Teaching Kids To Cook
Teaching children to cook can be a very rewarding hobby, and is a great way to start your kid’s off on a healthy lifestyle young. Spending time with your kids is important, and cooking with them is something every kid can do, you just have to find something age appropriate.
Ages Two to Five
This age (preschool and kindergarten) should probably stay away from sharp things and the stove, so I like recipes like no bake cookies and Jello, or even some type of instant pudding. They love the opportunity to make a mess, they love to eat (and wear…) the stuff and it is super easy to clean up after. If they are really good, try your hand at cupcakes, and let them decorate the tops with different frostings and candies.
Ages Five to Eight
These guys are a little more capable, and if they are good you can trust them with the stove a little more. Homemade pizza is a favorite in this age group; you can buy everything at the store to put it together at home, including the readymade crust. Another good pick is cookies. Good luck keeping them out of the dough, but as long as you are manning the cookie sheets, they should otherwise be just fine. I like the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe, and my mother liked to make her special oatmeal cookies with us.
Ages Eight to Fifteen
This is the age group that will eventually be problematic, and cooking with mom just isn’t cool anymore. You just have to stick that out, and if they are still interested in cooking at all, find the things they love to make. If you have done your job early, they should be fearless and ready to try everything, and if you are just starting, this can be a tough age group to catch. But they all seem to have something they enjoy, and even moody teens can be tempted with a favorite treat and so long as they’re friends aren’t looking.
Ages Fifteen and Up
If you are lucky, you have been cooking with your children their whole lives. You can even make this a daily chore, asking that they help make dinner every day. This helps prevent young men like my husband, who can burn a pot of boiling water and who would starve to death if I was in a tragic bus accident. Take classes and learn some of their favorite things too, even if you have to try out sushi.