Teaching Kids to Cook

Now, here are some tips on how to teach a child to cook.

Let it be a progression. Get them involved at an early age as your helper, then progress them to doing things while you assist them, to finally being on their own entirely.

Teach them to follow a recipe. Start by having them read each step out loud, then show them how to break it down into steps. Gather all the ingredients together before starting helps keep them on track as well.

Start with dishes they like. This helps keep them interested as they learn. As they grow in cooking skills, allow them to choose their own recipe, but encourage them to branch out. Occasionally, give them recipes that stretch them or incorporate foods they might not normally gravitate to.

Get them kid-friendly cookbooks. Having fun recipe names and dishes that appeal to kids can be great in piquing their interest in the kitchen. But be aware that not all kids cookbooks are created equal and some are little more than “open and mix” recipes (ones that call for a can of this and a box of that, rather than truly cooking from scratch).

Don’t neglect cleanup. Kids who make messes should clean up those messes—and wash those dishes!

Make kitchen safety part of the training. This goes behind knife safety—which is important!—and should encompass food safety too, like why you should keep raw meat separated and wash your hands after handling it.

Have them in the kitchen on a regular basis. Using their skills more often will allow them to gain confidence in their abilities. Plus, they will be able to build on their skills with frequent practice.

Finally, remember that you’re not teaching your 9-year-old to cook—you’re teaching him how to feed himself for the rest of his life. Cooking is more than putting a meal together—it’s about sharing food with your family. When we help our kids look behind the dish and see how important food is to our culture and to us as families, it can really transform a mundane task into something worth our while.

To connect with Sarah and read more about raising kids, visit www.sarahhamaker.com.