Teach Your Kids to Cook for Life
Cooking skills are about more than just eating or following recipes – we cook to nourish ourselves and our loved ones, to connect with others, and sometimes because we just really enjoy it. Regardless of the reason, cooking is a crucial life skill, and every kid should master the basics before they leave the nest. Lessons can start much earlier than you might think.
Very young children are often happy to assist with simple tasks, like spreading peanut butter on bread or helping to assemble plates of cut fruit and vegetables. A kid-sized toy kitchen in your kitchen lets toddlers bang pots and pans while they “cook” alongside you.
At five or six, your child can handle slightly more complex tasks, like learning to measure and level flour, using kid-safe knives to slice fruits and veggies, and even stirring a pot with your close supervision. They can also help with cleanup tasks like clearing the table and wiping countertops.
By eight or nine, your child has probably learned about fractions, and could make a handy partner as he or she measures out ingredients. They’re also ready to do a little more heavy lifting with cleanup tasks, and it’s a good time to learn how to use sharpened implements like peelers and paring knives (with your guidance, of course).
When kids hit 11 and 12, they can usually handle preparing and cooking a few dishes on their own from start to finish, and some may want to dive into more complex cooking challenges. Ask your kids to look for new recipes they’d like to attempt and let them take the lead when it’s time to shop for ingredients.
By the end of high school, your kid – now a young adult – should be able to prep ingredients and cook a meal entirely on their own and know how to keep the kitchen clean and sanitary. Even if they stick to the basics, these skills will serve them for a lifetime.
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