Benefits of Cooking with Kids

By Allyson Schneider

When my children were very young, I received great advice from another parent. She told me when my children ask me if they can help, always answer them with a joyful, “Yes!” At first, I thought this was a nice idea, but not very practical. How can young children do laundry, cook, clean, and the many other jobs on my motherly to-do list? But then I thought, simply offering to help their mommy is such a generous and thoughtful quality, so I needed to praise that characteristic in them and find ways that they can help me. I decided one job that my children can help me with is cooking. I can give them easy, one-step tasks that not only teach them about preparing meals, but also gives us some fun, family time together in the kitchen. 

Cooking with your children

Cooking with your children can help them learn basic math skills like measurements, addition, subtraction, and fractions. It can also lead to a better vocabulary and increase their language skills. Not only will it help their education but also build self-confidence and lay the groundwork toward healthy eating habits. There are many benefits to including your children in cooking meals with you. Although it may be easier and less time consuming to do it on your own, by allowing your children to help you cook, you’re bonding with them in a way you’ll remember for years to come. According to Nemours Kids Health, the kitchen is a safe place for children to explore with their senses and open them up to new tastes. It just takes a few moments to search for simple recipes that a child can help you prepare. 

I suggest looking for ways children can get creative and use their hands. Yes, children love to get messy. Why not include some of that exploration in the kitchen as well? I recommend trying meals that involve playing, mixing, and molding foods. Here are just a few:

• Mini Pizzas 
• Chicken Rollups
• Meatloaf 
• Meatballs and Noodles
• Salads

What to cook with kids?

My children helped make the dough for the pizzas from scratch, but you can also buy the refrigerated, pre-made dough available in your local grocery store. They loved squishing the dough then using the rolling pin to flatten it out. We made alphabet pizzas by placing the pepperoni into letters on the dough, “A, B, C,” which gave them some language practice as well. Chicken Rollups are easy and delicious. The kids get to decide what ingredients go in the Rollups and we’d have several bowls laid out for each topping. Then, their favorite part was rolling it all up. My children enjoyed making the meatloaf more than actually eating it, but it was always a fun and tactile experience. First, we’d measure out the ingredients and add it to the meat. They’d squish their hands in the meat mixture which included ground beef, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, and spices. Oh, the fun they had with meatloaf! Same thing can be said for the meatballs. But, their favorite part was learning to form the ball in their little hands. Finally, creating salads was always pleasing for my kids. Using the salad spinner to wash and dry off the lettuce, then tearing up the lettuce into pieces was a blast. These are just a few of the meals we made together that didn’t involve any hot surfaces, knives, or other difficult kitchen tools for children to use, but allowed them to be kids and have fun while cooking!

Involving my twin daughters, who had trouble pronouncing some sounds like “er”, gave them the ability to practice speech therapy while we cooked. As you can imagine, many ingredients contain these specific phonetic combinations such as water, sugar, pepper, butter, etc. So, we used this time in the kitchen to work on speech therapy – and they found it much more exciting than flash cards! I was even more impressed at how much my children’s vocabulary had improved and how much knowledge they had retained from our cooking experiments when we went grocery shopping. One shopper actually heard my then 7-year-old naming all of the produce and commented on how mature her vocabulary was at the time. 

Now that my daughters are older and more independent, I’m so pleased that I took the opportunity to share cooking with them. They’ve gained so much knowledge about what’s actually in their food and the choices they have about what to eat. They’re able to make their own breakfast and lunch. I witness them creating healthy options including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. Yes, I do most of the shopping, but it’s their decision on what they eat. I’m proud of the choices they’re making in terms of portion sizes and drinks as well. They always choose skim milk as a drink with their meal even though we have juices and sodas in the pantry. Even when their friends choose a sugary dessert or candy after a meal, my girls are confident in their decision to choose a healthier option. Their confidence in creating a well-balanced meal and the benefits of such decisions outweighs any pressure they may feel from their friends. This allows me to relax and breathe, affirming that I’ve done something right. They’re taking the steps now to ensure a healthy lifestyle as adults, and that brings me such joy! 

Why cook with kids?

What’s more, the mother-daughter quality memories we made and the adventures we shared in the kitchen will be sure to last a lifetime, not just for me, but for them as well. There can be joy in cooking if you involve your kids. So, grab an apron, some of your favorite recipes, and when they ask if they can help you cook, answer, “Yes!”

What meals have your children helped you cook? Do you have kid-friendly recipes, tips, or advice on cooking with kids that you will share with us? We’d love to hear about your personal cooking adventures with your kids. Connect with us on Instagram @MapsCookingKids or on Twitter @MapsCookingKids. Until next time, Agape, be kind, and happy parenting.