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Food Friday: Tips for Cooking with Kids

Rachel Tayse via Flickr

Tune in to Food Friday this week, when Jenny Witte, creater of Mamatoga.com and Mamatoga Magazine, will join us in the studio to talk about cooking with kids!

Cooking with children takes time, patience, and some extra clean-up, but the extra effort is worth it as it encourages kids to try new foods, helps them make healthier food choices, and is also a great way to spend some quality time with them. Cooking also helps them learn math skills, hone their fine motor skills and helps them build confidence in their abilities.

First, parents need to get out of the thinking rut that kids only like “kid food” like mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and pizza. Sure, these are usually popular among the smaller set, but you’d be surprised what they will try given the opportunity, especially when it is something they have made themselves.

Children usually start to express interest in cooking around age 2 or 3, and that isn’t too young to have them start to help in ways that don’t involve hot stoves or sharp knives. Let little ones tear up lettuce leaves or snap peas or broccoli florets, they can also wash fruits and vegetables and measure and pour ingredients. Stirring is of course a good choice, as well as things like mashing potatoes and removing husks from corn. As they get older you can add in more challenging tasks.

Involve children in the whole process if you can, from meal planning to shopping to preparation (and don’t forget about clean-up!). Let them choose some of the ingredients to make it more likely that they will try something new. Take a trip to a farmers market, turn it into a bigger learning experience where they can find out where the food comes from and actually meet some of the farmers that grow it and find out how it is grown.

Especially for younger kids, it's easy to set them up for success and to structure the work area so they are less likely to spill. Have them measure over a pan to catch any spills, and a blunt butter or cheese knife is perfect for spreading or slicing soft foods. Let them use a step stool so they can see the action to help them feel more involved.

Even though the cooking activities the kids will be doing are safe, take the opportunity to teach them about kitchen safety as well. Make sure they know why they can’t touch a boiling pot or a sharp knife, and be sure to teach them the importance of washing hands before and after preparing food.

Consider trying a kids cooking class. Sometimes removing the parent from the food equation makes kids more likely to try something new especially if there are other kids in the class also trying new foods.

Some classes, like the ones at Healthy Living Market and Café, sometimes incorporate popular children’s stories into the class as an extra encouragement for children to branch out and try new things like what they are learning about in the story.

Overall, don’t force it. Keep the kids engaged but pull back before it becomes a chore for them. The same goes for trying new foods, encourage them to at least taste something new but if they don’t like it now don’t make them eat it. We all know how picky children can be, be sure to reintroduce it at another time as their tastes are always changing. 

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