Kids of every age can play a role in the kitchen! The more they’re exposed to food and cooking, the more likely they are to build a curiosity and appreciation for food and health. Here are some great ways to include kids of any age in the cooking process.
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE A curiosity for food and cooking can be shared at an early age. Share your knowledge and include kids in the decision making process - younger kids especially love it when you give them responsibility that they don’t expect.
Introduce them to the names of different ingredients
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE
Discuss the meal – tastes and textures and what they enjoyed
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE
Brainstorm meal ideas together
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE
Taste things
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE
Grow a garden
SHARING COOKING KNOWLEDGE
IMPROVING THEIR ARITHMETIC It's never too early to teach kids fractions. Let kids use a scale to weigh ingredients or measuring spoons and cups for sauces, vinaigrettes, and spice mixes. Challenge older kids by asking them to scale and adjust measurements.
Add pre-measured ingredients
IMPROVING THEIR ARITHMETIC
Measure and weigh ingredients
IMPROVING THEIR ARITHMETIC
Scale and adjust ingredients
IMPROVING THEIR ARITHMETIC
OPERATING TOOLS & APPLIANCES Getting children comfortable with kitchen tools and appliances will give them increased confidence in the kitchen.
Hold down buttons (on salad spinners, food processors, blenders) with supervision
OPERATING TOOLS AND APPLIANCES
Operate tools and appliances on their own
OPERATING TOOLS AND APPLIANCES
CREATING A GREAT SOUS CHEF Younger kids can do lots with a pair of scissors, their hands, or even a special kid's knife. You can slowly graduate them to using an adult knife when they're ready. The earlier they start helping with the chopping, the sooner they'll become your awesome sous chef.
Tear greens by hand, like lettuce, kale, and chard
PREPPING AND CHOPPING
Use scissors to trim green beans, slice bell peppers
PREPPING AND CHOPPING
Prep easy-to-chop ingredients with a kid’s knife
PREPPING AND CHOPPING
Prep easy-to-chop ingredients with a regular knife
PREPPING AND CHOPPING
Prep ingredients with a chef’s knife
PREPPING AND CHOPPING
CREATING CONFIDENT LITTLE COOKS Younger kids can participate in the cooking process with safe and easy tasks like assembling, stirring, and seasoning. As kids get older, consider delegating a part of dinner to them. It'll give them ownership and also build life skills they'll get to use forever!
Assemble pizzas and casseroles
CREATING CONFIDENT COOKS
Stirring and shaking (soups and breading)
COOKING
Seasoning and tenderizing proteins with a fork
COOKING
Put them in charge of making salad dressings
COOKING
Be responsible for a part of dinner
COOKING
Live happier, simpler, smarter in the kitchen Click here to learn more on how to create healthy eaters