How to Cook With Your Kids

Many children love helping out in the kitchen, and the cooking skills they learn during childhood will serve them well throughout their lives.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Kitchen Utility Knives
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Personalized Aprons
• Wooden Spoons

1. Start early. Even toddlers and preschoolers are capable of doing more than you might expect in the kitchen.
2. Teach your children how to use basic kitchen utensils ' knives, spatulas, cup and spoon measures. Let them watch you use more complicated utensils and electronic gadgets for a while before giving them the controls.
3. Show them where you keep everything in the kitchen, and remind them that when they use something, it needs to be returned to its proper place.
4. Begin by letting them help you; give them small tasks such as stirring a pot, beating an egg with a fork or whisk, and adding the right amount of flour to a mixing bowl.
5. Find some simple recipes that they can follow under your supervision; there are a number of good cookbooks for kids that you can choose from.
6. Let them choose from a selection of recipes ' they are more likely to enjoy cooking something they want to eat.
7. Be patient ' there may be spills and mistakes at first, but kids will catch on pretty fast.
8. Communicate with your kids about food and menu planning; let them taste dressings and sauces as they go, and discuss the flavors, textures and chemical properties of food. This will help them realize that good cooking is part improvisation, part science.
9. Let them experiment. Once they have made a recipe successfully, let them try substituting different ingredients or suggesting other adjustments. Will the burgers taste the same if they're made with turkey instead of beef? Will the cookies be just as good with raisins instead of dried cherries?

Tips & Warnings

• Let your child help you put away clean dishes and utensils ' this is a great way for them to learn where everything is supposed to be.
• Find kid-sized aprons to keep each of your little chefs clean. You can even personalize them with fabric paint.
• Get a safe, sturdy step stool so that your kids can reach the counter properly.
• Explain to your children that food can only be prepared safely in a clean kitchen, and make cleanup a required element of cooking from the very beginning.
• Get your children to help you shop for the supplies they need to prepare their recipes; this will help them learn how to read labels and compare prices.
• Be sure to remind your children of the safety risks of a kitchen as often as you need to, but as calmly as possible ' children should respect the kitchen, but not fear it.
• Always supervise children when they are using a hot oven or a steaming pot, and make sure they have mitts and pot holders that are sized correctly for little hands.
• Don't let anyone taste anything that has raw meat or eggs in it ' there is too much risk of salmonella, E-coli, or other food safety issues.
• Don't let your children use your sharpest knives until they have significant experience using paring or serrated knives.