How to educate your kids in the kitchen

All people need to eat. Herein lies the power of food. Food can be used to break down barriers and can be used to reach and unite people regardless of age, race, gender, religion, social status or educational level; at the table, everyone is equal. In my home the kitchen is the center of our home. It is where we communicate, collaborate, laugh and get nourishment (mental, physical and emotional). It provides a space where we can learn, experiment and make mistakes. It all started with my mother. She used each and every occasion to have the family and friends over for a meal (birthdays, holidays, got a new job, quit a bad job, or just because.) Also, in our busy, stressful world, we often forget to deliberately make space for our children to grow and learn in the home. My mother used to say, “instead of telling kids what they can’t do, give them something they can do.” Cooking with your family does not need to be hard; children as young as 3 can have an active and regular role in meal preparation. I feel that in the preparation of food, healing takes place for both the preparer and the people that consume the food. I believe that something magical happens when families come together to prepare food. Cooking is more than about eating. It’s more than just satisfying a basic need. Cooking is the ultimate way to educate your child. Cooking crosses all developmental domains (cognitive, physical, mental, social and emotional), and touches all major educational subject areas.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Never leave your kids alone in the kitchen while cooking. It only takes a moment for a dangerous situation to occur
2. Have them help with dinner at least once a week. Say, “it’s time to make dinner” rather than “dinner is ready” Let them know early on that there is no “dinner fairy or “lunch leprechaun” that “magically” whips up meals
3. Have them help or make the shopping list and take them with you to shop
4. Buy food as whole as possible so they can do the prep work (it’s cheaper too); like block cheese, whole veggies and fruits, herbs, etc
5. Buy them their own supplies and utensils such as board and a pair of cooking shears and/or pizza cutters, measuring cups and spoons that they can work with
6. Only have the kids help on nights/days you’re not too stressed and can handle the mess – pick a night like Fridays to let them make pizza (much cheaper than delivery)
7. Have fun in the kitchen with them! Put on some music, dance around or sing, tell jokes; as long as you’re having fun

Tips & Warnings

• 12 reasons to cook with your kids
• 1. Educational areas such as, reading, fractions, counting, sorting, money, reading, vocabulary, shapes, colors, chemistry, science, nature, social studies, geography, art, history, health and nutrition are woven into cooking
• 2. Sharing, working in a group and following directions are components of social development
• 3. Menu planning involves problem solving and stimulates cognitive and mental development
• 4. Preparing and consuming a finished product promotes the emotional areas of self-esteem, self-confidence and competence
• 5. Chopping, whisking, kneading and pouring encompass fine motor development and hand/eye coordination
• 6. Mixing things such as oats, butter and brown sugar or meatloaf by hand is sensory exploration
• 7. Cooking teaches kids about kitchen safety
• 8. Involving your children in meal preparation from planning to clean up teaches them responsibility
• 9. Cooking sparks creativity and encourages imagination and exploration
• 10. Cooking food from other countries is a way to teach children about other cultures
• 11. Preparing meals from different parts of the U.S. is a great way to teach children geography
• 12. Preparing a meal from another period of time teaches children about history
• 13. Cooking utilizes a combination of the 3 primary learning styles: hands on, visual and auditory
• Many parents are surprised to find out that their kids will try a food in my class that they thought they didn’t like or have never eaten before. I tell kids that, “It takes 2 times for you to decide that you do not like something, and one of those times should be when you make it.” So if your child does not like your meatloaf, rather than be offended, ask them to help you come up with a different recipe or pick up a kids cookbook and try a new version together. Encourage your kids to do as much of the prep work as possible. Seeing the transformation of the food from its natural state to a finished product is a critical element in learning to appreciate food and cooking. So when a recipe calls for anything to be chopped, grated, shredded, etc. be sure to have them do it.