Tips For Cooking With Your Kids

Chances are if you’re trying to learn cooking online, you might have your hands full with kids too. Although you may be impressed with everything you’ve prepared so far in your online chef programs, children are notoriously picky about the foods they eat and may not have the same esteemed opinion about your dishes.

However, including your kids in the excitement of making meals is one of the best things you can do to ensure they like your creations and continue eating well as they grow. Here are some top tips for cooking with your children:

Start with the baking & pastry arts
As crazy as this may seem, baking is one of the best ways to introduce kids into the culinary world. Unlike preparing main dishes, making desserts and breads is more of an exact science. Everything must be measured, so this is actually a great way to teach your children about fractions and math too. Be warned: Baking always makes a mess even without kids, but it is usually worth it once the treats come out of the oven.

Teach them the importance of ‘cleaning’ foods
First off, make sure to take them to the farmers market or in the garden to select their favorite veggies. Explain to them that because fruits and veggies come from the earth, they need to be rinsed to get rid of all that “icky” stuff like dirt. Then, have them wash the produce themselves.

Taste and talk
This is a great tactic for picky eaters, as they can work through the cooking process every step of the way. Have them try the dish throughout the preparation (if it’s safe to do so, of course), so that they can decide for themselves if it needs more salt, pepper or other ingredients.

Make sure everything is safe
Safety is always priority No. 1 in the kitchen, and this is especially true when you are enjoying cooking with your kids. Make sure all pot handles are turned toward the oven. Keeping boiling liquids on the backburners. Keep knives at the back of the counters. Give them a step-stool and their own little “workspace” away from unsafe items so they feel included, and make sure they are kept busy with safe tasks, like stirring, so they don’t get idle and grab raw chicken or a sharp knife.

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