One of the best ways to help kids develop a healthy relationship with food and learn to be an adventurous eater is to get them involved in the kitchen early. Young children are able to tackle basic tasks in food preparation. This gives them a new appreciation for the foods that show up at the family table. When I work with families who have a picky eater, exposing them to foods in a positive environment is one of the top goals we work towards. Exposure can be touching, washing and smelling the food and this can all happen during food prep time. Kids who prepare meals in the kitchen are more often willing to try them as they feel invested in the process. I learned this myself when my oldest daughter came back from cooking camp, telling me about the French toast she made at camp. She later made it at home for us and actually ate it too. Before that experience, she wouldn’t eat French toast when I made it for her.
I realize that having children in the kitchen isn’t always ideal and they can slow a busy parent down when trying to get a meal on the table. I suggest planning a few nights during the week when you have extra time to work on some of the age-appropriate tasks I’ve listed as examples. As they gain more skills and become older, you’ll appreciate the extra helping hands.
Tasks kids can help with in the kitchen:
2-3 yrs old:
Washing fruits and vegetables
Tearing lettuce or greens, pick herbs from stem
Add and mix ingredients to a recipe
Stir ingredients
Add toppings to their pizza
Brush butter or oil on vegetables with pastry brush
Peel a clementine
Help make a smoothie by adding ingredients and pushing blender buttons
.
4-5 yrs old: (Continue with the above tasks and add these additional)
Knead and shape dough
Apply soft spreads
Cut soft foods with child-safe knife (here is my new favorite kid’s knief)
Whip an egg
Measure dry ingredients
Juice a lemon or lime
Peel a hard boiled egg
Make fruit kabobs and layered yogurt parfait
.
5-6 and older:
Measure and mix dry and wet ingredients
Make French toast
Peel fruits and vegetables
Grate cheese
Crack an egg
Scramble an egg
.
7 yrs and older:
Use a can opener, garlic press
Boil pasta
Read the recipe and follow simple steps
.
Children can vary in their interest and stage of development. Only you will know when your child is safe to use a real knife, put something into the oven and cook on the stove without supervision. These tasks are general for each age group and will require a learning curve. Your child may not be ready until they are a little older. Cooking classes for kids are another excellent way to get them involved in cooking. They can learn valuable skills that will serve them a lifetime. The important part is to keep it fun and to remember, they don’t have to eat it!