Everyone knows they should cook with their toddler, just like everyone knows they should let their toddler paint and they should go to the park every day. Some things are easier said than done.
More often than not dinner is running late, the kids are starving, and you have 15 minutes to pull dinner together before the whole house melts down. I hear you!
Today I’ve compiled five easy ways to get your kids cooking every day without completely throwing off the routine or delaying dinner.
One- have them prepare an easy side
Have a side salad that just needs to be assembled. Pour frozen peas or corn into a bowl. Cut carrots for everyone to eat.
There are a ton of easy sites we just throw on plates to round out a meal. Give your little one the task and let them play with the food while you cook.
Sure those baby carrots don’t need to be cut, and the cucumber pieces are going to be oddly sized, but it will get better every day. So let them take over a side dish and enjoy the misshapen food for a while.
Two- do ingredient prep ahead of time
We buy mushrooms, peppers, and blocks of cheese every week. I don’t always know what I intend to do with them, but I do know that no matter what we do the mushrooms and peppers need to be sliced and the cheese needs to be grated.
When I’m throwing a fast dinner together and I have an eager helper, I set her up on the counter to slice and dice ingredients I will use for meals later in the week. Maybe she grates cheese or chops mushrooms. Sometimes she makes breadcrumbs or stirs a marinade.
If whatever I give her has no impact on dinner tonight, she can take as much time as she wants.
Three- Have them make their lunches or snacks
There is no reason you have to assemble your kiddo’s sandwich for them. Slice up ingredients for them to take and use to build their lunch. Children make the most amazing combinations when given the chance.
Or turn lunch into a cooking lesson. Work together to cook a simple recipe and snack on the ingredients while you cook. The children will learn, eat healthy components of a healthy meal, and have tons of fun in the process.
Four- Find opportunities for them to stir
This morning we made pancakes and my daughter stirred the batter every time I wasn’t touching the bowl (it was already fully incorporated, but don’t tell her that). Then she would sneak in more blueberries while I wasn’t “looking”.
Kids love to stir things. It builds arm strength and helps their dexterity.
Five- Have them help pick the ingredients
Nothing is more engaging for small children than giving them a choice. Once they make that choice, they often want to help prepare the ingredients or the meal.
Find ways to give them a choice when it comes to dinner. Ask what they want on the pizza or what veggies they want in the dinner. Even a small choice is enough to get them invested.
Kids of every age belong in the kitchen
There is no better place to explore texture, taste, and smell. The more kids participate in the food preparation process, the less likely they are to be picky eaters. So bring them into the kitchen and give them space to play with food.
I mean, does it really matter if they “spoil” their dinner by eating veggies they prepared for that dinner?
What are your favorite ways to incorporate children into the cooking process? Let me know in the comments!
Jane
Jane Reid, the primary author of Unprepared Mom and STEM 911, is an educator, tutor, women’s rights advocate, and mom. Here to make your life easier one article at a time.