Cooking with young children: tools and tips!

As romantic as the image is of a tender afternoon bonding over the mixing bowl with your little ones, sometimes the reality of cooking with children can have us running for the hills or downing a sizeable glass of Pinot Grigio before we contemplate getting them involved.

That said, cooking with children can be an immensely rewarding process with the right planning and preparation to make it a stress-free experience.

What can they learn?

Cooking is such a fantastic learning opportunity for you to engage with your child as it encourages self-confidence and life skills that will endure long into their adulthood. Skills such as counting as they weigh and measure ingredients, time management and fine motor skills for younger children, which can help them to learn to write.

As a nutritionist, the most exciting learning opportunity for me is introducing children to new foods. Research has shown us that the more times our children engage with a food, the more likely they are to eat it, so involving our children in food preparation is an ideal way to combat fussy eaters.

Tools of the trade

Firstly, make sure you pick a skill that is appropriate for your child. Most children can use spoons, spatulas and whisks and even a small rolling pin under supervision.

For children age 3+ you can purchase child-friendly knives and vegetable peelers or simply use a butter knife, but ensure you are always supervising your child and start off with easier foods to chop and peel (a banana, for example). You can also use scissors for chopping the ends off vegetables like green beans.

You may also want to invest in a kitchen stepping stool, so your child is the right height, or simply take your tools to the kitchen table.

Enjoy this time with your child  

Every age of child can benefit from getting involved in cooking, whether it is banging pots and pans or measuring out ingredients and getting nifty with a rolling pin.

Cooking is such a fundamental life skill and one that will pay dividends when your little angels start making dinner for you!

Start off with something quick, like this healthy snack idea, a simple recipe that delivers instant results for those curious little hands.

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