Teaching Kids to Cook
Perhaps all parents wish for their kids – girls or boys – to learn how to cook. They wish for their kids to experience the same great pleasure in feeding their own children, when the time comes. So, this early, the kids might as well be trained in that direction.
Training the kids could start at around three years old, when the little ones are already able to handle or do certain things and understand simple instructions. Certain things could be taught them at certain ages. The point is to get them started as early as possible.
There are a lot of things for kids to learn in the kitchen, before moving on to cooking. For example, they should master the use of tools first – the cooking itself is the finale. Using kitchen equipment properly should already come like second nature to kids by the time they’d venture into cooking by themselves.
Cheryl Sternman Rule, writing at the website www.parents.com, shares five simple tips to get their kids started in the kitchen.
1. Keep the mood light.
Kitchens brim with potentially dangerous equipment. From hot stoves to sharp knives, there’s plenty around to make parents nervous. Kids can read anxiety, and if Mom is not relaxed, they won’t be either. Mom should supervise the kids closely, keeping hazards in mind but proceeding anyway, with an upbeat voice and smiling eyes.
2. Strike a deal.
Kids take to new learning opportunities best when they have a stake in the outcome, so parents shall make the little ones part of the process. If the kids want to make cookies, Mom shall let them. But the next lesson is for Mom to choose. Special treats and more healthful, everyday fare may be alternated – from cookies and pies to salads and smoothies.
3. Don’t neglect terminology.
Kids are blank slates, and words like fold, sear, and sauté are meaningless until these are properly defined. Parents can use easier words if they like, but why bother? Mastering a new lexicon is part of skill-building. Plus – kids are sponges when it comes to language acquisition. Soon they’ll be bandying about new words like native speakers. (Example: “Mom, can I go sauté up and down on your bed?”)
4. Dig deeper.
Teaching kids to cook also presents opportunities to talk about culture, family history, nutrition, food politics, and hunger. Depending on the children’s ages, parents shall consider sprinkling the kitchen lessons with gentle forays into these deeper waters, and avoid heavyhanded moralizing. Instead, the kids may be introduced to some of the broader issues surrounding food. Parents shall remember that they’re not just educating a future cook, they’re influencing a lifelong eater.
5. Keep your eye on the prize.
The ultimate goal is not the creation of restaurant-quality dishes, but boosting the kid’s self-esteem and encouraging their burgeoning independence. If, at the end of the kitchen lessons, parents have got happy kids who are excited to spend time in the kitchen, then the parents’ job is done, and done well.
Another bonus – kids who know how to cook are more appreciative of food. They are also more careful not to waste any food. They will always find ways to turn bland food they get their hands on into delectable treats!