"One way to help a child feel needed, important and valued in the family is to put him or her in charge of one family meal per week," said Jim Fay, founder of the Love and Logic Institute. "This means planning, cooking, serving and cleaning up. Most kids are capable of doing this by the time they are 8 years old."Really?
Kids can help cook at a younger age than you think
February 11, 2012 at 8:22PM
Yes, said Amanda Grant, author of "Cook School."
"Preparing an evening meal is such a brilliant and important life skill," she said. "It is a great idea to encourage children to cook a meal for the whole family from as young an age as possible."
She offered pointers:
Hammer home hygiene. "Make sure that children develop a habit of washing their hands, chopping boards and kitchen utensils straight after handling raw meat," she said.
Cut with the "claw." When a recipe calls for chopping, teach kids to make their fingers into a "claw" shape with their thumb tucked inside their fingers. The claw holds the food and the child holds a small paring knife in the other hand to cut the food.
Master a white sauce. "A great skill to have," Grant wrote in "Cook School." "Once you know how to make a white sauce, you can then make a pasta meal for your family." Flour, butter and milk are all you need to begin, and you can experiment with herbs and spices depending on the dish.
Involve little ones. Younger siblings can get in on the fun and develop kitchen habits early. "They love to count spoons of ingredients into a bowl and mix them together," Grant said. "Also, most children like a bowl of water to play with, so you can just take it a step further and encourage them to wash the vegetables while they play."
Don't discount breakfast. Grant's book includes recipes for fruit scones, toffee apple tarts and broiled ham bagels, all of which children can prepare in the morning while parents pack lunches, backpacks and briefcases.
Keep it enjoyable. "Above all, the most important thing is to have fun in the kitchen, so cooking with a friend or sibling can also be a good idea."
about the writer
Include your camp in our free annual summer camp guide.
