How To Cook With Kids In The Kitchen

My kids have been in the kitchen with me from the time they could set up, my 10 year old son was the best egg cracker their was by the time he was 2 and could crack an egg with one hand at age 3. Every year for school their is always a teacher that wants my kids to write a paper or story about the favorite holiday memories and without fail they always bring home a story from the kitchen. Suck as X-mas pizza or ginger bead home, or making cookies for older people at our church and doing secret Santa.

I know having kids in the kitchen can be a bit daunting when you trying to something done, and there are so many dangers, but I feel the benefits far out weigh the trouble.

Why Have kids help you cook?

For picky eaters this might just solve the problem. Kids that help cook the meal or more likely to eat it. If they feel they made it and had control on what went in it ( even if they don't) they will eat it or eat more of it with out the fight. It is also a good way to get them to try something new.

Kids that help cook even just twice a week have a higher Self Esteem. By cooking they feel they did something and did it well, and with parents give them praise for it then no matter what is going on at school or with there life's they know when they get home there is something they are good at.

Passing on traditions is another huge reason to have kids in the kitchen with you. some one at some point in you life had to teach you that family cake recipe or stew. now it is time to teach it to your kids what made grandma's dumpling so fluffy that is not on the recipe card. If you don't then who well?

Life skills, cooking is part of life for men and women. Going out to eat everyday or eating quick boxed food is not healthy, but if you child knows how to cook then when they leave home they are able to right and save money on food. The last reason to get kids in the kitchen is tradition.

Traditions bring family closer together, and have fawn memorizes with them. Like our X-mas pizza is silly as it is we all look forward to it every year. It cam about after my second son was born I normally made a big X-mas dinner but that year with a 3 year old, a 1 year old, and a new baby I was just to tried so I had stuff for a homemade pizza, I set my 2 oldest kids on the counter bought out the pizza stuff and we each made our own pizza. They loved it thought it was the coolest thing. After the pizza was done cooking they even left there new toys to sit down and eat. Now we make it every year, We have made all kinds of crazy pizza together and to this day one of there most favorite things to do.

Food holds emotion, and thoughts of the past how many time have you walked in a house where something was cooking and was taken back to grandmas house, or something amazing your mom use to make, Your kids will have the same thing only of thoughts of you and them in the kitchen to gather. It would be something that not only outlives you but something they will pass down to there kids.

How you get your kids in the kitchen with you will depend on their age. Be safe about it, Don't let younger kids around heat or knifes. Get them their own things likeNone blunt plastic knifes to cut with a plastic cutting board, plastic bowls and plates to microwave with and so on, and you stay by them the whole time, a child that can sit up can stir a bowl for cake.

But most of all don't think that it will be perfect if you 2 or 3 year old breaks an egg and gets shell in it, it is OK just fish out and say good job you do it. Reward them, talk to them, and have good time. That is what it is all about.

I love to make Brownie pizza with my kids. It is a lot of fun and they can help make it. I'm sure you and your kids will get a kick out of it.