Getting your children involved in the cooking may come across as a chaotic activity, but we assure you it’s really worth it! Here are some reasons why involving kids in the kitchen is important, as well as some handy tips on how to make it a fuss-less scenario.
The positives:
- It helps to encourage your child to try a wide variety of foods
- It is a great bonding session between you and your child
- Helps to hone fine motor skills
- Instills a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence
- An opportunity for learning; cooking involves mathematics, reading skills, learning how to read time, different units of measurements, food chemistry
- Learning about responsibility, problem solving and how to get creative!
- Not to mention, cooking is a great life skill to have
- Helping out in the kitchen also means less time on electronic devices
- And also importantly, an appreciation of you as a parent and what it requires to get food onto the dining table
Don’t stress the mess:
- Embrace the mess with a perspective change. Mess is temporary! Focus on the interaction and learning, rather than the mess
- Opt for age-appropriate activities (read more here)
- Damage control by laying a mat or tray to catch drops and spills
- Plan ahead and allow ample time
- Involve your child in the clean up process (and more clean up tips here)
7 easy recipes to start you off
Click the recipe title for the full recipe.
Fruit Parfait
A favourite snack in my house. Children can help wash and cut the fruit (need a Foost child safe knife?). Then you can make your own yoghurt by mixing yoghurt and fruit flavourings. Lastely grab some muesli, oats, nuts or coconut. Now you are ready to layer in a bowl or cup, and make your own delicious snack, breakfast or even dessert.
Pita pizza
We eat this for any meal! Children can prepare ingredients and then make their own. And it’s ready to munch in a flash. Make them large to share or buy smaller pitas to make your own.
Quiche boats
Easy and fun mini quiche! Let the children choose what flavours to put in there. This makes a great meal or snack.
Cookies
Mashing, mixing, measuring…this recipe has it all!
Muffins
For snacks and lunchboxes, children seem to love baking! Lots of cracking eggs, mixing and measuring to keep them entertained.
Salad
We often bake with our children but helping to prepare dinner including the salad, is highly educational and often lets them have exposure to foods they are still making friends with. You might also like to mix together a dressing in a jar, for some fun shaking.
Chicken nuggets
This one gets a little messier but my kids just adore crumbing. Serve it with some chips, rice or mash and that salad you just made. You can also crumb fish or zucchini.
Want more?
The foost website is bursting with great recipes to cook with your children. And we also have our ebook 101+ fruit and veggie snacks for even more inspiration.
