As temperatures rise and summer breaks near, parents are tasked with occupying their kids’ newly abundant free time both indoors and outdoors. Cooking is a fun and productive use of that extra time no longer occupied with school and after-school activities – especially on rainy days. Involving your kids in meal prep will get them excited about the food they eat, teach them about well-balanced diets and encourage some quality family time.
Like other summer activities, parental coaching and supervision are required ingredients when cooking with kids. Depending on your helpers’ age, interest and, of course, attention-span, there are ways all kids can assist in the kitchen, so parents should be aware of what responsibilities their children can or want to undertake. No matter what the role, kids will love being a part of this fun family experience and parents will love the help!
“Menu planning and preparation is a great activity to share with the kids,” commented Joan Hanson, test kitchen director, Hormel Foods. “And, kids are more likely to eat what they help plan and make, which also creates a way to incorporate healthy fare into the family’s diet.”
When teaching the tots to cook, get creative with your techniques. Hanson offers a few helpful tips for parents cooking with kids:
- Measure ingredients. While measuring, add some math skills. For example, which is larger: ¼ cup or ½ cup? How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
- Assign tasks. Dole out tasks such as stirring the spaghetti sauce, mashing the potatoes, greasing pans, layering sandwiches or adding toppings to a pizza to give ownership your kids. This is particularly helpful if you have a picky eater.
- Stock up. Try to have kid-friendly kitchen tools on hand, such as plastic bowls that won’t break if dropped.
- Be health-conscious: Remind kids that meat provides protein which helps build strong muscles and that milk, yogurt and cheese provide calcium for strong bones and teeth.
Kids’ Korner
Cooking prep may come as second nature to parents, but for first-time kids of the kitchen, it’s important not to bypass the basics. Here are a few preparation pointers from Hanson for when children are stepping up to the plate:
- Avoid germs. Make sure everyone washes their hands before starting. Also, it’s important to wash hands after touching any raw meat.
- Set rules. Clearly identify what tasks should be done by adults, such as lifting heavy pans from the stove and using sharp knives.
- Preview the recipe. Read through the entire recipe together before starting. Talk through the order of preparing the recipe and create a plan.
- Lay it out. Get all the ingredients out before starting to make sure you have everything you need.
- Height reminder. Don’t forget chairs or stools for little ones to use when helping.