As children enter their teens, the drive for independence becomes greater by the day. As hard as it may seem to believe, one day your teenager is going to leave home – and when they do, they will need some failsafe, healthy recipes to take with them. Why not start teaching them some basic cooking skills now? When the time does come for them to fly the nest, knowing the basics will stand them in good stead. Here are three dishes that every teen should know how to cook.
Vegetable Soup
If you’re still concerned that your teenager isn’t able to cook healthily for themselves, teach them a good recipe for vegetable soup. Once they’ve learned the basics of frying, boiling, and simmering, teach them that they can adapt this recipe by swapping in different types of vegetables, adding a protein such as cheese, or alternating the herbs and spices they use to flavor the soup.
Eggs on Toast
Whether the eggs are scrambled, poached, fried, or boiled, knowing how to cook an egg well and season it means that your teenager will always have one quick meal in their repertoire. Eggs are also fairly healthy, containing important vitamins and minerals, so if your teen serves the eggs with some sauteed spinach or roasted broccoli, they are well on their way to getting some of their essential nutrients.
Spaghetti Bolognaise (Or Another Pasta Dish)
Pasta is cheap, filling, and crowd-pleasing, so make sure your teen is confident whipping up a family-sized serving of spaghetti bolognese, or something like a lasagne. If your teen eats meat, this will also be a good opportunity for you to teach them some of the basics about cooking safely with meat and maintaining kitchen hygiene.