Kids In The Kitchen: So Many Benefits!

Written by: Julia Hop Hing, BASc. (c) 
Reviewed by: Mirieta Selimovska, MHSc. (c)

The cooler weather has many families spending more time indoors. Take advantage of this opportunity and invite your kids into the kitchen to cook or bake with you! It’s a great way to teach them about food literacy, to grow their life skills, and to gain some quality time together.      

Five benefits of cooking or baking with your kids:

1. Teaches soft skills.

   Cooking together teaches families to use their communication, teamwork, and organizational skills with one another. For younger or new beginners, learning to cook or bake and collaboratively prepare tasty meals can help to increase their confidence in the kitchen. 

2. Teaches technical skills.

   Getting hands on in the kitchen encourages children to adopt essential skills like reading food labels, following recipes, preparing raw food ingredients (ie. chopping, measuring, and mixing), and following food safety practices.  

3. Creates a sense of community.

   Cooking as a family is a great way to spend quality time together. This is an opportunity to pass down knowledge about cultural traditions, foods and eating practices, all while bonding over a shared meal that they helped to create.  

4. Supports sustainability. 

   Engaging with children in the kitchen is a great opportunity to start conversations about how food is grown, prepared, and transported. By showing your kids how to properly prepare and store meals, you also teach them how to reduce their food and packaging waste.

5. Promotes healthy eating habits.

   Encouraging your children to use and try better-for-you ingredients can help them make nutritious food choices. This can help improve their health and may help reduce picky eating habits.

Cooking or baking helps children to gain valuable skills. This includes knowledge about nutrition and food, how to prepare meals, and how to make healthy and sustainable food choices.  It’s also a great way to bring your family together and create memories with food!

References:

Beck, Leslie. (2020, April 5). The perfect time to teach your children healthy eating. Globe and Mail. Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/article-the-perfect-time-to-teach-your-children-healthy-eating/

Bright Bites. (n.d.). Food literacy. Retrieved from https://brightbites.ca/learn-more/nutrition/what-is-food-literacy/

Dietitians of Canada. (2020, Feb 21). Cooking with kids. Retrieved from https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Childrens-Nutrition/Cooking-and-Meal-Planning/Cooking-with-Kids.aspx

Government of Canada. (2019, Dec 12). Benefits of involving kids in planning and preparing meals. Retrieved from https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/cook-more-often/involve-others-in-planning-and-preparing-meals/involving-kids-in-planning-and-preparing-meals/