Getting in the Kitchen with Your Children

One memory I have from my childhood is making cookies with my mom. Sitting on the counter next to the stove stirring the pot of boiling milk, sugar and cocoa powder and then adding in oatmeal and coconut. Now while I realize that sounds really dangerous, I never got hurt, my mom made sure of it.

While I wouldn’t sit my kids next to the stove to stir the pot, I do sit the pot on the counter after the boiling stage. And they can take it from there. Adding the last of the ingredients and dropping them onto the cookie sheet.

Simple steps such as those I just mentioned are a great way to get your children in the kitchen helping and learning.

Some easy ways to have them helping in the kitchen are to have them pouring/dumping and stirring.

Ways to go about setting up to cook or bake with your child(ren):

• Have everything set out before hand  ie/ ingredients, pots/pans, measuring utensils, bowls/spoons
• Have all ingredients measured out before hand – helpful with younger children

Cooking with your children is a great way to get them interested in eating healthy foods, and introduce them to new foods. A great way to get picky eaters eating, they are more likely to eat food that they have helped make.

It can also be a great activity to help with counting and reading. Measuring and reading the recipe.

It can also just be plain fun. Like making these Peanut Butter and Jam Rolls.