Research shows that when you make meals at home, you consume less salt, fat, and sugar. Additionally, when kids cook with you, they are more likely to try new foods or textures because they were part of the preparation process. What is most important when kids are young is giving them many opportunities to try new foods, cooked in many different ways. Texture is a big deal for kids; the more we can normalize it, the easier it will be for them to have the courage to try a food they “say” they don’t like.
Plus, most of the time kids like to cook. Why? Kids love to make things and experiment with textures. Most young kids just want to be near their caregivers. At first, cooking with kids will be really messy, but over time it will be fun for you and your child.
If you let go of perfection and allow for the kitchen to get a little messy, as they get older, they will be able to be more independent. If you want your kids to get involved, give them tasks that are simple. You can help them with the task 3-5 times, then see if they can do it themselves. Praise their efforts even if there is a big mess or they weren’t able to complete the task exactly the way you would have wanted them to. Little by little they will get it.
In that spirit, many families love RadDish, a Cooking Club for kids. Each month you get a recipe kit with three different recipe cards, table talk questions, cooking utensils and their first kit even comes with an apron. We do one recipe a week. If there is a recipe that we really like, we may do it again that month, or circle back to another recipe.
Once a week, set aside a night to cook with your kids. Know it will take a little longer than making dinner alone, so allow for about 30-60 minutes of prep time. It’s really fun, a good learning experience for my kids, and a great memory for us all. No matter how you choose to get your kids involved in the kitchen, give yourself grace, because it will be more work, but in the end, it will be worth it.
Care you will love.
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