Cooking With Kids

With busy schedules, it is difficult for many parents to cook meals at home much less cook those meals with their kids.  There are many benefits of spending time in the kitchen, particularly with children.  Safety much be followed at all times so you need to assign tasks that are appropriate for each child's age and skill level. To help you decipher which skills are age appropriate for your child, feel free to visit the following website by Kraft Foods http://www.kraftrecipes.com/yourkids/kids-tips/cooking-skills-by-age.aspx.

What are the advantages of having children help in the kitchen?  Well, as starters, it is an extra set of hands to help prepare meals and snacks as well as the clean up process.  I am all for help in the kitchen!

For the kids, they have an opportunity to work on math skills, including addition and subtraction skills as well as those fun fractions.  They can increase science skills by experimenting with different recipes and and cooking techniques.  How do the ingredients react with one another and what does the dish look like before the cooking process compared to the after shots?  Art and language skills can be included by drawing pictures, taking photographs, and writing about their experiences.  After all, isn't that what foodies do when they blog about their food?

What about those picky eaters?  Research studies have proven that fickle eaters are more likely to taste the items if they were involved in the preparation process.  If they absolutely refuse to eat or taste the item, then have have try licking it or giving it a kiss before tossing it in the trash, throwing it down the garbage disposal or feeding it to the dog.

Now about that time factor.  It is much quicker to grab dinner from a dive-thru or toss a frozen pizza into the oven.  Maybe so; however, the food does not necessarily taste good and definitely does not contain healthy nutrients as compared to you making it at home.  Consider creating make-ahead meals on the weekends or using a slow cooker throughout the week.  When you do find yourself cooking with your kids, double the recipe.  Eat one batch that day and freeze the second batch.  

Co-ops are another great resource for obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables at a lower cost.  Wherever you purchase them, make sure to wash and portion them shortly after bringing them home.  Many items can be stored in freezer bags in the freezer and pulled out as needed.
For those times when you lack creativity with your cooking challenge your kids to see what they can develop.  After all, cooking is a valuable skill for them to acquire.