These include:

• Following directions – reading and following a recipe
• Basic arithmetic – measuring ingredients or doubling (tripling for cookies) a recipe
• Vocabulary enrichment – ingredients, tools, and directions all provide new and interesting vocabulary
• Sensory stimulation – tastes, textures, and smells in great variety come from the kitchen
• Cause and effect – leave out one ingredient and see what happens
• Cooperation – working together and waiting their turn
• Sanitation – cleanliness and safe food handling skills come with the territory
• Confidence – empower kids with cooking skills that will last a lifetime
• Creativity – express kids unique tastes with their own recipes/kitchen creations

Ground Rules for Cooking with Kids

Here are a couple of suggestions for getting your kids into the kitchen.

• Safety first – never leave children unattended in the kitchen. Your supervision is essential and your children’s well being always comes first.
• Never assume that children know how to handle a knife or when something is ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’. Establish safety ground rules which are age and ability appropriate.
• Provide your child with their own kitchen utensil kit such as the Kid’s Cookware Kit - I haven’t done this but think it is a brilliant idea to foster independence and ownership.
• Start with a clean kitchen and keep a sink of warm soapy water ready to clean-up as you go along. Cleaning up is part of cooking so don’t let your kids escape once the dish is made without washing up and wiping off. 
• Make it fun! If you or the children are getting frustrated try again another time or with a different recipe. This is a time to connect, share, and explore the wonder of creating good things to eat while spending time together.

Cooking With Kids Websites

Spatulatta is a great website that teaches kids to cook. Hosts Liv and Belle provide over 350 videos of how kids can make a variety of healthy and nutritious foods including vegan & vegetarian options, comfort foods, holiday specials and more.

For the little ones (ages 2-5) learning to prepare food uses all their senses and exploits their desire to please. It gets them fully involved with their food and with helping around the home. A win-win for sure. Cooking with Children: Kids in the Kitchen offers suggestions for age appropriate tasks and recipes even the youngest children can help prepare.

Cooking With Kids is a school based program that uses hands-on methods to teach elementary students about the joy of delicious healthy foods. From tasting classes which introduce kids to food they may never have had before, to getting local chefs to donate their time and talent to schools, this innovative program brings fresh and healthy options into the classroom.

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