In these days where processed food is so quick cheap and convenient rising obesity levels and poor diet reflects how it really is not so good for us. We need to encourage the next generation to cook from scratch using real ingredients and to be creative and resourceful in their cooking. Not only will this keep them healthier It really is the thriftiest option Waste is greatly reduced if you know a thing or too about cooking up your leftovers, meal planning and batch cooking!
So how do we get kids to enjoy and be interested in cooking?
These are my top tips…..
Start young
Play cooking is a great way to encourage an child’s interest and you can gently talk about loving a tasty salad / wholemal roll, vegetable risotto instead when they offer to bring you pretend choccy cakes! It’s good to show you like healthy, diverse food.
Do cook from scratch yourself and let them join in where you so they can learn some basic skills. The fun and pride involved in cooking. Don’t just cook up cookies though be more adventurous then that! Bread, for example, is fun to make.
Meal planning is such a good idea too it keeps track of how healthy your diet is a s well as reducing waste, Why not encourage your child to come up with some ideas for your meal plan too and when they are old enough they could even write it up!
Look at interesting recipes books with your child and cookery programmes and encourage them to try and make what they see.
Enthusiasm and practice make cooking a delight and a life skill that will really be useful so be positive about cooking around your child and engage them often.
I am so lucky that 7yo has always enjoyed cooking and helping in the kitchen from such a young age.
My son and I do quite a lot of baking, but much better is that my daughter quite often just stands next to me helping out with the regular food prep. It’s amazing how much fun you can have cutting things like mushrooms up with a very blunt knife.
I think the point about just cooking yourself is a good one too. My Mum did a lot of cooking from scratch, and I still find it a bit difficult to get my head round the idea that people don’t as a result.