5 Benefits of Cooking with Kids: Entertaining, Educating, and Nourishing

As a parent, you probably feel like you spend more time than ever in the kitchen. From packing school lunches to making dinner and cooking breakfasts on busy mornings, mealtime responsibilities don’t end when the kids get home from school. When parents cook with their kids though—instead of just making meals for them—they are much more likely to keep it up as a lifelong habit. With cooking, there are so many opportunities for learning and growth. As children hone their senses of smell and taste, they develop a deeper understanding of how food is prepared and why. They’ll also learn about food culture, as well as different techniques (such as chopping or stirring). Cooking with kids can come with its own set of challenges though so here are 5 benefits if you decide to give it a try:

1. You’ll instill healthy eating habits from a young age.

There is no better way to teach your child healthy eating habits than by showing them how to create nutritious meals for themselves. If your child has a solid understanding of how food is prepared and what goes into it, they are much more likely to make healthy choices with their diet as they get older. By introducing kids to different ingredients and flavors at a young age, you can also help prevent them from developing food aversions. Many kids out there might be limited to eating only certain foods, but they can expand their food palates when they are empowered to participate in ingredient choosing and meal creation. Cooking together is a great way to introduce kids to new (and safe!) ingredients while they’re still young and their immune systems are still developing. When kids are involved in the meal-preparation process, they are more likely to try new foods.

2. You’ll teach your kids valuable life skills.

Cooking with kids is a wonderful opportunity to teach them important life skills such as counting, measuring, and reading a recipe. These skills can help children feel more confident in the kitchen and make meals for themselves when they’re away from home. Kids can learn how to make anything from pancakes to pasta sauce. They can chop vegetables, pour and whisk ingredients, and stir pots on the stove. They can also learn about different cultures and cuisines, especially when you try new recipes together.

3. It’ll be a great way for your child to develop their motor skills.

Kids are constantly growing and developing their motor skills. Cooking is a wonderful way to encourage those developments, and help kids feel confident with what they can do. When kids are very young, you can give them stirring spoons or let them help with simple tasks like pouring ingredients into a bowl or rolling dough. As they get older, you can also involve them in more complex tasks such as whisking or chopping. Cooking is very hands-on and can be a great activity to build hand-eye coordination that is useful for tasks outside of the kitchen too. Let them practice using different cooking tools and by the time they’re ready to make meals completely on their own, they’ll have a much better idea of what they’re capable of with the tools you have in your utensil drawer.

4. You’ll make your kid more independent and self-confident.

Kids who learn how to cook from a young age are more likely to feel confident in the kitchen and try new things once they get to school. They’ll also be more independent because they’ll have more self-control over their ingredient choices and portion sizes. By helping kids to make their own meals, you’re giving them an important life skill that can carry them through high school, college, and beyond. They’ll be able to make nutritious, filling meals that are more economical than eating out at restaurants. This is a benefit not only to their physical health but financially as well. And once they go to live on their own, they’ll be able to cook for themselves. Cooking is also a great way to relieve stress and nourish their growing bodies.

5. It can create stronger family bonds through food and conversation.

If you struggle with finding time to connect with your kids each night, cooking together is a wonderful way to get to know them better, and strengthen your relationship with them, while tackling a necessary household function. The kitchen can be a place where they feel safe and comfortable telling you about their day in an organic way when the focus isn’t solely on them. It can also be helpful for their cooperation and teamwork skills to work towards getting dinner on the table together. You’ll be able to see what they’re good at, and what they struggle with. You can also use cooking to get to know more about your child’s friends if they’re up for talking while preparing the meal. 

By cooking together, you can make memories that will last with your child for the rest of their life. There are so many benefits to cooking with your child. Whether you’re trying a new recipe for the first time, or just making your own favorite meal, cooking together is a fun way to spend time and make memories. 

If you’re not sure how to get cooking with your children, start with these five benefits. They’re great motivators to get cooking with your child today.