My daughter was very young when I started teaching her to cook. In a world where many children grow up in the fast food mindset, learning to prepare food on their own is important. Cooking is a skill they will carry with them throughout life.
Cooking should not be limited to girls, either. Boys eat, too, and they will find cooking skills very handy someday.
Eating out is fine, but only on occasion. Kids now think nothing of making a regular diet out of hamburgers, fried potatoes, and soda pop. Eating out should not be a lifestyle; it should be an occasional convenience.
While many fast food places now offer some healthier alternatives, kids usually opt for the fat filled, sugar coated items. These are foods that deplete minerals from their bones and destroy the enamel on their teeth, among other things.
When teaching my daughter to cook, I started with simple dishes like french toast, chili, grilled cheese sandwiches, and scrambled eggs. I was very proud when my daughter had overnight company and wanted to prepare french toast for breakfast. We had only made it a few times, but she seemed ready for the undertaking all on her own.
I stayed out of the way, and she did a fabulous job. She was so proud of herself and her friend was impressed. The more encouragement I gave her to learn new recipes and cook independently, the better cook she became.
Throughout the years, I've been so glad I taught her to prepare food for herself early in her life. She is older now and in her teen years, but when she is hungry, she will go to the kitchen and prepare something all on her own.
Other foods kids can make easily are sandwiches. Don't limit them to cold cuts and cheese, either. Teach them to make sandwich salad fillings such as tuna, egg, ham, and chicken.
I found early on that children do well with crock-pot dishes. They are so proud when they produce a delicious pot of beef stew, soup, or chicken barbecue in just a few simple steps.
Cooking with kids is not only beneficial in teaching them life skills; it is quality time you can share together doing something constructive.
Be gentle and encouraging with them if something goes awry. Calmly tell them what went wrong, and allow them to start out fresh. We all have to learn from our mistakes, and they'll probably "bake a few boo boos" along the way.
Let them get a few dishes under their belt, then give them some freedom to explore recipes and experience some cooking independence. Who knows? You may have a gourmet chef living right under your roof!
You can explore many recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at Isabel's website,
Kids Cook Corner
