how did you teach your kids to cook?

Answer 1

I have 4. They are all grown with children of their own. I did the same for them that my grandmother did for me. At 2yrs of age I stood on a stool and helped her. She allowed me to mix and stir. She did not allow me to come into contact with anything hot or the stove. Back in those days everything was made from scratch. I mixed and stirred for years. She had patience, boy did she have patience.

You will need alot of this if you intend to teach your child how to cook. You will have the desire at times to just take everything away from them and do it yourself, DON'T. Praise them if they get something right, praise them if they "almost" get something right. All tell them it's okay if they don't, they will sooner or later. Just to see the looks on their faces when you pull something out of the oven that has been created by their own hands is worth all the clentched teeth and biting of the tongue and forced smiles when down deep inside you are a nervous wreck.

So when it was my turn with my children, I introduced them to food preparation. I showed the how to wash and clean vegetables. I also allowed them to stir and mix. I encourged them as they became older to read directions on the box to me and then I would send them to get whatever ingredients were required from the shelves or frige. I showed them how to measure dry ingredients, poured it all back into the continer and then asked them to do it. They were not allowed around anything hot or sharp until the age that I thought was safe for them and that they were responsible enough. Along with cooking goes responsibility. Safety is also very important. They were never impressed with cleaning up afterwards. However with both Mom and child working together they didn' t mind that much. Later on when they wanted to cook while I was at work. We would split up the kitchen duties. Rule was, if you ate, you had to help clean up. They all loved to eat. Their friends too.
All four, two boys two girls, cooked their way through life. They are still at it. The wives think it's great, the husbands got fat.

Answer 2

This is very simple. You can't teach a child to cook unless your child WANTS to learn. Believe me, I tried for many, many years. It's a basic need to be creative and the beginnings of a passion for making something and having it turn out right. I had it when I was very young, following the cook around the kitchen with a keen curiosity. My daughter never shared that passion. Her boyfriends did, but not her.

Answer 3

Not a parent but, my mom and my grandma (and great-grand) would insist on me watch them when they cooked.
They would have me wash the food, cut it up (when I was old enough to handle the knife) and put the food in the pot.
before time, I would be doing a little more and more and they would watch me and tell me what was I doing wrong.
Before long, they had no need to watch me; I already knew what to do. By 12, I was cooking dinner. I still am.
If you do it that way, they will get the hang of doing the cooking by themselves.

Answer 4

I'm slowly teaching my odest right now. I started him out on scrambled eggs, He make amazing scrambled. Then because he is a boy I have moved him to the grill. I teach him the seasoning, then I put it on the grilll, but when it comes to turning I started holding his hand and doing it, now I just walk him through it. I also explain everything that I am doing, and why. Like if you look at this, you will see this, that it what I use to tell me it is time to turn. He has picked it pretty quick. I also gave him a secret recipe that only him and I know, so he loves to make it, and hear the raving.

Answer 5

When they asked me if they could help, I always said yes and found ways from salad-making to measuring things... when they just wanted to watch while I was cooking, I talked to them and explained what I was doing while I did it, and why I was doing it. Then, when they got older and I was sick and couldn't cook, I'd have them make dinner for themselves, first by getting pre-made meals out of the freezer and heating them in the oven or microwave, then by following simple instructions for a pasta meal or something like that. At that point, they're ready to start following recipes!

Answer 6

My daughter is 4 yo. We are starting simple. She helps grate cheese, uses the salad spinner and other things that don't require her to use a knife. A lot of stirring and mixing. We also make cookies together.

My favorite recipe is cake mix cookies.
1 cake mix
1/2 c softened butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup of mix ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc)

Mix cake mix, butter and eggs until blended. Stir in mix-ins.
Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes at 350.
Let sit for 10 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack.

She can do everything herself and she loves that.

Answer 7

Just let them be involved in the cooking and preparing process. My mom had me do simple things like (peel garlic, clean pinto beans,make the koolaid...) when I was around 7 years old. Little by little she would call me to help her with the actual cooking (mixing, stirring..)
I have seen moms even sitting children by the counters and tell them what they are doing. The child (3 yr old) would observe and sometimes be allowed to mix the ingredients.
In school, we learn about recipes, when they are in 5th and jr/high school let them follow recipes, of course, be there for support. This helps them become confident on how to follow instructions. Keep in mind, you had modeled how to follow recipes before you give them this task.

Answer 8

I started with each of mine as mixers when they were toddlers, as they get older and can stand on their own feet and see into a pan they start with watching me and then I let them help stir or flip. I've always got them in the kitchen watching or getting things and I talk to them about what I'm cooking and how I cook it. my 14 year old wins in cooking contests all the time. and my 6 year old makes a mean pb&j sandwich :)

Answer 9

Start simple like boiling eggs, making jello etc. then build from there.
The main thing is to make it FUN.
Be prepared to have lots of patience and DO NOT get angry.
When they come up with some outrageous dish, go ahead and let them try it out. Who knows, you might even like it. If not, well there is always the dog or the trash.

Answer 10

My kids are still pretty young but they are learning. I have them help with dinner. The older kids can measure, pour and stir things. The younger kids help get stuff out and help stir. Just get them involved, the older they get the more they pick up and the more they can do.