Ways to Include Your Kids in Family Cooking Duties
One thing that makes feeding your family much more pleasurable is feeling as if you have the participation of the entire family for this important chore. In fact, when you involve everyone, not only are you imparting important life skills to your kids, but you are also making the activity a fun family thing to do together that comes with a great memory instead of treating it like it’s a drudge.
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Take Them Grocery Shopping
Letting your kids take part in grocery shopping by giving them some responsibility about the list is also a great way to get your kids involved with meal prep at home. You’re teaching them how to pick out the right food, which is going to carry them far once they’re grown.
Let Them Look Through Recipes and Ideas with You
Getting kids excited about what you’ll prepare together is a good way to get them involved with the household cooking duties. When they see recipes, they’d like to try, and meals they’d like to eat, knowing they have a say in that will also encourage them to do more.
Assign Age-Appropriate Kitchen Tasks Early
Learn about what children can do neurologically so that you know when a task is even possible for your child. For example, a two-year-old doesn’t have the dexterity to use a sharp knife, but he might be able to stand near the counter and stir some pancake batter with your assistance.
Let Them Do Stuff When They Ask
Many children will express an interest in cooking at a very young age. Many parents are afraid to let them due to the dangers in the kitchen. However, if you are supervising and you know the right ways to do things, as you’ve discovered by watching kid cooking shows, they can do a lot more than you may think once taught the proper ways to do it to avoid cutting or burning themselves.
Have Fun Tasting Your Dishes Together
Part of the joy of being the cook is getting the first secret taste. Tasting as you cook is an important way to ensure the food tastes good. Don’t keep that joy from them. Have fun tasting your dishes together and discussing what makes the taste right or in need of additional seasonings.
Start a Garden with Them
Nothing can bring on culinary delight like watching something grow that you planted. Kids love getting dirty in the garden, and you can help them by showing them how to do it plus how to prepare what they’ve grown.
Give Them Kitchen Items, Supplies, and Tools as Gifts
If you treat this chore like it’s a fun activity to celebrate, it will help them love it more. Give them their own mixing bowls, measuring cups, cute protective aprons, and so forth. The more joy you bring to the idea of meal preparation, the more they’ll want to participate.
Getting your kids involved in cooking duties may mean that one sets the table, one washes the lettuce, and one toasts the bread. It all depends on their ages, their dexterity, and how much practice they get in the kitchen on what they can do. But for sure they can help with some prep and clean up as well as deciding what is going to be made.
