Cooking with kids takes a little extra time and patience, but has many
benefits. As more families rely on fast food for mealtime and childhood
obesity rises, parents can make a lasting difference in their children’s
overall health by cooking meals at home and getting the kids involved. Here
are some of the great reasons to bring your kids into the kitchen while
preparing food for your family.
- Math lessons
Cooking is a practical math lesson for kids. For preschool age kids, they
will practice counting as they add two eggs and three teaspoons of this or
that. Elementary school kids learn about fractions in a real world setting.
If the recipe needs to be doubled or halved, kids can use their
multiplication and division skills to calculate the new amounts. Kids of
all ages will learn to follow directions as they read the recipe carefully
and help add ingredients. - Self-esteem
Kids build their self-confidence as they learn something new and see the
end result of all of their hard work. They will also get immediate positive
feedback from their family as they taste the food they have made. Kids will
begin to understand the effort involved in cooking and appreciate it more
when a parent works hard on a delicious meal. Cooking builds self-esteem
and teaches a good work ethic. - Life skills
Home-cooked meals are less common in our society as people often pick up
carryout food in our busy world. Children who learn to cook at a young age
will be more likely to prepare meals at home when out on their own. Cooking
is one of the most practical life skills you can teach your children. It
provides them with health benefits and cost savings as well. - Science lessons
Cooking doesn’t just teach math, but science, too. What happens if you add
too much baking soda? Not enough flour? Kids will learn how things work and
the importance of following directions and using the correct measurements.
They will learn attention to detail and what happens if a mistake is made. - One-on-one time
Kids crave one-on-one time with their parents and cooking provides a great
opportunity for some together time. Kids who cook with their parents are
more likely to open up and talk about their day and what is going on in
their lives. Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore; make it fun and take
advantage of the time to laugh and talk together as you work. - Health benefits
There are many health benefits to cooking at home. Meals are more likely to
be well balanced, have better portion control, contain less salt and trans
fat and just taste better. By cooking at home with your children, you are
providing them with these lifelong habits that improve overall health by
training their palate to enjoy healthy foods.Cooking meals at home with your kids shows them that you are making family
time and healthy meals a priority. By teaching them this practical life
skill, you are showing them you value their help and want to spend time
together.
Six Great Reasons to Make Family Dinner a Priority
- Kids are more open to trying new foods, even veggies
- Portion control
- Opens communication
- Improves family dynamics
- Saves money
- Kids are more likely to have higher self-esteem and lower risk of
depression, and are less likely to develop eating disorders
(thefamilydinnerproject.org)
Originally published: 03-01-20
Updated: 10-03-22
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