If the idea of cooking with kids terrifies you, look no further as this article has all the advice you need. When done well, cooking with children can be a bonding, educational experience (and may even result in some edible food). So read on, for the top tips and advice to turn this family activity from terrifying to terrific.
Know Your Recipe
Before you start cooking with the kids (before you even tell them that you’re thinking of cooking), have an idea of what you will make. Obviously, anything that is super complex with multiple stages and techniques isn’t going to work. Quite a few cookie recipes are just a few steps and require one or two techniques. Consider something like a Greek salad, which requires some careful chopping and mixing a salad. Children enjoy being able to taste the recipe as they go, so anything with lots of meat or raw fish is a no-go.
Share Out Tasks
Are you cooking with one child or several? Cooking with one is relatively simple, and you can carefully watch as they complete any trickier tasks like slicing. If there are several children, you need to divide out tasks fairly or arguments will ensue. Give the oldest children the trickier jobs, and ask younger children to fetch ingredients, help you measure, or mix dry ingredients like flour and sugar.
Celebrate Results
Even if the final dish doesn’t look particularly appetizing, try to celebrate it and, if you can, taste a little. The kids will definitely want to taste the fruit of their labors, and they will feel proud of the work they’ve put in so make sure to emphasize that they’ve done a good job.