A mom and her daughter baking in the kitchen. The daughter is mixing ingredients in a bowl while sitting on the counter.

Ways To Encourage Your Children To Cook With You

You could use some extra hands when making dinner for your family, from slicing vegetables to mixing ingredients. Invite your kids to help you prepare the food if they are peeking in and out of the kitchen.

Cooking with your kids is a bonding experience that provides them with skills that they’ll use for years to come. Encourage your children to cook with you by involving them in meal planning and seeing where their imagination takes them.

Start With Simple Recipes

Start your little ones off with simple recipes that are easy to follow before creating gourmet dinners together. Starting small will build their confidence and teach them how to hold utensils or mix ingredients effectively. Teach them recipes that require minimal preparation and limited ingredients, whether you’re making a smoothie or assembling a sandwich.

Or perhaps consider starting with snacks. These are low stakes but fun and engaging. Check out this great list of ideas for 10 Snacks Your Kids Can Make. I love how these use real, healthy foods you probably have on hand!

Make It Fun and Interactive

Turn your dinner plans into a fun and interactive game that your children can play in the kitchen. Incorporate mini cooking competitions between siblings or play a “taste” test guessing game to involve them in the cooking process. These work as incentives to learn more about how to cook innovative meals.

Assign Age-Appropriate Tasks

Supervise your children by assigning them tasks they’re capable of. Younger children can help wash produce or stir liquids, while older kids can chop vegetables and measure ingredients.

Don’t be afraid to get your kitchen a little dirty. Your kids will slowly refine their skills, so you can trust them to prepare ingredients with ease as they learn to navigate a new space.

Involve Them in Meal Planning

Encourage your children to cook with you by using the recipes they find. Doing so also gives them a sense of control in the kitchen. Try suggesting meal plans for their lunch or dinner so they can choose what to eat and learn to enjoy their leftovers. Let them pick the ingredients at the grocery store and guide them toward healthy cooking habits.

Encourage Creativity

Inspire your little ones to take creative liberties with their recipes as they learn about ingredients. They may have an idea about substituting an ingredient or incorporating new flavors. Build off their imagination, and they might surprise you with a new family recipe.

Celebrate Their Achievements

Praise your kids for a job well done when you serve their finished meal. These positive reinforcements will motivate them to continue cooking with their family. Celebrate their efforts and reward them with a delicious meal they helped create.

Start a new bonding experience by including your children in your daily cooking routines. Teach them valuable skills and encourage them to expand their ways of thinking about food and cooking as they prepare, rinse, and chop ingredients. Set the table with delicious meals crafted by you and your family.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.