The Benefits of Teaching Your Children How to Cook

All children should learn how to cook. There are several reasons why this is an important life skill to learn and continue to develop. When children are young, there is a concern regarding the use of heat from the stove or oven. You are very wise in that concern. However, remember not all food preparation uses heat. Young children are curious and eager for knowledge. Feed that curiosity and give them the knowledge that will benefit them for years to come.

Your child will grow up whether you want them to or not (sorry!). To help them maintain a healthy diet once they have moved away from home, teach them to prepare healthy meals. This is a good time to help them create their very own cookbook. Encourage them to add recipes that they enjoy to their cookbook. Many children that move away from home to go to college or begin their new jobs, starting a life of their own will turn to eating very unhealthy fast foods simply because they do not know how to cook.

The time spent in the kitchen cooking with your child not only helps them to develop essential life skills, it also strengthens the bonds between you and that child.  Learning to cook as a child offers the ability to acquire and develop so many more essential life skills than just cooking. There are instructions on measuring, division, addition, subtraction, counting, fractions, weights and measures, and science. Reading and writing skills are developed or improved with reading of the recipes and writing them for their very own cookbook.

Knowing how to prepare great meals also boosts your child’s confidence. Confidence in their ability to cook can also help to improve their self-esteem. They exhibit a lot of pride serving the foods they cooked themselves. By having the skills of cooking great food the child, will have the confidence perhaps to invite newly made acquaintances and friends over for a dinner once they move to a place of their own? Hosting dinners and events helps to develop organizational and social skills.

Sadly, another reason to teach your child to cook, especially the boys would be to prevent them from jumping into a relationship or marriage simply to have someone to cook and clean for them. It does seem silly ever to believe that they might do this, but it does happen.

Your child can begin learning when they are a toddler. Measuring our ingredients prior to beginning to cook will allow your child to add the ingredient as you need them. Start with the dry ingredients such as those for making cookies or cakes. This gives them a sense of pride as they watch them bake and see others enjoy their creations. As your child grows and masters each new skill, give praise and then add to their skill set. When you begin to teach them at a young age, by the time they do grow up and move away, they will have the skills necessary to navigate the new life they are beginning by themselves.