I Love Cooking With My Kids!

 

If your kids keep asking to help in the kitchen, it may be the right time to get them started cooking and baking. We have some simple and easy suggestions for teaching these new cooks the fundamentals of cooking. If you teach them well you will be providing skills that will last them their lifetime! Firstly, think about the safety and security of the child cook. A good rule to follow is that a child that has to use a stool or chair in order to reach the stove is too young (or small) to be using it. Start small, it will help to keep from overwhelming the youngster. Let younger children assist with setting and clearing the table. collecting ingredients, and stirring, blending or including components. You need to be very clear about working with knives and other sharp instruments. Knives are a key part of cooking and it's very important that you stress the seriousness of knives. Same with hot pans and boiling liquids. Both of these are almost always present in some form and this is not the time to learn by making a mistake. Occasionally parents start teaching their kids to cook by having them make things that don't need cooking first. Sandwiches are a great example of this. You can gradually add more to their learning schedule by letting them use the microwave. Your goal is to create an enjoyable yet safe environment that will allow your kids to create and learn how to cook.

Make Sure They Know How To Clean Up!

Learning to cook ought to be fun, not something to be feared. Like all things in life there are specific duties that go along with cooking and baking. Set a good example by cleaning up as you go along, and leaving the kitchen as clean at the end as it was at the start. Show your kids what the different utensils are used for, and the best way to utilize them. Cooking together is a great method to learn measurements and chemistry, such as how ingredients work when exposed to high heat. You are being sneaky, the children might not even understand they're learning while they're having fun creating meals! 

 

Start with basic recipes. There are some great cookbooks designed just for kids. The good ones are those that include detailed guidelines and images so kids can see what their dish is expected to look like as they follow the recipe. Give your kids an opportunity to shine. When you child is ready to prepare more complicated dishes, let them be accountable for preparing the entire meal. Letting your kids plan an entire meal, and even buying the active ingredients, will assist them to understand and appreciate the effort that enters into cooking. As your kids end up being more proficient, begin including foods from various cultures.

Start With Simple Recipes

Many recipes such as French crepes or Italian lasagna are easy to make, and your kids will develop an appreciation for many different kinds of food. Especially for younger kids, having tools that are their own size not just make cooking more fun, however make it easier for them to participate. Kid-sized cooking area utensils can be found at many department or specialized stores. Make sure you take a lot of pictures at each step of the cooking process. You might not understand it now, however you're making memories that at some point will be as tasty as that batch of chocolate chip cookies you're baking now!